Another guide and myself are kicking around the idea of starting a club on a few farms that are either unleased now, or will be open at the end of this year. The area we're looking at is exactly 5 hours north of downtown Dallas, and 9 hours north of Houston. Great ground. All wild/low fence animals. Some will be farmed, and some will be big hardwood draws leading to huge blocks of timber. All of it will give you a real shot at deer in the 160-180 range with 150 being just about guaranteed. 200 inch deer are there, we see them or get game camera pictures of them every year, but they are obviously always elusive and a rarity in the wild
The tags are through a draw, but there's a near certainty that you'll be drawn, and as a backup, we're looking at some properties just across the border in OK where the tags are OTC, and the deer are giant. Archery runs from mid September to mid December. Rifle is basically the first two weeks of December. Muzzleloader runs concurrently with the first two weeks of Archery, and then also with the Rifle season.
World class whitetails. Outstanding waterfowl, turkeys, predators, quail, dove, small game, and fishing.
We're shooting for somewhere around 300-500 acres per hunter, and probably looking at $4-$8 per acre for a year round lease. We've also discussed leasing or even buying an inexpensive, but very comfortable and livable house in one of the nearby towns. Either way, that expense won't run more than $300-$400 a month (most houses in these towns are around $50,000 on the high end). We're shooting for $2000-$3500 per hunter per year for leases and lodging.
As just one example of the land available, I know of a 2600 acre ranch that's unleased. A few years back when it was leased and I could hunt it, I had 1 set of trail camera pics that had 3 B&C bucks under my feeder at the same time. All between 170 and 190. We found sheds there off an 8 point that scored 175. It has a 20 acre private lake with great fishing, incredible duck and goose hunting, and turkeys all over it. Landowner is asking $15,000 for the year.
I've hunted up there for 6 seasons and guided for 5. My buddy (also an excellent taxidermist) has guided up there for 10. We've made it a point to develop great friendships with the local large-scale landowners, ranchers, ranch hands, farmers, meat processors, workers at the feed mill, etc. We have great connections and get offers on a near daily basis from people wanting us to lease their property. Getting prime property is not going to be a problem.
The tags are through a draw, but there's a near certainty that you'll be drawn, and as a backup, we're looking at some properties just across the border in OK where the tags are OTC, and the deer are giant. Archery runs from mid September to mid December. Rifle is basically the first two weeks of December. Muzzleloader runs concurrently with the first two weeks of Archery, and then also with the Rifle season.
World class whitetails. Outstanding waterfowl, turkeys, predators, quail, dove, small game, and fishing.
We're shooting for somewhere around 300-500 acres per hunter, and probably looking at $4-$8 per acre for a year round lease. We've also discussed leasing or even buying an inexpensive, but very comfortable and livable house in one of the nearby towns. Either way, that expense won't run more than $300-$400 a month (most houses in these towns are around $50,000 on the high end). We're shooting for $2000-$3500 per hunter per year for leases and lodging.
As just one example of the land available, I know of a 2600 acre ranch that's unleased. A few years back when it was leased and I could hunt it, I had 1 set of trail camera pics that had 3 B&C bucks under my feeder at the same time. All between 170 and 190. We found sheds there off an 8 point that scored 175. It has a 20 acre private lake with great fishing, incredible duck and goose hunting, and turkeys all over it. Landowner is asking $15,000 for the year.
I've hunted up there for 6 seasons and guided for 5. My buddy (also an excellent taxidermist) has guided up there for 10. We've made it a point to develop great friendships with the local large-scale landowners, ranchers, ranch hands, farmers, meat processors, workers at the feed mill, etc. We have great connections and get offers on a near daily basis from people wanting us to lease their property. Getting prime property is not going to be a problem.
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