Matador WMA

[Tbull9]

I got drawn for archery deer oct 16-20. I have zero knowledge of matador or hunting this part of Texas. I know it’s going to be a hard hunt with a bow. I’m thinking I will just pitch a tent in the primitive area to keep from having to drive to town. If anybody has any info or advice I would greatly appreciate it. This is my first draw hunt so I will take any advice you have.

[C.Read]

I've been drawn once for Matador and have been dying to get drawn again. It's an awesome place to hunt. I went, with my son, on the anterless/spike hunt in December 2017. It was windy and warm for December. Our hunt was cut short due to some stuff that came up so we didn't fill any tags but saw a ton of sign in the OX compartment. If you are assigned the OX, there's a water tank on the northeast side (if memory serves me well) that I would sit at.

Here's some more threads about Matador:

https://www.google.com/search?q=texa...site:discussio ns.texasbowhunter.com&sca_esv=560664892&rlz=1C1GTP M_enUS1043US1045&sxsrf=AB5stBgN0UMlbOoeczmj0qE1DLj rCgvRug:1693241503554&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiM-NmS6P-AAxXPlmoFHeHCB6oQrQIoBHoECBkQBQ&biw=1920&bih=923&d pr=1#ip=1

[Mudslinger]

Try a predator call for mulies if the are an option. It has been a long time since we hunted there, but we called in over 30 does plus about a dozen small bucks. Bigger bucks would stand but did not offer shots. The smaller bucks that came in we decided not too shoot. Some of the does dang near ran over us. Use the call, loud and long. They think a fawn is in distress. Good luck. There are some trophies on that 26,000 acres!

[bowhntrmatt]

See ya there! I think I have decided to tent camp as well. Just adds to the adventure of it.

[Tbull9]

Thanks guys.

[Mudslinger]

Check out the west fence line area and the SW corner back toward the east along the south fence line. The west fence line is heavy, heavy sand. 4x4 a must and it is still very nasty.

[Tbull9]

What kind of stands would y’all recommend taking? I plan to take a couple pop up blinds and a lock on. I assume there won’t be many trees big enough for a lock on tho.

[bowhntrmatt]

What kind of stands would y’all recommend taking? I plan to take a couple pop up blinds and a lock on. I assume there won’t be many trees big enough for a lock on tho.

In for the answer to this. My plan at this point is to take a small tripod and a pop-up or two and set up a couple places right off the bat, likely on water and run trail cams on them. Then still hunt/glass after that to try and locate something better, but have the sets there and ready to hunt in case deer are actually showing up to them.

[Mudslinger]

Some big trees in the bottom of some of the canyons, but I would not take anything but pop ups! Exception would be a tripod, but carrying it away from the roads could pose a problem. Not a lot of roads in this palce unless they added some more and a lot will be 4x4 needed!

[C.Read]

As said above there's some bigger trees in the canyons and along the river bed (again just speaking from experience with the OX compartment) and around the windmill/water tank but I would use a pop up.

[sqiggy]

It’s been years since I was going out there to quail hunt, but I remember dropping in some small draws that had some pretty big mesquite trees either down in the bottom or up along the sides of the draw. They were big enough to get a lock on in. Might only be able to get up 12 feet or so and still be able to see stuff you might not from a ground blind.
When I hunted the Chap, I took a lock on and it came in handy. Wished I had took 2.

[Chadhender]

I did the mule deer bow hunt 2 years ago. My strategy was drive around and get out and glass. Cover as much ground as you can with hood glass. I shot a nice deer on the first afternoon but stuck the arrow in his shoulder with a long shot. Next morning I killed a decent buck. Guy in the compartment over killed the deer I shot and my arrow was in his shoulder. 2 deer killed on that hunt and I shot both. It’s a really nice place.

[troy_w_7]

I did the mule deer bow hunt 2 years ago. My strategy was drive around and get out and glass. Cover as much ground as you can with hood glass. I shot a nice deer on the first afternoon but stuck the arrow in his shoulder with a long shot. Next morning I killed a decent buck. Guy in the compartment over killed the deer I shot and my arrow was in his shoulder. 2 deer killed on that hunt and I shot both. It’s a really nice place.

That is wild!

[Tbull9]

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[friscopaint]

It has very varied terrain from river bottoms and shin oaks with white tail to canyons with mulies to a mix of each in mesquite flats.....alot would depend on if they draw pastures not sure how it works now, some areas a good chair and a pair of clippers to back up into some cover is fine. Friend of ours just made a ground blind with mesquite limbs laying around......when we went most were after the mulies in the canyons so it was more crowded than the other areas.