Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Lubbock, TX hunting?

I have never been to Texas before but I am in the initial stages of interviewing for a job in the Lubbock area. Is there anything to hunt in that area? Looks to be mighty flat country around there. I suppose if there is public hunting it would mainly be for whitetail deer or wild pigs, correct? Any decent game ranches in that area that would offer fun hunts?
Appreciate any info on Lubbock in general and hunting in that area in particular. Thanks, Rufous.

There used to be killer quail and dove hunting within a reasonable drive of Lubbock

the drought has knocked down the numbers of animals alot, but there are lots of oppurtunitys in the panhandle to go hunting.

Mulies and white tails........and GEESE. Good grief at the GEESE.


I dont know much about opportunity, I just go through Lubbock occasionally when going to Clovis, NM to visit the wife's family.

So is there much public land on which to hunt in the Lubbock area? I do not do much bird hunting- mostly big game and some varmint hunting.

You'll have to go a few hours west to New Mexico to find "much public land". Unfortunately, northeastern New Mexico has a lower proportion of public land than do the other parts of the state. That said, there is still a lot more public land opportunity across the border to the west than there is in the Panhandle of Texas. If you want to spend a lot of time hunting big game, you are probably going to have to get on a private land lease, especially if you primarily hunt on weekends and holidays.

saw quite a few antelope off the road in the panhandle on the way to Colorado for my elk hunt and even one nice mule deer buck. Not much public land to hunt in Texas. You're going to have to find a lease. Should be some decent mule or whitetail hunting up that way within driving distance. I used to drive up there every year for a pheasant hunt. That was lots of fun.

The closest public land to hunt that I am aware of is near Lake Alan Henry. I think you have to draw for it though. There are some other state lands within 1.5-3 hours away that you can put in for as well. Otherwise, there is private land hunting for whitetail, mule deer, pigs and auodad as close as 45 minutes away if you can afford it.

As mentioned, quail numbers are down, usually very good pheasant and waterfowl hunting right outside the city limits. Dove hunting abounds too.

Good luck on the job interview if it's what you want. Lubbock is a nice place, but you're going to probably be in environmental shock coming here from Washington.

Ryan

Yup....

But a job is a job. Especially now.

I would NEVER live the place that I do if it weren't for my job. But we all make the best of it.

Texas hunting is primarily done on private leases. That said, those can be very productive....

Good luck with the interview!

Do you like cotton fields?

My wife is from Walla Walla, survived a couple of years in Lubbock after she married me.

Good luck with the interview.

Sounds pretty grim but as was said a good job these days is hard to find as since I am presently unemployed I suppose I cannot afford to be too picky. My wife has a good job here in Walla Walla but does not make enough to support us. The job in Texas, if I get it, would pay more than I have ever earned before but still probably less than we both have been making so wife would likely still need to find a job in Lubbock. Then maybe she would hate her new job and the area. Does not bode well but I am putting it in God's hands. Thanks for the input, Rufous.

I have family that lives in Shallowater Tx. Its just west of Lubbock. Its flat, windy & dusty.

I wouldnt want to live there, but a job is a job.

Good Luck

Never figured out why it's Shallowater instead of ShallowWater. Names around there are very descriptive, Plainview, Brownfield lol...





To the OP...if ya get a chance, run over to Clovis, NM and go to Taco Box and get some Monterrey Steak burritos......you won't be sorry!

I spent three years in Lubbock, fulling expecting to hate it. I really enjoyed living there. Lubbock is a nice town, there is quite a lot to do and good people.

Lubbock has good folks, you can always find a deer lease to get on. Should be lots of doves...you will adapt.

Rufous, just think of the Tri-cities with friendlier people and a better state government.

I like the Tri-cities, so take this as a constructive comparison.

Rufous,

I don't live in Lubbock, but do live only about 1.5 hours SE of there near Snyder. In West Texas terms, that's "just down the road."

While public hunting opportunities are much less in Texas than other places (96% of Texas is private property), the hunting in general is superb. The trophy potential is quite good in all the areas I have hunted north of I-20, with mass usually being much greater than in deer in the central part of the state. You'll likely have to pay for a lease, but it may be the best money you've ever spent.

While some may find that part of the state plain and unappealing, I love it. You can see for miles and the sunsets are tremendous. Additionally, as you get to the cap rock, there is some great, rugged terrain that holds audads and mulies.

Here's some things my son and I have killed within two hours SE of Lubbock in "The Big Country."













Here's a picture of a West Texas sunset I stopped and took on my cell phone while on the way home from work a couple of months ago:

[img]http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n159/Hondo64d/BigCountrySunset.jpg[/img]

Folks in this part of Texas are generally pretty conservative, very friendly and polite. Come on down! It'll be what you make of it, but has the potential of being the best experience of your life.

John

I worked in Lubbock for 2 years. Good people. No trees except in town where people planted them in their yards. Outside of town, very little more than knee high.

Checked into hunting birds and deer. Private land quail, near Amarillo, I was quoted $1200 a day. I knew a couple of guys who hunted deer near Laredo. It cost them $5,000 each for a deer with a body about the size of a skinny German Shepard. I found it much cheaper to just fly back to Oregon to hunt deer and birds a couple times a year.