9/15/20 Draws

Well, I guess I'd go ahead and start it. Here are the upcoming hunts for 9/15/20 TPWD draws:

E-Postcard Quail
E-Postcard Youth Deer
E-Postcard Youth Archery Deer

Gun Deer - Antlerless/Spike
Gun Deer - Either Sex
Gun Deer - Management

National Refuge General Deer

USFS Antlerless Deer Permit - Adult
USFS Antlerless Deer Permit - Youth

Youth Only Gun Deer - Antlerless/Spike
Youth Only Gun Deer - Management
Youth Only Javelina

The only one I am somewhat excited about is Gun Deer - Management with 12 points. Everything else has been set back to 1 or 2 points so not expecting anything but my yearly donation.

How about you guys?

Gun deer - Either sex 2
Gun deer - Management 1
Gun deer - Antlerless Spike 0
National Refuge General Deer - 0

I have had decent luck the last two years, but wasted my points on hunt's that weren't that great. But I had fun at all of them, so I can't say it wasn't worth it. Only problem now is the cubing system I would imagine is going to take me out of the running for a while.

My 10 year old has 1 in Management and 2 in Antlerless/Spike

This is the big round! Plan on drawing the Chap!

Erny, how many points do you have in that category?

4 so I will need to be mighty lucky. But if you don’t apply you can’t win.

Same here.

4 in Gun- Either Sex
4 in Gun- Antlerless/spike
4 in Refuge General
My daughter has 1 Youth A/S, Youth Either(No luck there), and Youth Mgmt. It's her first year applying.

Already struck out on the Archery, Refuge Archery, and Youth Either.

Oh well. More time in the duck marsh is certainly not a bad thing! I prefer duck hunting anyways.

Gun Deer - Antlerless/Spike - 2
Gun Deer - Either Sex - 2
Gun Deer - Management - 9

There is always the possibility of standby........

This is the first year I've ever put in. I never get lucky, so I'm happy to donate to TPWD.

It's almost that time boys and girls, everyone excited yet

I only thought about it 10 times today.

Gun Deer Either Sex - 27 points. Cubed that's 19683 drops in the hat. I betcha I still don't draw.

When did the cubing system start? I am at 4 GDE, 2 in GDM, and 1 in GDA/S. Grad school knocked me out of applying as regularly and strategically as I used to. I'm only a few miles from Sam Houston, I expect my hunting will be confined to youth with my kiddos there and muzzleloader season.

This is the first year the points are cubed. My best guess is they realized there were a lot of hunters like me who had been putting in for some categories for over 20 years who were likely going to grow too old or die before they ever draw the hunt. And many of those with 20+ points may never draw still as anyone with those kind of points are only putting in for the hardest to draw hunts at that point.

Had no idea that points are cubed now. Must have missed it somewhere.

hehe, well that means you only got to think about it like 30 more times before the drawing!



Yeah, I think that's really how some people got so many points - submitting a limited number of applications per hunt category (but I could be wrong). I've only been applying for 3-4 years to the TX public draws, but so far I've won 3-4 draws every year.... but I've never worried about points and just applied to everything. Which I guess this results in two things: 1) my name is in more hats, and 2) the state makes a lot more $$$$ from people like me than they do people who do selective applications (I have pretty close to 100 applications in this year).

I have what I consider an interesting question on this topic... Does anyone know if the draws are done by a computer (I've always assumed they are)? And if they are, I wonder if there other "factors" outside of points that effect draw odds - namely, the $$$ factor... I ask because if I had programmed the draw system, I would 100% have advocated that total $$$ contributed by an individual be a factor in the odds. Similar to the loyalty point system and running parallel to it. After all, $$$ is the most important thing to TPWD - it's what drives their preservation efforts.... which means that the people who donate the most during the draws are more important to TPWD... keeping those people coming back every year would seem to me to be an important goal of TPWD (or should be). Perhaps an undisclosed parallel system that keeps people like myself winning a few hunts every year so that I don't start thinking that I'm just throwing money into the wind? It would be the smart thing to do for TPWD.

I know at least a dozen people that only apply for 1-3 hunts per year - like just the best most desirable hunts (I'm sure there are plenty of other people that do the same)... That quite literally means that TPWD will make more money in a year off me than they would any of those individuals for DECADES (assuming they apply every year for decades)...an entire century for the 1 app guys, if they lived to apply for 100 years LOL

Just something to ponder on.

