# Texas Hunting



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

Hey guys,

I been doing some thinking the last few weeks about the exclusiveness of Texas hunting. It seems as though Texas hunting has become a "rich man's" hobby. I've hunted all my life and have been lucky enough to have friends and family invite me hunting. In the last couple of years I've had no private place to hunt. Last year I went out of state and hunted and killed an Antelope in WY for cheaper than what I would have spent on a lease alone. (That's including getting it mounted.) Is anyone else bothered by the hunting "atmosphere" in our state? They claim hunting is on the decline and I wonder if it has to do with the inability for people to find places to hunt. Any thoughts on this or am I just being a negative Nancy and whiny baby...lol?


----------



## daddyhoney (Dec 4, 2006)

Can't play with the big boys any more, just too much money. Wish I had bought land years ago instead of paying for leases. I really do not care much about taking game any more however, just hanging out with good folks, working hard to make it better and enjoying nature is what trips my trigger at 62...and a cold one or two. I count my blessing for all the places I had access to back in my youth. Big places with fine deer and a trash pile to shoot my 22 in. I miss that 22 shooting a lot. I am glad for the ranchers who supplement their income with hunting business. Just one thing Wal-mart can't sell. I'll have some cheese with that whine please.


----------



## uncle dave (Jul 27, 2008)

That's the way things are now, doubt it will ever change in Texas or any other state for that matter. I still lease but I don't do many other things like vegas, so I consider myself lucky.


----------



## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

It's been a few years since I had a deer lease. I'm thinking about going back to my roots. Squirrel hunting with a 22 and a half pint of Jim Beam.
Maybe another trip to the Rockies while I still can.


----------



## mywifeshusband (Nov 19, 2006)

Its not just Texas its any place that you can hunt. We use to have a place to hunt for free but the oldest son in the family messed us up on that because he wanted the $$$$. When we moved here it took a while to get back to hunting. A coworker of my wife's was on a place and we were able to get on a family lease. Five years later we were told the ranch was sold pack up and leave, funny thing is the ranch is still for sale. Will not say who owns the ranch but its 22,000 acres on us 90. We are now in Rocksprings west of town. Hopefully we are on a good working plain with the rancher since he has the hunting rights to the ranch. As well as we try to work with him who knows if the right offer was to come to him if we would still be there. Don't know if I would want to keep it going some where else if that happened even though I would still find a place to hunt because I love it and I will put meat in the freezer. Beau


----------



## davis300 (Jun 27, 2006)

Definately a rich mans sport now days. Between the oil leased land and ridiculous lease prices the average hard working man doesn't have a chance.


----------



## rc10j1 (Jul 15, 2010)

East Texas is still affordable. Nothing is better than camping in the piney woods. I kill nice deer every year. The concrete cowboys always put down east texas because the deer don't run to a feeder like it's a dinner bell.


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> the deer don't run to a feeder like it's a dinner bell.


They don't? Why run feeders then?

TH


----------



## MNsurf (Oct 21, 2011)

Never heard of a lease until i moved to Texas. I take that back, Buffalo County in Wisconsin had leases simply because it is one of the best whitetail counties in the country.
Never hunted a lease in my life and I used to hunt nearly every day growing up. So no, it isn't everywhere.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who notices. I've mentioned it to people before and got a snot-nosed reaction like I was a low-life who didn't want to fork over the money. The way to expand hunting, in our state, is to make it more available for people to participate...


----------



## banpouchi (Feb 21, 2011)

This same argument was going on when I was younger. When I started leasing myself, it was hard to find something I could afford. I had to work at find a lease I could afford. I could not afford South Texas and still can't. Actually that is a wrong statement. My priorities say I won't hunt South Texas. However as my wages increased through the years, and I quit trying to buy everything new all the time, I was able to afford hunting that I wanted. Noticed I said hunting I wanted as there are other interest I also have.

Now that I have retired, I am still on the same place I have been on for now 20 years. The price keeps going up as does cars, boats, ball game tickets, etc. Over the years some of the folks have gotten off the lease because the price went up. They would say, this place is not worth this kind of money so they would leave. Most always, they would try to come back as they found out the grass was really not greener outside.

People that say they want on the lease and they are new hunters, I try to tell them, hunting is not a cheap sport. Most only look at the cost of the lease. they forget about transportation cost, gun, feeders, stands and lodging. That is like looking at a boat thinking that is the final cost, it really goes up after the purchase.

