TEXAS
Many viewers have expressed an interest in the costs related to hunting deer in Texas so I thought that I would post a summary of the overall situation here for whatever value that might be for these viewers. This isn't intended to be a comprehensive account but is based on details that I am aware of and my own experience which I am simply passing on for what it might be worth.

Texas has 3.5 to 4 million white-tailed deer and the annual harvest is from 375,000 to 500,000 animals. Of that overall harvest 220,000 to 270,000 are bucks. The statewide success ratio is over 50%, and in 1996, 913,000 Texas hunters spent 1.3 billion dollars on hunting related items.

Game proof fences are often a contentious issue with some hunters so a few details on that might be valuable for improved understanding. In the premium big buck country of south Texas that is made up of 7 counties of Texas' 254 counties, less than 15% is game proof fenced. Throughout the 247 other counties, high fencing is unusual although it is becoming more common each year. Generally what you see on TV occurs in those 7 premium counties so it is important that the entire state isn't judged by what viewers see on TV. By the way, the reason that those 7 counties are considered "premium" is that over 110 B&C bucks have come from those 7 counties..! (Note that no B&C buck can come from a high fenced ranch..!)

The land in Texas is mostly privately owned and for the last 50 years permission to hunt on this private property by Texas and adjacent state hunters has been paid for by what we call "lease or trespass" fees to the landowner. The deer themselves are considered the property of the State but from a practical standpoint you need access to the property they live on to be able to hunt. The hunting culture here in Texas has learned to live with this situation and though there are always some that complain, the reality of the situation is that the demand is high in both good and bad economic times for good places to hunt.

I hear people sometime say that the lease approach limits the access of hunting to the rich. This is simply not true. This can be easily seen by the number of hunters that hunt in Texas related to the overall population of the state. (Texas is either first or second depending on whose statistics are looked at.) It is clear that the "average person" hunts plenty in Texas. When compared to a state where there is significant so called free hunting, the Texas hunter may have to give his hunting expenditures a higher priority than something else in his budget, but he does not stop hunting..!

Hunting seasons are generous. There are differences depending on where you are in the state, but for deer hunting broadly the season is broken up with bow only season the month of October, youth only special the first week of November (any weapon), November, December and a portion of January Rifle (however bow, crossbow and black powder are permitted during this period too) and in late January a special season exists for taking only spikes and surplus does in certain parts of the state.

On the subject of does, 40 years ago there was no doe season, it then moved to a season where the land owner provided the doe "permits" to the hunters on his land (the land owner received his permits from the T P and WL based on the location of his land and the number of acres he owned). For many years now no permit has been required for a doe (the doe is tagged with tags provided with the license). Many land owners encourage the maximum harvest of does, and in places where does are in excess, a land owner can obtain special after season permission to take them for ranch management purposes. There are places where the herd reduction can be very large during this period.

Hunting methods include all of those common elsewhere, plus the use of grain to attract deer is lawful here. Box blinds are also commonly used especially in the regions of the state where trees are few and far between. It is also lawful to hunt from a vehicle on private property in Texas. High fences may exist on premium properties. Any discussion of a hunt here should include questions regarding these subjects if the visiting hunter has personal reservations regarding any specific method. Most of the places that are hunted are huge by eastern U.S. standards and a hunter can usually choose to hunt by any method that he wishes without the likelyhood that he will bother another hunter.

If you made it this far, I finally am getting around to the costs to hunt..! Basically 2 pay approaches to hunting are utilized in Texas: Leases and Package Hunts.