When are they drawing?!??!??!?! Lordt

So Binary....I assume that you spent over $300 on chances to win?

Oh yeah, easily...because I do all $10 draw ones too (private lands and guided packages) and all the Big Time Texas Hunts as well (think those are $9 a pop). I go more like $500 in on draws. I win 3-4 hunts every year, nothing spectacular yet but something that gets me out of the house and hunting public land (or private as the case may be, but I haven't won a private one yet). Honestly, I probably spend too much on the draws for the end results LOL... I rationalize it as 'it goes for a good cause' hehe.... I suppose there may come a time when I don't think it's worth it anymore...like if TPWD did something silly that eliminated even my low-end draws (like cubing points maybe? Guess we'll see what the results of that new system are), but for now I'm content with giving that size donation for a few wins.

I'm the same way. I'd rather donate my money to TPWD than a private property owner. I'd rather hunt on property through TPWD too. After going to a place for a year or so I'm already over it and ready to move on. I'd hate to do all that work on a lease and then leave for various reasons.

Oh the whole TX private property hunting lease system is completely idiotic, I absolutely refuse to participate in that nonsense LOL. I'd rather hit up the range or stay at home and beat my head against the wall rather than participate in the TX hunting lease system. And let's be honest, it should be referred to as the Texas harvesting lease system...because there's not a lot of hunting going on.

HAHA...calling it the Texas harvesting system is crap. I'll have you know I've spent decent money on leases and not seen a dang thing.

LOL... your bad! JK. well, I didn't mean to suggest that hunting on a TX hunting lease in any way guaranteed the harvesting of anything. I was more taking a dig at the predominate method of "hunting" on private leases, the feeder/baiting method vs fair chase... I personally consider the use of feeders/baiting as merely harvesting and fair chase as hunting. However, I do understand that not everyone agrees with me on that topic. And I'm not in any way claiming that one way is superior/better than the other - to each his own..feeder harvesting is more successful than fair chase hunting, no doubt. And feeder harvesting is definitely the smarter way to put meat in the freezer.

lol. I was just messing around. I don't get very entangled in what ones idea of "fair chase" is and what isn't. It always ends in a scenario driven nightmare that ends up being nonsense.

If hunting over feeders isn't fair chase then can you hunt over acorns?

If the animal should have a fair shot at eluding the hunter why would you use a rifle over a Compound bow?

If it truly is you vs the deer why would you use a compound bow over a traditional?

Fair implies each animal has an equal chance at success. The deers success being eluding the hunter. The hunters success being killing the deer.

Why bring so much technology into it that you lean the odds in your favor? The deer aren't out there wearing Kevlar.

A lot of the answers to the weapon questions is, "I use a rifle to ensure a clean and quick kill".

Well, I have had far more broadside shots at deer under feeders than I have anywhere else. You could argue feeders increase the ability to have clean kills.

I've always thought fair chase was a load of BS. I don't hunt high fences because seeing 40 deer under feeder has no appeal to me. There is no challenge on hunting "feedlot" deer. The thing I enjoy about hunting is the work you put in to be successful. At the end of the day it's about why you enjoy hunting that dictates what fair chase means to you. It's always seems like a form of moral superiority from people. Which I always thought was weird. I mean it's not like anyone out there is eating fair chase ribeyes...

Didn't mean to start a rant when I started. lol my bad.

I'm through reminding, specifically, when you can apply for a certain hunt that has VERY limited tags and is pretty much the pinnacle of the draw system, IF they issue tags this year, which they don't always issue every year, based on surveys, but...that day is today.

Put in for it this morning

LOL, oh I actually figured you were messing around..I just felt the need to stir the pot by explaining by dig at feeder harvesting LOL

And to keep the entertainment going, I do have answers to your questions! ROFL

Yes, on acorns...unless the acorns were placed there by an individual as bait. The distinction I make is whether the bait was placed there by a person with the sole intent of luring in a prey

Rifle over bow only because I view the rifle as having a higher chance of a humane kill (chance only - no guarantees)....humane kill > priority than fair shot to elude (to an extent).

