Does anybody have any experiences with this area near northeast of Dallas? I went up there for the first time last weekend to do some scouting for turkeys. I saw lots of pigs (unfortunately you cant hunt them this time of year there) one hen turkey, 3 coyotes, and one poacher on the far north end of the main hunting area. Then I headed to the area on the north side of the Coffee Mill Lake and there was some kind of trail ride going on up there the day before that I think must have scared everything out because I saw lots of signs of pigs and a few tracks from turkeys but nothing living. I talked to on old fellow that said he rides his horse in the area regularly and generally sees lots of pigs, turkey, and deer in the area but nothing that morning either. I am thinking of going back when the turkey season opens and if anybody has any experience in the area some advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just curious, how did you know the guy you saw was a poacher? If it is National Grassland, then it is public land. Did you see him shoot something out of season?

I have never hunted the Caddo portion of the Grasslands, just the stuff out from Decatur, but I think they are both administered out of Decatur.

I have been checking their website and can't find anything stating that you can't hunt hogs at this time.

What was the information you were given?

I know that there are or used to be signs posted at the various entranc es advising that hunting by archery/muzzle-loader/shotgun was permitted during open seasons for game animals, but feral hogs are not classified as game animals and do not have a "season" as such.

Flags: The reason I assume the guy I saw was a poacher in because he was doing a lot of turkey calling (which is why I ran into him) and he had a shotgun. According to the public hunting map book the regulation for that area state that there is no open season on anything during the date that I was there (Mar.27). There for using my powers of deduction I assume the thing he was most likely trying to do was get a turkey before the season started.

Crazyhorse: If you look at the public hunting map book it states that general season for hogs in that area is Nov. 6 - Mar. 13. The Caddo Grasslands near Decatur is not covered under the APH permit so the same regulation do not apply. At least that is my understanding of the rules. Please refer to attached link.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hu...k_w7000_0112a_63.pdf

First, my bet is that the guy was poaching.

Second, I forgot that the Caddo Units of the combined LBJ-Caddo Grasslands is in the AHP program.

OK. That makes sense.

Problem we have down here, is that places like the Caddo and LBJ are somewhat fragmented, with lots of private land surrounding those fragments.

Those private tracts sometimes are fairly isolated, and folks simply hop the fence and hunt the way they want to.

Also, from my experience at the LBJ there is not a lot of man power to enforce the laws on those properties.

Yeah I would have called a warden to come and check him out but cell phone coverage isnt exactly stellar in the area. By the time i got a signal about 3 hours had passed.

Do you have much luck with turkey on LBJ and what kind of permit is required to hunt there?

Tried deer one time and spring turkey one time.

Unless things have changed no special permit (AHP) is required.

The LBJ is more fragmented I believe than the Caddo and I believe is also closer to much of the DFW MetroMess, so weekend hunting will be a circus.

If you can hunt week days you might have some luck. I have noticed more turkeys in the western units, over out of Alvord going up toward Forestburg than the ones closer to Decatur.

Even with the FS map, figuring out unit boundaries can be a pain.

Crazyhorse thanks for the info. I am planning on trying to hit one of the two grasslands this weekend and I will report back how it went.

Best of Luck on your hunt.

Still no luck yet. I have been hunting at Caddo Grasslands twice now had have been skunked both times. I have seen lots of signs of turkeys and heard some gobble yesterday but never could get them to come in. According to my pedometer I have put in roughly 20 miles hiking around that place and have still not even seen one in the flesh, but like they say any day in the outdoors is still better than a day at the office.

Don't know that it will work for you or not, but the best success I have had calling turkeys was a run and gun type arrangement.

I ease thru the woods calling periodically, then if I get a response, instead of setting up and trying to bring the bird to me, I start easing my way toward the bird.

You have to move slow ands pay real close attention to the direction the gobble is coming from and the volume.

I don't guarantee it to work everytime, but it works for me often enough that it is my normal hunting method.

Crazyhourse: That is what I tried after I figured out that they werent going to come in to me but they toped gobbeling and I wasent able to figure out where they headed to. I think next time I will just have to start out with a more aggresive attack and see where that gets me.

That is the best plan, try different things.

I cannot guarantee it will always happen, but one time a big gobbler snuck in on me, by perting like a hen and circling my hideout after he stopped gobbling.