First things first, haven't shot my bow in 20 years. So with that being said, was hoping to get some new equipment. Question is, can you use a crossbow in Texas during archery draw hunts? Seems like they would be a bit more accurate, who knows if that's true. If so, what should I buy for about 1k or so? Also, the hunts I won are (E-Postcard Archery Deer, Richland Creek WMA - Trinity Unit), (National Refuge Archery Deer, Laguna Atascosa NWR) and (National Refuge Archery Deer, Lower Rio Grande NWR - Schaleben). First year to put in as I just moved back to Texas so I shotgunned everything (dropped like $700 on the damn draw). Still thought I wouldn't get a damn thing but I like to gamble. I live in deep south Texas so naturally the closer to me the better. I would also like a chance to actually see something, so that matters more to me than distance. Any recommendations on which ones to do? Don't think I can do all three and not have my wife pissed off, so any advice you all got I will take!

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First things first, haven't shot my bow in 20 years. So with that being said, was hoping to get some new equipment. Question is, can you use a crossbow in Texas during archery draw hunts? Seems like they would be a bit more accurate, who knows if that's true. If so, what should I buy for about 1k or so?

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T&P for the OP. I expect the this will ruffle many feathers around here.

Really? Didn't know it was a sensitive topic around these parts. Do explain?!?!

ontherocks said:

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Really? Didn't know it was a sensitive topic around these parts. Do explain?!?!

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As a non-archery guy, I personally don't care and typically find the fly fishing / archery threads entertaining. They tend to be the sensitive type.

But there's going to be many lifelong or heavily committed archery guys who have put in for these for years and rarely if ever draw. They now get to see someone who hasn't touched a bow in 20 years win multiple draws and go in their place. And that individual chooses to do it in heathen fashion with a crossbow (just treachery).

Probably not making many fans.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/faq/huntwild/hunting_regulations.phtml#:~:text=Q2%3A%20Is%20it,the%20same%20titles.

We should be encouraging folks to get outdoors - regardless of circumstance. Not disparaging them for asking legitimate questions.

OP - do some research on crossbow retailers near you - go talk to them and shoot some bows
Then practice like hell and shoot within your limits.

But most importantly, enjoy Gods creation, have fun and don't give two *$%!'s about what the haters say

My phone had a stroke. I'm not editing again no matter what mistakes are left.

Did you win the hunts or put in to win the hunts?

Won the hunts. Put in for hundreds, unfortunately the two in south Texas are only one day apart so basically the same days. Will have to pick one and let the other one go to the next guy.

Would love to take (or even see) a nilgai, thanks for the heads up.

Here you go. Excellent company, light weight, serviceable, will last a lifetime.

https://excaliburcrossbow.com/bows/micro-360-td/

Or, if you really want to get some panties in a wad, get this one.

https://excaliburcrossbow.com/bows/twinstrike/

look at me its my first year and i get picked for half a dozen hunts.........as i angrily sit here in a decade plus dry spell


Edit to add - congrats and post pics later

I assume these are hunts most don't put in for or have low rates of success which is why I drew them. It's not like I got chaparral first time around!!! Would be great though as it's only 30 mins from my house. That second crossbow is insane, might be a little much.

which dates did you draw for LRGV Schaleben? I drew that one for 11/11-11/14

you are right though those are the easy ones to draw. I've applied for over 200 hunts and the only ones I've drawn are Richland Creek and LRGV.

and nothing wrong with a crossbow if that is how you feel more comfortable. That's how I started when I got back into hunting but now use a compound.

Same dates as you. Seems like a small place though with no real water source and randomly placed between other ranches in the area. What I really need to decide is to take this hunt or the Laguna Atascosa NWR on 11/12 - 11/16. Have found zero information of the one we both drew. Which one would you take and why?

And I actually feel more comfortable with a bow than crossbow I just want to be able to use a scope and hit on target a little better if I get an animal out past 40
Yards. Easier and more accurate sounds fine to me, again I've never used a crossbow before so I'm just talking out of my ass.

OP. Take your bow to a shop and have it checked out. New string for sure. Shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Get someone to help coach you. If your archery shop owner is any good he will be the one to ask. Do not get expandable broadheads unless you want to lose a deer (imho).

