Is anybody as tired as I am of the route hunting has taken.

The Texas Hill Country is just a mess...Use to be back in the day a person could lease some property in the hill country for 500.00 year round ..I remember when people started to lease land for deer hunting to pay their land taxes with ..300.00 to 500 per gun was the norm..Just look at this crap today !!There are so many Zoo's now between Kerrville and Fredericksburg and Johnson city it aint even funny..What in the world is happening to hunting ?? Those of us who "hunt" are getting pushed to the side by those that kill for horns or for the write off for " Company " entertainment - its a sad state of affairs-

Yup, yup & yup. I have watched Texas turn into horn farms for those who are willing to shell out the money. Then again, if it were my property I would probably lease to the highest bidder as well. Times change. It would seem that some of us don't.

BP...

While I do agree, you have to remember too that "back in the day" the average person propably made $18,000 to $25,000 a yr. (or less) The average middle class person makes considerably more than that now. Taxes has also gone up significantly.

All that said, I do agree with you that corporations etc. have driven some prices to the point of stupid on alot of places.

BE PATIENT! There are still good year round leases to be had for $1500 and well below.

But they are not going to jump out at you, it make take a year or two of looking hard to find the one that fits your budget and needs.

Bill

At least high fences, blackbuck and zebras are keeping some places ranch land, and undivided. For now at least.

Appalling how much of the Hill Country has been subdivided into high dollar residences.

I could not agree more, makes me want to puke.

Bill

I was so mad last weekend I could have spit nails - I will leave the name of the ranch unnamed - but this was the conversation:
"I got rid of all my cows - I'm going into the hunting bizness".I'm going to cater to the non-resident hunter- "really" said the man at the other table (small hill country cafe) I just had my nieghbor throw up part of his Zoo fence and now the north end of my property has a High Fence - Deer use to come across that north creek of mine - now they have been diverted by your High Fence--it got so quite in there you could hear a cricket fart -

Small cafe owner removed Mr.High Society horn hunter and told him not to come back...needless to say - he got the hell out of there when he realized there were more " hunters " in the cafe than he figured.
He was asked by one of the locals what did he do to get all the deer and game out of the 1200 acres before he threw his fence up - Mr.High Society replied..I pay taxes - they belong to me now...

ps.We still have not found a deer lease west of I-35 for less than 1200 per gun...same deer and same land that use to be 500.00 just 5 years ago !! Its all about the dollar -

One word for you, ALASKA

You dont know how many times that has crossed my mind - seriously.Alot of plus vs alot of negative.

If he "thinks" that tell him to shoot just one more than the state says he can. With the game warden right there. He will find out that the state still thinks those deer are theirs.

Actually in Texas...

You can go about in two ways. You can fence and purchase the deer from the state and do what you want to afterwards.

Or

You fence and then apply for management tags and and I've never seen someone turned down for more tags.

I hear ya Chris - good point..

I tell ya another thing that just chaps my ass- in our area they have come up with this new - 13 inch restriction rule..they made like 22 counties that way..not all of us are horn hunters - but somehow Texas did not take that into consideration prior to coming up with the new law...Dont get me wrong - I like a good 10 pointer with a good 21-22 spread and 14 inch G2's..but I also like my sausage ...

Just leave the Hill Country. Drive to East Texas and hunt NF land for free a few times and go out of state for a week of Muley hunting. I did it last year and will again for sure.

Just go up there and buy all of that land you want, it's only about $8000 - $12,000 per acre.

Alan

Five years ago $500? West of 35?

No offense but I don't think you've priced deer leases in several years.

Bill

Thats what does are for.

Yes Sir - Five years ago -right between Doss and Cherry Springs..after leaving there we went to Coleman - paid 500.00 there too..Deer - Turkey Hogs -Ducks & Quail..I have not paid more than 500.00 dollars for any lease..its also been 5 years since being on a deer lease..hence the drive to the hill country - I know where there is a lease in Meanrd of all places - for 600.00 a gun- but somebody has to DIE for a spot to come open..

I have no problem turning a spike into sausage..yum yum..

I'm a $1K/year in Mason County and I'm not complaining. Not great, but not bad neither.

East Tex - been there done that- from Woodvile on...lots of hogs..lots of timber trucks and lots of road hunting..

I have a place in Sanderson (little place called Hells Half Acre )to chase Mulies on..damn Mt.Lions are putting a hurt on that area bad ...not just deer either.

Don't get me wrong $500 deer leases are out there, but they are about 1 in 200, even 5 yrs ago. You just got lucky.

And like you said the $500 ones have been leased by the same people for decades.

There are also $500 leases that have not been leased by the same people for decades, and 99% of them suck for deer hunting.

And BTW, NO I am not a lease broker. I am a land owner but NO I do not lease any of my land for deer hunting.

But since I'm around other land owners and ranchers all the time, plus I'm an avid hunter, I have a pretty good handle on what leases go for on average in the hill country.

Bill

I never said anything about spikes, you have a problem shooting does?

270 - no problem here - Does are better for meat - but thats just me ...

Bucks are great for sausage & jerky etc etc..on the bucks for sausage - just make it 60/40 .I use everything for sausage and jerky with exception to the loins and backstrap..
I guess I'm just old and set in my ways ..if I want some sausage meat and or jerky meat I should be able to kill a buck to do so -without it having to be 13 inches inside..

