Has anyone paid to hunt one of the big Texas ranches

Karl.Luhr · #1 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 09:37 PM

Have any of the Members headed down to Texas to hunt on one of the big ranches that offer out of State hunters access for Deer hunting? I am considering taking my sons down there if it would be fair chase, and not to expensive. I don't want to hunt over feeders or watering stations. Just spending time with the boys would be fun, but watching them shoot a nice buck would be a blast.

Karl

Hunting Man · #2 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 09:47 PM

All I know is what I watch on TV and videos, but it seems like most of those ranches charge a pretty good fee. I agree, I wish I could do a hunt with my son and shoot 2 really nice bucks. I would think it would run around 8-10K for two to go and maybe more for really nice trophies.

sir smackabuck · #3 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 10:13 AM

The previous post is correct, You can pay that much for REALLY NICE bucks. I hunt a lot of different places here in Texas and know a lot of different ranchers. What are you wanting to hunt.....just whitetail? or are you talking exotics? How much are you wanting to spend? I can definatley help you out and point you in the right direction and put you in contact with some different ranchers. Just tell me what part of Texas are you wanting to hunt and give me some of the particulars. post it here or send me a private message

Karl.Luhr · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 07:02 PM

I am not rich, and have the fun of my oldest starting college at Iowa State this fall. I was wondering if a guide is required to hunt Texas, or if some ranchers have just a trespass fee to allow out of State hunters on their ranch. I know when I was in basic with the Air Force that San Antonio TX was basically desert. I would want to hunt in more rolling hills, but I don't know the rest of the State well enough to narrow it down. What I would want is just a chance at whitetail deer, I think that the taking of exotics cost alot more. But I could be totally wrong with that. Any info that Members could share on costs and what you get for that cost would be helpful. If cost was not a factor I would take the boys to Idaho after Elk, I have gone twice (before marrage/before kids). It was great I am very lucky to have done it. I think the price has gone through the roof for full service Idaho outfitters that do everything for you but pull the trigger.

Karl in Minnesota...

o1sick7 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 10:19 PM

I can't wait to take my lil man hunting. I just got him a cricket youth .22 he has been dying to get some squirls. I toped it with a cheap walmart tasco 3x9x30. To tell the trouth. That little guy is accurite! 50 yards its up with my bull barreled 17hmr.

sir smackabuck · #6 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 08:48 AM

Okay first things first. The out of state license. It can be pricey but you can get a non resident 5 day hunting license and it will run you about $50 per license or so. If your boys were born after September 2, 1971, they have to have a hunter's education course.And if you are planning on bowhunting, you will each have to have a bowhunting endorsement on your license (about an extra $7 or $8). You do not have to put your names into a draw and you don't have to purchase deer tags like you do in some other states. Your $50 license will include 2 doe tags, 3 buck or doe tag, 2 mule deer tag, 4 turkey tags. Now hunting the hill country is where you will see the most animals but it is not the most expensive part of the state. The south Texas plains(brush country) is the most expensive. I have seen leases go for $10,000 -$20,000 per gun and they tell you what you can harvest. And no, those numbers are not typo's. East Texas piney woods you can find leases for less than $1,000 per family for the entire season. In the hill country you can find leases for $1500 to $2500 per gun per season.
Now for package hunts or day hunts. There are some very good large ranches here that offer 2-5 day hunts where you can spend $200-$300 per day (like a trespass fee) and then pay the trophy fee for what you kill. $1,000-$2,000 depending on what you kill. and some are just a flkat rate to go and kill a certain class buck. Those prices USUALLY include the buck and a doe. sometimes a turkey and almost always all the hogs and predators that you care to harvest. Send me a pm with the dollar amount that you had in mind, if it is not getting to personal, and I will in turn forward you some contact info on some of the better, more reputable ranches in the hill countrty

redman5850 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1sick7

I can't wait to take my lil man hunting. I just got him a cricket youth .22 he has been dying to get some squirls.

Two of my 3 boys are into hunting one is 10 and the other is 6. I bought them a 4-10 two years ago for later down the road but I wanted to get them a .22 . I have one but it's too heavy for them ( the stock is real wood ) . How heavy is that gun? And how do your boys like shooting it?

Karl.Luhr · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 08:02 PM

I don't think I will be able to do anything this fall until we find out just how broke college is going to make us. I might be able to again move forward on this later. The information you offered is exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks for the help, the deals that ranches have for family access really sounds like a nice way to go. I have been on horseback guided hunts. Now it would be something more in the line of getting permission to drive onto the ranch using an access road to point a and set up a tent and hunt using the tent as the strike off point for hunting.

Karl