Anybody have any insight into Aransas NWR? My brother and I are heading down next Friday to scout and hunt the 4th-8th.

From what I've been able to find online, it's the deadliest, most uncomfortable place in the world, and the only thing we'll see is mosquitos, snakes, and gators.... which is why you take online reviews with a grain of salt.

We have ground blinds, but it sounds like the height of the grass might make them less useful.

You'll see lots of flagging tape, too.

Check out the extensive post over on the green screen public hunting page.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/1495909

Don't shoot a tall white bird.

this is the only public hunt in texas I'm afraid to apply for after reading all of the threads about it online lol.

like all public land hunting though, I'm sure there are spots you can find that hold deer and don't get much human traffic...if you can survive the man eating gators and pterodactyl sized mosquitos long enough to wait for a deer to come by.

The skeeters are indeed bad. The worst you will ever encounter in your life.

cleaning a deer here sounds miserable.

BurrOak said:

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The skeeters are indeed bad. The worst you will ever encounter in your life.

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The skeeters from the Matagorda hunt a few years back would like to throw their hat in the ring.

SanAntoneAg said:

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You'll see lots of flagging tape, too.

Check out the extensive post over on the green screen public hunting page.

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Is "green screen" the Texas Bowhunting Forums? Not one I visit much, but the best I could guess.

Yes sir

Skeeters were black clouds over and around mostly face. Water off the raised senderos or levees, whatever, is alive. Never saw a big gator but saw several and cottonmouths. Take a few steps into water and then watch .
OTOH, saw some great deer on the off limits area with observation tower.

BurrOak said:

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The skeeters are indeed bad. The worst you will ever encounter in your life.

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We hunted there in 1998 Mosquitoes were the size of a large moth. Chiggers were so bad my brother got sick. He had hundreds of bites.

Pulled my truck in close to that area a few years ago about this time. We didn't even get out of the truck. Door window was covered w them. Couldn't pay me

Back in the 90s had a few hundred acre deer lease that bordered the refuge on the north side and st Charles bay was our east border. Shot a million pigs felt like. Saw some really nice deer come through. Would spotlight the fence bordering the refuge at night and now and then see the reflection of binos looking back lol. We didn't really have any issues with skeeters during deer season, but my god in the summer you couldn't put on enough off to keep them away.

Sounds like some permethrin doused camo and two thermacells are in order

I have shot a pile of nice deer outta there with my bow.

I have a couple sets of Shannon's Bug Tamer suits I would sell if interested. XL and 2xl I believe. Top and bottom.... then thermacell and treat your clothes with permethrins. You need the Shannon's Bug Tamer to be big on you. Any spot tight to your skin will get lit up like crazy. Sportmans OFF with high percent of deet.

Ground blinds will be a waste of time. Tall tripods will stick out like the Statue of Liberty. About a 6 to 7ft eye level tripod light enough you can throw on your shoulder and hike in is your best bet.

For bow I hunted the oak motts.
For rifle I would get out over the grass flats where you can see a long ways.

Or with two of yall find an escape route and make a drive.

Good luck! Very fun hunt. Do like I said above and the mosquitos are very manageable.

Bathroom was best part. Standing out in the cloud of skeeters on tall grass, you prepare yourself but loosening pants fasteners, then hold paper in one hand and repellant spray in other hand and let pants fall. Spray those areas that you may have some concerns over while you do your business, quickly finish business, clean up, and grab pants.
Then wonder how many of those bloodsuckers you trapped.

Was just down there this last weekend. Never seen mosquitoes like that. We were staying just down the road from the entrance. Owner of the place sprayed heavily for mosquitoes before we arrived and with the help of bug spray it was tolerable.

SGrem said:

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I have shot a pile of nice deer outta there with my bow.

I have a couple sets of Shannon's Bug Tamer suits I would sell if interested. XL and 2xl I believe. Top and bottom.... then thermacell and treat your clothes with permethrins. You need the Shannon's Bug Tamer to be big on you. Any spot tight to your skin will get lit up like crazy. Sportmans OFF with high percent of deet.

Ground blinds will be a waste of time. Tall tripods will stick out like the Statue of Liberty. About a 6 to 7ft eye level tripod light enough you can throw on your shoulder and hike in is your best bet.

For bow I hunted the oak motts.
For rifle I would get out over the grass flats where you can see a long ways.

Or with two of yall find an escape route and make a drive.

Good luck! Very fun hunt. Do like I said above and the mosquitos are very manageable.

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Just curious - how much you want for those suits?

Any suggestions for budget tripods? This hunt may be getting more expensive than it's worth.

Sign me up, sounds super fun.

I have simple tripods at ranch and they not too expensive to build. Best setups I saw were rigs with aluminum conduit legs and two bicycle wheels with axle about 3' apart. Whole tripod counter balances on axle so not heavy to handle, and very light to pull thru that stuff.

hurricanejake02 said:

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SGrem said:

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I have shot a pile of nice deer outta there with my bow.

I have a couple sets of Shannon's Bug Tamer suits I would sell if interested. XL and 2xl I believe. Top and bottom.... then thermacell and treat your clothes with permethrins. You need the Shannon's Bug Tamer to be big on you. Any spot tight to your skin will get lit up like crazy. Sportmans OFF with high percent of deet.

Ground blinds will be a waste of time. Tall tripods will stick out like the Statue of Liberty. About a 6 to 7ft eye level tripod light enough you can throw on your shoulder and hike in is your best bet.

For bow I hunted the oak motts.
For rifle I would get out over the grass flats where you can see a long ways.

Or with two of yall find an escape route and make a drive.

Good luck! Very fun hunt. Do like I said above and the mosquitos are very manageable.

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Just curious - how much you want for those suits?

Any suggestions for budget tripods? This hunt may be getting more expensive than it's worth.

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Whatever is fair. Let's get together on em. Haven't even looked into them in years. But they could go back to work immediately.

South Texas Tripods shorty model is a good one.