I shoot a 270 140gr Nosler Accubond (handloads) - everything is stone cold dead DRT...I switched to that when the great state of Texas came up with the new Fence law !! I dont have to worry about deer and hogs running 75 to 100 yards anymore..God knows I aint gonna be able to find the Landowner or Game Warden in order to go across the fence to retrieve game...

But then again- go read the Wanton Waste law...makes alot of sense huh...

Don't get discouraged Rod, keep looking. You'll eventually find the one that fits you.

Something else to think about, your looking for a lease in May, kinda late. Most leases that are "good" and "reasonable in price" were snatched up months ago.

January is the time to start seriously looking for a lease for the next season. It doesn't hurt to start looking in December.

Good luck,

Bill

If you want to think about cash.... think about AK... just a bush plane flight can be more than the 500 buck deer lease. No guarantees on game either. And doesn't count the expenses to get to where you got on the bush plane.

Life isn't cheap. But I'm with ya on costs, to me around 800 bucks is probably where leases should be.

Have ya priced em down south lately? I know of a ranch where the hunters end up paying almost 20,000 a year per hunter by the time the lease is paid, all the feed, protein feed, and food plots are paid for...Just sayin.....

BTW if you find a cheap one let me know... grins.... I got on one after waiting for almost 20 years for a spot. That was 2 years ago. It was under 800.... of course with my luck they had not gone up in probably 10 years... but the 2nd year we were on, it went to 1100..... and I don't even enjoy deer hunting and didn't want on the lease... I just wanted to hunt public in E TX and shoot some does for meat here and there, and do lots more ducks and fishing...... but we got on it since its second family for us.

Good luck, Jeff

I didnt just start looking - I keep a constant eye out for a lease-the right lease.To me its always been right after Spring Turkey season - most people hold onto a lease even if they plan on leaving it - until after the spring turkey season is over-

The avreage Joe is geeting priced right off of a deer lease- sad but true .

Or just complain about it on the internet. That produces big bucks every year too.

I didn't read no pointless bitching, mostly info being exchange.

Central Texas is going to heck and getting ruint at least as fast as anywhere else in the US and probably faster than most places. Lots of folks moving to Texas, and enough of them with money.

Enough land-holding families selling out too as the older folk pass on. Fer example, I was fortunate to see the Luckenbach area 25 years ago, it since having become a travesty of what it was, crowds of minivans, and development racing up from Boerne.

Once places is gone under they are gone forever.

It might be ya gotta get out past Rocksprings and Mason anymore, far from the I 35 corridor, to get away from this.

Birdwatcher

Hey guys,

We owned 140 acres in Security, between Cleveland and Conroe, Tx. for 47 years. You couldn't pay me to deer hunt east Texas. I've had all the skeeters, pine cones, humidity and lack of game diversity that I wanted.

I've hunted the Hill Country every year since 1999. For about 6 years between 2003 and 2009 I paid for two leases. Hunted RockSprings, Brackettville, Vanderpool, and now am at Reagan Wells. In 1999 we paid $1100. Since then I've been paying between $1500 and $1800 per year. All low fenced ranches between 3,0000 and 50,000 acres. Been hunting with the same group. This will be my 12th season with them. Don't kill big deer like south Texas, but sure do enjoy nailin' hogs, varmints, turkey and hill country deer, not to mention sheep, goats, audad and javelina. I've taken free range blackbuck, Sika, and Audad with no trophy fee. I guess I could bitch about the price, but I don't. On the leases we've been on I can go up any time I want. I go up once a month, stay 3 or 4 days, snare and shoot hogs, call varmints, hunt spring turkey, hunt dove, can take 5 deer. So, when considering deer season, I probably make 18 trips a year. Now it costs money for Ice, diesel, food, beer and sundries. But what else/where else can I spend 3 to 4 days, having a ball, riding 4 wheelers, sitting around a campfire, away from civilization, this cheap ($1800 divided by 18 trips).
Best
GWB

Hell,even east Texas leases are running around $750 per gun now.Starting to see more managed places going for $1500 to $2500 per gun.

I recommended free bucks in East Tx but that won't work. I recommended CO but he doesn't need that. P&W set antler restrictions bt that's not cool either because if he wants to shoot a basket buck for sausage he should get to do whatever he wants.

Point being there are free bucks to be had all over the state if you're willing to look. In the last two years I've shot a basket buck and two more with a combined 300"+ of bone on their head, on free publc land.

You can go find bucks like that or you can talk about how thIngs ought to be in the place that they never will.

Good Grief :
I wasnt trying to start a pissin contest -
I just made a drive on Hwy 16 - looking around .One of the best ways to find a lease is driving through the Tx Hill Country - stopping at all the feed stores & coffee shops & cafes..
I just noticed in doing so how far off track hunting is going - I just for the life of me cant understand how some ol boy can flop down 10,000 dollars to walk into a pen
(anything with a High Fence is a pen to me )dont matter if its 300 acres or 1,000 acres- walk in and shoot a 150 class buck and then plaster pictures of it all over the internet talking about the " great hunt " ...I guess I just grew up in a different era -when hunting was hunting.The average Joe is just being pushed out of hunting in Texas - its time we as Texas residents start trying to correct the problem - if "complaining" on forums like this - gets some attention and different opinions and thoughts - then thats what I'm looking for ...
Deer ,Turkey,Quail ,etc etc - are state wildlife resources- NOBODY owns them ....

We the hunters and texas residents are " allowing " this to happen right before our eyes.

