Chambers or Crystal Creek?

[ShawnEO]

Which would you guys pick or recommend, or is there another you would recommend more in the same price range (I know that Mr. Chambers owns both). I am disabled & a veteran, so my funds are extremely limited.

[Bowhuntamistad]

What are you looking to hunt? If funds are limited, it might be better to hunt a pay per animal place and ensure you get your money's worth as opposed to taking a gamble and walking away with nothing.

[ShawnEO]

Maybe a nice ram and axis or ram & axis doe. If hogs are thrown in, that would be a bonus. I want to be able to stay with the Texas exotic license instead of the $300 native game one. Plus I have deer here in MS on my place, as well as a few hogs. I can't get around like I used to, but I have a plot in my back yard. It's a dust bowl due to the drought, but if it ever rains it'll be decent.

[tree stand]

I've been to crystal creek and would not recommend it. Chambers other ranch, I've not been there, but have heard good things.

[The Gipper]

ive been to both its been a few years but I would pick Crystal Creek by far. Like I said its been a few years though and these places can change over night.

[takoma]

Anyone been to CRYSTAL CREEK in the last 6months ?
Had a friend just stop in to check the place out and was rather impressed. Suppose to go hunt there soon. Curious how the place truly is on accommodations, animals, guide,.. etc.

I'll do a full report upon my return .

[Bowhuntr64]

I went to Chambers in Feb of 2017 and loved it! Saw tons of animals every day on stand. My buddies went to Crystal Creek in April and hated it--some of them never saw a single animal on stand in two days of hunting.

[takoma]

Just back from a hunt at Chrystal Creek. 5 in my hunt group joined with another solo hunter mid hunt.

Knew the weather was going to be bad the first day we arrived. 39tempts, medium rain, 13mph biting wind from the North. Just what it is,....only 1 attempted to go out and hunt. ( only 2 covered blinds on the whole 1000acres - but south wind sets )

Ranch truck stuck before Tom was anywhere near his stand. Got the second truck stuck as well for some time, before getting him to a stand on the CAMP SIDE of the ranch. ( has some whitetail, hogs, black buck )
He saw quite a few animals despite the ill conditions - but nothing worth shooting.

The next morning hunt had us excited as we knew the rain would have passed, and now just a mild, cold breeze would have us layered up.

Out of 5, four of us saw animals in good numbers. The issue was the brush blinds were too close to the corned senderos and WIDE OPEN !
There would be NO WAY you could even get to raise your bow much less draw on the deer we saw ( white tail axis does sika does black buck does )
Absolutely frustrating to all who felt we paid to just animal watch.

Learning from the morning hunt, I pushed the guide to take us out so we could get anywhere but those brush blinds.
Past the SNOT HOLE we had the truck stuck in, the guide assured me that's where the best stands were and the majority of the action. We were able later to drive around and inspect some of the tripod and ladder sets he had. I had to do minor trimming on several of them.... but felt at least most of them were hemmed in with tree cover, good back drop and foreground, just gap shoot windows,... AND able to work the North wind.

With only a couple good elevated stands, I opted to let my other party members hunt those, and I'd go back to a different ground blind that when inspected was not blatantly wide open. We all settled in to what we thought we finally have a upper hand against the animals.

However,. it once again quickly became apparent when the 6 of us ( solo hunter had just began his hunt ) the issue was the ANIMALS KNEW EXACTLY where all these sets were. Hunted to frequently, and shot out.... EVERYONE ... and I mean EVERYONE had animals on them that would feed well to just shy of the shot windows and turn around ! The few that even made it to that point would throw a cautious glance at the stand and walk away.
My hogs fed to my left window 4 times and bounced back before finally only one solo hog came in for a couple seconds and turned to leave and I shot him quarter away, thwarting his escape. I had hogs on my left that came in ,.. bounced off twice and them nervously and quickly ate.... moving at a more than normal eratic rate thru the shot windows and I picked another one off as it was leaving.
Tom sr. was the only other one that had a solo axis doe that locked onto him the minute she poked her head around the brush in the shot window. A hurried shot sent a arrow over her back.
Next morning only the solo hunter and my fiancé descided to go out to hunt.
I was having a cup of coffee when she retuned front the hunt and that ****** OFF WOMAN face told me all I needed to know. A glance at the solo hunter and his expression... confirmed much of the same.
Later she ranted on about once again being in a brush blind that was so open and exposed the deer had her nailed as they knew there was probably a hunter there,... and confirmed it with stamping feet and tails waving upon a hasty departure. Solo hunter's story was the same thing.
4 of my 5 group of hunters are seasoned hunters. I've hunted with and guided for them as well. I can attest that movement, pre shot preparation, sound, and wind consideration are paramount and taken very seriously.
Sooooooooo,... I seriously dout it was hunters error on animals locking straight into them when 40% of the animals that were within range got jitty.




In review,...............

accommodations were well kept, clean and nice.



animals are definitely moving in the cold season.



guide is nice - but swamped with too many hunt groups and lacking the desire to switch up constantly on a high pressure ranch for best success rates possible. Good kid - just needs help from hunters to readjust constantly.
He did give us a FREE DAY due to the truck issues should we want to return,.. but I don't think we will.



My advice to anyone wanting to hunt this ranch is upon the arrival of your hunt date - Get out there ASAP and set up at least 2 new sets for each hunter of your group. It can be but just 50 yards on the left or right from anything established out there currently,.. and I'm telling you ,... your chances will sky rocket ! Animals are there,... just have to adjust for the hunt. More low brush than what you can do in the trees... so get ready for sneaky port hole size shot windows in brush blinds. Make those sets tucked back in, 20+ yard. Gap shooting port windows is all you need. Stay off the road as much as possible during your work for scent control.


ps.... lots of exotic does, loads of hogs, nice whitetail bucks, did not see any monster aoudad. never saw black buck or axis bucks. Did hear axis bucks screaming around many of us. Awesome amount of turkey.