Tx Public Land Hunting - Fort Worth/Fort Hood

[stick_string]

Hey Fellas,
I need some help from anyone willing too.      

Thanks again  

[4-fletch]

PM SENT

[texbow2]

visit the TPWD webiste for public hunts. There are also Lake Granger and Lake Georgetown within 1-2 hours of fort hood that have hunts on Corp of Engineer land

[texbow2]

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/statistics/2006/ade/    Look at the number of standby hunters who got to hunt

[jmack]

There's actually two types of "public" land in Texas. There's public land that anyone can hunt on, with no permits other than your actual hunting license. Then there is public land as defined by TPWD. These require the type 2 permit, and a mandated amount of visable blaze orange clothing. I know that most lands that are controlled by the US Army Corps of Engineers (mostly acreage surrounding the lakes they have built) are the type where no special permit is required. These usually have a single regulation - no hunting within so many feet of improved recreation areas. There may not be any areas near Ft. Worth that are like this considering the fact that it's all incorporated. If you don't mind an hour or two drive, Pat Mayse Lake in Lamar County has both the TPWD controlled WMA's and regular public hunting land. The public land by far dwarfs the area occupied in WMA. Check with your local Game Warden, you might be surprised in what you find.

[hoebow]

Fort hood is very good hunting. It is a pain in you know what to get all the needed paper work and running around.
1. Go to the main gate and get a temp vehicle pass.
2. go to the sportsmen center on post and buy the fort hood licence $100.00 with the state licence. then go back to the main gate and re-register your vehicle for  6 months.
3. study the map the sportsman center will give you and call the teletrac phone system to check in and go to the area you want to hunt or scout. when you leave the area you must call in and check out. note: If you forget to check out they will call you and they will allow this only a couple of times after that they will kick you off fort hood. You must check out.
4. It will take you all day and it is all BS,
 red tape from the goverment. after that its pretty good. My hunting buddy killed a 138 P&Y( 10 point) last year at 10 yards. I got a Doe.
5. No I am not going to tell you where to hunt that you have to find yourself, but I will tell you that it is all pretty good. some places are better then others but I have seen deer all over fort hood north south east and west.
6. GOOD LUCK

[hoebow]

I forgot to tell you you need to have a very good 4x4. other wise you will walk for miles no atv's allowed.
good luck again Hoebow

[BamBooBender]

I don't know if your closer to Fort Hood or Fort Worth. If it's Ft Worth, you might want to look into the matador wma in cottle county. There's some good mule deer hunting available there. Here's a link. You gotta apply for a special permit (around $35 iirc), but it's well worth the trouble.

   matador wma

[BamBooBender]

Fort Hood is a good spot to hunt too, as hoebow mentioned above. I never hunted there but I was stationed there in 82, and I have been just about everywhere on the post. I  don't know if it's among the places you'd be allowed to go but I used to see a lot of deer around cowhouse creek. Anyway, when it comes to hunting in TX,any sort of water source is a good place to start looking.

[stick_string]

Wow, I really appreciate everyones comments...and PMs. I will do my best to research all the areas mentioned.  

Hoebow,
I think I am going to pass on the Fort Hood area.  Seeing as how it is the largest "public area" to hunt in Texas and I do not have a 4x4.  Taking the time to travel down there and scout North, South, East, West will take a lot of time.  While I dont mind putting it in....I simply dont have that much (to walk thousands of acres).      

Thank you all for the help...shoot straight     and remember to keep God First!!  

[Tbilisi]

Check out Lake Whitney.  Bow hunting only all season.

[TexMex]

I second Lake whitney.

[master4846]

Hey guys' I'm in the same boat as Stick_String. I'm only a hour and half from whitney and wanted some more info, all I could find on tpwd's site was that they are closed on Jan 6-11 for hunting but other than that I could find much. Any help would be appreciated.

Derek

[master4846]

ttt

[Van/TX]

I've hunted Ft. Hood.  It's a hassle but cheap.  Plenty of land for the bowhunter at Davy Crocket National Forest too and it's free.  Good luck...Van

[restless]

You need a hunters safety cert. and go by the corps office at the Lake Whitney dam before 4:30 on a weekday. See you out there.

[stick_string]

I think I will have to try out Lake Whitney...sounds like there is alot of good talk about the place.

[Bill Turner]

Lake Whitney and Lake Aquilla are within 1 hour of Ft.Worth. Bowhunting only by permit. Get your permit free through Corp. of Engineer office at Lake Whitney. Must have standard hunting education class to get permit. Bowhunting education class did not count in 2006. Not sure what the rules are for 2007. Good luck.

[master4846]

Thanks for the help, see ya in the woods.