TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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I am fairly new to deer hunting but I am totally into now. Can't wait for deer season to start!
I got drawn for the TPWD Buck permit for The James E. Daughtrey WMA. Have any of you ever hunted there before? What should I expect? How should I prepare? I have never been on one of these TPWD hunts before so any thoughts you have would be great!!
Also, the hunt is December 17-19. How does that hit in the rut for South Texas?
Thanks!
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PrimitiveHunter
Veteran Tracker
Reged: 10/09/06
Posts: 2086
Loc: Whitesboro
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I hunted hogs there once about 20 years ago. My first advice is take a vehicle that can get scratched all to heck 'cause it will. I hunted the river bottom and didn't see any deer. What I saw on top was brushy country with no trees that would support a tree stand. Of course, I didn't see the whole thing. I don't know if they allow portable tripods but a short one might work well. Most of the brush I drove through was about 7' tall.
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don k
Woodsman
Reged: 08/27/08
Posts: 103
Loc: Bandera, Tx
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My son and I got drawn there a few years ago. He got a good 10 point. I saw some small bucks but did not shoot. Good place to hunt, pick a place where there is lots of sign and stay put. You should do all right.
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TexWild
Light Foot
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 16
Loc: Kyle
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I hunted ducks and quail there last year. From the walking I did it looks like they will set you up on an assigned blind with nice shooting lanes cut into the mesquite. I did see some really nice 8 and 10 pointers. Good luck.
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Bernard
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/07/05
Posts: 57
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I have hunted there twice, but it was many years ago. One year, I was drawn, and the other year, I got on by going there as a "stand-by," and getting drawn. I don't know how they do it now, but back then they assigned groups of up to 4 hunters to compartments. Only the members of your group could be in your assigned compartment. The first time, my two sons and I were assigned to a compartment of about 100 acres in size. The second time, my brother and I were assigned to a compartment which was a little smaller in size, but not much smaller. You were allowed to go anywhere within your compartment that you desired, and if you wanted to put up a temporary blind or tripod, you could. You just had to remove it when you left. It was a great place to hunt. I've hunted on other TPWD hunts (Inks Lake and Pedernales), and at those places, they take you to a specific blind and that's where you hunt.
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Jimbo
Tracker
Reged: 08/30/04
Posts: 990
Loc: San Antonio, Texas
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I hunted there several years ago, and did see a lot of game, but like someone said find some sign while scouting and stick with it.
Pay close attention to wind direction, and stick with it, and by that, don't go into an area and try to cover every inch of it while scouting.
Keep as low a profile as possible, and try to enter and exit the area with as little noise, and scent distribution as possible, and you should do fine.
Those dates are pretty close to the target date for the rut by the way.
Any time between Thanksgiving and Christmas with the optimum dates being closer to Christmas in South Texas.
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Rene
Light Foot
Reged: 12/20/05
Posts: 39
Loc: Houma, La.
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I got drawn two years ago and saw lots of deer. I passed on several bucks and ended up not taking one. I had a great time. The bucks are very aware of the hunting hours that most hunters utilize. My best advice is to hunt all the way from morning until at least 1pm. I saw all the good bucks from 11am until 1pm and all the small bucks early and late. We stayed in the state park on the lake which is beatiful and a great place to put a camper. Take corn with you and use it. the warden will tell you that it won't make a difference , but it does. Good luck and God bless. Rene'
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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Thanks for all the advice so far. It is really helping me and getting me excited about seeing some good deer!
As far as the set-up there, could ya'll give me any other details you may have (some already shared a little, thanks!)about what to expect as far as the kind of blinds/compartments that they will put me on. Open fields, funnels, cleared out lanes, etc.?? Should I bring a pop-up or tree stand?
Also, what should I expect when I first arrive? Do you choose which stand to go to? If so, I wouldn't know which one was better than another since I've never been there. Any advantage to being the first one there?
Thanks!
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Jimbo
Tracker
Reged: 08/30/04
Posts: 990
Loc: San Antonio, Texas
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I would opt for the treestand or better yet a tripod if you have one, would be ideal because the more you can see will help tip the odds in your favor.
Most areas (at least when I hunted there) didn't have a lot of open clear cut areas, and most of the hunting was done on roads are senderos that went through the areas, and the south Texas brush is thick, (where I hunted it was) and unless your hunting a sendero or road, you will not see much game unless they happen to come out right in front of you.
Your field of view will be limited if you use a pop-up, but if you have one take it because you never know, as you may find a promissing trail or crossing.
The area you are going to hunt is going to be unfamiliar, and you don't know which way the deer are traveling or moving, so any advantage you can give yourself where you can see a lot or a long ways will be to your advantage.