I own property in Texas - lived here all my life - and pay land taxes - education taxes etc etc-

This high fencing crap has got to stop - period - no more permits - no more allowed ...

We have discussed this until we are blue in the face at local region areas- People say - I dont want to be told what to do with my property- in reality - people are told what to do with their property EVERYDAY - try and turn your property into a landfill and see what happens - the state already controls what you do with " your " property - So for someone to say - the state should not tell someone what to do with thier property is null and void !!The state already does it -

We should do the following :

1.We the hunter should see to it that no more High Fences are erected
2.We the hunter should see to it that only Texas residents hunt in Texas
3.We the hunter should see to it that the state of texas put a
"Cap" on lease fees- if a person makes a profit off of a state wildlife resoures - then the state should be able to regulate what that person or ranch can charge to do so.

As trivial as this may sound to some - go visit the
Hill Country - Fence wars are in full combat mode in some areas- the owner to the adjoining land that the Zoo fence is putting up - has a bonafide complaint !! State wildlife resources are being diverted from one area to another - thats just a small example -

I'm not looking to start a war or pissin contest - just curious if other "true hunters" are as tired of this crap as I am.Out of state hunters are welcopmed to comment - I encourage it .

sidenote : Ive been deer hunting and hunting and fishing in Texas for the last 43 out of 50 years - Ive seen it all and hunted and fished all over the state -

Sounds to me that you are trying to start a pissin' contest.
Can't go with you on that. You sound like a coercive utopian liberal. You're gonna do what's good for me and others (of course as you see fit) even if it infringes on my personal property and individual rights. I'd rather see folks do what they want with their property, both real and personal without government interference.
I love to hunt. I've also been hunting texas for the last 53 year or so. I've never hunted high fence, but if someone else wants to, I have not problem with it. Never paid a trophy fee to hunt, but again , if someone wants to, that's up to them.
Land use is typically determined by highest and best use. Economics will determine how Texas land will be used in the future, not hunters decrying changing times.
Best
GWB

LOLL- Your so far off base it aint even funny ...Life long Republican here...like I said - no pissin contest - just wanting to see other people views and thoughts and opinions..just like yours- but thanks for the response./

ps..visit my Website - you'll find out real quick - I'm no liberal ...LOLL - that was funny though

Rodngun,

We probably agree on more, than not.

I can appreciate you defining yourself as a "Republican". I would define myself as a christian conservative with libertarian leanings. I decry the encroachment of government by "fiat" on our inalienable rights.

So without going to deep, or if you like, we could take this to a PM.
However, I've a question for you. How, whether or where you answer is up to you.

I understand playing devil's advocate. But it would seem that in the post I responded to that you were endorsing increasing control by someone, be state or local government or some type of group over an individuals property rights. I understand that we live subject to certain governmental control, but I certainly do not endorse increasing regulation over what an individual can do with their own property. Evidently by your post you do.

As an aside, I've quit watching the hunting programs. The emphasis on taking trophies has gotten to be to much. I've been self employed all my life and I understand marketing and the free enterprise system, and I wouldn't change that, but it seems that most shows these days are basically infomercials for the different sponsors. I usually take my limit of deer each year, I have taken sheep, goats, exotics, dove, turkey, javelina and hogs. Don't remember scoring one of them. Do remember the braggin' rights, and campfires shared with the 9 other old farts I share a lease with, the hunts with other guys I hunt with and the times shared with my oldest son while hunting.

I haven't hunted high fence as it hasn't been a necessity. Would I hunt a 300 or 400 acre trap where animals have to rely on supplemental food sources to survive. Where guides sit with clients in blinds waiting for hungry/thirsty animals have to come for survival, then choosing which animal to shoot. No I would not. Do I think it should be illegal. No. I do have a problem with calling that hunting. I would call it shooting or harvesting.

If I had the opportunity to hunt a high fenced ranch of say 2,000 acres or more, where there was plenty of feed and reliance on a supplemental food source was not a factor, I probably would.

Best
GWB

No need for the Pm system - your type of opinion is what I'm looking for -

Me and you line up at about 90 percent- ideaology on hunting is nail on head !!but my opinion on the Rules and Regulation part is making me waiver -

We already do what we are told to do on "our" property - ie Like the other guy said - Go out and shoot 6 deer on " your " property and see what happens...

Hunt on "your " property without a license - see what happens-

Govt infringements are all around us- you cant even drive down the highway without the Govt being in your backseat! So its not really a matter of the Govt telling me what I will or will not do with my property - that happens daily.

Believe me - I'm against Govt infringements and so forth - but I also believe that its pople like me and you that will ultimaltely preserve our wildlife resoures !!

If we as the hunters dont do something soon - we will be no different than say - Hunting in Europe - the "guide" takes you out - points out the animal he wants you to shoot and then charges you per pound for the animal- at the rate we are going we are not far from that type of hunting.

The TexasPWD needs to be totally shut down & reorganized- from the bottom up !!

And like I've said - been hunting and fishing in this state for 43 out of 50 years - so I have paid my dues and then some - but the Dept its self is in shambles -

"...in our area they have come up with this new - 13 inch restriction rule..."

?? that sounds short, even for a central TX deer.

