Due to change in life (job, marriage, etc.) I have accepted a new job in Temple Texas( I will miss you Michigan).

I wanted to know if there is anyone that lives there that can direct me to archery ranges, hunting area, etc. I would greatly appreciate it. Also, is there any hog hunting in central Texas? Thanks.

I know waco does, it is about 36 miles away. IDK how far 36 miles is in michigan, but in texas, it is pretty close :-)

Was stationed at ft. Hood and hit a 3D competition nearly every weekend. Granger WMA is loaded with hogs and is about the only free public land to chase em on. Can go to the FT. hood sportsmen’s center and get set to hunt hogs on hood too but they’re super pressured. I can’t remember the club I liked the best. Wanna say it was Brazos or something... it’s been a long while now.

Thanks guys I appreciate it.

RJH1 - In think in my part of Michigan anything under 20 miles might be considered close. But, I have become spoiled being able to drive 10 miles of less to my hunting spots. So hunting every evening was an always an option.

Tracker - You are the second person that has mentioned Granger WMA. Are the hogs and deer heavily pressured there as well?

For a archery club you might consider Brazos County Archery Club in Bryan, Texas. Shoots are on second Sunday each month and in July, August and September the recurves and Longbow archers start shooting at 8AM to help beat the heat. 30 target course. Goggle BrazosCounty Archery.

Ronin, I wish I could help you out. I used to live in Hewitt which is just north of you in Temple but that was 22 years ago. I'm sure there are opportunities for you in the area as there were when I was down in that area and my son had places to shoot while he was stationed at Ft. Hood. I really think you will like Central Tx. Keep your eyes and ears open as there are lots of hunting opportunities near you if you can uncover them.

Ronin, I live not too far from you down near Lake Travis on the edge of the Hill Country,. Not sure exactly where you are near Temple, since that could take in a lot of country.

Granber WMA is an excellent spot to hunt hogs. The hogs do get pressured some as on any other public land anywhere else. However, it's easy enough to walk a little further than most, and that kind of alleviates the problem. The issue with wild, wild hogs is that they are nothing like their stereotyped feeder fed brethren. They are wild. They are just as spooky as a whitetail, and they are nearly always in groups so you have multiple noses and eyes you have to oversome. You have to hunt them. You can't typically deer hunt at Granger. That is subject to change from year to year. Normally though deer gunting at Granger is set aside for special regulation/condition hunts. For instance hunts for individual's with certain disabilities, youngsters, etc.. And, the area will be closed to other hunting during those time periods. They are never very long though.

Somerville WMA is further from you, but there is good deer and hog hunting available. It does get pressure on the weekends due to its proximity to Houston, but again, through the week, and if you are willing to walk, you can easily get away from the crowds.

Both of these areas have outstanding small game hunting. Especially rabbits squirrels. I've killed more squirrels in Somerville than I could ever tell you.

There are 47 different WMA's in Texas totaling over 700,000 acres that is avaialbe. You need to get on the TPWD site and get acquaited with it. That's the first thing you need to do if you want to bowhunt in Texas. That doesn't count the areas that are leased by the state year to year.

In addition, if you are around the Belton/Gatesville aea you may very well find some opportinities avaialble on private land. The folks in that part of the country haven't yet gotten as money minded when it comes to hunting as they have in some other parts of the state.

This doesn't include the National Forests in East Texas. And some of them are literally full of deer. But again, you have to be willing to walk away from the parking lots and find where the crowds pushed them to.

There is scads of bowhunting avaialble on public land in Texas, but the trick is it is hunting and just like other places not every area has large populations of game. I've bowhunted Texas all my life and haven't hunted 1/3 of the public land available.

And to this point we haven't even discussed the specail draw hunts that you can put in for that are avaialble every year on some of the other areas.

Now for the shooting part. There are LOTS of archery clubs in Central Texas. And, like everywhere else, there are longbow and recurve shooters as well as compound shooters. You need to get hooked up with the Texas State Archery Association so that you can keep up on all the shoots around.

Central Texas Archery has a fcility in Robinson, which is not far from Waco. They are geared more toward Olympic style archery, but is is still a good place to meet other archers.

Hill Country Bowhunters typically has 8 or so shoots a year, so get acquainted with them as well.

There is a very active club in Liberty Hill that puts on some really good shoots several times a year also. Bottom line is, there are lots of opportunities avaialble.

If you want to get on a phone call, just send me a PM and we'll set up a time to talk.

Thanks Frank! A wealth of information. I am not sure where I will actually be living. I will be doing a lot of traveling for the new job, but will primarily work in Temple. I hear that Belton is a good place to live. I will have to do some looking around when I get there.

I am excited about hunting a new state, especially the prospect of hunting something I have never hunted before, like hogs and doves. No hogs in Michigan and no dove season.

PM sent

Gonna miss you, but can't wait to hunt Texas with'ya!!! ;0)

Congrats Marvin.

Thanks Rob, I am going to miss you, the fellas, and hunting Michigan. But you never know where life will lead you.

And we definitely have to do a hog hunt together.

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