I would actually argue that non-feeder hunting isn't fair for people - it's weighed in favor of the deer (regardless of technology used). I think for the average hunter, assuming a day of hunting is considered a full "game"... that deer win far more often than hunters. I mean, I'm sure there is someone out there claiming to kill a deer every time they go into the woods...and they're liars ROFL.. Feeder harvesters generally use cameras as well and know when the deer like to show up, so know when to come to harvest one ... The people I know who feeder harvest are more successful than the deer in the daily game.

And finally, if someone saying 'fair chase' feels like a form of moral superiority - that feeling comes from oneself ... you yourself deep down feel that fair chase is morally superior... because unless someone flat out says that they think fair chase is a morally superior form of killing animals - then reading that into it is 100% on you, it's how you feel.

Like I said, to each his own when it comes to putting meat in the freezer.. no judgment from me.. and I certainly don't think the way I prefer to hunt is morally superior to others - I always thought it was silly when people made that claim. Take people for what they actually say, not some underlying read between the lines opinion of what ones believes they really mean - the later will always lead people down a rabbit hole.

And geesh Thisisbeer, why can't you just give fair chase to your prey lol

Today is the day, good luck everyone!

Good luck everyone. Please let me know when the drawing starts!!!

The waiting is the hardest part!

So far, we're showing pending 2nd draw on the youth management category. Others are still showing application received! Not feeling overly hopeful.

I still have a full month for the next draws I am in.

At least they are starting. They must not have gone out last night. I hear those wildlife management types like to party pretty hard.

E-Postcard Quail just hit me with 'pending 2nd draw'.

Have the adult hunts started? My kiddo was picked for youth javelina at Black Gap

Congrats! None of my adult categories have drawn yet.

CRAP! I didn't get my doe permit for the SAM this year.

My daughter just drew youth antlerless/ spike at Chaparral! I hunted it last year on archery! I'm pumped for her!

Congrats on the youth hunts guys!

bah, me either. I have never won one of these USFS anterless tags...which is crazy since the odds of winning one are really high LOL.

Looks like they made it through all the National Refuge General Deer...and started Gun Deer - Management ...all Pending 2nd Draw for me so far.

I just drew General Deer at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge! I had 4 points! I'm so stoked!

I dig it. I like discussion on the topic. Helps me think about something I already spend way to much time thinking about.



What if you plant the tree and play the long game? Or transplant the tree to shorten up the timeline? Why is the human placing it the determination? In a more realistic sense what about food plots? Hunting over a farmers field vs hunting over a plot planted specifically for deer.



Fair enough. I don’t think that’s necessarily true though. If someone puts in far more work with a bow and only takes the perfect shot I would argue a bow is just as efficient at killing. But severely limits the opportunity at shooting.



What about using cameras on game trails and not by feeders? If the success rate helps dictate the ethics I go back to why rifles over bows. If the bow is properly used. Feeders also increase the chances of making an ethical shot.



I said it feels like a form of moral superiority not that it is morally superior. The definition of moral superiority is literally the attitude that one's position and actions are justified by having higher moral values than others. I don’t think it is morally superior. That’s why I made the comment about ribeyes. We don’t give cattle the opportunity to be fair chase animals. Why should we with deer?



Lol I would be willing to bet we hunt the same. I hunt because I enjoy the difficulty of it. I’m more playing devils advocate. I hunt under a feeder one week in a year when I travel to my grandfathers ranch for thanksgiving and only because he won’t let me hunt anywhere there isn’t a feeder already. Other than that it’s mostly public land. my only real point in why I think fair chase is BS is because it’s usually set up on a moral stance which I think is odd. We certainly don’t give that stance to all animals. I find most fair chase guys idea of what fair chase is mostly falls into what there particular idea of “fun” hunting is to them. Some guys love bow hunting and all of a sudden rifles aren’t fair chase. Some guys love spot and stalk and sitting in a deer blind isn’t fair chase. The moral grounds always seem irrelevant and realistically just happen to be defined by their preferred hunting methods.

That sucks guys. I've been really lucky to have drawn each of the last 3 years, and drew it again this year too.

that's awesome. That looks like it'd be a fun hunt!

I drew one last year and my wife thought it was trash and tossed it. Saw three big does that weekend before they mailed me out a replacement. We’re still married...

Did you at least make her sleep on the couch LOL

Those doe knew they were safe, just like backyard dove, and big bucks from February - September

We drew Roger Fawcett WMA for Gun Deer Management.

nice! I've never drawn in that category, should be a good one though.

