Brian, I suggest Granger Wildlife Mangement Area.  You can hunt year round there for small game with a shotgun and hogs with a bow.  You have to draw a permit to hunt deer or turkey at Granger.  The Granger WMA is made up of 4,000 acres of land and 6,000 acres of Lake Granger.  This one spot will meet most of your requirements for fish and game.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=9

I was wrong on the acerage breakdown.  It's 6,643 acres of land and 4,440 of lake.  Have fun there Brian.  The WMA is about 70 miles north east of Austin.

Hi, I live in Austin too and I am thinking about taking on hunting. I am just about to buy a rugger 10/22 to take on small game and stuff to start off. Is it really shotgun only for small game at Granger? I looked at the list of game and it didn't say what requirements there are to take rabbits and squirrels, but shotgun/bow only for furbearers & coyotes.

Also on the fishing, I've been trying hard to find some decent spots, but it's just too darn hot around here to do any serious bank fishing. I'd try Town Lake, but you can't eat what comes out of it. I was going to check out Lake Georgetown again in the upcoming week(s). If you have a boat, I suggest Decker Long Lake.

I have fished Lake Austin, and have several friends who have fished Lake Austin with great success. Several 7-11 lbs large mouth bass. There are some photos posted by Hub Bechtol of large mouth bass that he caught out of Lake Austin. I know several people that fish Lake Travis, Lake Buchanan and Canyon Lake. There is also a good guide who bow fishes the local rivers.

Regarding hunting... the nearest I have hunted to Austin is Marble Falls where we have hunted deer, turkey, predators and hogs. The deer are not that big compared to other places.

I bought a crossbow this year with the intention to hunt deer, turkey, and predators on my land in southwest Austin. I back up to a preserve land. I checked with the sheriff and it is legal I was told since I own 12 acres as long as the animal doesn't run off my land, in which case I need consent to go on someone else's land (common sense in texas).

let's continue this thread as the season comes upon us and see what happens.

Hunt Hard. Fish Smart. Explore Texas.

Brian, be sure to get an Annual Public Hunt (APH) permit from the state with your hunt-fish license. It should come with a booklet showing you state leased fields (mainly for dove) which are near Austin. There are floating "crappie houses" on Lake Travis which might be "revealed" by those selling live minnows (K.C's Outdoors, a convenience store in Jonestown, etc.). Travis is so down, however, I can't get to the $5-a-day job I use!

I also just moved to the Austin area and have hunted all my life in Michigan and Wisconsin.  I have hunted everythign from Whitetail, bear, rabbit, turkey and all kinds of game birds.  A few guys and I have been looking for local/public land that has decent hunting in the Austin area.  If anyone has some information or would be willing to go hunting please let me know.

Travis

I see where this thread has been pretty domant but I thought I'd try it before creating a new one. I'm looking to move to the Austin area. I do alot of deer and hog hunting in Georgia and was wondering how the hunting was in general around Austin. Which area is better etc... Is there a part of texas that is better? I'm especially interested in hog hunting. Thanks.

Rick

As far as hog hunting goes, we hunt out of Smithville (about an hour from Austin). There are many large ranches and farms, all overrun with hogs.

www.bcboutfitting.com