It really depends on how one wants to spend their recreation money. It is called prioritization of ones money and time.

I also like to travel. I have to travel in coach. Would I or could I travel in first class. The answer is yes I would and could, however I could not go as often but only every once in a while. I found out the back of the plane gets there the same time as the front. Conde Nast will never ask my opinion on travel.

My point is there are leases out there most can afford. Figure out your recreation budget and how you want to spend it. If you want to hunt the big name places, go but every 5 years on a trophy guided ranch. You might even get your name in Field and Stream. Other wise go to work on finding a lease (notice I said work) and go hunting. The deer from both ranches taste the same.


----------



## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

It is what it is. When I was in my 20's I hunted the national forest and did ok. When my son was old enough to hunt I realized I wanted some place that I did not have to worry about him getting shot or disturbed by all the other hunters on public land. So I found a lease (east texas). not too expensive and we manage to take a few deer, ride 4 wheelers, camp out, with others of like mind. I do not have to take a monster buck to enjoy hunting.


----------



## MWP (Mar 30, 2005)

I grew up deer hunting in NE LA in the late 80's and early 90's. There is so much public land up there, you really don't need to lease. Even now. I got into bowhunting to start hunting early. Scouted alot and usually ended up getting on 1 buck and hunted that same deer for an entire season. Maybe more. You got into a chess game with some of them. It was fun and a challenge. 

I moved to H-town in '95. First off, not a whole lot of public that doesn't have a ton of hunters on it. Leases were off the charts cost wise so I passed. Guess I did get lucky picking oil and gas as a career because as I moved up the totem pole, I got alot of vendor paid deer hunts. Killed a bunch of nice deer, but it's been mostly shoot deer at a feeder and pay lots of $$$$$ for it.


----------



## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

MWP said:


> I grew up deer hunting in NE LA in the late 80's and early 90's. There is so much public land up there, you really don't need to lease. Even now. I got into bowhunting to start hunting early. Scouted alot and usually ended up getting on 1 buck and hunted that same deer for an entire season. Maybe more. You got into a chess game with some of them. It was fun and a challenge.
> 
> I moved to H-town in '95. First off, not a whole lot of public that doesn't have a ton of hunters on it. Leases were off the charts cost wise so I passed. Guess I did get lucky picking oil and gas as a career because as I moved up the totem pole, I got alot of vendor paid deer hunts. Killed a bunch of nice deer, but it's been mostly shoot deer at a feeder and pay lots of $$$$$ for it.


Isnt that how most leases are, corn a sendero, go to blind, shoot deer on road at feeder?

OP, if you look hard enough, you can find a manageable (money wise) lease, but you have to question yourself. Do you want to hunt or do you or are you looking for trophy quality deer? There are many places to lease inside of $2000, just got to look for them, and for the price of your 1 trip out of state, you could get a cheap lease and enjoy it all year long.

Just my .02

Sent from my phone.


----------



## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*TPWD public hunting*

There are quite a few public hunting venues. I have hunted ducks on two or three. Hog and Deer hunting is available. There is a big free brochure on all of them you can get at the nearest TPWD office.


----------



## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Hunt public land with friends.....all the camaraderie....i enjoy the preparation and "sharpening the axe" if you will. stopping the run around to sharpen the axe is an important part of the process and really enjoy that. Shooting a strong representative of the area is very rewarding....and you get to explore new areas constantly. Been my preferred hunting destination and enjoy it much more than lease hunting. set yourself up right with camper and prep and it is very rewarding.

I actually believe you have a BETTER chance at bigger deer on public land than lease land and here is why. Number one personal experience is that i have shot my two biggest bucks on public land....both with a bow during gun season. Both record book deer. I have spent much more of my hunting time on private leases than public that i was invited on and have seen the dynamic of a lease. IN MY MIND....lease deer are more easily patternable because they come to the feeders. By the time they are two-three-four years old someone on the lease has shot them. I think public land deer get bigger because that feeder pattern doesnt exist and you actually have to hunt them on their terms.

now before anyone gets in a huff im talking about your normal affordable typical deer lease....not your heavily managed high dollar lease with deer tags or fines for shooting younger deer or pages and pages of hunter rules etc. never been on a lease like that and dont want to grow my trophy...would rather hunt my trophy. and i am very proud of my public land deer....all of them. i dont brag much about the deer i have shot on those invite leases....to each their own...this is my preference and i will happily help you drag your deer no matter where you shot them. i will high five around your lodge table or campfire and drink a cold one no matter what. but for my time and money i prefer the adventure and preparation of discovering those public land gems....