I just drew Antlerless/Spike - Lake Whitney SP ...

looks like all the Gun Deer - Antlerless/Spike category are complete now

Thanks and congrats to you as well. My dad hunted there 2 years ago and said he would go back. I think it was muzzleloader and he took a doe on that hunt.

Congrats, there's a lot of info about that place. Should be fun but it will be challenging.

Yeah, time for the research to begin!

Looks like I made another annual donation!

I think that will be a fun one. Congrats!

My son won Mason Mountain WMA antlerless after winning chaparral either sex a couple weeks back.

Very nice. Yeah it says 40 permits and a 37% success rate last year ... and I got the first hunt date. Looks like it's probably 10 hunters per date. Guess I need to buy a muzzleloader LOL

Dang man, gonna be a good year!

My cup runneth over this year. Earlier I got Javelina at Chaparral, today I got Gun Deer - Antlerless/Spike at Cooper WMA and General Deer at Balcones Canyonlands NWR.

I just realized that my Roger Fawcett hunt overlaps on my Elephant Mountain javelina hunt. Dang it!

For a man who has only ever hunted with centerfire/rimfire rifles and shotguns .... looks like it's the year to try new things since I've now won an ARCHERY and a MUZZLELOADER hunt LOL... Going to make for an interesting year of hunting I guess...

Hopefully I'll win a hunt for what I normally hunt with...looks like we still got Either Sex to draw... or maybe I'll get lucky and score something like Lake Somerville SP on 2nd draw

Score! Congrats on all those man!

Eeek, sucks to have multiple good wins overlap. Going to try to hunt them both or let one go?

I have to let go of one. I'd rather put meat in the freezer which would mean letting go of the javi. Disappointed though because I was looking forward to visiting Elephant Mountain and checking javi off my bucket list.

Appears that way. Kind of hoping for loyalty point here on out.. kind of running out of weekends and time off.. some of these still pending in areas I have a lot of points like the mule deer category overlap.. that would suck to lose a bunch of points

My group drew Nannie Stringfellow.

Man that sucks for sure. Looks like you "could" get one day of Jav hunting in before the other one starts though if you really wanted to push it. Hard one to give up.

Well looks like donations on all of today’s for me.

Yeah, I'm going to say the cubing system implemented this year just royally screwed a bunch of applicants. I basically won 1 that only 350ish people apply to and has around an 11% chance to win (not counting LPs), and 1 that has 167ish people apply to with around an 11% chance to win (not counting LPs)...maybe I'll take something on 2nd draw... I'm going to guess quite a few people will be spending a lot less on draws next year if they don't reverse course on that cubing nonsense with a quickness :P

Yeah that sucks man... few more main draws and the elusive 2nd draws to look forward to though.

Brother and I drew out Balcones General Deer as well (second adult hunt). Looking forward to it!

Wow, I got drawn for Perdenales State Park Antlerless/Spike Gun Deer for November. And I have online college exams the day before the first day and the day after the last day. Good thing venison is brain food.
I'll try to type out a report with details of the hunt after it happens if y'all are interested. Good luck everybody. I'm stoked!

Congrats My son and I drew that 2 years ago. It is a tough hunt but lots of fun.

That’s why I was more particular on which hunts I applied for this year. Preference points never really mattered. Having 20 points only gave you a pretty marginal chance of winning over someone that had 3 or 4. I didn’t worry about losing points on hunts that may not be great. At least I would get out in the woods. Now I don’t want to waist my preference points on them that’s why I didn’t put in for trinity river in national refuge. Would be a fun hog hunt, but I would love to get Latina atascosa gun deer instead.

WOW!!!! I Cannot believe it. I had 17 points for Gun Deer Either Sex and would you believe it. I'm going to hunt the Chaparral WMA in December. Cubing of points worked!

Man that's awesome! Congrats on your win!

Didn't work for us and we had almost 20 points too, hoping our odds are good the next few year with the higher point holders getting picked through

Can you explain how it screws people with more LPs?

I have to be missing something here. Also, I have never understood starting to apply for hunts when there will always be someone ahead of you. Are there some hunts that are allocated for LP holders, and some that are completely random?

I really dont get it.

If I had 2 for gun deer, cubed is 8. If you have 15 gun deer, cubed is 3375. You are going to have a lot more points.

