Texas Mule Deer?

[o2bwest]

Any body going to hunt Texas this year? I know mule deer are kind of a well kept secret in TX, but I have seen some dandies come out of here over the past few years.

 

[TxMulie]

I sure hope I am able to. I've got a good number of preference points, and will put in for either Black Gap or Big Bend Ranch State Park. If I dont draw, then I hope to make a trip up to Lake Meredith.

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-12 AT 08:33PM (MST)[p]May I ask about this PP statement? I used to hunt Texas a lot for whitetails and hogs on a NR license on leases my Dad was on in the brush country and a small ranch a friend had in the hill country. Is this PP deal you mentioned strictly for public land like you mentioned and only for residents?

 

[T264]

PP are for the public drawings only. That being said, My Dad and I have been trying to draw a Big Bend Ranch public muley hunt for 15 years with no success!

T264

 

[DoeNob]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-27-12 AT 08:36AM (MST)[p]TPWD has lots of public hunts available for draw. Entries are cheap, open to residents and non residents alike - No non res caps!

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_112_06_12.pdf

If you don't draw you get a preference point, the system is not a "true" preference system, points just give you additional chances in the next drawing. I have 13 for Gun Deer Either.

 

[Lawrence]

I've been applying for over 20 years and have never been drawn.

I've tried several of the better quality hunts for whitetail and the Sierra Diablo for mulies.

No luck.

I used to hunt mulies in the Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle. We killed some nice bucks off a ranch that bordered the Palo Duro Canyon State Park. We killed a couple of whopper whitetails off that ranch too.

 

[tx_packmule]

If stxranchman gives me an invite out to their place I'll be gone tomorrow.

 

[TxMulie]

Also due the insane drought that occurred in Texas last year, the west Texas muley population has suffered. I went to Big Bend Ranch State Park a few months ago and spoke with some of the TPWD guys there. They got 2.5" of rain in a 20 month span. And in the middle of that, there was a hard freeze which killed off even more of the vegetation. During the time I was there, i never saw a single deer, auodad, or bighorn in the park. Only javelinas. Its a huge park, and I'm sure they are there somewhere, as TPWD guys said there are. But I definitely glassed hard searching.

I did notice that some of those far west Texas WMAs decreased their available permits by 50%.

The panhandle muleys arent near as bad off.