I think I'm going to be sick.

lol....funny you mention the chaparral.......found out this morning my niece got picked for the youth deer hunt there.

Why on earth would you put in for archery hunts if you don't have the experience, or equipment to go on said hunt?

I will say thank you for supporting Texas conservation by donating $700 though. That wins the record for most money I have ever heard of any body spending on Texas draws by a long shot!

ontherocks said:

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Same dates as you. Seems like a small place though with no real water source and randomly placed between other ranches in the area. What I really need to decide is to take this hunt or the Laguna Atascosa NWR on 11/12 - 11/16. Have found zero information of the one we both drew. Which one would you take and why?

And I actually feel more comfortable with a bow than crossbow I just want to be able to use a scope and hit on target a little better if I get an animal out past 40
Yards. Easier and more accurate sounds fine to me, again I've never used a crossbow before so I'm just talking out of my ass.

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I went on one of the LRGV NWR archery hunts a couple of years ago and really enjoyed. it. Laguna Atascosa seems like a really cool place and it is gigantic compared to this Schaleben unit so if you want more room to run around that is definitely the route you want to go. I've never been and didn't apply bc I was hoping to get drawn for this LRGV hunt. Schaleben is not big and it appears to be extremely thick so it will be a tough hunt.

44mAG said:

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Why on earth would you put in for archery hunts if you don't have the experience, or equipment to go on said hunt?

I will say thank you for supporting Texas conservation by donating $700 though. That wins the record for most money I have ever heard of any body spending on Texas draws by a long shot!

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seems like a good investment given the cost of either a lease or a guided hunt - may have to rethink my strategy

rather be fishing said:

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First things first, haven't shot my bow in 20 years. So with that being said, was hoping to get some new equipment. Question is, can you use a crossbow in Texas during archery draw hunts? Seems like they would be a bit more accurate, who knows if that's true. If so, what should I buy for about 1k or so?

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T&P for the OP. I expect the this will ruffle many feathers around here.

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I'd rather see someone hunt with a crossbow and ethically harvest an animal than fumble around with a bow they haven't shot in 2 decades and wound something

OP should upgrade to an air-powered crossbow just to ruffle some more feathers lol

Its now just a clunky air rifle with an oversized bullet

I put in because it was an option to hunt and luckily enough I can afford to drop coin on a quick bow or crossbow if need be (if I were lucky enough to get drawn). Shouldn't take me more than a few hours to become efficient with a bow again up to 40 yards. It is not like I forgot how to use one or how to hunt for that matter. I just don't like missing or wounding animals. If I can get better hunting opportunities and shoot a bit farther and more accurate I will consider that option (archery draw with a crossbow) as my goal is to hit on target, bring quality meat home, and enjoy a place I haven't seen before, that's it. I have a 8-10k budget for a lease and haven't been able to find anything near me in two years which is why I spent so much on the draw, I have no other choice. What would you like me to do? Never hunt because I haven't shot my bow in a while, how else do I get experience again other than to go out and do it? No way I'm getting a rifle hunt for at least another 10 years as I have no points accrued so this was my only hope. This was unfortunately the best option for me, spray and pray at the draw and hope to get lucky.

Yeah, I believe it's the first year of the hunt for the unit we drew and we get first draw so I think it might be better, but yeah it's not a big place especially if there are more than a handful of hunters out there with us. Let me know if you get any more info (any idea if they have nilgai) as I just want the best place to get a chance at a shot. Thinking about putting up a pop up ground blind the day before and if I get no luck in the morning walk around in the afternoons and hope to glass and stalk an animal (which was always harder said than done with a bow from what I recall)

I saw 18 nilgai on my LRGV Teniente hunt which is literally just on the other side of a high fence ranch from Schaleben(the east boundary of Schaleben is a high fence. So I imagine there would be nilgai on this unit just a mile or so down the road. This place isnt big enough to do any of the helicopter eradication of nilgai like they do at Laguna Atascosa.

Looks like there are 8 hunters for each hunt. With there being no orientation or checkin or anything some people probably just show up on the weekends. At Teniente I never saw another hunter in the field in 5 days hunting and scouting just a few trucks parked around. But i go in early and deep and dont wander around during the day either.