I HATE that rule - management of deer and property comes from within...its the attitude of - if I dont shoot him my neighbor will - I am so tired of hearing that crap -

The last lease we had in Fredersicksburg we had a mutual agreement with everybody inside the WMA ..no high fences - etc etc - 8 pointer or better ..we didnt need the TPWD to come in and set new rules and limitations for us - we already had them in place .
Same thing goes for crappie fishing - if I snatch a crappie out of 25 feet of water and he is foul hooked or hook set deep in his throat- the fish is gonna die - but I have to throw him back - Crappie was only 9 1/2 inches - but then again - like I said earlier - go read the wanton waste section....

rodnreel

i understand your frustration but remember

deer hunting is all about MONEY

ranch owners will continue to build high fences as I see no end in sight

there are plenty of people with more money than sense who want to put a 200" + whitetail on the wall

check out this video (not sure if it was posted yet) ... F Fwd to the 7 min mark...

a steroid fed MONSTER - 492" WT that was only 3 yrs old ... sadly he died due to an infection in his antler mass


492" WT video ..... absolutely sickening


.

I would rather shoot a average 8 pointer than a Boone & Crockett out of a Zoo....

And you Sir are right - its all about the money !!

I pay $1300 per year in South East Texas. Forty hunters average 6-8 trophy bucks a year off the property. I wouldn't feel to left out.

How many acres Lt.??

Sounds like one of them hunting clubs..we have actually thought of going that route..but man I sure hope not-nothing wrong with it ,just like the hill country area.The days of 500.00 per gun are gone..I think we are going to bite the bullet at 1100 -1200 per gun..sad -but you do what ya gotta do.

Just shy of 10K.

well hell - that aint bad at all Lt.

At the rate we are going we may end up on one of them East Tex gun club leases..its hard to find a lease for 3 guns anywhere in the Hill Country area or anywhere for that matter .

I know, but remember, East of 'bout Columbus there just ain't no more deer...'cept for a few big uns!

Is the one your on a Club type lease..I found one in East Tex called Little Wolf - 650 a gun..electric, water etc- close to 7000 acres with 60 guns on it ...bet it sounds like Viet Nam on opening weekend.

Cajun Blake - I'm so sick of crap like that in that video ! I dont mind the TPWD having some catch pens for research..but that there crap in that video is BULLSHEET !

That rule is one I agree with though... its because NO one wanted to manage our deer here, they just popped as many as they could that had bone..... Nothing to prevent that. That 13 inch rule has been the BEST thing that ever happened to our area. And though I have not been back to public in E Tx, I bet its the best thing going there too.

Locally I went from seeing a deer now and then, to over 5 years into the program I can go see anywhere from 1-7 bucks on average about every time I go to the back pasture. We only have 98 acres....

Jeff

Here's what I like about hill country leases.
No pine trees, low humtidity, lots of different kinds of game.
All were taken, fair chase, on low fenced ranches and no trophy fees were paid above my annual lease rate.
Best
GWB












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Ours is good 'cause we have good genetics and have managed it for eleven years. Some are just terrible. I guess it would be considered a "club" although it is actually an association, for legal purposes. Just like everything else...it's WHO you know.

I hear ya Lt...most just list them as "clubs" .I wish I had a lease for 11 years.. 5 is as long as we hvae ever had before some goober comes along and price's us off another one..this last one we had in Coleman - the guy came alon and offered out landowner 300.00 more per gun- he took it - I told the landowner he should have asked us first if we were willing to go up 300.00 per gun more -- he didnt - he just made arrangements with the new group form Dallas - called us and told us to come get our stuff...SOOORY !! I'm getting to old to be movings Blinds around every 4-5 years ..

Thats a nice black Buck Gw ! You musta been around the Junction area ???

I guess while I'm at it and we are on the subject of deer leases I should include some whitetail deer! Typical hill country stuff.
GWB













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Its all good Rost -
It has its + and - but like all things - some of us hunt just to hunt and not looking for trpohies evry single day we are in the blind - not saying you are - just saying that to much emphasis is being put on Racks vs meat..I dont have to kill a 19 inch spread 10 pointer every year..the hardest thing to do is to get all the landowners on the same sheet of music - and the landowners are just not going to do that-

Almost everything in East Texas is leased from timber companies, so is pretty much priced the same, whether it is good, or bad, territory. They are in the tree farming business, not the deer hunting business. All they care about is that you pay the the rent on time and don't screw up their trees. It doesn't hurt to bust a few timber thieves for them every once in a while. The rest is entirely up to you (us).

Your WAY WAY out of my league - running around with a Leica scope ...LOLL- I'm just a retired state employee - Leupolds are high end scopes for me - But I aint hatin on ya..

Well,
I drive an old truck, horse trade and buy everything used. That way it don't cost too much. Other than smoking, drinking, chasing women, cheating at cards, gambling and swearing, my only other vice is collecting rifles.
GWB

well then ,we are in the same group then- but rest assured I have no Leica's..I can spot one of them miles away..LOLL

Not all land leased in East Texas belongs to timber companies. But to be honest unless you live here and possibly from here you'll never lease it at any price.

The 2 million or so acres you can hunt for the $48 fee that includes the 4 national forest and the remainder in timber company owned land is just about as good as most leases in the region.

There are big deer in East Texas but you won't walk out and set on a sendaro and pick which 125"+ deer to shoot like you can do in South Texas.

Just in the little area that I have land in within about 5 minutes in any direction over 10 deer that scored out gross over 150" were taken last year.

What sets the lease price in East Texas for the most part isn't supply and demand but rather property tax. Leases from most major timber companies are set at the property tax rate to cover that.