Try to use the first morning or evening hunt to kind of get a feel for where the deer are, and the only way to do that is by observing, and finding a good vantage point, that you can see for a long way, and then you can always move to where you see the most activity.
Again always pay attention to wind direction, and keep as quiet as you can, no loud talking or slamming of car doors, and tailgates, and move around as little as possible.
Depending on how many hunters have been in the areas ahead of you and how they hunted, those deer are probably going to be well educated.
Good Luck, and remember the kill is just the icing on the cake, and you will have fun regardless if you kill anything or not! 
BTW: Here is where the pop-up can come in handy!
Don't forget the rattling horns and grunt call! When the conditions are right you can call bucks of all sizes all day long.
It works, not all the time, but when it does it is just too much fun, and don't be afraid to try it. It won't scare them away unless they see you, and it's a natural sound so they won't be alarmed and may come in just out of curiosity, if not looking for a fight!
Edited by Jimbo (09/14/08 09:09 PM)
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Rene
Light Foot
Reged: 12/20/05
Posts: 39
Loc: Houma, La.
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No advantage in getting there early, just don't be late. After about a half an hour lecture on the rules by the warden, your name will be called with your party. You will be assigned an area to your party with a map showing you where it is. It will have good boundaries. Within the area the map will show where the stands are if any. From there on, it will be up to you to go scout your area and set up where you like. You cannot go into another hunting area. If you do, then you will be asked to leave permanently. Tripods are better than popups because of the thickness of the brush. Some of the blinds are okay, but nothing fancy. Most are 10' tower blinds with no tops, just sides. Be prepared to go scout as soon as you are assigned an area, and be prepared to stay until the evening hunt. That's all I can think of now. I got some topo maps before I got there and they helped understand the lay of the land. Good luck. Rene'
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lordbyroniv
Green Horn
Reged: 09/16/08
Posts: 2
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I was there a few years back
great place
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm checking and reading them all! Keep 'em coming please! Thanks!
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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Any idea what the Buck's would score that ya'll have seen at Daughtrey?
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Jimbo
Tracker
Reged: 08/30/04
Posts: 990
Loc: San Antonio, Texas
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Quote:
Any idea what the Buck's would score that ya'll have seen at Daughtrey?
The deer are free range, and surrounded by ranches that are low fenced, and high fenced, and fend for themselves when it comes to feed, and hunting pressure around the area is high because of smaller ranches, so having said that, the potential is always there because this is south Texas, but you could see anything from mature 130's class to a 160 which in a good year wouldn't be out of the question, just not common.
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bb1379
Light Foot
Reged: 10/08/07
Posts: 24
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i drew a hunt there to for dec. 17-19. how well do they come to corn? just wondering because i'm sure being a wma that the deer are not regularly fed $8-10/bags of corn. being low fenced i guess it might help since i'm sure they see it on neighboring ranches. can you even use corn on the hunt?
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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I've never used 'temporary' blinds before. If I bring in a tripod, will the deer get spooked by it or be ok with it since it will hopefully blend in with the brush?
Also, do you have any other suggestions on what to look for as soon as I get there...as far as a place to set up my tripod?
I am planner by nature. So, this not being able to see the place before-hand is driving me crazy...and exciting me at the same time.
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Crazyhorse
THF Celebrity
Reged: 11/05/04
Posts: 15592
Loc: Azle, Texas
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Just some observations.
Lora(campcook) and I hunted down there about 3 years ago.
At that time there was a change in management of the area taking place.
Don't know who had been managing it, but the "New" Manager is David Synatzche, who also manages the Chaparral WMA.
He put the practices being used at the Chap into effect down at the Daughtrey, so it will be a good hunt.
I really doubt if you will be allowed to use corn or any kind of bait down there.
Getting to the Check in point early is okay because you can talk to some of the other folks there, some of them may have hunted the place before.
The hunt Lora and I were on was the same one WileyCoyote and his hunting partner had been drawn for and was for Javelina, and there was some problems with duck hunters accessing the area while the javelina hunt was in progress, and the area was supposed to be closed except to the drawn hunters.
I have a feeling with David in charge the hunts will be run under a little tighter supervision than in the past. JMO.
It is neat country to hunt and there are some good bucks down there hope all of you going have the Best of Luck. 
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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Thanks for the advice. With the qualtity of deer down there...I'm hoping(dreaming) for a 160"+ deer to walk out in front of me...but would be OK with a 135".
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bb1379
Light Foot
Reged: 10/08/07
Posts: 24
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i talked to one of the techs/employees there the other day and he said we will most likely be able to use corn.
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TurkeyWhisperer
Outdoorsman
Reged: 01/28/08
Posts: 54
Loc: Weatherford, TX
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Thanks. I sent you a PM, bb1379.
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