Lake Whitney / Lake Aquilla 08/09 season

[LWArchery]

Are you make-n fun of my Buck-n-rut scent?

I guess it might work.

[hand grenade]

wow i always thought there were way too many does on the aquilla side. half the time thats all you see.

[Texas Grown]

HG, between you and me, I'm not so sure TP&W knows what they are doing anymore. Looks to me like they are blanketing everythng.

To All: Hope they come up with a better plan ten years from now, in deer mamagement . Or we stand to loose more than we have now, not just at the lakes here, or ACE/USFS/TRA lands, but across north central Texas. Poor man ain't got a chance (or he now has less of one ).

[BillfromFtWorth]

Texas grown alot of it has to do with tpwd moving over to manage wildlife by RMU (resource management units) intead of by county. They are trying to copy what alot of other states game and fish departments do, but I am not convinced it the best system for texas. I feel they should also consider hunting pressure/population density not just ecological region.

They're trying to use scientific data but they also need to use a little common sense.

[TechHunter]

common sense is something their biologists (that i have met) seriously lack

[Texas Grown]

"Bill, from where I was born", that is exactly what I'm thinking and then a little more. But I think the "RMU" is just a ruse, a sales job, to convince his superior, and others, to his thoughts. You know, office politics for career . Right on target with the "other states" thought. And then a little more to boot (from my view point). As for their data, how can they get it right if they skew the data to their initiative. I firmly believe they skewed the on-line survey this past winter/spring. I went back and checked the sight and they had cut the results date to early Feb when they were taking comments to the end of March (26th?). It makes me wonder what all they over look for "thier" initiative.

Nuthun but a power play on the inside in hopes of career/fame later .


If we only look at what we have today, we will not see tomorrow till it has passed us by.

I could go on and on, but will try to stop here .

[hand grenade]

maybe they should have contacted all whitney/aquilla permit holders and asked us for some input. i just don't see how they came up with no does for this place. its going to be even harder to harvest a buck with so many does around. they wont have to chase as hard during the rut. which means little success rate at least during the rut.

[LWArchery]

Give me your opinion on manditory check stations.
This being collected.

Sex, age, weight, lactation, and antler measurements for each deer harvested.
Calculate gross and net Pope and Young score for typical or non-typical bucks using the P&Y scorecard.
Record hunter observations of animals seen in the field.

[hand grenade]

i like the mandatory check stations that are usually found on all wma's. at least the folks running the place can have a good idea of whats out there and then make management decisions. seems like whitney and aquilla have been blanketed with a policy that may not fit this piece of property. i vote for mandatory check stations.

[Texas Grown]

Sorry for be-n the "devils advocate" but: Do you have to check-in before ya hunt? Or just check-in the deer after kill-n. If before, then the check station folk are gonna have to get up really really early to get everyone processed and on thier way before day light, (lot of areas out there to get to). Especially opening day. I've counted regular ballances of 5-18 vehicles at many areas for a single area. If you just "check in the kill", I'm sure a lot of other folk wont bother, but head to the house with deer in tow. Each area would have to be strickly enforced to make it work.

{"Record hunter observations of animals seen in the field."}

We all should be doing this on the On-Line serveys anyway. Wish every one would have kept up with it. Very few of the 2000+ permits show on-line results. I remember one year about 3 or 4 years ago, where everyone had to return one to get the next permit. "Even though most were done in the office while getting the next permit", I'm sure the results were still skewed.

Just some more thoughts I thought I'd share

[Razorback01]

Check stations, I wouldn't mind them, but where do you place them? The areas at Whitney are spread across a large area. Where, Kimball, Nolan, Lakeside, Steele, McCown, State Park, etc. Throw in Aquilla. I wouldn't mind working one a weekend, no matter the hours, but what would you be checking for, harvest or wounded. As TG says, the on-line should wrap it up, otherwise without increased enforcement I don't see much of a reason. The issue isn't what is harvested, it's what is wounded and not tagged.

[boss bowman]

Give me your opinion on manditory check stations.
This being collected.

Sex, age, weight, lactation,

Record hunter observations of animals seen in the field.

Yes all good data to collect

Calculate gross and net Pope and Young score for typical or non-typical bucks using the P&Y scorecard.

I would think this is going to be too time consuming, and better data set to record would be age. Cut the jaw and have the biologist age the deer by teeth wear. Here's what they do at the TPW hunts at the state park. They weigh the deer after its been field dressed, check for lactation, take a sample of spinal matter or fluid and have it later tested for CWD (chronic wasting disease), and the final thing they do is cut the jaw and determine the deers age. They might also take a few other measurement (head circumferance, length, height etc.), and even examine stomach contents for primary forage data, but this is not always standard practice on every single deer.

[LWArchery]

The on-line servey is good if it was used correctly and yes they shouldn't hand out permits to the people who dont turn it in.

The use of the check station is more for the corp and texas P&W biologist to get a better management idea on the properties. They are manditory in many parts of Oklahoma. I think there should be a check station in Lake side villiage, one in whitney, one in blum at river stop, one in peoria at the bait shop, and one at plowman or kimbal bend. maybe one in bonaza.

Sorry for be-n the "devils advocate" but: Do you have to check-in before ya hunt? Or just check-in the deer after kill-n. If before, then the check station folk are gonna have to get up really really early to get everyone processed and on thier way before day light, (lot of areas out there to get to). Especially opening day. I've counted regular ballances of 5-18 vehicles at many areas for a single area. If you just "check in the kill", I'm sure a lot of other folk wont bother, but head to the house with deer in tow. Each area would have to be strickly enforced to make it work.

{"Record hunter observations of animals seen in the field."}

We all should be doing this on the On-Line serveys anyway. Wish every one would have kept up with it. Very few of the 2000+ permits show on-line results. I remember one year about 3 or 4 years ago, where everyone had to return one to get the next permit. "Even though most were done in the office while getting the next permit", I'm sure the results were still skewed.

Just some more thoughts I thought I'd share

[jgirsh]

Well I am looking forward to Aug 1st and catchin up with yall. I think the check stations would be a good idea however the rules will continue to change. If people dont check in then it does not do any good. If they put someone out and it flops then the rules will either be more strict or even worse might shut down some areas. This is my first year to get on corp land and I hope it goes well. I here alot of good and bad things but I will just have to experience it myself I guess.

[erikm1981]

Hey Justin, just stay out of Aquilla there ain't no deer there, don't waste your time.....