"Hunting" in Texas

[lapadat]

After spending a week on a ranch in the San Antonio area of Texas I can only appreciate our hunting opportunties in BC that much more.

This ranch and most others in the area sustain themselves primarily through ranching cattle, sheep, horses and domestic and exotic wildlife species. The general concept involves building a 10-12 ft high fence around a piece of property (5-50 acres), trapping domestic Whitetail's and importing exotic species such as Axis Deer, Fallow Deer, Blackbucks, and several species of sheep. These "wild" herds are managed to produce big bucks and rams by culling small animals (as if any whitetails I saw were anything more than tiny), and assisting 'larger' animals in antler and horn growth through specialized diets.

Feeding is either by automated feeder or by hand which produces some exceptionally tame critters.

Hunters pay anywhere from $1000 USD for a whitetail, $1500 USD for an Axis/Fallow Deer and upwards of $4000 USD for some of the more special exotic animals.

Once the fees are paid up, the "hunter" and the "guide" will harvest the animal from elevated box blinds, tree stands or from ground blinds.....or just through the fence. Shooting distances on this particular ranch did not exceed 200 yards.

We truly have world-class hunting opportunties in this province and we should be proud of a long history of ethical and honourable hunting methods.

Consider yourself envied the next time your out hunting in bc.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_125.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4690&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=847)

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_123.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4707&size=big&cat=500)

[WoodOx]

Yeah, hard to even call that hunting. More so "Killing" in my books.

Thanks for the info lap.

[Mr. Dean]

Thanks.
I know it's hard for many to wrap their heads around what we REALLY have at home, AND the importance of keeping it so.

[Buck]

Yes so the next time your thinking about paying someone for private access to a ranch just look at what money will do to your hunting heritage.

[308BAR]

Yeah, I really have a difficulty in understanding the system of hunting in the states. A lot of payper use private land/ranch style of hunting. It just seems everything is owned by people, and that there is very little public land to shoot on, at least that is my perception anyhow.

Or even comparing it to our canadian neighbours back east, I have difficulting understanding this no hunting on Sunday law, and it seems to me if you want to hunt you have to enter a lottery every year for species???? Dunno, I quite like or system of hunting and the amount of land we could access.

[tmarschall]

Lapadat...... now you know one of the reasons I hang out on this forum. I grew up hunting similar to what you describe. We did not have the luxury of high fences and usually not any exotic animals to "hunt". But the acerage was usually 50 acres, and a few times as many as 600. There are a few ranches around in the thousands of acres range, but they are hard to access. I remember my dad hunting on a place like that, but they built a dam in the early 60's and now it is all under water.

Of course the main problem is that Texas is 95% privately owned. The largest expanses of state property are in the piney woods of East Texas. These woods are nothing like the Kootenays for sure. No mountains and few if any grassy meadows.... its all pine, with a few mixed hardwoods. Some clear cuts, but 5 years after planting they are no longer clear at all.

These private landowners have "sold out" to the highest bidder. But in many ways you can't blame some of them, they have the right to make a buck from their land. The question of caution is.... does a government have the right to make money from its land as well, and if so... to what degree. That is your concern, if the crown turns your land into a market place... well... you see what you are headed for.

That is how I see the "selling" of guide territories. It is just one step in the evolution. We have plenty of guide services down here as well, but their survival depends on developing a good business, not on lobbying the government for more allocations. ..... but thats another dead horse that has been beaten here many times.

By the way.... since you were in the San Antonio area.... why the heck didn't you let me know so we could sip a couple beers together... shame on you!!!! I'm only an hour from SA.

[lapadat]

tmarschall,

I completely forgot about ya. Sorry.

Don't worry though, my sister just moved to Dallas this week so now I've got more reasons to go back to Texas. I'm sure it won't be long. As much as the hunting isn't my cup of tea, it truly is a beautiful state.

[SteadyGirl]

We truly have world-class hunting opportunties in this province and we should be proud of a long history of ethical and honourable hunting methods.

Consider yourself envied the next time your out hunting in bc.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_125.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4690&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=847)

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_123.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4707&size=big&cat=500)


Thanks - I did some research on farm hunting down south a few years ago. A 'sport?' I decided not to contribute to. Killing farmed/fenced/import animals is not really hunting on that instinctive level. I have friends that partake and have a few decent wall mounts for thier $$ so to each his own.

[Rainwater]

Looks like hunting in Region 7.