Congrats to everyone who was successful this draw, hope you all have some great hunts.... Another dozen unsuccessful for us, so adding to the points in the future.

Damn you math!

I didn't say that it screwed people with more LPs... I'm saying it screwed a bunch of people...namely those that didn't have a ton of LPs (not really sure why there was any confusion about that), like people that are new (and probably now discouraged from applying again because the system was HEAVILY weighted against them) or people who have only been applying for a few years. I got no issues with giving people an extra draw based on LPs but cubing? The value placed on every previous year that someone loses a draw is insane in a cubing system. Whoever came up with that idea should be fired and flogged (lol, JK!). Sure, the system makes a few people happy - who wouldn't be happy if offered exponentially greater odds of winning? There's a few other lotteries that I wouldn't mind those kind of odds LOL

Ultimately, it's a lottery and every single person who enters a specific draw every year pays the exact same amount to enter but gets different odds of winning...1 additional name in the hat for every year you lost was one thing, but cubing? It's crazy... I withheld my judgment on the cubing call until now...but I know at least a dozen people who put in for most every hunt every year and they always take some wins and about 80% of them won nothing thus far this year....was really nearly impossible not to if your name is in every hat...so the results of the cubing system are obvious.

Essentially, in your example the person with 15 LPs (they paid $45 for) is treated as if they paid $10,125 (the cubed value based on the new number of draw entries) ...even more assuming they enter into multiple draws within a category and are losing as the value carries over to the next draw in the category... but the new guy who put in for a draw still just gets a $3 ticket value. Sad thing is a new person who applies for lots of hunts could have easily donated more money to TPWD via the draws in a single year than some of the people with 15+ points have over their 15 years of applying (because some people only apply to a few hunts every year).

Look, TPWD is free to do as they please - I'm simply suggesting the results of the cubing system as I've seen thus far are going to discourage participation not just of the "apply to a few hunts person" newer people but also of the newer people who donate hundreds of dollars every year to TPWD via the draws... it's ultimately going to hurt the system. It was a idiotic move by TPWD and they should switch back to the previous system.

So are they really putting your name in the hat 3375 times compare to my 8? That gives a 225x greater likelihood instead of like 7.5 times greater.

That is for sure dumb AF.

Yes, they switched to cubing this year and that is exactly what they are doing. They are essentially attaching an EXPONENTIALLY higher value to people who have participated in the system longer, than to those who have participated for less time (esp. affects people who are brand new or only been applying for a few years). It's insane.. I'm actually going to look up the application of lottery regulations to the hunt draws in Texas and see if they violated any laws with this change - weighting the scales to this extreme is just ridiculous...no one really cared about an extra name in the hat for every year... but cubing? I'm surprised any rational person thought that would be acceptable. If I find a legal issue with the system, I'll be speaking to the attorney general about it. One might argue that they weighted the scales so much they essentially rigged the lottery in favor of a specific group of people.

It's not only making it more difficult for new people. I enter for literally damn near everything, so I have won in a lot of categories over the last 3 or 4 years and reset my preference points. I get they want to reward the long time customers. But is my $400+ in contributions every year not more valuable than the the guy that spent $60 to get 20 preference points just so he could draw the chap? I mean we also don't want to turn it into a pay to play system. That's what is driving a lot of people out of hunting. No system is perfect. But this definitely means applying for a few years is basically buying a preference point until your count is up. I'm happy to see a lot of the guys that do have 15+ points finally get the hunt they've been putting in after. Sucks for me, but it's great for them. This has been the fewest hunts I have ever won. I got Laguna Atascosa Archery deer, but they give out something like 700 permits, so it's a high chance draw anyway. I've averaged winning 3-5 hunts a year. This year has been quiet different.

You can't beat The Man because they will just change the rules and this new cube system sucks! So if everyone that did not draw will send in complaint letters, in a couple of years it might make it back on the TPWD agenda to discuss changing again to who knows what.

I think it sucks but after the first couple years of this, the odds will shift. Those high LP's guys will get reset and others will start getting drawn. The thing with Loyalty points is just that, LOYALTY, and for awhile now, they haven't really meant much. Now they do. And I'm not even one who has a lot of LPs. My highest point count was 4.

My daughter just drew The Chap today with only 1LP. Granted that was for A/S category.
I drew Balcones Canyonlands general with only 4LP's!

