LBJ Grasslands/Public Hunting
Howdy to the Texas Bowhunters and sportsmen who hunt the Grasslands and other Public hunting spots. My son and I have been hunting the grasslands for a couple of years now and have really enjoyed ourselves. We have seen a lot of does this year but no bucks as of yet. We have also hunted the Angelina National Forest and the public hunting area in Newton County. Pretty country down there, lots of thick woods, lots of clear cut areas where the lumber company has removed the timber!! Lots of skeeters too! Saw several does, big, but no opportunities for a clean shot. We are new to the bowhunting scene but are having a blast and was wondering if any of you would be interested in giving us some pointers as to some of the more productive areas to hunt the grasslands ie: creeks, open areas, pipelines, etc. I know by browsing this site that a lot of you hunt around the lakes where permissible. I am most interested in giving my 13 yr, old a chance to score, while slight in stature he is shooting a new Parker 50# BuckShot and is quite accurate with it out to 40 yrds, three arrows touching thanks for any info that you might be willing to provide, I will probably be hunting out there from Wed. afternoon on thru the weekend if I don't go to the Angelina, Sabine, Crockett, man this hunting is fun, always somewhere new to go, new places to see, we just can't hardly sit in a plastic box waiting by a feeder, rather be in a tree, and was that really a cougar and her cubs seen out by Cottonwood, we need some rain bad, all of those lakes are about gone thanks for any input that you guys and gals would give us. Rickzilla4645
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First off, let me welcome you to the site. Glad you and your son are getting lots of hunting opprotunitites this year. IMO when hunting LBJ staying away from the more populated areas with the large camp grounds is the way to go. I have seen bucks and does this year, but unfortunately haven't had the chance to drop the string. There are folks here looking to meet up with people almost every weekend to discuss hunting strategy and just hang out and have a good time. Maybe we will cross paths soon. Good Luck, and again Welcome -
Welcome.
Hunting any public land is tough but the patterns remain true to all deer hunting----draws, saddles, creek crossings, funnels----you just have to learn how to recognize them in a different type of terrain.
I personally like the creek crossings where it's thick and knarly and have always had luck at seeing deer. It's thick and full of stickers and briars and makes for short shots but it's also where they travel during the more populated gun season. Most gun hunters want that long ranch across the meadow shot anyway.
Try section 7, 29, behind Cottonwood Lake on the creeks, behind Blackwater on the creeks........I've always seen deer and some good bucks too.
Good luck.Comment
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Welcome to the fire,i was up there this weekend and didnt see nothin,but heard several shotguns going off,which really discouraged me,but public land is tough and hard hunting,just get out there and scout and you should be able to connect..GOOD LUCK...BrianComment
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I will welcome you as well. I was up there this past weekend and saw several does but no sign of a buck. I am thinking they will go into rut here soon as I haven't seen any sign of them in rut yet. I have found several scrapes running down a ridge line but nothing more than that. I would love to find some rubs in a row but haven't seen but one rub this year.
Brian I looked for you this past weekend but I guess you were hidden. I only hunted until noon and then headed home. Maybe our paths will cross this next weekend if you are going out. I will be out there in the camo pop-up around Cottonwood Lake.Comment
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How do, bowhuntntxn, Pat Miller, PSEBrian, and Buck-a-doo, thank you much for the welcome to this site and the advice. Really hope to run into you guys up there soon. As it looks like right now I will probably be hunting the Angelina National Forest this weekend or for sure Thursday and Friday may be at the grasslands Sat. and Sun. Do you guys ever hunt the forests, and would you be interested in teaming up for some huntn some of these places, I gather that you guys already know each other, cause I've seen all of you on different threads. Are you guys serious that the rut hasen't happened there yet cause what I'm hearing else where is that it is already over! Like you said I have been staying away from the crowds, would you be interested in knowing where we have seen deer this year, like I said we have only seen does but one place had quite a few of them, and where there are does the bucks are there too they just stay a little more nocturnal and hidden in cover, right? I'd just go ahead and tell you but I don't want a stampede, how can we do this? Oh and all of these does were big ones, I was really hoping to score during bow season and was sure that I would cause there are so many of them, so I didn't put in for a doe permit cause I thought that they were really limited and then find out that they put out 300 of them. If that is the case there are a whole wazoo bunch of deer out there or they are countn on a whole bunch of bad shots ha! Looking forward to hearing back from you and I'll try and help you out. Rickzilla4645Comment
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I took this two weeks ago check out the buck Wise county Decatur LBJ Graslands. Right place at the right time. You know it is always that way.
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Wow I would have thought all the deer out there would have gone nocturnal after the guns start to pop, they sure have at our meridian place. Looks like I need to get up there next weekend.Comment
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I just returned from LBJ this afternoon. Saw deer in my stand as late as 2 in the afternoon & 10AM in the morning! Last week I couldn't buy seeing a deer and this week they were all over the place but EXTREMELY JUMPY. Gone in the blink of an eye and not even waiting to see what the possible danger might be. There is some fresh scrape activity I found--2nd rut/late rut? Late does coming into estrous?
I saw a total of 23 does in 3 days and not one buck but lots of fresh rubs and scrapes.Comment
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That picture I took was at 9:45 to 10 in the morning. Pat what area is a good area to hunt now? Where did you see the does and scrapes I'd like to get a photo of the scrapes for Terxas Hunting News a new magazine. I won't be giving away the spots though just the photos. They are waiting for the hunters to morning hunt then leave then they go out and feed. I agree with your findings. Are you going early and sitting and staying anyway or are you going late?Originally posted by Pat Miller View Post
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Is there a map I can see?Comment
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Welcome oldguy
That ought to be my handle, yes there is a map, you can get it from the Grasslands field office in Decatur, their number is 940-627-5475, cost is $7. It covers both the LBJ Grassland and the Caddo Grasslands. Did not get a chance to hunt there this year, too many other public opportunities out there that I wanted to check out. P.M. me if you want some more input and information, there are a lot of deer out there as well as turkeys. Flew over it about a year or so ago in a helicopter and saw a flock est. to be about 25-30 birds, found their tracks on the last day of deer season this year. Have not found any hog sign but other guys here have, there is also a reported sighting of a mountain lion and her cubs around Cottonwood Lake, past year or so. It is an interesting place to go but there are also a lot of people in certain places, most of the time we do not see a soul unless looking for a friendly campfire. I can also tell you about a couple of great places to camp. Rickzilla4645Comment
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