Davy Crockett NF 2011/12

[snikrah]

Yes, that was a good buck Snikrah, he sure hasn't missed a meal.

Speaking of "missing a meal"... i've watched several lately pass up corn feeders and go directly to acorn trees, bucks and does My harvest came out of a creek bottom surrounded by acorn trees.

[snikrah]

Good to here the deer are moving a bit, been hunting Alabama Creek WMA with no luck. Rolled down Hwy 7 through DCNF looked good, just don't know anything about that area. Sound like you guys are seeing some deer. Can anyone help for camping info and some areas to scout in. Thanks

I think there is a camping area between kennard and crockett and i know there is one by ratcliff that i've read about on here.

Sorry im not much help on the public camping. I hunt on private property that backs up to the davy crockett in kennard. Several of the folks on this site know of places though.

[Bowman4444]

I think there is a camping area between kennard and crockett and i know there is one by ratcliff that i've read about on here.

Sorry im not much help on the public camping. I hunt on private property that backs up to the davy crockett in kennard. Several of the folks on this site know of places though.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate your response.

[Bowman4444]

I'm looking to go this weekend, leaving out friday morning. I'll have to find the camping areas off of Hwy 7

[dcnfhunter]

I normally camp in the campground off of Forest Road 509 (off of FM2262) which is inside of Alabama Creek WMA. This probably isn't the best one, just the one that I normally stay at. I initially hunted in just the WMA, but once I found out that you could hunt the entire DCNF I started spending a lot of time scouting in other parts of the forest and found some really good areas. As snikrah mentioned, oak trees with acorns on the ground are a good bet while they are dropping. I've also seen lots of deer over the years feeding on the leaves of those american beautyberry bushes with the little purple berries on them. I've even found the purple berries in the stomach of some of the deer that we've killed. The leaves are a yellow-green color and fairly tender. If you look closely at them, you should be able to see where the deer have clipped the leaves off of them. Right now you should be able to find plenty of scrapes as the bucks are gearing up for the rut. Good luck.

[SARSpecialist]

Ratcliff Recreational Camping area is closed... However there is a Hunters camp just up the road back towards Lufkin from Ratcliff, there is several around the DCNF about 15 miles from ratcliff on Hwy 21.. Here is a Link... hope this helps

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5208745.pdf

[atexx2]

so are ya'll saying that you cannot use gas or propane grills or lanterns? The way I read it is that you can use gas or propane grills or lanterns in the hunters camp.

[SARSpecialist]

The Rule was changed Oct 1.. use of propane grills, lanterns is allowed..

[Bowman4444]

Ratcliff Recreational Camping area is closed... However there is a Hunters camp just up the road back towards Lufkin from Ratcliff, there is several around the DCNF about 15 miles from ratcliff on Hwy 21.. Here is a Link... hope this helps

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5208745.pdf

Thanks for the info, still trying to decide where to go this weekend

[GarGuy]

thanks guys, i wish the best of luck to all of you all =)

Super nice buck! Love those big 2s!

[Txbhunter1]

Had lots of bucks on cam up til last week after I planted foodplots. Now all I have are a few dinks and no does. Cold front coming this wknd and will be sitting pretty in the stand again come sat morning. I'm just east of the Ratcliff area on private ground with the Davey across the rd from mine.

[Txbhunter1]

HUnters 7 is just down the rd from me, so if any of y'all are there this wknd, give me a shot and we'll try and get together this wknd. I'm in a red 2011 red F-150 with a red camper shell. Lots of stickers on the shell.

[SARSpecialist]

Weather up date... looks like some rain..

Discussion...
Some gusts this afternoon over much of northeast texas with
temperatures ranging all through the 80s area wide. Skies are
becoming partly cloudy as the moisture increase continues on the
prevailing flow in the lower levels. We have a good deal more low
clouds that will develop overnight and which will linger until may
lunch time tomorrow in some spots. Once these clouds begin to break
up...mixing from aloft will allow for gusts toward 30 mph over the
lake wind advisory area.

Overall...lows will continue a warming trend and highs may
not even be as warm tomorrow as the early cloud deck will steal
some heating and the stronger winds will be mixing out hot spots.

The next surface cold front is edging into the ok/tx panhandles
out of kansas. This front will be shallow on arrival with just a
bit of rain from scattered showers and thunderstorms...little
instability or slope for any severe threat to speak of...but then
the overrunning kicks in and widespread rainfall will do the area
good. Hpc qpf is loaded in for the period with few tweaks.

The water vapor shows change on the way with the west coast
trough dropping farther south than previously modeled. Ecmwf has
trended wetter for early friday over our east and have gone in
that direction for the late week. It will be turning cooler and
wetter as thursday unfolds. The low level trough will not clear
the area until lunchtime on friday. The weekend still looks good
and rather chilly once again as skies clear. /24/

[snikrah]

I live right in the middle of the dcnf. Have hunted it all my life and killed some great deer out of it. I put a young guy in one of my loc ons Wed am. He had never killed a buck. He called about 8 and said he shot a little buck but it had a bunch of points.

He was right! Short blood trail and a main frame 9 with 5 scoreable stickers. 14 point that grossed 143 7/8. If someone will pm me a number I will txt you a pic to ppost.

Holy Moly!

[SARSpecialist]

AWSOME.. Another GREAT deer... Congrats..