I'm now a Texan.....now what?

[tomsm44]

Been busy the last several weeks working on leaving N Louisiana and heading to west Texas.  Bought a house on 3 acres surrounded by cotton fields in a little community called Ackerly.  Seems like a great community so far.  

Downside is that I likely won't be hunting any this year because I'm getting out here kinda late and will be busy for a few months getting everything situated with the new homestead.  

For next year, I'm not sure what I'll do.  There aren't hardly any deer close to where I moved to from what I've been told.  I can go 30-40 miles and get to some areas with lots of deer, but it sounds like there isn't any public land, and leases are pretty expensive out here.  There is lots of outstanding dove and quail hunting and sounds like the local farmers are pretty open to letting me bird hunt, so I guess I'll probably get into that.  With that to keep me busy, I'm thinking I might try to jump across to NM for a 1-2 week public land hunt each year instead of getting an expensive lease.  I might be able to jump around and hunt different species each year if I go that route.

Anyway, wish me luck in my new West Texas adventure.  And if anybody has any input on hunting deer in W Texas, bird hunting with a longbow, or hunting NM public land, I'd love to hear it.

Matt

[DannyBows]

I've heard that there are 4 million wild hogs in Texas.    

[tomsm44]

Yeah, but if you find a place with hogs, it's typically a place with deer too.  That brings you back to the high lease costs.  I hate hogs anyway.

[Gil]

If ou do not mind driving a couple hours, Lake Amistad probably os a good option. But I don't have detaisl because i just moved to Odessa a couple of months ago. If you get permission to hunt doves with bows and need a buddy to tag along, please let me know .

[Roadkill]

Break out your wallet for a lease!?

[tomsm44]

Originally posted by Roadkill:
Break out your wallet for a lease!?

Yeah, that very well may be what I do.  I've just been kinda weighing out all my options.  With the amount of bird hunting opportunities around here, I'd get plenty of field time, even if I don't deer hunt locally.  That would free up some money to go on some bigger hunts, which I've never been able to do before.  Just a matter of weighing a big hunt every year, vs getting to hunt weekends all season.  If there were leases available within 10 miles of my house, I'd get in a lot of evening hunts during the week after work.  That'd be a no brained, but it doesn't look like that'll be in the cards.

Thanks for the input guys.

[Mikewarren33]

Put in for all the draw hunts in Texas through tpwd. There are still a few exotic hunts you can put in for I think.

[tomsm44]

Originally posted by Mikewarren33:
Put in for all the draw hunts in Texas through tpwd. There are still a few exotic hunts you can put in for I think.

Thanks for the heads up.  Haven't heard or read much about that.  I'm guessing that would be on WMA land?  I've looked at a few of those where I could do weekend hunts for deer, but they are all a couple hours away at least.  Definitely an option, but would only be a couple weekends a year at that distance.  It would definitely be worth it for an exotic hunt.

[DJ Hardy]

I love the great state of Texas as I was born and raised here.
One of our big down sides is that we have less public hunting land than any state as far as I know. Especially for the size of the state.
Back in the mid 80s ,forget the exact year, Texas went from a one and two week in some county's to a full two month gun season.
When that happen or leases tripled in price.  When that happen it put a real strain on what little public land that we do have.
Good luck which ever way you go.

[Roadkill]

When I was on active duty, 20+ years ago, some folks took pity on us and let us on.  There was some tremendous hunting-deer, pigs, javelina, bobcat and coyote, all on one ranch.  Loved it

[Michael Arnette]

Get out of Texas! It's a terrible place for a hunter unless you like to shell out lots of $$

[Mikewarren33]

Originally posted by tomsm44:
 

Originally posted by Mikewarren33:
Put in for all the draw hunts in Texas through tpwd. There are still a few exotic hunts you can put in for I think.

Thanks for the heads up.  Haven't heard or read much about that.  I'm guessing that would be on WMA land?  I've looked at a few of those where I could do weekend hunts for deer, but they are all a couple hours away at least.  Definitely an option, but would only be a couple weekends a year at that distance.  It would definitely be worth it for an exotic hunt. [/b]

Yes, there's WMA and some wildlife refuge land.

[amicus]

I have a friend that gets to go to some really nice ranches through draws that are offered by Parks and Wildlife. should check them out.

[DoubleB20]

The ability to "hunt local" in Texas is rare, unless you consider like the rest of us (I'm in the Fort Worth area) that anything within 2 hr drive is local.  I'm an hour and a half from my lease and it's an easy drive and considered close by Texas standards.  I guess any cost is high if you're used to not paying for hunting.  My lease is 1100 acres and there are ten hunters, most are rifle hunters and we have the run of the place year round for $1100 per person.  We have deer, turkey, hogs, quail, dove, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons and two ponds for fishing and frog sticking. Hogs are year round fun.  Most of the other hunters are opening weekend and maybe Thanksgiving hunters, they sit in the box and hunt (nap) and complain about the lack of deer.  I feel really fortunate to have this place.  There are others out there if you're patient.  Welcome to Texas!

[JApple]

You are in wildlife heaven you just don't know it...  first things first, go talk to the local feed store and if you don't have one talk to the local tractor supply, grain guy,etc, they know all the ranches and can put you in contact with ranchers who don't mind day hunts,etc.  If you start looking on-line you will most likely find only high-dollar leases, that might come later but you want to do that with friends and it will take you some time to meet friends,etc so that y'all can find a lease that's right.. San Angelo has great deer hunting, north of you near lubbock great duck hunting.. I can't even imagine how good the quail hunting is... In Texas it's all about who you know, most people with ranches or leases will be happy to take you out as a "guest" so you can get your feet wet. Be a good neighbor, camper,etc when you go and you 'll be invited back quick. I've lived in Texas my whole life and usually never pay for dove or duck hunting and get invited to the big leases occasionally though I don't really care for shooting huge deer over feeders but to each his own. Best of luck to you, West Texas folks are some of the best!

Jeff
Austin,TX

[tomsm44]

Originally posted by JApple:
You are in wildlife heaven you just don't know it...  first things first, go talk to the local feed store and if you don't have one talk to the local tractor supply, grain guy,etc, they know all the ranches and can put you in contact with ranchers who don't mind day hunts,etc.  If you start looking on-line you will most likely find only high-dollar leases, that might come later but you want to do that with friends and it will take you some time to meet friends,etc so that y'all can find a lease that's right.. San Angelo has great deer hunting, north of you near lubbock great duck hunting.. I can't even imagine how good the quail hunting is... In Texas it's all about who you know, most people with ranches or leases will be happy to take you out as a "guest" so you can get your feet wet. Be a good neighbor, camper,etc when you go and you 'll be invited back quick. I've lived in Texas my whole life and usually never pay for dove or duck hunting and get invited to the big leases occasionally though I don't really care for shooting huge deer over feeders but to each his own. Best of luck to you, West Texas folks are some of the best!

Jeff
Austin,TX

Yeah, I've already had a neighbor tell me I can bird hunt the fields around my house.  I cover around 700 miles of pipeline in my job, and I've seen several cattle ranches already that have lots of deer and turkeys, but don't look like anybody is hunting them.  I'm thinking the ranchers may not want Hunters because of the risk of a stray bullet hitting a cow.  I'm hoping I can build a good relationship with some of them and maybe get permission to bowhunt.  Or find one that's willing to lease to a bowhunter.