https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/resources/785.pdf

This used to be some amazing, free, walk-in turkey hunting for hard core turkey hunters. As per usual, one by one, the state has taken control of another large property and will only let us peasants walk around to plink for hogs and small game.

There is still only one TPWD managed property that allows the peasants to turkey hunt. Slowly but surely, they'll take more of these USACE lands and eliminate walk-in deer and turkey hunting.

Unpopular opinion, but how many more million (potential) public land hunters live in Texas vs New Mexico, the Dakotas, Montana, Kansas?

At some point the math just becomes pretty difficult to manage public land hunting in Texas.

It could be the result of a COE decision.

A quick way to find out is to contact TPWD.

Tarponfly said:

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Texas is a prime example of why you don't sell off your public land. There simply is not enough to count as a viable opportunity for those who don't have access to private or can afford to lease. Sure, you can hunt parts of east Texas. Good luck with that. Sure, you can put in for a draw. Buy a lottery ticket while you are at at. The odds are similar. I love hunting the west because there are actually places you can leave the truck without going to jail. Who I feel sorry for is all those potential hunters that will never get introduced because access to the sport is simply too expensive for most.

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Asking because I do not know, but what public land has Texas sold?

The Davis Hill state park has never opened to the public. It's near the Trinity River and TPW has owned it for many years. Not sure what they are waiting on but imo it's ridiculous to not open it by now.

I guess tpwd is short of money like every other government agency…

Fairfield Lake State Park is one that they screwed the pooch on recently.

However, lately TPWD has been purchasing acreage, some of which is included in this year's public hunt (draw) opportunities.

ETA:

823 acres next to Government Canyon State Natural Area (near San Antonio)

3,073 acres next to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (this is in addition to the 630 acres bought last month)

1,721 acres in Uvalde County, about a mile from Garner State Park. This property includes "over a mile along the Frio River, rugged hills, and a diversity of native habitat" and is intended to be a new state park.

2020 acres across the river from Colorado Bend State Park

Also, a section at Black Gap WMA.

Yeah to me it seems there are a lot more state parks that are now open for the drawn hunts than there used to be.

Mas89 said:

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The Davis Hill state park has never opened to the public. It's near the Trinity River and TPW has owned it for many years. Not sure what they are waiting on but imo it's ridiculous to not open it by now.

I guess tpwd is short of money like every other government agency…

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FYI. Perhaps you voted in favor of this.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-information/parks-fund

If that land was privately owned, how does that increase the hunting opportunities of someone who doesn't own land of their own?

TPWD needs to drastically increase OOS licenses and use those fees to lease and open WIHA like nearly all of the Midwest and western states do. With the massive amount of public land in Montana, they still pay landowners for walk in hunt areas open to the public.

TPWD not allowing turkey hunting on 12,000 acres they just acquired from the COE is not a result of the previous manager/owner's decision. Do you think they said "we'll let ya take it over but ya have to promise not to let anyone turkey hunt it, okay? Otherwise we will take it back and let people turkey hunt it." ?

Actually, they do this and are increasing the number of places, which sounds great. But it appears they're gonna keep it all dove and small game. Just enough to keep increasing the number of "public land acres available!!!".

They could buy up millions of acres and have drawn hunts on it, still doesn't make it our public land to freely walk into and hunt game. You can be arrested walking into some of these places. At the very least reported, fined, etc. Drawn hunts are for national wildlife refuges or state parks, not the vast tracts of no-mans land or bottomland.

They're coming for Navarro Mills Lake soon. Better get your hunt in this year because soon, you'll be fightin' nonresidents for a drawn hunt there once every 10 years.

Shoalcatter22 said:

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You can be arrested walking into some of these places. At the very least reported, fined, etc. Drawn hunts are for national wildlife refuges or state parks, not the vast tracts of no-mans land or bottomland.

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We were on the coast catching redfish where water dumps out of a wma. I took a quick look on google earth and could see some good looking spots a short walk in. I had my public lands permit so proceeded to walk in and tear the redfish up.

Thinking I had found the honey hole of easy access, I went home to figure out how to access it by land. I was blown away to find out the public is never allowed on the property. You can schedule a guided tour if you want to go bird watching and that's it. All they have to do is claim they don't have the staff and it's an instant excuse to make public lands not public. Its bull**** and I don't know of any other state that gets away with this crap.

Careful what you wish for. We have a state conservation area of around 7,000 acres right across the highway of our ranch here in the Ozarks. The state has quite a few of these.
Open to all hunting. All you have to do to hunt on it is drive up…have a valid hunting license, wear orange, and abide by the seasons. No permits or fees collected. No restrictions on numbers of folks. Just drive up and hit the woods.
Sounds like the TET Offensive every opening morning. People all over it. Good for me though….my whitetail population doubles in about 6 hours. Whitetails literally running for their lives to get out of there.
Then we start finding all the gut shot deer, and wounded deer that make it across the highway to our place.
Anything with a calcium deposit on their head is in grave danger.