----------



## MWP (Mar 30, 2005)

osoobsessed said:


> Isnt that how most leases are, corn a sendero, go to blind, shoot deer on road at feeder?


Yep, that's my point. Most Texas hunting for deer is nothing more than target practice on a live animal. In other parts of the country, you can actually scout, locate, hunt, maybe kill. I am sure you can do that at some leases in Texas but it's probably the exception.


----------



## royboy42 (Apr 28, 2007)

Hunting doesn't always have to be killing a giant buck...with me, just being out there hanging out with my boys is good enough. If we get a deer or hog then that's a bonus. And there's still plenty of places to go hang out in the woods with your family in Texas. To each his own...I'm very blessed, I get invited to go hunt some pretty cool places the past couple years, but most of the time, I'm not interested. I'd rather hunt my E Tx land and go after a buck that's smarter than a darn Harvard graduate, we all like different things I guess.


----------



## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

MWP said:


> Yep, that's my point. Most Texas hunting for deer is nothing more than target practice on a live animal. In other parts of the country, you can actually scout, locate, hunt, maybe kill. I am sure you can do that at some leases in Texas but it's probably the exception.


It is the norm in most places usually because of thick brush, by the time you think you have scouted, located, you start sneaking through thick cedar in the hill country on rocks or thick mesquite mixed with black brush, cactus in south texas, you are already busted before even getting started. Not saying it cant be done, but with the use of feeders, it draws the deer to you inataed of you entering their home and disturbing it.

Work smarter, not harder...you still must locate, scout and plan where you want to place feeder.

Its just another tool in the box for a sport we all love.

Sent from my phone.


----------



## Dukman (Sep 21, 2007)

A brand new off the showroom floor Ford Mustang cost $2,395 back in 1965. Point being, what hasn't gone up? 

Most people are not willing to put the time in to hunt public land and that's what it takes to be moderately successful in that arena. Also need a lot of patience which seems to be missing in a lot of people these days. See a lot of "I want it now and at the cost I want it" mentality. In the end you we can whine on a message board about how life is not fair or do something about it. Choice is there to make.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

redduck said:


> It is what it is. When I was in my 20's I hunted the national forest and did ok. When my son was old enough to hunt I realized I wanted some place that I did not have to worry about him getting shot or disturbed by all the other hunters on public land. So I found a lease (east texas). not too expensive and we manage to take a few deer, ride 4 wheelers, camp out, with others of like mind. I do not have to take a monster buck to enjoy hunting.


 I'm trying to keep my eyes open for something similar. I dont' mind paying a little bit for a lease. I just can't afford the big bucks. Had a guy nearby wanted to lease 60 acres for 2,000 per year, and trust me it's not in "prime" deer country either. I'm the same way; I don't need a trophy.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

MWP said:


> I grew up deer hunting in NE LA in the late 80's and early 90's. There is so much public land up there, you really don't need to lease. Even now. I got into bowhunting to start hunting early. Scouted alot and usually ended up getting on 1 buck and hunted that same deer for an entire season. Maybe more. You got into a chess game with some of them. It was fun and a challenge.
> 
> I moved to H-town in '95. First off, not a whole lot of public that doesn't have a ton of hunters on it. Leases were off the charts cost wise so I passed. Guess I did get lucky picking oil and gas as a career because as I moved up the totem pole, I got alot of vendor paid deer hunts. Killed a bunch of nice deer, but it's been mostly shoot deer at a feeder and pay lots of $$$$$ for it.


LOL I hear the oil and gas industry is almost synonymous with nice deer hunts...  You're exactly right though. I've had several people suggest the Texas "draw" and other public hunting options. The public hunting places are overhunted and the draw is a joke. I know a guy that got drawn 20 years ago and has put in for the last 20 years and never been drawn again.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

osoobsessed said:


> Isnt that how most leases are, corn a sendero, go to blind, shoot deer on road at feeder?
> 
> OP, if you look hard enough, you can find a manageable (money wise) lease, but you have to question yourself. Do you want to hunt or do you or are you looking for trophy quality deer? There are many places to lease inside of $2000, just got to look for them, and for the price of your 1 trip out of state, you could get a cheap lease and enjoy it all year long.
> 
> ...