There are still places you can knock on a door here and kill a monster buck, but you better know someone - better have a story about how your family is from here and how they got along with whoever is granting permissoin on that property. Seen it happen to many times. I can knock on the door of any property owner in the south half of the county here and talk about my grandfather and greatgrandfather and get access in a second. Go to the north end of the county and I might get shot just knocking on the door. Just the way it is...people here have a long memory.

It can be done on leases tho. I went to school with a guy who skipped class on a Wed. morning and killed a non typical booner off a $300 lease in Newton county.

I've never had any problem killing a deer over 125" each year in East Texas for the last 15 years. But it's not like hunting in other parts of the state. You have to know where you are going, know the deer...and be prepared to sit in a spot where you might can only see 25 yards - at most.

My favorite technique is to find a thicket or edge of a cutover that is a few years old that I know deer are holding up in adjacent to another area they are moving thru.

Get inside and get on the ground and take a pair of lopping shears and make a tunnel about 20 yards long about chest high before season starts. When the season starts sit on one end and be prepared to shoot in about 0.5 seconds when deer cut across it moving thru. It has been highly effective but people aren't really interested in hunting that way. They want to go into a fresh cutover and set along the edge where they can see 800 yards in every direction.

Hunting in Texas aint what it used to be. No doubt about it.

My first trip to the Hill Country was wonderfully bereft of mosquitoes, humidity & power lines. I saw animals there that I had never seen before. I had opportunities that I never had before. I did not meet ANY obnoxious rednecks nor have to worry about my hunting equipment getting stolen. The Hill Country beats East Texas every time. And, its high fences afforded me an opportunity to hunt world class trophy Axis bucks, at least 12 of which went + 34".

I hunted South Texas last year for $2800 on 4000 acres. The Whitetails there were simply meat for the freezer, trophies they were not.

This year I am hunting West Columbia on a 7000 acre MLD III for $2200. I have seen more Whitetails there than any other place I have hunted.

You couldn't pay me to hunt East Texas either. But, since I am a shooter and only hunt recreationally I don't have to hunt to be happy. When I can't afford it I won't do it.

If you wanna play you gotta pay.

TPW put that rule into effect because hunters kept hounding them to instigate that rule. It was a pilot program in 2 counties and was scheduled to run for 5 years and then go to comments before being moved on.

TPW got seiged with people wanting them to move it to their counties and the response has been positively overwhelming in the feedback meetings. If you don't like it show up at the meetings.

Because response was so positive (as were the results) they moved it up and to more counties.

To be honest if all you want to do is kill deer and pack the freezer you can literally get in some places that people will nearly pay you to go out and shoot does in the late season with late season tags.

Killing "a deer" anywhere in TX that's open to a whitetail season is no great feat and honestly on a lot of ranches I've worked on they wind up bringing in people/kids/groups in late season and bribing them with big meals/bbq's etc....to kill does because people who are out there hunting all season literally get tired of killing deer.

How many deer can you kill before you wind up just staying home? I can tell you from experience in TX that averages out to be about 3-4 deer before the average hunter says I'll just stay home and I've had enough even if they have 10 more management tags in their pocket. The biggest hurddle in almost all of TX for managers is getting people to kill enough freaking deer, which is why the season goes 5 months and you can hunt deer with nearly anything and everything etc...

I don't know how you guys are finding these leases but it doesn't sound like a great deal. Granted I probably get a "cut" in some deals but one lease I am on just to hunt with friends outside San Angelo is 12,000 acres with 10 guys and we pay $1,250 per year and that includes year round access for deer/turkey/etc...and a place to stay and if you hunt more than the state average of 4 days (that's a real number btw according to TPW surveys) I'd say you have a 95% chance or better to have a run in with a 140" deer while you have a gun in your hand. Note I didn't say kill a 140" deer lol.

I had an option last year to get into a lease in Cotulla (South Texas) on 1500 acres with a total of 4 guys for $500 each but I turned it down.

Did I mention it's "who you know?".

Rodngun,
If you like leica, check this out. It took me several years to put it together, cause everything here was bought 2nd hand. However, it is quality stuff, bought at a bargain. I like good equipment, just don't like paying retail.
Best
GWB

Nah not in Texas....and I imagine it works like that in most places as well. Here in addition to who you know it's who were your ancestors were 125 years ago.

I know you know what I'm talking about considering you told me what county your family is from lol.

Nathan L,
For the last 5 or so years I've hunted 30 days out of the 60 or so day rifle season. Hunt the bow season too. I paid for 2 leases from 2003 till 2009. My son and I can legally take 10 deer. Add to that hogs, audad, and exotics and thats a bunch of skinning. If you need someone to pull a trigger on does/culls, I'd be glad to help. Hell, if you need an old fart to go along and cook and skin, I can do that too. Not much I'd rather do than spend time with quality guys in deer camp.
Best,
GWB

Yep. Your folks from south county huh? Either we're related or not allowed to talk to each other.

I'm currently in the process of moving out of the state

I always get a kick out of reading thru the reams of data TPW puts together with hunter surveys. The 4 day average for a deer hunter blew my mind, but if you drive down the backroads after the first two weekends you can probably see it. Average squirrel hunter hunts for 1 day a year. Average woodcock hunter - they never get enough responses to come to a conclusion

When I was in college I got paid to shoot does on a ranch for a while. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world...then it got a little stale after a while which sounds really counter intuitive.

Or both. I'm sure you know all about the good side of families and the "bad" side.

