Giving up on Finding a Trophy Texas Lease. Whats on your trophy list?

[panhandlehunter]

I'm in a similar boat. Gave up the deer lease when my wife was pregnant with our first child, and haven't looked for the last two years. I fish, a lot, probably more than I should. And duck/goose hunt, in state, out of state and Canada. I have no real desire to elk hunt or bear hunt, or anything out of state. Not sure why. Africa doesn't really interest me. I'd much rather do a destination fishing trip. I do a couple exotic hunts a year, maybe a couple meat hunts just to get something in the freezer, and hunt on my property or a buddies place down the road. I do miss having a deer lease, and once my little girl is old enough to tag along, I'll be back at it. Hard to beat the camp fire camaraderie, and shenanigans that only happen with a deer lease.

[BrandonA]

When we sold our ranch in Menard I got on a lease and after one yr I said screw it. To many rules , can't shoot this or that , gotta do this , feed that and all. I added it all up plus travel and I spent 10k and didn't kill crap. Saved Money and went to Ohio and spent a week and had a great hunt and killed a buck off a lifetime for almost half. Now that my parents bought a ranch I haven't needed to go but will be soon planning

[Fordnandez]

As mentioned before you are probably better off if you just save up a few years worth of lease dues and take a trip to kill something big with an outfitter. This is what I would do but 75% of the reason I am on a lease has nothing to do with the deer. I use mine as a vacation spot that I can go to year round and I am on it with 9 of my friends that all get along and dont have any crazy rules or requirements.

[ultralite09]

Good deal, glad to see im not the only one looking at hunting this way.

Western hunting has just about consumed my mind lately and im finally going to jump into it.

[hooligan]

I doubt we'll stay on our place. This is only our second year but land owner has already raised the price. For what we pay over the year we could be chasing elk or mulies. I love the time spent in the field with my dad and having a place to hunt year round but my wife is pregnant and not sure I'll be able to get away every other weekend once April hits.

[SFAbowhunter]

Good deal, glad to see im not the only one looking at hunting this way.

Western hunting has just about consumed my mind lately and im finally going to jump into it.

Keep me posted on this. I'll join you possibly. I know I'll be drawn for the "H" next season, so I may not have much time next year, but the following for sure.

[LuBowhunter]

I don't lease anymore. I hunt Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, and South Dakota mostly now. I can go to Montana every year and for about $1,200 (tag, fuel, motel stay, food, etc) put a tag on a great mule deer or whitetail on public land rarely seeing another hunter. Also chase pronghorn and elk in the same year and not spend over 3k total if I hunt all three.

[Hydestik]

I don't lease anymore. I hunt Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, and South Dakota mostly now. I can go to Montana every year and for about $1,200 (tag, fuel, motel stay, food, etc) put a tag on a great mule deer or whitetail on public land rarely seeing another hunter. Also chase pronghorn and elk in the same year and not spend over 3k total if I hunt all three.

That’s a heckuva deal. What kind of success rate out there ?

[SFAbowhunter]

The thing I have a hard time with on these out of state hunts is the time it takes for them. I don't have a lot of vacation time and I am a weekend warrior when it comes to hunting whitetail in Texas. How long are your typical out of state hunts? A week? 10 days?

[ultralite09]

For me, if im planning an out of state hunt, I think I could get away with a week. Gives me about 4 or 5 days worth of hunting depending where im driving to and Q4 is the slowest quarter of the year in my industry so wouldnt be an issue getting away.


Though if Im hunting pronghorn or elk i know itll be around the Sept timeline.

[LuBowhunter]

Giving up on Finding a Trophy Texas Lease. Whats on your trophy list?

That’s a heckuva deal. What kind of success rate out there ?

So far I'm batting 1000. I see deer everyday and when I goat hunt I see 20-30 bucks a day. Here's a few I have on my phone.

[hooligan]

So far I'm batting 1000. I see deer everyday and when I goat hunt I see 20-30 bucks a day. Here's a few I have on my phone.

You're doing it right!

[jshouse]

You're doing it right!

no doubt...good stuff man

[jshouse]

So far I'm batting 1000. I see deer everyday and when I goat hunt I see 20-30 bucks a day. Here's a few I have on my phone.

archery or gun on the deer? this is giving me ideas for next year instead of my missouri WT trip

[LuBowhunter]

archery or gun on the deer? this is giving me ideas for next year instead of my missouri WT trip

I usually go gun because I like hunting the rut and having the ability to reach out incase a 200" crosses my path. But it could be done with a bow.