That's exactly what I'm looking for. I don't need a trophy every year to show off to my buddies. I'm looking for a place that I can take my girls to, take home a little meat, and have the occasional shot at a good buck. I hunted a place for a couple of years about 2 years ago and fired my rifle twice in two years. I'm not one of these hunters that likes to kill everything in sight. Thanks for your .02; very encouraging.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

Dukman said:


> A brand new off the showroom floor Ford Mustang cost $2,395 back in 1965. Point being, what hasn't gone up?
> 
> Most people are not willing to put the time in to hunt public land and that's what it takes to be moderately successful in that arena. Also need a lot of patience which seems to be missing in a lot of people these days. See a lot of "I want it now and at the cost I want it" mentality. In the end you we can whine on a message board about how life is not fair or do something about it. Choice is there to make.


Just airing frustration and seeing what others thought. It's not a matter of being impatient. It's a matter of not being able to do something I love to do because it's become so expensive. If I could live without a vehicle I would certainly have by-passed spending money on one and put it towards a deer lease. The point here is not about choices, it's about availablity. We, as a state, make a big show about hunting when the fact is that we discourage it. Hunting has become exclusive to the point where the average Joe can't afford it; this is why there are fewer and fewer hunters every year IMO.


----------



## Dukman (Sep 21, 2007)

Bharvey said:


> Just airing frustration and seeing what others thought. It's not a matter of being impatient. It's a matter of not being able to do something I love to do because it's become so expensive. If I could live without a vehicle I would certainly have by-passed spending money on one and put it towards a deer lease. The point here is not about choices, it's about availablity. We, as a state, make a big show about hunting when the fact is that we discourage it. Hunting has become exclusive to the point where the average Joe can't afford it; this is why there are fewer and fewer hunters every year IMO.


We'll just have to agree to disagree. More hunting opportunities in Texas than most states. Might not be what YOU want but the opportunities are there. Not harping you but hunting rights are a product and like everything else in this world pricing has and will continue to go up. Frustrating? yes! Predictable? yes!

Change tactics, find yourself a nice dove lease. Heck of a lot cheaper, much more fun, and you'll get to pull the trigger more than once or twice a year.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Certainly cheaper to go out of state Say like Colorado and hunt. Cheaper cuz you only hunt a few days out of the year, not all year. Texas leases I have been on are year round hunting, from deer to birds. I enjoy just getting out and filling the feeders (yes we have feeders) during non hunting times, its just a get away place. Expensive yes it sure is but I decided as I got older hell yes I am gonna spend it and enjoy myself cuz maybe next year I wont be able too.


----------



## mywifeshusband (Nov 19, 2006)

CHARLIE said:


> Certainly cheaper to go out of state Say like Colorado and hunt. Cheaper cuz you only hunt a few days out of the year, not all year. Texas leases I have been on are year round hunting, from deer to birds. I enjoy just getting out and filling the feeders (yes we have feeders) during non hunting times, its just a get away place. Expensive yes it sure is but I decided as I got older hell yes I am gonna spend it and enjoy myself cuz maybe next year I wont be able too.


Like you Its where I go to get away from the rat race. My wifes loves it to so that's a big plus the food we take with us always cost more because we eat good at camp and enjoy life to its fullest we like to stay as long as possible we work our tales off to get ready season and yes I still work there always something around camp that's going to need attention but I still love it Beau:cheers:


----------



## elkhunter49 (Jun 7, 2004)

Bharvey said:


> That's exactly what I'm looking for. I don't need a trophy every year to show off to my buddies. I'm looking for a place that I can take my girls to, take home a little meat, and have the occasional shot at a good buck. I hunted a place for a couple of years about 2 years ago and fired my rifle twice in two years. I'm not one of these hunters that likes to kill everything in sight. Thanks for your .02; very encouraging.


I'm trying to decide if your really intrested in finding a place to take your daughters to hunt or are you just wanting to complain until someone offers you a free hunt. I'm going to take the high road here and tell you the truth about public hunting thats not hear say from a friend. Get the book on public hunting and read it. There are many good hunting opportunities for youth hunters all over the state. I was able to take my son on several good hunts when he was young. The TP&W wardens run the hunts safely and the kids have high success ratio's on many of the hunts. I guess it's just easier to complain than to do the research and find other options.