I got stuck near the lake one time with a friend and had to walk about 3 miles to a house at 9pm and it was one of those places that was the only place on the road after dark. I mentioned my name and she knew my grandmother/great grandfather and in 2 seconds she called her cousin the tow truck driver and made us some sandwhiches.

I ran out of gas on a 4 lane road in the north part of the county and a guy stopped and asked me my name and then he took off and kept driving. SOB.

NathanL,
If you'd rather be doing something else....... then it's a job. Never had one and never wanted one. I try to make sure that my passion remains just that, and not something I do for pay. I pace myself. I probably average about 80 days per year "afield". Some years more, some years less. I've ordered my life so I can hunt. I suffer from SDD (shooting deficit disorder). I think I'm terminally afflicted. Shootin' and killin stuff assuages the symptoms. Consequently I shoot weekly and hunt monthly. Still, as a wise man once said, " A man's gotta know his limitations.
Best
GWB

Yup, someoen will call me a heretic on this site but honestly I'm starting to get burned out a little and might actually take this year off from deer hunting. The year out of high school I hunted every day but 2 of Louisiana's 60 day deer season. In college I got paid to shoot does on permits. Also in college I had a red card collection permit to harvest does for research. Now I get more tags than I could ever possibly fill.

Maybe take a year or two off and go back to more hunting and less killing.

Last year I think I made 15 hunts before I shot a deer, and it wasn't because I didn't see any. I took a eating size hog the night before season opened and shot my first Buck on December 26th. I love just being out there, seeing the sights, smelling the smells, being in deer camp with my buds. Made up for it though the last week and during the doe and antlerless season.
Best
GWB

I come from a long line of losers, half outlaws half boozers. I was born with a shot glass in my hand. I'm part hippie, a little redneck. I'm always a suspect. My bloodline made me who I am.

It took it from nothing to good around here, simply because folks couldn't shoot every 18 month old deer that had antlers. Heck they'd shoot a fawn with nubs on the years those nubs turned hard before season ended.
I don't care for the fact it doesn't allow me to kill culls soon enough... but sometimes you just have to handle things the way they should be.
Prior to the rule change, it had been since the early 80s since I'd seen anything that would have been legal to shoot with the new rule, and at that point I never saw deer each year or each hunt.... now its a rare hunt that I don't see anything.

Did you have any link to that Sommerville/Airboat BS?

I guess I should clarify a few things-
I dont really care that the TPWD did the 13 inch rules God knows alot of areas need it .- I just see it like this :
If they can make you get a license,permits,set limits,tell you the hours of the day to shoot,tell you what month of the year to kill something " on your poperty" - Then SURELY they can set a "Cap" on Lease amounts- They could even divide the state into 4 regions on the Cap- We were having a good conversation until one guy jumped up with all his Anti Govt-they aint gonna tell me what to do with my property etc etc--he was good with everyhting including the "Cap" until we got to the high fence rule
(as in not allowed period)- then he had a fit ...he just got up and left the cafe - maily becuz I believe he got embarrassed !

Last but not lest - We the hunters brought all this on ourselves - I would say that for the last 15 out of the 43 years I have been hunting - the last 15 has just gone to hell..We the hunters use to marshall ourselves while on a lease,not true today !

The good old days..First property we ever had - we called it "the hunting grounds" no lease was involved - The man simply let us hunt on his property and all he wanted was a couple of hindquarters- then came along the idea of -lease my proerty to hunters to pay my taxes -and today it's EVERYMAN FOR HIMSELF !!

TV..did most of that damage -I very seldom watch a hunting show on Tv anymore - alot of fishing -but seldom a hunting show. Turn the Tv on today and the minute I hear them call a deer by "name " or say - "oh Ive been watching him for the last 3 years"- I know its time to flip the channel -cuz I know right then its a Zoo hunting show.Nothing piss me off more for somebody to capture state wildlife inside a fence - feed em 22 percent and then let some Dufus come in - drive him/her around ..spot the deer - throw up a 300 magnum and cut the deer in half at 75 yards - then shake hands - turn around and fly back to whatver wonderland he /she just came from -

*** Rost - I dont have a link for the Airboat fiasco - when we were at Nails creek - one of the rangers told us that the
" horse " people were complaining - I told him I was sick of Kayaks - Canoes -Boats - and Jet Ski's & Cigar boats etc etc - he got the point - The trailriders want me and you to be banned from the Nails Creek area - I dont think so !!!

Good Laaawd - If I had anyhting like that - I would have to call it - "The Johnny Cash Special" - cuz I would have to get it all -One piece at a time !!! I aint hatin on ya ....I had the pleasure of looking through on one them there Leica scopes - damn near burnt my eye out - thats some of the clearest - most defined scope I have ever had in my hands- but like I said - I'm just a retired state worker !!I started with a Leupold at 7 ...and buy nothing but Leupolds - to me and my budget - Leupolds are the "high end" of scopes ..and I aint skeered to say it...

Gw - on your European Mounts - are they that chocolate brown color on the ground or was that a added feature to the mount..?? not being critical at all - just curious-

And they both look good !!

ps...I see you like to do a little Critter hunting like me - my next gun purchase is going to be the Remington VTR in 22-250 !!

the last time I killed a Fox - the poor guy took a 12 gauge with #7's while Quail hunting - he come hauling azz out of some cactus - and took a full load at about 15 yeards ...

Go over to my Website & click on my "Hunting" section link - and check out the size of him...Coleman Tex

http://mysite.verizon.net/respvhvl

Dude.....GMAB

GMAB ...???

