I thought you experienced folks might offer some suggestions as to the best way to find a quality, long-term lease for mule deer in West Texas. I've tried the membership "lease connection" type website thing once, and it did connect me with one place we did go out to and I did manage to find my brother a nice, old buck, but, for the most part, no matter how I filled out the search preferences, it still sent me constant e-mails for 50 acre parcels for whitetails in the Texas hill country. The one place we went was huge, but heavy oil field, heavy hunting around it, etc. I don't need a lot of facilities and spot and stalk is fine with me. Just not getting run over by oil field trucks would be a plus. Do I call Chambers of Commerce? Join another one of those sites? I'm not talking about a large group of hunters; 1 to 3 at the most.

Start here:

Trans Pecos Hunt Club

Some of their pastures will be better than others - the property we were on had oil field poaching pressure (mostly aimed at whitetails - with the roads in the flats and the whitetails moving around). Other properties that they lease have fewer problems on that score.

I'm sure you'll find more contacts, but that should give you a place to start.

Troy

Contact me, I was raised in West Texas around Marfa, Alpine and Marathon. I ranched there of several years and I know everyone..I can probably fix you up with a good place..I can also book you a 4 day trophy mule deer hunt and they have some really big bit deer...

You cold talk to the folks at Mesquite Country Outfitters, although I think the Pitchfork holds more whitetail than mule deer. They do some leasing in a few of their pastures.

Thanks for the help; I'll give those a try.

Why W. TX - how about southern NM. Got some great properties that have good mulies on them. Send me a pm

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Contact me, I was raised in West Texas around Marfa, Alpine and Marathon. I ranched there of several years and I know everyone..I can probably fix you up with a good place..I can also book you a 4 day trophy mule deer hunt and they have some really big bit deer...

Ray, you still pimping hunts in TX? Whats the marketing plan these days on those hunts? I wouold love to hear it

Drummond

Let the rodeo begin. To The Top.

quote:

Originally posted by M16:
Let the rodeo begin. To The Top.

Hell, I shouldnt have asked but its just to good to pass up

Besides that, I havent had a good cussin' since the last time Ray was trying to pimp a TX mule deer hunt

Drum

Ray,

You still hocking Texas mule deer hunts? Did you get everyone's money back from the last time you pimped mule deer in Texas. I know I didn't get the $1600.00 in airfare the 4 of us lost. Shit, you said you would file bankruptcy if I pressed to get our deposits back.

Sorry guy's, but it still stings knowing I got screwed booking mule deer with Ray.

bte

Damn,

and me and a few buddies were thinking of calling to book a hunt

Well boys, I guess Ray has learned from VonTonderGate and is not going to comment or give anybody a good cussin. Either that or he's talking to that lawywer Chester something something Esquire.

Its to bad people had to get screwed AGAIN and it saddens me that it happened on a mule deer hunt. Well, go read Sheephunters thread, it could have been a lot worse!

The only thing I would say about trying to book a hunt for mule deer is that if the "outfitter" and/or especially the "booking agent" mentions 200" as an expectation and not a remote possibility I would run away as fast as possible!

Drum

we know someone else that has rode that 200" horse till the hair fell off huh,drummond

quote:

Originally posted by ravenr:
we know someone else that has rode that 200" horse till the hair fell off huh,drummond

Yes we do!

Thats the reason this clown Ray chaps my ass so bad. I have been the guide trying to produce a deer that would make a hunter, who has had so much smoke blown up his ass, happy.

Looking back, we damn sure had a good time trying though! When are we going back to Sonora together?

Drum

i'm committed till jan 5th.what have you got going on?

I am heading down Sunday or Monday and will be coming back the 7th or 8th of January. I am going down early because I think I can get a ranch that I hunted a few years back leased for next season.

I will call you when I get back and let you know what I come up with and how much they charge me for the tags

Drum

There's something really perverse about the Ray Atkinson marketing strategy. I'll bet for every knock down drag out he has on this board, he sells another hunt or two to an unsuspecting newbie. For every 200" mule deer boast, for every "fair chase" bison hawked, for every hundred cape buffalo claimed shot there's probably some sucker out there willing to pay his comission. That said, there's more than one vendor on this board who seems to be lacking in the honesty department.