Laguna Atascosa 2021

[Txfire409]

Anyone stay at the Port Isla Inn in Port Isabel? Priced right and had a kitchen, but reviews werent the best.

That's where I stay every time I'm down there. Priced right, great location (near walmart, heb, hardware store, places to eat, etc.). I sleep in one room and have all my gear laid out on the bed in the living room.

[Txfire409]

Drawn for last rifle hunt, 1/14 - 1/16. Never been there before. Couple of questions please..... 1. Per the hunt map included with permit it appears we can park along the long road that parallels the area.. is this correct ? 2. I noticed two bridges over the channel. Are these the only crossings from the south side to the north side? Or does low tides open up shallow crossable spots? 3. If you stay in Port Isabel, how long of a drive to get from town to the end of the south road where it dead ends into unit 5 ? 4. I watched a orientation video from last year that mentioned "the red gate", where is this gate? 5. I am an older fella, and move slow. I was thinking about waddling a mile or two and sitting on a chair in hopes the younger mobile whipper-snappers would chase something by me. I can't pedal a bike and don't own an e-bike. Would this thinking be total crap or do I have a chance ? Thanks for any information, and feel free to offer any more. I really would appreciate it.

sending pm

[RibcageX]

Reply sent. Thanks.

[Tiburon1]

So to piggy back on what two other TBH guys said, we got around 5" in arroyo city on Friday and the word is that it rained more closer to the coast. I was pulling my boat from Arroyo City to Port Mansfield on Friday for a tournament and couldn't go over 30 mph that afternoon. Port Mansfield got close to 10". I'm afraid the grass is going to be double stupid high for the first hunts in November. And I'm pretty sure for mine on the first weekend of December it's still going to be nuts. I would not be surprised if much of the refuge (low spots) will be under water. Especially if we get rain with the northers that are sure to come between now and when the hunts start. Which means the amount of real-estate for the amount of hunters is going to be less with everyone trying to find dry ground.

[BigRed323]

Second what tiburon just said

Just got home from our lease in Santa Monica and the place is under water in a lot of areas. What I worry about the most is the snakes are going to seek dry ground too and will concentrate on areas hunters are looking for as well.

[RichExotics10]

If anyone is looking for a place to stay the 5th - 9th hunt let me know! We have some beds available!

Also I have a number to a lady in Arroyo city who has a lot of rentals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RibcageX]

Already got some great info on here.... but not on this question... Drawn for Rifle hunt, 1/14 -1/16. Is that 3 full days with orientation on Thursday morning, OR hunting Friday afternoon, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning?

[Huntindad]

I hunted last year rifle and we hunted till dark last day

I think the orientation will be virtual via link they will send couple weeks ahead of time. I would be there at daylight on scouting day and go pick a spot.

Be out there at Odark thirty on first morning.

OH one other thing... the folks get crazy in upper part of 8. I counted 3 pop up blinds IN THE MIDDLE of roads. Hunt coordinator said it wasn't against the rules. I told him someone was gonna get shot that way.

[RibcageX]

Thanks. So its 3 full days of hunting ?

[Tiburon1]

Thanks. So its 3 full days of hunting ?

Unless something has changed, it is three full days of hunting. Friday through Sunday.

[Txfire409]

Thanks. So its 3 full days of hunting ?

Yes!

[RibcageX]

Thanks guys.

[ppeeks59]

Some thoughts and a question:
When there's a lot of water where there's usually dry ground, the water is never particularly deep. While the few animals that absolutely need dry ground -- and can't find it temporarily on top of grass mounds -- get somewhat concentrated on the limited high-and-dry spots, nilgai antelope do not, at least not during the day. They have no problem walking across flooded marsh and grassland, and can easily go far enough to find dry ground whenever they really want to, such as when bedding down for the night. But hunters will stack up like cordwood in dry spots sometimes, which pretty much ensures that no one arrows anything.
Question: has anyone ever bow hunted LANWR wearing waders? (It has always been too hot on my previous hunts to even consider it.)
....
Upon further reflection, there's gators in the water ... so maybe not a good idea.

[Huntindad]

I ain't hunting in waders

I ain't hunting in water. And I dang sure don't want to quarter a Nilgai IN water LOL.

I have a spot I want to visit first. If it or the area is under water, I'll go to spot Number 2. After that I have my old stand by.

In my opinion, the high grass is gonna be killer this year.

Where you see trails on Google maps may not be there when you hunt. Will be interesting this year.

[ppeeks59]

I ain't hunting in waders

I ain't hunting in water. And I dang sure don't want to quarter a Nilgai IN water LOL.

I have a spot I want to visit first. If it or the area is under water, I'll go to spot Number 2. After that I have my old stand by.

In my opinion, the high grass is gonna be killer this year.

Where you see trails on Google maps may not be there when you hunt. Will be interesting this year.

Right -- I didn't mean actually hunting in water, but even crossing shin-deep water at LANWR isn't the brightest idea I've ever had. That being said, if there's as much standing shallow water as I expect we'll be seeing, there's a decent chance that any actually shot animal will head into the water to die -- it wouldn't be the first time that's ever happened. And then the lucky hunter will be hauling the beast out of the water. I'm throwing the waders and a bunch of rope into back of the truck for just such an emergency.

I also have a few spots I'll head to, in order of preference and hope that they won't be Hunter Central Station. And yes, the beasts will be anywhere in the tall grass, even within semi-competent shooting range, and we'll probably never even know it.

Looking forward to the reports from this year's first group.