----------



## Cajun Raider (Jun 15, 2008)

Thank you elkhunter49 for saying what I was thinking. The Texas Youth Hunting is one of the best in the United States, young people get to hunt bucks on the King Ranch for example. Look for the Youth Hunting Program on the Texas Wildlife Association web page.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

elkhunter49 said:


> I'm trying to decide if your really intrested in finding a place to take your daughters to hunt or are you just wanting to complain until someone offers you a free hunt. I'm going to take the high road here and tell you the truth about public hunting thats not hear say from a friend. Get the book on public hunting and read it. There are many good hunting opportunities for youth hunters all over the state. I was able to take my son on several good hunts when he was young. The TP&W wardens run the hunts safely and the kids have high success ratio's on many of the hunts. I guess it's just easier to complain than to do the research and find other options.


1st: I'm not looking for a free hunt. No where, in any post, have I implied that I'm asking for a handout. If I was I would have posted this in the classifieds section. 2nd: My daughters are currently too young to do any hunting; therefore I have not read the "Youth hunting" section. My statement about taking them was intended to be something I'd like to do something in the future. I've supplemented by taking them camping instead. Perhaps I should have clarified this. Lastly: Perhaps I am complaining a bit, but it's obvious that others on this thread have felt the same frustration that I have.


----------



## peelin' drag (Oct 21, 2005)

Got out of my reach bout 5 years ago when things had to get prioritized. So I just get my APH permit, hunt National Forest, apply for all the draw hunts allowed and do my yearly donation of $100 to the Big Time Hunts. Have a great time with my two buddies. A couple of years ago I ran into some fellas from San Antonio hunting at the Sabine National Forest. I asked myself, why would someone come hunt East Texas when you live in the mecca of big deer?


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

peelin' drag said:


> Got out of my reach bout 5 years ago when things had to get prioritized. So I just get my APH permit, hunt National Forest, apply for all the draw hunts allowed and do my yearly donation of $100 to the Big Time Hunts. Have a great time with my two buddies. A couple of years ago I ran into some fellas from San Antonio hunting at the Sabine National Forest. I asked myself, why would someone come hunt East Texas when you live in the mecca of big deer?


Yeah thats about where I am now. A lot of other monetary priorities right now for me as well. How is it hunting the Sabine? I've been looking into hunting National Forest. I've shied a little from it because of heard stories about overcrowding. (Not about Sabine particularly but National forest in general). I'm not interested in fighting people for a deer.


----------



## banpouchi (Feb 21, 2011)

[QUOTE=Bharvey;4905684 A lot of other monetary priorities right now for me as well. 

Now the truth hits the front. You have to either prioritize what is important to you or not. However most hunting seems to fit into people I know of different financial situations from well off to not so well off.

It is really your choice, either prioritize different or hunt what you can afford. It's out there but again I say you have to work to find a lease.


----------



## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Bharvey said:


> Yeah thats about where I am now. A lot of other monetary priorities right now for me as well. How is it hunting the Sabine? I've been looking into hunting National Forest. I've shied a little from it because of heard stories about overcrowding. (Not about Sabine particularly but National forest in general). I'm not interested in fighting people for a deer.


I hunt the Sam Houston National Forest once. The woods were crawling with hunters and game wardens. The entire weekend I was there, there were about 60 hunters in camp and not a single deer was bagged. The game wardens came by twice a day to peek into everyone's coolers. 
I climbed up a tree and sat on a fork before sun up. From sun up until 9am I counted six hunters passing by right under me.

It was a fun camping trip.


----------



## rc10j1 (Jul 15, 2010)

Sabine is a lot better than any of the ones closer to Houston. It is more remote that it doesn't get as much pressure. I hunt it by boat. I pull up on the bank on a section not close to any roads and walk in.


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

banpouchi said:


> Bharvey;4905684 A lot of other monetary priorities right now for me as well.
> Now the truth hits the front. You have to either prioritize what is important to you or not. However most hunting seems to fit into people I know of different financial situations from well off to not so well off.
> It is really your choice said:
> 
> ...


----------



## Dukman (Sep 21, 2007)

Bharvey said:


> banpouchi said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe when these girls get out of day care and into public school I'll have a few dollars to play with...
> ...


