I am on my 2nd year trying to get drawn for one of those public hunting land application drawings. Last year I was not drawn... but I know I now have preference points this year.

So...just curious how many were chosen on their 2nd year? or does it take longer and more preference points?

Depends on where you are drawing for. Check the TPWD website and you can see how many applicants there were last year and how many people were drawn, as well as how many spots there are this year.

yeah... I know it depends on where/probability/etc... but I was really just curious what others experience's were on the forum.

If your not picky and just want to hunt you can easily get drawn in your first or second year. If you are picky and want a high end trophy type of hunt like GDE on the Chap you might go 20 years w/o getting drawn. Some people have that many PP's and some people are just lucky. However, if you are looking for quality deer and you do some digging there are other draw hunts in less popular places with the same quality deer with much better draw odds.

I was drawn my first time for antlerless/spike hunt.

I have been doing the public hunt drawings for 20+ years. The results will vary. The longest period I have gone without being drawn is 4 years. One year I was drawn on 6 hunts involving general and youth hunts. You have to study the percentages. I have been lucky to harvest WT, hogs, alligator, javelina, axis, and turkey.

I was fortunate enough to get drawn my first time too. It was Fairfield Lake state Park...

I've got 8 points in 4 different catagories. GDE,EXO,MDG,GAE and several points in other draws. My son drew a deer tag at Mason Mountain about 5 years ago and killed a very nice buck. The staff at MM were great and I recommend this hunt to anyone. I've never drawn a hunt but I always apply for the harder to draw areas. Good Luck on your choices. Baker

I got drawn my first year for a Gun Deer Management hunt. I guess I was lucky, but my brother and I entered 10 different categories. You cant get drawn if you dont enter.

Me and my brother average about every 2 yrs, we get drawn on something.
My son on the other hand, has drawn a youth hunt 5 yrs straight!!!

I the last 5 years I've drawn 3 hunts and went on 2 stand by hunts. BUT I put in mostly for hunts that have a high app. rate per hunt.( like 900 apps. for 3 hunts) Great deal to hunt areas that I have never been to. I still have a lease, for now!

I use to get drawn almost every year back in the 80's-90's The best I ever did was the first and only year that I put in for Pronghorn I was drawn Use up a lot of luck there.

I got drawn for Choke Canyon twice the first times I tried the drawing. Then it was around 15 years before I got drawn again for Kickapoo and now nothing for 2 years.

This will be my 5th year putting in for 10 different hunts (including the Grand Slam one) and I have yet to be drawn for anything. But like the others said, if you don't put in than you have 100% odds of not getting drawn.

I think I'm putting in for around 9 hunts this year. Last year I put in for some more difficult percentages....so I may try for better chances this year with a few tougher ones.

Thank ya'll for your input.

It took us ten years to get drawn (my dad put my brother and I in when we were younger) I now have 11 preference points in trying to get drawn again.

10 years....dang...my sons are 1 and 3....I may start putting their names in as well...HA good idea...

This is my first year putting in so I'll let you know. Even if I don't get drawn this year I'm not too concerned, at least the money goes to support TPWD

This will be my fourth year, and haven't been drawn yet. I don't put in for antlerless or spike hunts though, I can shoot that at the lease.

I was drawn my first year notihng over the last 3 years.

I was drawn 3 times and did 2 standby hunts in the first 3 years I participated. Was putting in for just about every gun category offered. Last 8 years been doing about 6 apps a year, and haven't gotten a single drawing. I think the preference points have no effect, because most people have just as many, and so they balance out.

"preference points"
There is a section that explains accumulation of PP on the web site.
Ways to increase your chances of selection.

Always use the same person for submitting card.
Always fill the card to max number of hunters.
Always use the same hunters in same category.
Always submit for the youth hunt if you can. As much fun and teach the youth. Heck take your brother or sister kids. Odds of pick are good.
Keep Submitting every year and you will start to see the letters of notice of selection keep rolling in about 2-3 weeks after drawing deadline.
Apply for as many hunts category as you can. Its all fun.
Call arae and Check for the non payed opening a couple of days before hunt. Meaning they will have this opening + some don't show for standby.
Figure the odds of being picked off last years number (permit #drawn versus #that applied) when applying. It give you a pretty good idea.

Good luck

Do preference points also apply and accumulate for the "Big Time Texas Hunts" in the inside cover?

Good question....hum....

None of the "Big Time Hunts" accumulate PP that I know of.
Kyotee1 will know.

I use the draws program as a back up plan. Enjoy the Draws because of the youth hunts (now with 2 grown boys), and then the opportunity to apply and see a lot of different areas of the state. Some beautiful country to see. To bad Drawing Program and APH may all soon come to an end unless people wake up and do something about TPWD Funding. Nobody seems to care about TPWD cuts, under funding, misappropriation Pittman Roberts excise tax, license, revenue, fees money or fund any more. Politician and Legislature wants to break it up, privatize it, then sell it off because it was underfunded. understaffed, and not making money.... When it could be a profit center and tourism center for the state. Put all that money in the GA black hole and bleed the sportsman, recreation user for more. Then Only appropriate out a small amount of our revenue to operate programs and park. Texas is going the way California did. They shut down a major part of state park this year