Lbj Reports

[picahair]

By the way, Caddo has more liberal hunting rules than LBJ. So where is the knock on Type II.

[boss bowman]

The reasons the corp lakes have gone to archery only is due to safety. As populations grew around the lakes it just becomes very unsafe to have bubba running around with a rifle. I don't know what kind of population is around the grasslands but I would bet its pretty sparce if they still allow gun hunting. I would prefer a compartment to be archery only but you guys who want to keep a gun season at LBJ better be very nice to the horse riders, all it takes is one idiot making a mistake and its archery only.

[Larry]

some idiot red neck with a shotgun

I shot a buck on LBJ last year with a shotgun that would not have passed antler restrictions. I don't believe that I'm an idiot redneck, but I guess I'm not 100% sure. We hunted LBJ one day last season and took two bucks. My buck being small didn't diminish the feeling of accomplishment I had dragging that deer a half-mile out.

You would get my vote in a heartbeat for your archery-only area if it would stop y'all from complaining.

[Buck-a-Do]

Heck Larry they didn't mean to call anyone an idiot redneck, I am sure they meant just plain ole redneck or was it an idiot. Oh well anyways, I am going to enjoy what I have as long as I have it.

Happy hunting everyone and I may be there for a day hunt this weekend, I know I will be there 3.5 days next weekend.

[picahair]

Larry, where did you come up with that quote? I can't seem to find it on this thread.

[Buckfever]

It's all good. I am like Bob, and I just want to enjoy it while we have it. I dont want to argue about it. The Grasslands are something to make me relax and unwind, not get me worked up and stressed.

My ONLY dislike of the Grasslands going Type II is strictly selfish. I am being honest. For a long time we around here have held a fairly tightly held secret up here North of DFW. It was called the LBJ Grasslands.

Just this year it seems like the people going out there has doubled overnight. Now, it is overrun with all kinds of new hunters. Yes, some people knew about it before, but not as many as you would think. Just the name "Grasslands" conjured up images of a prairie with no deer, and it kept people away. Many years ago, the Grasslands was a "war zone" since they allowed rifles, and hunters trashed the place, and just down right abused it. Heck they dang near burned major areas down several times with unsupervised fires. The locals and the horse riders complained, and the Rangers cracked down. There also were not as many deer as there are now. I just do not want to see it go back to that with overhunting, or just exposure.

If it went Type II, then it would be printed on a widely dispersed map, and even MORE people would know about it, and it would be even more crowded. There would be MORE beer cans, and MORE trash just thrown out. People seem to love to dump at Type II areas from what I have seen as well. They would tell us to camp in "designated" campsites, and it would not be the same. I saw the land in Palestine go from open public to Type II, to crap, real quick. I know Bob loved it down there, I did too. I enjoy meeting my TBH bretheren out there and have made lots of friends, but I like it relatively under the radar. That is where we have been until the past couple of years.

I think that as more people go out there and see that it ain't no joke, and that it IS hard hunting, and that you have to hike in and out and cannot ride 4 wheelers, and cannot shoot rifles, and cannot bait with corn (which they still try to do) they will lose interest. I can only hope.

I admit it, I am truly being selfish about this and I admit it. But I have spoken with the Rangers out there, and it seems like they feel the Genie is coming out of the bottle. More and more people coming out with only 2 Rangers spread between Caddo 150 mile away, and LBJ. Something is gonna give, and I fear it is the freedom that we have had out there. The Feds do not have the budget to do much more.

That is why I am saying that we do not need to rock the boat.

So I will sit out there and enjoy the campfires and the coyotes, and my bud and just chill.

I have not meant to **** anyone off.

Dave in Denton

[picahair]

I agree with you. I have hunted out there for 4 yrs. and have totally enjoyed it. Now with the influx of new hunters I only hunt there during the week. It isn't bad during the week. If you find someone out there violating the law you can call 911 and they will hook you up with the local ranger. I have called on a road hunter once. My wife and I will soon retire and become full timers in a fifth wheel. We will be following the hunting and fishing seasons from Canada to Mexico full time. Two of our children still live in the area and my intention is to come back to the area in Dec. each year and hunt LBJ. It would really be sad if anything changed up there. My hope is that we can all can enjoy a relaxing time in the field without being crowded and have the chance to see and take game. Good luck Buck.

[picahair]

P.S. You haven't ****** anyone off. You have made valid points.

[Buck-a-Do]

Boss Bowman said it, he is about the fourth thread down...!

[Larry]

Post #4 by none other than boss-bwoman.

I wish they would make antler restrictions required on all public land, sad thing is that the young eight you saw will likely never reach his potential due to some idiot red neck with a shotgun. One thing I have learned in my few years of bowhunting is bowhunters tend to be much better woodsmen, and are willing to let the young bucks grow up.

He's always good for a hot opinion, even if it's about places he's never been.
Take this gem, for example, taken from the "Theft at LBJ" thread:

I don't know what the rules state out at LBJ

He's not sure what the rules are (because he's never been there), but he's qualified to weigh in heavily with his hot opinion on the "idiots" at LBJ (even though he's never been there).

Yet another simple LBJ thread that's gotten outta whack. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I love parts of LBJ. I hope to make a trip or two out there this season after I fill my tags on my Bowie lease. My favorite unit is only 15 minutes from our lease. Why should we assume someone is an idiot because they carry a gun? It's public land. The public deserves to hunt there. A trophy to me or someone else might not be a trophy to you. I'm all for antler restrictions. I was hoping Montague County would make the list this season, but it didn't.

[aggie2000tx]

We as hunters need to get together and make our presence known out there. I think before we start asking for change we need to be willing to spend some time and money out there as a organized group like the horse people do. We could do simple stuff like have a organized trash pick up day or talk with the rangers and see if some painting of campsites needs to be done or something of that nature. One thing about this is that we would have to have some state support such as the LSBA to get in the door. Let's just say that we started a secondary organization such as Grassland Bowhunters or Grassland Hunters Association. We could do things as a group to help the rangers. With time they would see that hunters are a good thing and not a thorn. While I know this would be a huge deal to do I think that it would be something that as a whole would help each and ever one of us. Let me know what you think about this. I would be willing to contact LSBA and discuss this with them and see if the interest is there. The presence of LSBA in North Texas is low. I believe they would be willing to help get us in the door with the right people so we could make our presence as hunters known at the Grasslands.

[picahair]

Ok Larry, sorry I didn't see it. Point taken. You don't look like a red neck but you are drinking the wrong brand of beer

[picahair]

I would be willing to help.

[PSEBrian]

Aggie i like your thinking on the group organization,i would join and i'm sure my wife would as well,i love going up there to get away from city life and i would hate to lose the privilege.i don't have alot of money to let go of,but i would be willing to help out all i could,so I'm in..next....Brian

[Trykonshooter]

After some considerable thought on the topic, I stand with Buckfever and Buck-a-Do. Sometimes we don't realize what we have until it's gone. Change is inevitable, but we should not hurry it along unless it's absolutely necessary. If a restriction is not necessary, then all it is is a loss of freedom. God bless you all and be safe!