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

For the last 50 years a hunter has had choices on where to hunt. You leased someone's property to hunt if you weren't fortunate and owned your own land, you hunted public land or you went as a guest with friends who were on a lease.

Not much has changed in those 50 years except that prices to accommodate supply and demand have risen along with everything else price wise.

As more and more people hunt, the amount of land to lease becomes harder to find and many are left out and have to hunt public land, hunt out of state or not hunt at all. Public land becomes crowded and for some dangerous too.

It's not the fault of the State of Texas or anyone's really; it's just that there will always be those who can afford to do what many can't and many get left out.

But it has always been that way.

TH


----------



## banpouchi (Feb 21, 2011)

Trouthunter said:


> It's not the fault of the State of Texas or anyone's really; it's just that there will always be those who can afford to do what many can't and many get left out.
> 
> But it has always been that way.
> 
> TH


Great Statement.

I hunted the hill country and paid $500 for a year round lease. I got off because it got too expensive for me at $750. Now before someone ask me where it was, Gasoline was US.75 or less a gallon back then. The last I heard this lease is now over 2K. Will I go back? No. I now pay over 1K. It's amazing how 750 was too much and now I am over 1K. It is how your prioritize.

I am not picking on you and this is only an idea, if you drink beer, at one beer a day, it adds up.

You will find that your little girls will take a lot of money and their priority on your list will be high and they should be. If they are less then you are less.

What I am trying to say is when you look at your priorities, you will have to figure out what is important. Like most men, you will give up something before the family does to acquire something else. As Judge Joe Brown says, that's called "man up."

After my kids were out of the house, I was able to do traveling. I was not able to before as i would like. Now to old but what the heck, I travel. If I croak doing it, I buy travel insurance and they will mail my ashes home. LOL


----------



## Bharvey (Mar 24, 2013)

Dukman said:


> Bharvey said:
> 
> 
> > Don't count on it. Girls continue to get more expensive...... until the end. LOL
> ...


----------



## Tracker1986 (May 16, 2013)

I have hunted all over even hunted in Mexico with my dad for 7 years He shot better deer in mexico for cheaper Now we have a lease between Freer and Laredo that isnt to exspensive But we are thinking about giving it up and just going on a big hunt every year guided


----------



## Jock Ewing (Mar 26, 2006)

Hunting areas are not increasing. Population is increasing. The price of land and leases will not do anything but go up over time due to these two facts.


----------



## SoTxPighunter (Jul 5, 2012)

What we all have to remember is that plain and simply put hunting is now a MAJOR commodity in this state. From fence builders to feeders to ammo and all the other sales that correspond with hunting here it brings major money into play. Think about it anytime a corporation will pay for a client to come in and drop an animal ranging from 140 to over 200" and costing from 4500 to 40,000 that is hard core money. I'm affiliated with the industry and have been so since I was a kid and yes it is kind of hypocritical for me to actually write this stuff up the way I am, but guess what I see it from both sides. Just like others i have kids and they come first but it does get really annoying to see hunting grounds shrink and they do shrink. Yes the populous has grown by leaps and bounds but the land whether it be North South East or West Texas has shrunk at least in availability. The State of Texas for being as big as it is is over 90 percent privately owned. The topic of public draw hunts and doing your homework to find a lease was stated and they are both an option, that being said remember that every other person in the state is vying for that public draw spot or budget lease, so really what are the chances of everyday Joe, since we are the majority in this state, getting in on a public hunt when there are on most WMA's 15 to 20 hunt spots and in some cases 15 to 1800 people applying for the draw. Ive guided on a ranch for four years now and just last year shot a buck of what I would call trophy caliber(others would laugh at it) only because the program numbers had to be met and only in the last week when it was certain that there were no hunters willing to pay for it. Mind you if you think its sitting at a feeder out he comes and pop its over your waaaaayyyy off. Someone has to scout watch trails check bedding areas rub lines scrapes and glass day after day. Also dont think for a second that all guides are or are paid the same, most make way less than what you would believe. And most arent paid what they deserve for the amount of work and time they put in. This last year I was fortunate, but it wasnt the rule it was the exception.

The old saying was that the wildlife of Texas belong to the people of Texas and that is simply not so anymore. The wildlife belongs to the folks who have the fences and can afford to keep them.