My biggest gripe is that they didn't really announce the cubing until after applications were available. Maybe they did and I just missed it. I had most of my applications submitted and paid for before I learned of the new rules. I honestly didn't think we'd hit on any. I was genuinely surprised today! But oh well, next year I'll be more selective and they'll ultimately make less money.

I don't have an answer but it's not all bad either.

Congrats. I drew the exact same 3 hunts. Drew Chap Javelina back in August for February 26-28 and just saw I also drew 2 more today, General Deer at Balcones Canyonlands NWR for December 4-6 and Cooper WMA Antlerless/Spike for Nov. 28-30.

Over the past 11 years, I have only drawn 3 hunts total, so was quite surprised that I have drawn 3 in one year.

I know we will be at Cooper at the same time, but what dates did you draw Chap and Balcones?

Congrats to all drawn, but it's hard dealing with the disappointment of another no-draw year.
After not being drawn for 4 years, I got GD-Either Sex at Las Palomas WMA-Arroyo Colorado Unit with my dad.
I'm most excited about bringing him down to see and hunt that part of Texas.
If anyone has tips for this WMA, please share if you have time.

I haven’t hunted there, but I’ve hunted properties that cracked up to it. They had tons of Nilgai and some dang good deer.

The sent out surveys last year and asked the customers what they didn't like about the online draw system and TPWD listened, boo friken hoo Binary, something had to be doen, some of us who have applied for almost 20 years and haven't drawn a buck hunt like it.


Illegal?! the can make whatever rules they want as long as its publicized, many state draw systems use a multiplier on preference points.

I hunted it last year, its a mosquito infested black gumbo swamp filled with coyotes an rare pygmy sized deer (I know cause I checked the cards on some of their game cams at the feeders that had months of pictures). All in all its not great, the place is surrounded by clear cut blackland surgarcane fields and wind farms, good luck.



You sure your not talking about the longoria unit? they told us the had one cow nilgai on the arroyo colorado.

I got drawn for antlerless / spike at Enchanted Rock in January

I agree Binary. They should have gone with a squaring of points cubing is just an insane advantage.

Ive been putting in for 10 years and have quite a few LP in some categories but 1 in most as I dont play the pay to hunt lease game. I use the TPWD draw hunts to get the oppertunity to hunt big game, As mentioned Binary and I pay hundreds of dollars to draw while the high level Lps may pay $10s of dollars. I agree they have dont the same with the public draw as with private lease. Pricing me out.

The only other time I was drawn was 8 years ago at Richland Chambers WMA

So your saying it will be a trophy hunt for us?!!

Congratulations to you as well. I'm at the Chap on 2/12-14 and Balcones 12/4-6.

Sounds to me it was people like you boo hooing about it and complaining that you didn't win a lottery draw...so get that sh$t out of here. You aren't ENTITLED to sh$t just because you've applied and lost a lottery more than other people little man. So, go cry to your mommy or something. In the mean time, I'll be an advocate for a fair lottery, not one that exponentially favors some over others...


If you aren't a legal expert on the topic, your opinion is worthless... Hell, I'm an attorney and I don't actually have an answer on whether what they did was legal, which is why I said I will be looking into it. There are absolutely rules that must be followed for lotteries - maybe they operated within those rules, maybe they operated within legal exemptions, maybe they didn't. I'll find out. Either way, I'll be speaking with the attorney general on the topic because the system they implemented this year essentially rigged the lottery to favor specific groups of individuals at insane levels.

In the mean time, feel free to not cry about it and if you did have to cry then feel free to cry to someone else.

Nice, I want to hunt there one of these days. Not sure how good the hunting is but I've seen pics of the area and think it would be enjoyable.

Nice, congrats man!

And congrats to everyone who had some successful draws today. And for those that didn't, best of luck on the the remaining draw dates and the pending 2nd draws!

I agree I'm not sure how good it will be. I've climbed the rock once. It will at least be pretty.

My son and I were drawn for Balcones Canyonlands NWR. Finally landed my first draw after 4 years! It looks like it's hit or miss depending on what unit you're given. Anyone know when or how you find out what unit your assigned? If it's assigned blind or can you spot and stalk the area? Thanks for the info.

I guess I got lucky. First year to put in and I was drawn.

which hunt?

Ninney Stringfellow Doe/Spike

Better than nothing.

