Outdoors With Mat Taylor
A hunting trip's success not determined by kill

Former Soil Conservation Service employee and longtime writer Mat Taylor offers his outdoors column for Dispatch Record readers. He can be contacted at (254) 518-2262 or via e-mail at mntaylor@agristar.net.

A hunter does not have to bag an animal to have a successful hunt. That was the case last week, as my son, Matthew, and I returned from a deer hunt on the Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area. We previously had been drawn for the public hunt conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

We hunted in assigned blinds for two days. We did not see a single deer, so we never fired a shot but we still had a good time. We met people from other parts of the state and had the opportunity to spend some quality time together before my son leaves for Florida. Matthew will teach an anthropology course next semester at Florida Atlantic University.

Walter Buck WMA is located about five miles southwest of Junction, in Kimble County off U.S. Highway 377. The area is bounded on the north by the South Llano River State Park and consists of approximately 2,155 acres of rough Texas Hill Country composed of limestone hills with dense stands of cedar, live oak and Spanish oak. We found out how rough when my pickup high-centered on several rocks while driving the primitive ranch roads. My truck was not damaged, however.

The hunters met at the area's check station at 10 a.m. Hunters who were drawn by lottery were checked in by area manager Gilbert Guzman. There were several cancellations, and standby hunters were selected to fill those spots. A total of 12 participated in the hunt.

Prior to the hunt, Guzman oriented us on the rules. All hunters were required to wear blazeorange hats and vests for safety reasons.

Although we didn't see any deer from our blind, about half the hunters took a doe or spike buck -- the only legal deer on this hunt. Hunters also could take a feral hog. Matthew saw a pig but could not get a shot.

As is typical of the Hill Country, the does killed were on the small side.

Guzman, as are most TWPD employees I have met, was very dedicated to his job and helpful to the hunters. He said the late Walter Buck donated both the Walter Buck WMA and the state park, with a combined acreage of 2,630 acres, to TPWD in 1977.

The objectives of TPWD on the Buck area are to maintain healthy, native wildlife habitats and populations. The goals are accomplished through the use of wildlife and habitat management programs, including public hunts.

The area is open to visitors, except during the fall special-permit hunts. There are four miles of hikeand bike trails and a number of hunting blinds that may be used for wildlife watching. The trails are accessed through South Llano River State Park.

The 524-acre state park is open seven days a week year-round, except when wildlife management activities or river flooding dictate closure of the park.

Six months of each year -- from Oct. 1 through March 31 -- a large portion of the park is closed to protect turkey roosting habitat. The bottomland along the Llano River is covered with large pecan trees, and it historically has been one of the largest turkey roosting areas in Central Texas. Anywhere from 600- 800 turkeys may be using the site at any one time.

The park campground and about 16 acres of the river are accessible during the closed dates. Observation blinds also are provided to offer visitors a glimpse of the turkeys moving to and from the roost. Matthew and I saw a number of turkeys along the park road as we traveled to and from the WMA check station.

I have camped several times at South Llano State Park, and have fished for bass and catfish in the river. The South Llano is a beautiful river, although you will not catch many large fish. The river is also a favorite of those who like to use tubes to float down the waterway.

For more information about Walter Buck WMA and South Llano River State Park, visit the website at www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

The park is one of my favorite places to visit and this spring, when the entire park reopens, I plan to go again and do some fishing.