Public Land HOGS in Texas....How Good Is It?

[Nala]

Hey all,

Just curious to see about Hog Hunting on public land in Texas.  How good is the hunting on these lands?  How much public land is available to hog hunt in Texas?  Are there good areas to hunt or are you basically wasting your time and would be better off paying the money and getting into a private ranch or guided hunt situation?

Thanks

Nalajr

[Biggie Hoffman]

I'm curious to hear if there are any public lands in Texas!

[longarrow]

Yep, we do have some public land, most is in the Eastern part of the state. Not sure how hog hunting is on that side of the state. BUT here where I'm at (Central Texas)  we hunt hogs on the "Granger WMA" it's BOW only for Hogs, deer and rabbits! TONS of hogs, can't hunt until Jan, because of the deer season (draw/standby). WMA area personell do a fly over in helicopters in Jan and kill as many as they can. Last year over 100 was shot in one week and that didn't put a dent in them!! You can also hunt Ft. Hood for hogs, but it is a pain in the butt! PM me if you would like to a hunt (WMA) in FEB...we get a bunch of bowhunters and go for a week or two!!

[highpoint forge]

Hunt the Sam Houston National Forest.....and watch out for the pigs as they may hunt YOU! THere are so many dang pigs in this state it's scary. A friend who lives just south of Downtown Dallas at the very Northernmost point of the Trinity River thicket shot a 100# pig in his freakin driveway early this month.

They are everywhere. Find the public land, find the water, and get ready.

[Nala]

So there are plenty of places and opportunities for public land hog hunting in Texas?  If that's the case it gives me some hope that things aren't as bad as what they seem.

Lets say you only could pick 1 area to hunt for a week, what location would you choose?  What location would offer the best chance at taking multiple hogs and what place would offer the best chance of taking a Good Ole BIGGUN??

Thanks for the info everyone...keep it coming.

Nalajr

[snakewood3]

2 week archery only on 28K acres. Beautiful rough country. Lot's of hogs, virtually no hunting pressure.
 http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/table_contents/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0112a_26.pdf

[Night Wing]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
I'm curious to hear if there are any public lands in Texas!

Ask and ye shall receive.    

 http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/maps/

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Other then a Texas hunting Lic You will need to get an AHP (Annul Hunting Permit)$48.00

[Rank Bull]

I hunted Granger several times after some of the Huey's went through there and killed bunch  and it seemed the hogs went nocturnal. Which was a bummer because you had to be outa there by sundown.

Saw bunch of sign... But no hogs. Pretty easy for me to get turned around in there.lol everything looks the same.

[straitera]

These areas (sam Houston) are full of nocturnal hogs. I've been hearing close to them a few times but have not seen one within shooting distance. Sam H has been very dry. Water is a good bet. I've hunted wet creeks for deer nearly everytime out since October & no hogs. Sign everywhere. Guarantee, they're here. These woods are thick enough to hide & 50 miles across. Look into Angelina National Forest. Borders Toledo Bend Lake & full of not so skittish hogs. PM for more. BTW, Texas has mucho public land. Legal elk 365 days yearly. Seeing one will cost a new car.

[sweeney3]

I'm rather enjoying this thread.  I always thought there was next to no public land in Texas.  May have to check some of this out on my next trip down.

[highpoint forge]

I've never known hogs to be exclusively nocturnal, if you hunt them hard enough you can find them at all hours. I suppose crazy pressure on them in a public setting would make them fairly elusive though.

We do have public land, but the really good deer land is mostly privately owned. That said, there is a bunch of public land with plenty of animals, as above, but the vast percentage of land here is in private hands.

[keithd]

Plenty of public land in Northeast Texas. 52k around Lake Wright Patman, 26k on White Oak Creek WMA. Sulphur river and White Oak Creek run through the WMA. Plenty of hogs on both. White Oak WMA is archery only for white-tail, and only a short gun season for hogs.

[Rank Bull]

There are also a lot of really thick areas of mesquite at Granger. I mean so thick it's impossible to get through without making a huge racket and it's  really hard to draw.I bet they hide in that stuff when the pressure is on because  they can certainly hear you coming. Then they come out at night to the pecan bottoms to feed and leave notes for the hunters.lol

I wonder if a coordinated hunt would be allowed? It would seem it's a lot easier for them to avoid a moving lone hunter.

[snakewood3]

Here's a slideshow of Matador WMA. This is mostly along the river. Much of the land is alot rougher and brushier than what you see here.
   http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c359/snakewood3/matador/?albumview=slideshow

[straitera]

Thanks Snakewood. Majestic! Nice hog dog. Kid's a keeper too. Sam Houston rototiller sign everywhere but so close to Houston population keeps hogs wary quiet. Heard Stubblefield Lake has a big bunch west of Hgwy 45.

[highpoint forge]

I'm heading to Montgomery in an hour fopr TG Holiday and will be packing my gear for a hunt Fri- Sat around Cleveland...

[straitera]

HPF, you have mail.

[highpoint forge]

Ok

[Nala]

What are the accommodations like around these WMA's?  If you wanted to hunt for a week or so would you have to camp or rent a trailer or something?

Nalajr