Nothing wrong with that. And it's not as though your points are going back to zero. You'll be where you started from. Good luck!

I think you will like that place and the faculty. I went there for a squirrel hunt. I believe they recommend bringing an ATV and I agree 100% with that. It could be a long walk otherwise.

My son and I hunted there 2 years ago. IIRC the NWR draws for the compartments in Early October. There is at least one compartment with blinds but you can spot and stalk in others. There was also a few days allowed for scouting and being from Austin, I took advantage of scouting one afternoon. It is beautiful terrain and we enjoyed ourselves even though we didn't see anything.

Man, I get why they went with cubing, but it really sucks for me. I have applied for almost everything the last 5 years or so and have always drawn a couple of tags. Usually the less desirable, but occasionally something cool. So, I don't have many points. I struck out this year.

I get that they want to reward the people that have applied forever, but it really discourages new hunters from getting in the game. I'm certainly not going to send them my usual $300 if the odds are stacked so high that I won't draw for 15 or 20 years.

Gun Deer - Either Sex 27 points, 27 years of applying out of my 57 years of life. FINALLY!
Going to the Powderhorn. I normally reserved those points for applying for the Chap only, but when I was younger I used to put in for the Sambar deer draw in Florida every year and never got drawn there, so that is partly why I switched over to the Powderhorn ranch hunt. What worked out great for this one is that I already am going to be in POC fishing for 10 days before the hunt.

Congrats SniperJohn, glad it worked out for you.

Congrats Sniper, IMO that is a better draw than the CHAP - the possibility of coming home with three trophies and doing some fishing sounds like a good time.

Congrats man, hope you have a great hunt!

Yes, congratulations! Heckuva "cast and blast".

100% if they don't reverse the cubing nonsense my annual donation will drop from like $500 to about $39 ... basically one application per deer/exotic category to purchase an LP (I'll drop every other non-deer/exotic category). Assuming I don't decide to sit it out entirely. One way to get TPWD to understand how ridiculous the change to cubing was is to lower the $$$$$ they get...they'll notice REAL fast. Eventually someone with some sense will ask WTF are we rigging the lottery to favor long term users to this extreme for when it's at the cost of overall participation and $$$$$.

I drew again this year too. 2 out of 3 now.

Congrats. That is awesome.

I've only been at this 4 years now. So far I have drawn something every year.

17'-18' We drew the Laguna Atascosa Archery, Lower Rio Grande Archery and also Gus Engeling Feral Hog. Only attended the LANWR hunt. It was a tough hunt but game was seen. I missed on a doe.
18'-19' We drew the Laguna Atascosa Archery again. Again we attended and game was seen. I connected on a small 8 point but lost him.
19'-20' I drew Chaparral WMA Archery and the Laguna Atascosa Archery. I also drew Trinity River NWR Muzzleloader but let it pass.
20'-21' I drew Balcones Canyonlands NWR General Deer and my daughter drew the Chaparral WMA Youth A/S. This was her first year applying.

My point is, after learning of the point cubing change, I was really not expecting to draw anything. I especially wasn't expecting my daughter to seeing how she only had 1 point.
This will be my first rifle hunt so I am excited for that! 4 years in a row I have drawn something. So far it hasn't resulted in meat in the freezer and who knows if this year will either. Either way, we're excited to see what we can do!!!

Fantastic. Glad that the perseverance worked out finally..

I was lucky enough to get a Doe permit for the USFS. Nothing else though. Been a bunch of years without getting drawn for anything else. Thirteen points for Either sex or Antlerless/Spike. Well, there is always next year.

You better find a cooler sponsor if all things go well

I have 29 points in GDE. Gave up on Chap and switched to Gene Howe. Maybe this year.

Drew a Doe permit national forest and my niece drew a Youth doe at the Gus Engling.

Nothing for me so far this year, pending second draw for Elephant mountain

Pending second draw for me with 29 points cubed for Gene Howe. Go figure.

Well guys, tomorrow or Monday we should find out if anyone is getting lucky on their "Pending 2nd Draw" ... good luck

I was just about to say the same thing. Good luck to you too!

I have around 50 pending 2nds I’m hoping for at least 1! 🤞

All those pending 2nd draws and no luck for me

Nothing in the second draw for me.

The two most over-used words in the English language. "Not Selected"

Nothing for me

Someone gonna start the 10/1 thread?