Awesome. Thanks for that info. I think I'm going to hunt with you on that unit and see what happens. You from the area? Was thinking about sleeping at a buddies place in McAllen unless you know of some
Good camping areas nearby.

Do some keyword searches on texasbowhunter.com, if you haven't already.

ontherocks said:

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I put in because it was an option to hunt and luckily enough I can afford to drop coin on a quick bow or crossbow if need be (if I were lucky enough to get drawn). Shouldn't take me more than a few hours to become efficient with a bow again up to 40 yards. It is not like I forgot how to use one or how to hunt for that matter. I just don't like missing or wounding animals. If I can get better hunting opportunities and shoot a bit farther and more accurate I will consider that option (archery draw with a crossbow) as my goal is to hit on target, bring quality meat home, and enjoy a place I haven't seen before, that's it. I have a 8-10k budget for a lease and haven't been able to find anything near me in two years which is why I spent so much on the draw, I have no other choice. What would you like me to do? Never hunt because I haven't shot my bow in a while, how else do I get experience again other than to go out and do it? No way I'm getting a rifle hunt for at least another 10 years as I have no points accrued so this was my only hope. This was unfortunately the best option for me, spray and pray at the draw and hope to get lucky.

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Good for you...here is the thing. We have public land archery only units so you can always hunt no matter what. 2nd, you should have been practicing with a bow or xbow if you are die hard into hunting. You dont need to wait to draw and then scramble around. You are a grown man with tons of cash and you can't figure out what xbow to buy?

I'm happy for you but cmon man. Get a grip. Lol good luck on the season. I'm just bitter I didn't get drawn. However, I would go hunt Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma public land before spending 700 in hopes of being drawn.

Lol wow. Some of you guys are funny. Get a grip? Me or you? Just asking some friendly questions and trying to get suggestions that's it, not looking for all this pushback from people who I would expect would be nicer to their fellow aggies trying to find an opportunity to hunt. I just got back to Texas, I have been slowly accruing stuff again which is pissing of the wife. Can't buy whatever I want as she's going to ask me where the hell im going to shoot arrows, now I have my excuse. I don't need to practice all that much, I'm not going to shoot a bow past 40 yards and a cross bow more than 60 or so. I'll leave that to you Robin Hood's out there that spend all their life practicing I guess. Where I live there isn't much open public land. It's either the draw or pay to hunt. East and north Texas has the majority of the public land and it's 6-10
Hours away for me, can't just leave from work on Friday and go hunt open land like many of you all can.
Tough crowd around here, damn.

Thanks, doing that right now.

So none of the units drawn are a far drive for you? You put in for all of them the way it read. I'm just busting your balls but you talk about wounding an animal and making a clean kill but get mad when someone calls you out for not practicing and waiting until the last minute.

Sincerely good luck, but putting in the first time and not owning any archery equipment and it's September....so many on here put in and didn't get drawn. I wish you success. Crossbow shouldn't be hard to master once you get it sighted in

I dont shoot past 40, much less at 40 on a deer and I practice quite a bit. No Robin Hood here but shooting a bow is a skill that requires practice to stay up with to be good with it. You not having shot in 20 years and it's a month until the season. Xbow is the ticket..

I understand the money issue, but I didn't think that was for you since you dropped 700 on a chance and mentioned willing to spend 8k to 10k on a deer lease but you can't find one. I didn't think the Mrs. Would be upset about a few arrows and a bow but women can be fickle.

Regardless, it's great your back in Texas and trying to hunt. In the future, an out of state public hunt would be in your price range and allow you to get some hunting in for a week that is quality compared to walkin places in Texas.

montanagriz said:

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Good for you...here is the thing. We have public land archery only units so you can always hunt no matter what. 2nd, you should have been practicing with a bow or xbow if you are die hard into hunting. You dont need to wait to draw and then scramble around. You are a grown man with tons of cash and you can't figure out what xbow to buy?

I'm happy for you but cmon man. Get a grip. Lol good luck on the season. I'm just bitter I didn't get drawn. However, I would go hunt Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma public land before spending 700 in hopes of being drawn.

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Your persona the exact reason I made the post I did.