Its been a couple of years since my son did those. May be a little shoe polish applied to horns. Can't remember. My oldest is pretty good with stuff like that. Both of those were taken on the Rex Kelly Ranch, 9 miles north of Lost Maples. 3000 acre low fenced ranch I hunted for six years.

As to varmint hunting. I usually go to my lease once a month. We're covered up in fox.
Went this last weekend. got two hogs and a coyote. I was sittin in the stand just watching the mornin' after I'd popped the hogs. Got out and saw something out of the corner of my eye. Three coyotes were skulking down a path below me. I dropped and got set up with my sling and nailed the lead dog. Here's one of the pigs and the coyote. I had grilled marinated pork loin off this one last nite along with a ear of roast corn.
GWB

I think he meant GMAFB.

Sounds like whining and a leftist thought process.

Give me a break

I did at first, then removed the F

Why are you reading it ??-I said I was looking for peoples comments and opinions on the subject - is there some kind of forum rules I missed ??

and I dont have a clue what GMAFB stands for ..???

SWWWWEEET ! I love chasing hogs -I wanted to try out that Foxpro...how do you like it ???

Too subtle.

It sounds like that becuz "you" are more than likely part of the problem !! If I did a little background check on ya - I would probably find that out real quick ..wouldnt I - If you dont have anything positive to say - why bother ..either - A.Your looking for attention or B. your just bored - regardless I just dont have time to entertain you right now - so comment on the subject at hand - or simply move on -

And what I read was crying and moaning.....buy your own property or quit complaining because someone else charges whatever the market will dictate.

Give Me A Fing Break!

LOLL..nice try buddy - I own my property outright ...

I still dont get your point or your little " codes " if reading something bother you - why are you on this thread ?? furthermore - why do you keep coming back ??

I'm wondering why I had to be the one to point out the obvious....it's a cross I'm willing to bear.

Since you own your own property hunt it....

Rodngun,
I have used corded electronic callers with cassettes in the old days, cheap remotes and mouth calls. I took a chance and stepped up and purchased the foxpro fx3, three years ago. I carry it everywhere, and have used it monthly with no problems whatsoever. I have used it to call in crows, turkey, coyotes, coons bobcats, fox and even deer. It works like a charm. I try to set up on the side of a hill or in an elevated blind, set the call about 30 yards out in front of me. W/fox and bobcat, the wind is no problem. With coyotes its best to try to get above them in a cross wind as they will circle you to get your wind.
GWB

but whats your point - ??

are you mad at all of us who are carrying on the conversation or do you just feel left out ?? I dont get it ..

Crybaby

Burnham Brothers was my first electric caller years and years ago- Ive been eyeing the Foxpro - sounds good .I like the remote control part of it too..I'm still stuck on mouth calls..but the Foxpro is getting my attention-

Crybaby ???..you do realize how your making yourself look right now - right ??

LMAO!

I'm not the one crying!

enlighten us all "old wise one" and drop your stones and tell all of us what your code game stands for ....

Dude...it's 2010. Have you just awaken from a 25 year nap? Things change! Crying, belly aching, biotching, moaing ain't changing what it costs to hunt in Texas today. Maybe you'd be better suited to hunting some of that free federal land out West?

Good Grief - you must really be bored today -- is there not a lake to go to on Memorial Day- I myself just got through with my second heart surgery - so I'm on lockdown right now - and sitting in front of this Compewter is about all the hunting and fishing I'm gonna get for awhile---- Just curious - But why are you so Hostile ??? Its just a forum...I know ALOT of people that feel the same way I do - does not make me wrong or right !! But my service to my country -does allow me to talk about it ....

no dog in this fight whatsoever
however I do sympathize with your frustration over the "codes":

GMAB= give me a break
GMAFB= give me a f_____g break
LMAO= laugh my ass off
STFU= shut the f____ up
DFTFT= don't feed the f_____g trolls

and many more acronyms meant to convey internet elitism, passive aggression, and in general get around the profanity filter.
Was in Texas last month for work, neat country in the spring. Good luck with your lease.

Charlie

Damn - you mean I am going to have to learn the entire Phonetic Alphabet just to post on here .

Thanks for the "headstart" class Charlie -

rodngun,
no but it helps.
It also helps to remember a coupl of bromides,

Nice way..... Opinions are like noses, everyone has one and most of them smell.

Mind over matter...... I don't mind and you don't matter.

Never argue with an idiot, cuz he's alway right.

Keep those simple thoughts in mind and it saves a lot of wear and tear on the fingertips as well as the keyboard.

I usually avoid at all costs, topics like

what's the best bullet in my ________ for________.

or , 223 for deer?

or hunting over bait

or hunting high fence

well you get the picture.

Best
GWB

I hera ya GW-

I just didnt come on here looking to argue with the carnival people..I did that for 30 years - pretty much through with that mentality!
I clearly stated I was looking for comments and or opinions on the subject - I just took all the fun out of it when I would not get down to their Carnival level...just sucked all the air right out of em..LOLL
It was a rather amatuer attempt - and just didnt work.

Them horse folks can kiss my azz.... its public open to everyone... follow a few rules and you are fine. If your horse panics at noise, then you need to train it better. I've been on horses you could shoot bows and guns off of... thats the only kind of horse I'd own. pansy azzes.

Rules wise I hear ya, it just happened that this one helped a lot of folks out.

