I fully agree that the cost of hunting in Texas is out of control. Some outfitters charging as much as $15000 for a Texas elk hunt is absolutely crazy. How do folks justify paying $5000 to $7000 for Texas german shepherd sized deer? It bothers me that the quality of animal you take is controlled by the thickness of your pocketbook.

Well, as somebody from out of state I will say thanks for the heads up...

Unlike how many of you think people will perceive what is written, I think it sheds a lot of light into aspects that may get overlooked, and ,no, I don't see it as putting a negative light on Texas hunting - the same 'extra' costs will affect you no matter where you go to hunt (aside from trophy fees), but since this is "Texas Hunting Forum" it is probably appropriate to mention Texas as the area being talked about...

My father guides big game hunters back in Canada, you shouldn't just book a hunt that costs $2000 if you only have $2500 to your name... Money goes out a lot faster than it comes in.

Law of supply and demand at work.


And to the OP, don't ever write anything like this again. Plus go choke yourself for about 3 minutes as punishment.

OP - The cost you refer to are not Hidden or Extra. The costs are the costs to hunt out of state. Any state.

You might try: "Here is a list of costs to consider when hunting out of state"

Edited by JCW1988 (Today at 09:42 AM)
Edit Reason: Too much beer when writing it....


Love it!

Let's see how this reads.
With the poor economy in some states, people around the country who are hunting and outdoor enthusiasts are looking to other states than there own for affordable hunting opportunities. One of the more prevalent states is Texas. With vast amounts of land, public or otherwise, and multitudes of professional outfitters to help you on your' quest, the choices for hunters today are pretty much endless. You can pay to hunt just about any creature that scratches the ground in Texas. Texas property owners have always made their money from the cattle industry. Since the decline of cattle prices and the increase in costs of resources like hay and feed, ranchers and landowners have turned to a more "native" source for income. They started providing hunts for native and non-native species to the public or leasing their land to outfitters to conduct such hunts on their property for a viable source of income. When looking for one of these outfitters to use for your' hunt, there are certain things you should be looking for as far as value and accommodations.
First, try to get references from someone you know who has used the outfitters services or from an on-line source such as Texas Hunters Forum. Once you have located a few of the outfitters that seem to best fit your' needs, ask questions. Most all reputable outfitters welcome any questions you may have initially in the process to combat cancellations and to just make sure their services are what you need and best fit the hunt you are looking for. Once the outfitter has given you the price for the hunt, ask what is and is not included in the package. Is there a trophy fee? If so, what are the guidelines to determine what he considers a trophy and are you held accountable if the guide has you take an animal that is outside of those guidelines? Does the package include lodging and meals? Does the base fee include travel to and from the airport? Does the outfitter offer help in getting your' harvest back home legally and if so, how much for that service? What is an equal and nominal percentage for tipping the guide that hunted with you? Are you responsible for obtaining your' own license or is that also included in the initial fee? Is there any additional fee for game processing?
Get answers to these and any other issues that you may have, and you should have an enjoyable hunt and an outing to remember. These guys are on your' side. They want you to come back as repeat customers and either bring others back with you or give other hunters looking for a similar adventure a good reference and point them his way. It is in the hands of the hunter more so than the outfitter or guide to make sure you get what you pay for. Don't prepare enough, or fail to ask the right questions, and you may get a surprise when the bill come in.

I would like to see his "site"!!! Might be interesting

He provided a link to his "site" in his first post.

I think he should just hire me to write for him.

Thank you FireGator

I really can't believe your posts...1. Most outfitters charge for
their services and don't provide State Lic. for anyone. 2. If you
are trophy hunting Whitetails in So. Texas their is usually a fee
to go with the size of the animal...Maybe the hunt is for 150 B&C
and under for the orig. price and everything over is a $100 per in. point...So you could pay $3500 for a hunt that could run to
over $15000 if you choose to shoot the best buck on the ranch.

Regarding TIPS...If your guide does their job, puts you on game,
cleans, loads it, carries you around with them and entertains you
for 3 days to a week, why would you quibble on a tip that you'd give a waitress for a 30 min meal percentage wise when you may have obtained the trophy of your lifetime thru this guys efforts
in your behalf...Don't work under the assumption that he's being
paid a lot to do this job..

If you have about $5-$7,000,000 you could start your own operation and jerk these little guys around from the other side
while pocketing the bucks for the animals...Don

Check out his article on how to kill a deer with a knife. He must be new to the hunting world.

Yeah have to say I never thought that having to buy a state hunting license to hunt game in a state was a "hidden" fee.

After reading this I have come to the conclusion I have wasted my time. Maybe I should hire a guide to show me the threads worth reading. Before I do I want to know the going rates for tips for the advice and the shipping costs of the threads.

I'll draw the same conclusion.

I spend a lot of money to hunt in Texas and its worth every penny, if fact priceless on a lot of occasions!

If you actually check out the story you will see that he says it is dumb and probably not possible. He then posts a how to video that someone else made along with a news story of someone who actually died trying to do so. I just mention this because this guy is getting bashed enough already.

if you think texas is high try going to alaska.