the jan 2 I will leave for Alpine for a west texas elk hunt. Will be my third elk hunt in the West. First time nothing. Second time a small bull. I hope this time a good 6x6...
After few days in Dallas for a tour at the convention

good luck Mario
hope you find one that makes your
heart skip a beat!!
of course we will be expecting pictures and a detailed report.....

Thanks Ravenr.
Of course lot of pictures and a report when I come back home.

Mario
how did west tejas treat you???

Hope you had good, Mario. Looking forward to read you report! Where are you exactly, private land?

West Texas elk hunt? Wouldn't that be a fenced ranch hunt? I'm not aware of free range elk hunts in west Texas, I have nothing against high fence but if there truly is a free range non resident hunt in Texas for elk I'd like to know about it.
Funny how some will scoff at a fenced lion hunt but endorse another animal behind wire.

HI Guys.
I'm returned yesterday from my ( free range) elk hunt.
I will post report and pictures ASAP

2th doc wrote:

quote:

West Texas elk hunt? Wouldn't that be a fenced ranch hunt?

NO, it most certainly would not have to be as there indeed are FREE RANGING elk in the mountains of West Texas.

I've personally seen elk in the Wylie Mtns of West TX. The landowner brought them into a 47,000 acre low fenced ranch just south of Van Horn, TX. They were wild as march hares.

West Texas is a great place to hunt. Whitetail, mule deer, pronghorn, elk, javelina, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, auodad, and in some areas, wild boar. They also have some pretty good varmit hunting. You never know what you'll see out west.

I hunted one ranch out by Ft Stockton and the only high fence was around an alfalfa field and the rancher still couldn't keep the game out.

I hope you did well on your hunt Mario.

I've never heard of free range elk hunts in Texas that weren't private herds,etc. I do know some states east of the Mississippi River have small wild herds some with lotteries to hunt them, is this what Texas does or are they hunted like ranch exotics?

elk herds in west Texas are free-ranging in the Glass and Davis Mts (by Davis, I'm also including the ranges north and south of Alpine) - these are introduced populations but are not considered native Game Animals by TPWD and there are no closed seasons - they are treated like exotics, I suppose because they were not introduced by the state but were instead introduced by ranchers. So they are hunted like exotics. IMHO, they are unregulated by seasons because the landowners that have them have pull with the state.

There may be "free ranging" elk in TX but they are all legally classified as livestock. For that very reason I just cant see myself hunting them. But then, I grew up in CO and we have the biggest elk herds in the world so I may be somewhat biased.

quote:

Originally posted by Flags:
There may be "free ranging" elk in TX but they are all legally classified as livestock. For that very reason I just cant see myself hunting them. But then, I grew up in CO and we have the biggest elk herds in the world so I may be somewhat biased.

This statement makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.....

Flags
where these elk are located, it is some of the roughest,harshest,toughest real estate the good lord ever made.
don't under estimate the wildness of these elk, not to be confused with any sort of livestock

quote:

Originally posted by Flags:
There may be "free ranging" elk in TX but they are all legally classified as livestock. For that very reason I just cant see myself hunting them. But then, I grew up in CO and we have the biggest elk herds in the world so I may be somewhat biased.

Please enlighten me. Do the elk know they are classified as livestock? Does this make them tame. If you classified the elk in Colorado as livestock would they suddenly become tame?

Elk are also in Eagle and Sierra Diablo mountain ranges. Most land owners (at least in our area) do not like the elk, which are thriving. Neighbor turned out 100+ head a few years back. Have large herd of desert bighorn sheep and worried about disease and competing for food/water.

quote:

Originally posted by cotton76:
Elk are also in Eagle and Sierra Diablo mountain ranges. Most land owners (at least in our area) do not like the elk, which are thriving. Neighbor turned out 100+ head a few years back. Have large herd of desert bighorn sheep and worried about disease and competing for food/water.

Please let me know how I can help these landowners out by taking off some of these Elks.

half report posted.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...8321043/m/5351018741
About the elks there they seems to me very wild.
See this comment that seems to clarify a bit the story:
http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld....cord-elk-from-texas/

Mario if they seem wild enough to you isn't that all that really matters? Congratulations on your trip and trophy. Doc

Mario, a great story! I'm happy for your wife and you, sounds like a wonderful experience for both of you and a beautiful corner of America to enjoy it!

yes guys I like very much the West

Mario,it looks like you had a great hunt.Congrats on your Trophy Elk.