Its the nature of todays beast........ CASH FLOW.
God Bless
STP


----------



## RubenZamora (Oct 19, 2005)

I'm fortunate in that my family has its own ranches here and there in the RGV. I see good deer here and there but my real joy is Dove Hunting. And that we have a lot of in our place. 

But yes, if you don't have your own land deer hunting has gun up a LOT. Even the CORN lay out is now in the 5-9 dollar a bag range when not just 6years ago it was like 3$. I don't like east texas or hill country hunting because the deer are too small. I'm tempted to buy some West Texas land to just hunt coyotes and maybe mule deer. That land out there is cheap!


----------



## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

I never have understood these threads.

First you get the guy that says hunting in Texas costs too much. Well for $48(pretty cheap) you can access well over one million acres and "hunt" everything from frogs to trophy deer. There is also Angelina, Davy Crockett, and Sabine Nat. Forest that require no fee at all. There are tens of thousands of acres of forest that have not seen people in forever.

It is no different than public hunting in any other state, what you get out of it is what YOU are willing to put into it. Oh wait that is not much different than an average lease is it? There are those on my East Tx lease that will tell you there are no deer there, and there are those that put meat in the freezer every year.

Then you get the guy that says "Yea, I never had these problems where I come from. In Texas you have to get a high dollar lease. And every one just sits around a feeder an uses live animals for target pratice". Well if you don't like baiting hunt the National Forest or TPWD AHP land, as they generaly do not allow baiting or permanent stands.

Some folks will not be satisfied even when something is all but free. Like the old saying goes "you would complain if I hung ya with a new rope".

The only answer to the original question is: If you can't afford $48 dollars for a TPWD permit or for that matter just the gas to drive to a National Forest, then you probably can't afford to hunt period, in Texas or elswhere for that matter.

Sorry for the long rant but Boy Oh Boy some times ya just gotta say it.
Long Live Texas :texasflag


----------



## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

I've hunted free in the NF and have paid for high dollar deer in high fences and loved every minute of it. Its as much fun to hunt the NF with your friends and family as it is to sit over a feeder in a HF ranch. You do it because you love hunting and the outdoors. A campfire and good friends look the same no matter where the fire is built.


----------



## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

Rack Ranch said:


> A campfire and good friends look the same no matter where the fire is built.


Well I have to say, my fire pit at the house is nice, but it sure isnt the same as one out in the boonies! lol :cheers:


----------



## fegall (Apr 21, 2013)

*Everything is Better in the Boonies*



Shaky said:


> Rack Ranch said:
> 
> 
> > A campfire and good friends look the
> ...


Oh....., I know where *Rack Ranch* is coming from, but I think I'm going to agree with *Shaky* :cheers: !!!


----------



## bumblebee2 (Feb 1, 2013)

Just gonna chime in with my 2 cents...
I hunted the Nat'l Forest for 25+ yrs. Had fair success, only reason we didn't take more deer was because we were young and didn't know what we were doing, at first.
The things you hear about too many hunters in the Natl Forest are probably true but there are some exceptions to those stories.
Which NF you choose to hunt matters a LOT. The closer it is to a big city the worse the crowds will be.
A little known secret to NF hunting was told to me by a state wildlife biologist that covered the county we hunted (along with several others). The average NF hunter doesn't go more than 100yds from a road.
That means in, for example, Angelina Nat'l Forest (which is 153,000acs +) there are tens of thousands of acres that almost never get hunted.
It isn't easy.

You'll have to do a lot of preseason scouting, you'll have to learn how to swat mosquitoes without moving and you'll have to learn how to navigate in dense forest. It's VERY easy to get lost because it looks the same in every direction as far as you can see. GPS doesn't work well under a dense canopy so a compass is your friend.

The hardest part comes last.

If you do everything right and you have lady luck smile in your direction, you're gonna have to drag that sucker for a long ways. Of course there are options to help with that like deer drags and wheeled carts but with a cart you'll probably have to go back to your vehicle and then navigate back to where you left the deer. It aint easy.
Still, the deer are out there, the cost is low and the satisfaction is great.

I've gotten a little too old to endure that sort of hunting these days but they were good times and I like my East Tx lease. I get to know the people I hunt with, I get to know the land better every year and I get to improve my hunting spots as I choose. Sure,it's not a trophy lease but I put some meat in the freezer, have made some good friends, had some good times and once in a while a bruiser walks out of the woods.
We still have a couple spots open... just sayin'


----------

