Shnf 16-17

[wanderin39]

Thanks Kevin,
We spoke about the science of deer on the other thread. I try to use all of it. But at the end of the day I still hunt like my Grandfathers and Dad taught me.

[austex123]

First trip to the Sam ...

So I made my first trip to the Sam. Left work at 1:30pm Friday, took a shower at the gym by my work in downtown Austin and drove 3 hours to the west side of the Sam.

I drove forest service roads for an hour and made my way to Stubblefield, slept in the back of my truck till 4am, scouted Saturday morning till about 1pm. I had intended to stay until sundown, but the thick layer of sweat/stink from spending the night in 1million percent humidity plus 10 miles of scouting by bike and foot had taken it's toll and I headed home to have dinner with my family. Didn't help that a racoon opened my (not Yeti) cooler (stored under my truck) overnight and stole my lunch!

I have read every SHNF thread here, scouted google earth, and prepared in every way. Nothing can quite prepare you for what is out there. That said, I did kick up some deer (and a hog), right where I thought they would be.

I was surprised that I was the only one out there. As I was heading back to Stubblefield by bike, I saw the one and only other "hunter"'s truck parked on the forest service road.

Unfortunately, that little 24 hour trip is going to be my only scouting opportunity. I will be hunting 3 days, Sunday-Tuesday after rifle opening weekend. I have the one spot I found and I have no idea what to expect as far as where the other hunters are going to be.

The spot I found is 1 mile off the forest road, but there are painted trees all over the place! What should I make of the painted tree's?

Also, I assume I am going to be doing more scouting while I hunt. You would hope that all people would want to be respectful and not ruin another's hunt, and I absolutely do not want to go walking through others setups... so how would you proceed if this was all the time you had? Please don't say wait till post season and scout.

If the area I want to start in is occupied, would mid day (10am-3pm) scouting be an acceptable thing to do?

The locked gates (dashed lines on forest service maps), are those open to motorized vehicles during the season?

It is truly humbling to see what you guys have accomplished here. Thank you for sharing!

[forest-hunter]

So I made my first trip to the Sam. Left work at 1:30pm Friday, took a shower at the gym by my work in downtown Austin and drove 3 hours to the west side of the Sam.

I drove forest service roads for an hour and made my way to Stubblefield, slept in the back of my truck till 4am, scouted Saturday morning till about 1pm. I had intended to stay until sundown, but the thick layer of sweat/stink from spending the night in 1million percent humidity plus 10 miles of scouting by bike and foot had taken it's toll and I headed home to have dinner with my family. Didn't help that a racoon opened my (not Yeti) cooler (stored under my truck) overnight and stole my lunch!

I have read every SHNF thread here, scouted google earth, and prepared in every way. Nothing can quite prepare you for what is out there. That said, I did kick up some deer (and a hog), right where I thought they would be.

I was surprised that I was the only one out there. As I was heading back to Stubblefield by bike, I saw the one and only other "hunter"'s truck parked on the forest service road.

Unfortunately, that little 24 hour trip is going to be my only scouting opportunity. I will be hunting 3 days, Sunday-Tuesday after rifle opening weekend. I have the one spot I found and I have no idea what to expect as far as where the other hunters are going to be.

The spot I found is 1 mile off the forest road, but there are painted trees all over the place! What should I make of the painted tree's?

Also, I assume I am going to be doing more scouting while I hunt. You would hope that all people would want to be respectful and not ruin another's hunt, and I absolutely do not want to go walking through others setups... so how would you proceed if this was all the time you had? Please don't say wait till post season and scout.

If the area I want to start in is occupied, would mid day (10am-3pm) scouting be an acceptable thing to do?

The locked gates (dashed lines on forest service maps), are those open to motorized vehicles during the season?

It is truly humbling to see what you guys have accomplished here. Thank you for sharing!

Weird that's my neck of the woods I didn't think Anyone else from Austin came out here. I make the same drive as often as I can. Get to your spot early and congrats on successful scouting, pm if you want to shoot the bow I'm in south, and Good Luck!

[kevin nicholls]

Austex, weekends are when the crowds are the worst. I don't see many folks during the week. On scouting while hunting, just use a little common sense, you'll know if others are close by. You can't get married to a spot, if you don't see deer, move until you do. They're here today gone tomorrow. Good luck out there.

[TMiddleton]

Go to the Sam Houston National Forest website and look in the upper right hand corner for Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).
It will be a map of the Forest and contain a list of the gates that will be open during season.

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[TMiddleton]

Also what color paint is around the trees? Normally orange paint indicates trees that have been selected for cutting. White paint indicates a Woodpeckers nest. They will mow areas where the woodpeckers nest, so they can get to the ground and feed.

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[forest-hunter]

Ill tent camp the sam in July the trick is to sleep with a battery powered fan by your head and don't mind sweating a bit.

[austex123]

Thank you for your reply's.

forest-hunter, thank you for your offer! I am also in south Austin. I am a self taught noob to hunting, this is my 4th season with a rifle, and it seems like it might be a while before I graduate to the bow, but I certainly want too!

Kevin, thank you for your reply, prayers to your family from this lurker.

TMiddleton < Legend. Thank you for your reply. The tree paint I am referring to is a white line with 3 dots above the line.

[TMiddleton]

^^^^
I don't know about the legend part lol, but what your describing are woodpecker trees.

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[BowOnly81]

Legend?! Pfffft! Don't make his head swell up anymore than it already is.

[huntinfool]

Legend, that means old right? [emoji1]

Definitely sounds like wood peckers home trees.

As far as the scouting during the season, I do it every time I'm in the woods. You'll never know where all the hunters are in the woods, or where and how the enter the woods. So you'll just have to tread lightly.

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[TMiddleton]

Oldish lol, besides HF is the legend around here. The man knows how to make groceries out of the Sam!

Lee -- quit hatin [emoji12]

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[huntinfool]

Y is Lee so jelly?

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[dmack]

Lee gets so sensitive. [emoji13]

[HotRod Hunter]

Does any of y'all plan on being in the woods this weekend with the cooler weather rolling in . Or are y'all letting me have the woods to myself.