East TX vs. West TX leases

[Wiley64]

I've hunted both my whole life. In my opinion, west Texas has far more deer and it's not as muddy or buggy. No brainer.

[quarterback]

I live east of DFW and would love to have a good east Texas lease within 2 hours of the house. Like someone (from east Tx) said, you have to find the right setup in the right county with the right people and then east Tx. can be incredible. Since I don't have that hookup, I drive 3.5 hours to San Saba where 6 of us hunt on 1,000 acres and see plenty of game. It's really not a hard call. And besides, there are no deer in east Texas.

Having said all of that, I would be all over a good east Texas lease if I had the opportunity.

[BrianL]

This is what keeps me from even considering a lease in East Texas. Just way too many of these types of stories on here every year out of East Texas. I'd rather pay double and drive twice as far if I had to in order to avoid that kind of mess.

I really think that is more of a population and small acreage issue. A LOT fewer people west of 35 than east of it.

[jooger17]

I really think that is more of a population and small acreage issue. A LOT fewer people west of 35 than east of it.

That's part of it, but in my experience it's changing of the times. My entire youth was spent hunting and fishing on someone else's property. We knew our neighbors, knew where their stands were, and stayed out of their way. No one cared, they hunted our property, we hunted theirs. If we got "caught" one of 2 things happened. We either discussed where each other had been hunting and what we'd been seeing, or the stern "get your *** on your side of the fence and if I catch you back over here I'll tell your Daddy." talk would go down. Typically the latter never happened.


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[SabreKiller]

West Texas for me...

Hunted north of Van Horn for close to 30 years, just outside of Mertzon for a coupe years in addition to Van Horn and now I hunt in Val Verde and Terrell County. I just love it out there. The scenery is great, sundowns and sunrises can be spectacular, it snows occasionally, and of course there's lots of critters.

[PondPopper]

If I had my choice it would be a large, highly managed, highly secure(no trespassers) lease in deep East Texas.. Im not sure that even exists..

[Mo 7777]

I've hunted in East Texas all of my life. I have seen some phenomenal deer come out of the thick, piney woods. Due to the heavy timber and thickets, East Texas is an area that requires skill to hunt in. You could have a record book buck that very few have seen, but not be able to get a shot at it due to the brush, which could be very frustrating. It has happened to many hunters that are familiar with the great, piney woods.

[texas shag]

If I had my choice it would be a large, highly managed, highly secure(no trespassers) lease in deep East Texas.. Im not sure that even exists..

It does. Jack brittingham owns it. Yes he put a fence up, but they are native genetics.

That being said, I would choose west Texas due to the diversity of game species available in addition to the deer.

[BrianL]

That's part of it, but in my experience it's changing of the times. My entire youth was spent hunting and fishing on someone else's property. We knew our neighbors, knew where their stands were, and stayed out of their way. No one cared, they hunted our property, we hunted theirs. If we got "caught" one of 2 things happened. We either discussed where each other had been hunting and what we'd been seeing, or the stern "get your *** on your side of the fence and if I catch you back over here I'll tell your Daddy." talk would go down. Typically the latter never happened.


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I grew up in Fannin County and had access to 1000s and 1000s of acres. All from just asking. However there weren't any deer to speak of around this part of the state. As deer started getting plentiful, access started going away I guess. Back in my day going hunting meant dove, duck, squirrel, coon, rabbit, yotes .....and that mountain lion the old timers said they saw in the bottom. I hunted that dang lion for several years [emoji1] [emoji35]. Wonder if that old man really saw one, or just enjoyed watching me try and kill a ghost. I had fun either way[emoji1]

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[PondPopper]

It does. Jack brittingham owns it. Yes he put a fence up, but they are native genetics.

That being said, I would choose west Texas due to the diversity of game species available in addition to the deer.

Yes I'm aware of Jacks ranch but I was talking more in the way of a BIG low fenced, well managed place.. I'm not sure that exists... Probably is a secret if it does..
I've hunted ST, WT, the panhandle and old Mexico but those true wild, Giants from east Texas is what I would really like to chase..

Second to that would be the Panhandle. Gray or surrounding counties.

[Fork Man]

East Texas. Got to find the right property. Nothing like chasing big bucks and on the lake after big bass the same day. Found it 7 years ago, ain't giving it up....

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[Captain39]

I grew hunting North East Texas and as a kid it sucked...still own land there; and yes hunting all over East Texas is better than 30 years ago, lot more deer. We were just happy to see deer back then. I also have been on a timber lease in South East Texas; it was cheap, fun to ride atv's on, and I killed lot of small deer and hogs. Fun for the price. The muddy roads from the logging trucks get old, trespassers all the time on camera, but it was only a hour away!. But After hunting the Hill Country and farther west, I prefer it any day. Love the chance for exotics, see more deer to keep you interested, beautiful terrain. I use to not mind the drive at all, actually enjoyed the silence while sipping coffee. But now with kids, long commutes just suck...So I am now hunting Centerville, which is still close, lots of deer, but not true East Texas.

[Abcdj]

This is what keeps me from even considering a lease in East Texas. Just way too many of these types of stories on here every year out of East Texas. I'd rather pay double and drive twice as far if I had to in order to avoid that kind of mess.

Being from West Texas and living in East Texas for 20 years. A lot of people ask me whats the biggest difference between East and West Texas.

I answer :

When you're driving down the highway in West Texas people give you the index finger wave

In East Texas when driving down the highway they give you the middle finger wave

And the humidity really does suck

[Swampa]

West Texas proud here for 10 years.

To me...a deer lease is about so much more than inches or lbs..... but West Texas has a nice amount of both. The entire experience is what I look for.

I like seeing deer... even if I don't trip my release all year on a "monster". I enjoy watching deer as much as I enjoy shooting them. I don't hunt to watch birds (turkeys are OK[emoji51].) Seeing deer is fun ...killing several deer a year is even more fun..

I love the people out west. They are a friendly bunch and laid back as a whole. The egos are checked at the gate.

I like the large leases and low members counts. I like leases where the deer herd health/numbers are more important than keeping the cost of the lease fee down. 7 hunters on 2400 acres of oak and mesquite is so much enjoyable than 25 folks on 800 acres of pines with 10 white oak trees. Less folks equals less problems and more deer for everybody.

I love the dry heat.... I also love the dry crisp mornings during winter. I love the lack of mosquitos and bugs in general. Rats and mice are also rare at our place.

I like all my **** to be there when I arrive at the lease. I like being able to leave stuff at my lease and know it's going to be there when I drive up. Hauling back what I have at my lease each trip would be a major PITA. Replacing it all because some methhead stole it would be even more of a PITA.

I like not having pictures of poachers and hog doggers. I like not having my hunt ruined by the guy on his 5 acres next door practicing for World War 3.

I love the smell of burning mesquite and ribeyes searing over it.



I hate..... the drive. .. especially on Sunday.

I hate 105 deg workdays in the summer.

I hated the 2010-2011 drought

My loves and likes far outweigh my hates though....

Did I say I love seeing deer?

Not to mention incredible dove hunting and the quail are starting to return. You ain't getting that in East TX


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[160class]

For me it would be WT, but that's because I like to see a lot deer and be able to ride around hunting!