Open hunting areas in Northeast Texas

[age_ranger]

My sons have communicated to me that they would like me to take them hunting. I think it might be best if they were to go with me on a hunt and then learn to field dress it and haul it out before they take it on themselves. As for the varmint of choice, I'm thinking a small hog or possibly some rabbit or squirrels. Now the tricky part........where to hunt?? Living in Plano, it's tough enough to get out and shoot, let alone find a place to take out a few critters. Anyone know of a place that's open to the public for hunting? We'd be using the Ruger 10/22's and possibly the AR..........Most likely my 14yr old would be the only one going at first unless my 11yr old expressed interest soon. Suggestions?

[billfromtx]

If you were closer to me I would take you down to my place and let your boys kill some hogs and rabbits , what ever. I'm 45 minutes south west of Corpus.
PM me if your headed this way.

[couzin]

For squirrels you can shoot now in Grayson County on Lake Ray Roberts but it has to be shotgun - just about everything else is closed in East Texas. Only Brazos, Burleson, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Falls, Grayson, Grimes, Kaufman, Madison, Milam, and Rockwall, are open for squirrels. For pig, about the only place you can hunt now would be White Oak Creek Wildlife Area in Morris County near Omaha - I am pretty sure rifles are allowed if you are there to take ferals and it doesn't have to match the caliber/guage limit of a specific season. Pretty rough area up there at WOCWA right now though - bugs will eat ya and snakes will bite ya.

[goinincircles]

pm/info sent. lotta good squirrel hunting in collin

[Greybeard]

You may want to check out Caddo National Grasslands - units north and south of Bonham. It's part of Texas Parks and Wildlife's $48 Public Hunting package. No cost for kids under 17. Best maps available from National Forest Service office in Decatur. There is (or used to be) also a way to apply (early) for doe tags (kids seem to have best chance of being drawn) by mailing post card to Lufkin office. Caddo Grasslands also has (or at least used to have) a special weekend in late Sept. where kids get to go after feral hogs a week before the archery season opens for deer. It's some tough sledding some places but there are a lot of all kinds of animals around Coffee Mill Lake. But also very "public" on opening weekend.

http://www.tyhp.org/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is another possibility you might want to investigate. A great program for parents and kids.

[Hamourkiller]

Age_Ranger, here is a site that you can learn about hog hunting in all of its glory. These people will be able to help.

http://www.texasboars.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, there is a drawing system set up for the hunting of state parks and wild life management areas. The Texas Parks and Wild life dept. runs it. Many good areas in NE Texas

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hu ... ng_system/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The drawn hunts include special "Youth hunts" as well as adult hunts. This is a great system and well worth investigating. You will not regret hunting with your children.

.

[age_ranger]

Lots of great info, thanks! I think I might have to scout it out soon.......maybe after a week of sunny weather and take the boys for some squirrel.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

If someone shoots feral hogs in an allowed area, do the shooters
have to dress the beast and tote it out to their truck?

Or can they just leave the bodies for a vultures'
"all you can eat" party?

[Greybeard]

surprise -

That's pretty much an ethics question since feral hog are not a game animal.

Particularly in the heat of this time of year, a hunter needs to get the critter out of the woods and on ice pronto.

If ya do leave 'em laying, the buzzards may or may not get much, as the hogs have been known to eat each other.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Greybeard:

Thanks neighbor.

Hey, did you see the nice Taurus 1911 that a Denton member had
for sale on here the other day?

I may have a case of 1911 fever building and that would have been
the cure.

Except I didn't have more than half a grand to scratch that itch.

[Greybeard]

Nupe neighbor, ' did not see it. I try not to go the Buy/Sell/Trade section too often as the addiction is bad enough already ...

But, back to a little more specifics for the OP, IIRC, it was units number 9 and 26 up at Caddo Grasslands where we used we got into the hogs walking and stalking in the day time - often though, just a brief glimpse of the south ends of some fast moving northbounders.