The bottom line to leases these days is greed. Pure and simple. You get what you can, and that usually always prices the common man out. A lot of landowners today care only about the money and nothing else and will sell you out in an instant.

We try hard not to let anyone know what we shoot, of course the lease I'm on I"ll probably be on my life and never shoot a good deer. Probably nothing over 120 would be my guess. The owner on this one I THINK.... knows we are good folks etc... and that means a bit to him, but wouldn't surprise me to find us gone one day, only seems that by buddies dad brings him sausage and home grown potatoes and such, and that keeps him tickled...

Pricing wise... 500 used to be it. 1000 doesn't seem so bad with inflation and such, but more than that just gets to be too much, its more like you are spending your vacation funds all at one place... once you figure fuel and corn and the lease it isn't cheap.

I've said before, I wouldn't be on a lease anymore if it were not for friends. Its certainly not for the hunting. I"d rather drop that 1000 plus or minus and go to CO,NM etc.... or AK every other year.....

When I was first stationed in Texas, I was pretty excited. I had read and heard all the stories about the great hunting.

Then I saw guys charging 150.00 to 300.00 a day to shoot coyotes. That ended my desire to hunt Texas.

Beaufiful country for sure but for hunting, I just can't get into the whole "lease" idea.

Here in WI/Michigan, the lease idea is there but so small/unheard of - it just isn't part of the game plan.

If you shop and look, you can buy decent land for decent prices. Granted you aren't hunting 10,000 acres but you don't need to have that much space up here. My father, brother and I (and now my son) have a camp on 120 acres. We hunt that and another 120 down the road. The experience is still amazing every year.

Yes Sir - totally agree !!

Somerville is a Corp of Engineer lake - I dont think they can ban us from use ???? -I may be wrong .Dont know about you - but there is 2 guys come out of Austin - 1 from Navasota- and 2 of us from C/S...I cant every remember seeing more than two of us at any given time on the water...I did learn from Flores and the Feds that they dont bother checking Airboats when they come back to the ramp - becuz they know "we" pretty much got our sheet 2gether when on the water and duck hunting !!Man told me that himself...

I dont go around hollering about the Yaks with no lights - The jet ski's or the cigar boats - they wake me up all the time...

Theres only one guy that has no ethics or etiquette when at the ramp ect etc ..and he has a big azz RED airboat ..even I would like to get my hands on that fella !!

I'm in the market for some 454 headers - used is fine..

Good on you teal. The important thing is to get afield.

I'm raised here and have family and roots. I am used to the lease thing. Works for me.
Best
GWB

Truth be known..I can hunt the entire state of Texas...from North to South to East and West - I'm retired from the
Dept of Criminal Justice - I can hunt for free the rest of my life - just like I have for the last 30 years -

But I like having a lease too- I hate whats been going on in our state - and the route that hunting is going !! Thats why the post - Just trying to see how many people are just as pissed off as I am.....

we sold our ranch in 08 when my parents found out my mom had cancer. they made a 1000 bucks a acre on it which was good because they needed that cash to help with her treatments.my brother found a lease about 20 miles from our old place. he paid 2600 for it and that goes towards the down payment when he buys it next year. theirs three of us hunting on it. its a small place little over 100acres but its in the middle of three large ranches and there's no fence on three sides and the one side that does is a 4 strand barbwire fence. the owner also owns one of the larger ranches and his brother owns one and the brother in law the other so they have been managing the deer for a while. good thing is he'll let me hunt hogs and coyotes on his place if i want

havent' seen the red boat yet... I kinda wanted to show my banded pintail to ..... dang can't quite think of that GW's name... he has a sister to our lab.... But he waved and was off to check crappie fisherman...

They check my boat almost all the time but I think its cause I hunt with a long haired friend, and also a young nephew.. man they grill them.... don't ask to see much if anything from me but I show all the required stuff anyway.

There are a couple of local lake airboats too. And 3 that I"m aware of from La Grange.

Can we be banned? Yep sure can. I don't see it though.

What I'd actually agree to is some kind of decibel level that we could attain easily... say 100... and that would name ALL noise, not single one thing out..... I don't want to see that but life changes.

Headers... check Southern Airboat for sure! I'll have some at some point when I swap motors but I'm still a year or more out from that I think. Of course you never know... I want a 2.68 Stinger and 3 or 4 Super Wides so bad I can taste it...

There is 3 of us who just retired - we are looking into just "outright" buying some property 2gether..we are geting to damn old to drag stuff from one lease to another every 4- 5 years and none of us want to hunt on state property -
long story -

Well I'm sure we could be banned- but what would be the justification- then again the Feds dont need one..

I'm getting ready to go to a CH2 2:1 - this first boat I got is a Direct Drive 454 all Edlebrock with a 750 - it will turn a 78x56 clean - but has hell coming out of of muck - when its been sucked down for a few hours..hell getting out of some saw grass too..My buddy runs a Panther - 454 2:1 and goes were he wants to go when he wants to go ..Thats my summer project - soon as I get my doctors release.

Have you run to flag pond dry when there is no water in the cut for half the way? With the 2x1 and 454? Dead dry grass I could see it working. Green grass in teal season, not so much....

Wished I could do things quicker here, I"d give you a deal on the 2x1 Franklin belt thats on my 454 right now..... Can't afford the stinger until I fix the caddy boat and sell it.... and thats a year off....

DD was fun, and got me stuck up Yegua once... PVC to the rescue.... no more DD after that.