SEASON LEASES

TEXAS
Leases in the heavily wooded area of east Texas may be small places of 200 acres with 4 hunters or 50 acres per hunter to the other extreme in the open country of south Texas where a lease of 20,000 acres with 30 to 40 hunters or 500 to 750 acres per hunter are common. There are extremes to both of these but I am trying to give the reader a "feel" for the situation. The price for leases range from less than $300 per year per hunter to more than $6000 depending on the supply and demand for the hunting area (I saw one advertised in the Houston Chronicle in 2003 that was $16,000, now that is getting outrageous..!). People obviously pay the highest dollars for the places that generally have the biggest bucks. I will guess, and that is all that it is, "a guess", that the average lease price statewide is less than $1000 per year per hunter. A lease fee generally gives the hunter exclusive hunting access to the property for the hunting season and often for an entire calendar year. There will usually be some form of shelter or at the least access to electricity and water and a place to put a trailer or tent. The access normally covers the full hunting season which is generally from early October through mid January (3+ months). Game limits are established on a county by county basis by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department but average 4 deer with no more than 2 of them being bucks. That exclusive access is an extremely important feature from a safety and control standpoint as compared to those states where hunting is so called free. I personally can't imagine hunting where strangers were wandering around while I was hunting, and the land lease method ensures that this is minimized.

Although certainly not adequate for every hunter that wants to hunt, there are 1.2 million acres that can be accessed with a $48 annual permit obtainable through the Texas Parks and Wildlife. Also there are state controlled computer drawings for "Supervised Hunts" and "Special Hunt Packages" that cost $10 per chance. Information on all of these are available at the Texas Parks and Wildlife hunting website.

MEXICO
In general the land ownership in Mexico is similar to that in Texas, and the overall costs are from $2000 to over $4000 per gun). A major difference in Mexico is that there are generally fewer deer for a given acreage; therefore the rule of thumb for trophy leases is 700 to 1000 ac. per hunter. One buck deer is the common "limit" and with separate tags feral hogs and javelina may be taken. The situation in Mexico changed drastically with the devaluation of the PESO a number of years ago. The landowners became much more aware of the chance that they had to get the Yankee Dollar from hunters and many owners doubled the hunters that they allowed to hunt on a given acreage and consequently dramatically increased hunting pressures. Any hunter going to Mexico needs to be acutely aware that there are now many ranches there that are and have been over-hunted and the opportunity for truly fine bucks is considerably reduced from just a few years ago.

With regard to Mexican hunting, my experience has been that the biggest hassle in hunting Mexico (beyond finding a good location..!!) involves getting the license and gun entry permits. Although I have never had a significant problem in gaining entry, there are times that frustration with the "manana" attitude will come to the fore! Relax and remember that you are the guest in their country. The use of a local Mexican Outfitter to take care of the paperwork can sometimes be money well spent for a first time hunter in Mexico. Once that initial paperwork is completed and you have your license and gun permit, there is little trouble involved in subsequent border crossings other than stopping at the Mexican Customs and showing the paperwork and firearm(s) to the authorities. This is usually a 10 minute process. On occasion, there will be spot checks inside the country by military or "Sheriff-like" police personnel. That has never been a problem for me, and it simply takes a few minutes to show the appropriate paperwork. As a final caveat, it is absolutely necessary to have authorization for any firearm or ammunition taken into Mexico. (Note that the importation of ammunition is rigidly enforced, to be totally safe, whatever quantity of ammo is to be used throughout the season should be taken in on the first entry into the country. It is always possible that additional ammo might not be permitted at later entries even though the full quantity authorized was not taken in on the first trip.) The penalty for a "mistake" is jail..! Mexican law can change at any time, therefore any comments made here should be considered as a guideline only. You will be held accountable for the specific rules in place at the time of your hunt

Miscellaneous comments are that Spotlights and Night Vision equipment are prohibited in Mexico. Antlers and a deer's carcass can be imported into Texas with no special attention. A deer hide must either be frozen or have passed through a decontamination facility in Mexico prior to importation into Texas. The majority of the time the hunters that I hunt with have left the carcass and hide with the Mexican ranch hand for his use and have for simplicity only brought antlers through U. S. Customs/Agriculture officials. (If a mount of antlers is desired, usually a taxidermist in the US can supply, for an extra charge, an appropriate cape.)

PACKAGE HUNTS
Visitors to Texas or Mexico often use an alternative to leasing that is commonly called a "Package Hunt". In these hunts the complete details of the hunt including transportation, food, lodging, licenses and game processing are handled by an Outfitter for a single fixed price (occasionally a firearm can be supplied by the outfitter). The prices vary widely; however they range from $2500 to well over $5000 for 3 to 5 day hunts. In some instances a special "trophy" fee is applied on top of the package price based on the gross B&C score of the animal taken.