Is hunting a rich man's game?

[Big Phil]

I've hunted a few times, mostly bartering, one day on a lease with my dad.
I'd like to hunt more often but don't have the thousands of dollars it costs for a guided hunt or a lease in central Texas.
I'm entering the draw for an Elk in New Mexico but that's my only prospect.

Other than knowing someone with land or winning the lottery what choices are there? I'm not looking for a trophy just the meat and experience.

 

[Younggun]

It's getting tough.

Have you considered hunting on WMAs. There are some restrictions as to what you can hunt with and other things but it's pretty much free.

 

[LJH]

Yes it is a rich man's game.

You do have options. Try here TPWD: Public Hunting and Access to TPWD Lands

 

[Vaquero]

Sometimes outfitters offer "cull hunts" for a reasonable price. I don't have any leads though. Good luck.

 

[hkusp1]

Make friends with someone who's has private land.

My buddy I went high school with has a few hundred acres in Breckinridge that we hunt on. I have 10 acres out near Abilene that backs up to a 1000 acre lot that I can hunt on with the owners permission.


Sent from my toaster using secret alien technology.

 

[stdreb27]

Pretty much, the poor mans hunting I do is dove and water fowl. The dove we sit in a buddy's back yard and shoot em as they come over the house.
And water fowl is pretty accessible on the coast. Just gotta have waders and a kayak to get to some of those spoil islands.

 

[TexMex247]

Sad to say, it is indeed. I have been a "blue collar" guy literally, for most of my adult life. I am lucky enough to have friends with family property who trust me and allow me to hunt on their property, free of charge***. Now by free of charge, that usually means bring all my equipment to share, help out with work at the ranch, before and during hunts, don't shoot too many deer, a big buck or a fawn, help the new guy find his wounded deer, put up with an obnoxious cousin, etc, etc. Which is still a bargain compared to any modern hunting lease. For birds, a friend with a tank in his backyard guarantees some looks but I never limit. I started a thread for a TGT member group lease and the best stuff I could find out there would still cost about 20K a year for 4-8 hunters. Those are places that have only some utitlities(water/elec) and maybe a blind but no feeders or tripods. I agree with others about TXPWD opportunities, get on a list and you may get lucky.

 

[cbigclarke]

I've been looking into hunting out of state. I just can't afford the leases either

 

[Vaquero]

Pharaohs quail can be hunted free down at big bend. Used to be anyway. Better get fit for that!

 

[navyguy]

Unless you have, or has free access to land, then hunting is going to cost. As aforementioned, there are plenty of public hunting opportunities in the state, but most are not like you can just drive up, get out of your truck and start hunting. It is sad that in a state like Texas, this is how it is.

I'm not currently evolved in a lease, but if you can find 10 or so guys that have like hunting aspirations, you can probably find a lease for around $1000 per person for the year which would include dove, dear, hogs and any other small game you would be interested in. That's not really bad for a year's worth of hunting if you take advantage of it all.

I might be interested in a fairly close in lease in that price range.

 

[cbigclarke]

$1000 isnt bad for the year. The only problem is it will be a 7 hour drive to get to it.

 

[Big Phil]

noob question here. Does one pay for the lease all at once or installments?

 

[Jlrockboy]

It depends but most times the land owners wants to be paid up front, before you hunt.

 

[navyguy]

There are leases that are less than 2 hours away, and some that are 1 hour or less away. The farther out leases will offer more. Less cost and more opportunities. So it goes. Let me know if any of your are interested. I'm about ready to get back into a lease. Some might allow fishing, camping and shooting.

 

[Vaquero]

Little secret for you guys. It's all relative. Leases are cheaper the farther from home. A landowner will lease to someone 5 hrs away cheaper than a local. Why? A local will be on lease very often and actually hunt. A far away guy will make 3 to 4 trips per season and spend a lot of time at camp prepping and partying. Landowner really still has the run of the place with a distant lessee.

 

[cbigclarke]

There are leases that are less than 2 hours away, and some that are 1 hour or less away. The farther out leases will offer more. Less cost and more opportunities. So it goes. Let me know if any of your are interested. I'm about ready to get back into a lease. Some might allow fishing, camping and shooting.

I'm 4 hours from you

 

[navyguy]

I'm 4 hours from you

So, are you offering up a lease?

 

[Shorts]

There are leases that are less than 2 hours away, and some that are 1 hour or less away. The farther out leases will offer more. Less cost and more opportunities. So it goes. Let me know if any of your are interested. I'm about ready to get back into a lease. Some might allow fishing, camping and shooting.

Interested.

 

[Ericstac]

a lot of ranches have low cost options for met, like does, culls and pigs. ive seen does around $100.00 each last time i looked a few years ago.

 

[Chouse34]

Is the entry barrier high? I'm looking to get into it and have heard horror stories. Shooting is expensive enough already.