2015 Lake Grapevine

[troy_w_7]

Keep posting pics guys. But then when you don't get drawn next year and find out that 2,000 people applied for applications and wonder why you didn't make it, remember reading this post.

You're just making it harder on yourselves and easier for others, because I can guarantee you that not even half the people who put in for Grapevine put in the effort to figure out how to access it.

Come on, I thought we had all gotten over this by now?

[Kirby86]

I'll get over it when I get drawn again. As will most of the others.

[Budman68]

This should be a photography thread.

[Larry]

I'll get over it when I get drawn again. As will most of the others.

I've never been drawn.

[topshot]

Come on, I thought we had all gotten over this by now?

exactly, there's already a huge pool of individuals putting in for the draw. Lets say these pics attract another 200 people to enter, that means (250 permits available and 2700 entrants) we go from a 1:100 chance to a 1:108 chance of being drawn, not a big difference. the cat is already out of the bag.

[troy_w_7]

Permit draw odds aside, I think we all enjoy seeing the pictures. Although a lot of us weren't picked this year (or in recent years) these deer aren't going anywhere. The gene pool is tremendous and even if some get picked off while we sit at home, we can bet that there will still be some quality deer when we do draw a golden ticket. So in the meantime, let's sit back and enjoy some photos of what's to come and hope that we get a crack at them in upcoming seasons.

[troy_w_7]

Anyone killed hogs lately? I've never been to the hog only side but would like to once the waters recede.

[Kirby86]

Lots of people already share pictures. I have lots of pics of several giants out there, and other people were nice enough to send me pics of my deer.

Doesn't mean I share them on an open forum where bob, willie and john can come look. Thats part of the secret to hunting public land.

[Christianhuff]

Part of the "secret" to hunting "public" land...That sounds kinda funny!

[skelsey]

I miss the good ole days before the draw hardly ever seen another hunter.The cat is definitely out of the bag!

[Kirby86]

Part of the "secret" to hunting "public" land...That sounds kinda funny!

Theres lots of them. Like access points, etc, that I won't ever be sharing on here.

[topshot]

Theres lots of them. Like access points, etc, that I won't ever be sharing on here.

hey where's a good spot to access grapevine now that the water is up so high...I just can't seem to figure it out...haha

[Larry]

I'm actually kinda relieved and happy that they are shutting down the permits and hunting after this season.

[Kirby86]

One other thing that you guys may or may not realize, but when a big deer goes down, people talk, and that guy's life can become a real pain in the rear. I never posted my deer on this forum. Or any public forum other than social media. So when you post photos, and someone harvests that deer, you may be making that guy's life a hassle, whether you know it or not.

I got a phone call from the game warden the day after I dropped my deer off at the processors with him asking me to walk him out to the spot where I shot the deer to prove that I wasn't poaching. I wasn't breaking any laws, and luckily another guy (A TBHer) substantiated my claim. But before I was vetted, I had to talk with him, setup a time to meet with him, and make plans for where and when to meet him. A game warden can bust you for any number of things if they really want to. I know I wasn't looking forward to it, and I don't expect that many of you would have enjoyed that experience either, but luckily it was abated.

This website has around 40,000 members last I checked. And I have friends who read this forum that aren't even members. I still get PMs from people asking questions about Grapevine.

The internet is a useful hunting tool nowadays, and it's one that many people utilize before they ever set foot in the woods. I'd even argue that its only second to woodsmanship. As it stands, all of you are competitors. I'm not going to do anything to hurt my chances and increase yours.

I'm not saying you can't have fellowship on a forum, which is the great part about this thread. But you can do it in a way that doesn't help people who are too lazy to do it themselves, and unfortunately a lot of people who put in for Grapevine are that way.

They see these pictures, put in for the draw, try to hunt it once and then go to their lease for the rest of the year because it's easy. And I know it because I am friends with people who do that very thing. And thats what makes it so hard for guys like Larry, myself and others who have hunted out there to stomach, is that there is hunting that great out there with people too lazy to hunt it, because they were enticed by pretty pictures but didn't want to put in the work to achieve it.

[troy_w_7]

I'm actually kinda relieved and happy that they are shutting down the permits and hunting after this season.

What?