2018 LBJ Grasslands

[JohnEdward]

Wait I thought the Grasslands followed the county regs on the seasons and bag limits.

[Texas Grown]

John, they do for the state archery season. But the general and late seasons are different with anterlessdeer, and spikes.

The fish are biting. And there's hogs to be kilt. Gotta go!

[troy_w_7]

Which unit allows target shooting and is there a designated targeting shooting area on that unit or can you do it anywhere? Need to sight in my slug gun.

[huntnfool]

Here's a post from facebook

Ranger Jeff Stoney After some research on this area I am finding that the entire LBJ is already no target shooting and this includes unit 3. We have a Forest Closure Order that was signed in 2015.

[RShockley]

Which unit allows target shooting and is there a designated targeting shooting area on that unit or can you do it anywhere? Need to sight in my slug gun.

Target shooting is no longer allowed on any part of the grasslands. There used to be a spot on unit 3 that shooting clays was allowed but that has been discontinued. I would call the ranges in your local area to see if you can sight in a slug gun on their range.

[Pat Miller]

I sighted in my slug gun and muzzleloader at Elm Fork Shooting Sports on Luna Road in Irving.

[jnd1959]

Hmm. When I visited the ranger office in 2017 they specifically told me I could shoot clays on three. I'm glad you pointed that out.

National forests in Oklahoma have designated ranges. I'm not sure if Oklahoma f & g put these in or the feds. Most of the forests are also WMAs.

[troy_w_7]

Thanks for the help guys!

[RShockley]

Hmm. When I visited the ranger office in 2017 they specifically told me I could shoot clays on three. I'm glad you pointed that out.

National forests in Oklahoma have designated ranges. I'm not sure if Oklahoma f & g put these in or the feds. Most of the forests are also WMAs.

Yeah it was a change made this year. Primarily fueled by people constantly going to the range location destroying signs and dumping things to shoot at. Only takes a few to ruin it for everybody else.

[Turnkey]

Yeah it was a change made this year. Primarily fueled by people constantly going to the range location destroying signs and dumping things to shoot at. Only takes a few to ruin it for everybody else.

Anytime you give a government bureaucracy control of land it will be closed to the public a little at a time.

Think about this, with the 150 yd buffer around trails you lose approximately 4.6 acres of hunt-able ground for every 208 feet of trail. LBJ boast about 75 miles of trail. How many acres do you think that closes to hunting? (It's ~1903 acres)

The correct answer would be for the forest service to provide a dedicated range for handguns, long guns and archery. With a budget for range maintenance, to include trash removal. Instead they choose the option that limits usage.

[gbrison]

Anyone hitting it this week? I’m out here this evening through next weekend. Got in the stand about 3 and already saw 2 doe. Hopefully for a few good sirs this week.

[Texas Grown]

Anytime you give a government bureaucracy control of land it will be closed to the public a little at a time.

Think about this, with the 150 yd buffer around trails you lose approximately 4.6 acres of hunt-able ground for every 208 feet of trail. LBJ boast about 75 miles of trail. How many acres do you think that closes to hunting? (It's ~1903 acres)

The correct answer would be for the forest service to provide a dedicated range for handguns, long guns and archery. With a budget for range maintenance, to include trash removal. Instead they choose the option that limits usage.

USFS has already been there and done that at LBJ. I've hunted out there back since the early 1980s. But have restricted my outings there after they went to the "doe days". During all that time, they did try to have a few units designated for target shooting so hunters of other units wouldn't be disturbed by target shooters. That went away.



Don't know if it's still open, but Red Deer Archery range used to be out there. And it was free. I've gone to it a few times during my lunch break to check my bow sights. It's just southeast of Black Creek Lake.

[RNLedet]

Anyone hitting it this week? I’m out here this evening through next weekend. Got in the stand about 3 and already saw 2 doe. Hopefully for a few good sirs this week.

Thinking about getting out there! Haven't seen much my last couple times out though. Id settle for a pig

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

[gbrison]

Saw two doe and a shooter buck, had the buck at 50 yards but just couldn’t get an arrow off with some brush in the way.

[Froggy]

Anytime you give a government bureaucracy control of land it will be closed to the public a little at a time.

Think about this, with the 150 yd buffer around trails you lose approximately 4.6 acres of hunt-able ground for every 208 feet of trail. LBJ boast about 75 miles of trail. How many acres do you think that closes to hunting? (It's ~1903 acres)

The correct answer would be for the forest service to provide a dedicated range for handguns, long guns and archery. With a budget for range maintenance, to include trash removal. Instead they choose the option that limits usage.

It's much more than 1,903 acres that are not legal to hunt on. Here's the math.

75.5 miles of trail x 5,280' = 398,640 ft of trail.

150 yards either side of trail x 2 = 300 yds = 900'

398,640 x 900 = 358,776,000 sq.ft. divided by 43,560 sq.ft/acre = 8,236.35 acres of no hunting.

8,236.36 divided by 20,250 acres = 40% of the LBJ is unhuntable.

I worked on the Caddo/LBJ for 21 years and was there when the target shooting regulations were changed in 1996. It was the best thing to ever happen to the Grasslands. It became dangerous to the neighbors and users.

The FS was put on notice by lawyers representing adjoining landowners. One neighbor, who lived where the Grasslands Bed and Barn is now, had 11 bullet holes in his roof. One round lodged in his recliner that came through his window and 5 holes in his kids playhouse. I could relate many stories of dangerous incidents. Target shooters were the worst trash offenders.

The FS worked with the TSRA and NRA on the issue. The FS tried to find a location that would comply with NRA designs for shooting ranges. The NRA design requires a 1 mile downrange safety zone even with a fully baffled range. There was no place or unit that fit that requirement.

We had a meeting out in Unit 71 with the NRA, TSRA, DPS & TP&W. It was a Tuesday morning and when we arrived there were 11 groups of target shooters there. We stood on the mesa and could hear rounds ricocheting around us. The Forest Supervisor turned to the NRA and TSRA guys and asked what they would do if they were in his shoes. The NRA guy said "I'd have shut it down yesterday".

Budgets have been shrinking for many years. It's all they can do to pay fixed cost much less build a range and pay for maintenance and a Range Master.

The archery range is no longer there. Lots of vandalism and off road vehicle use resulted in closing Unit 49 to traffic.