Here's an idea. Why don't some of the well off folks out there buy a bunch of land and let us po' folks hunt for free. Sabrinavonbach, would you be so kind as to start this trend? I'm sure it will take off like wildfire, if you get it started.......

I don't know what you spend, but if you're going to hunt trophies in Texas you're going to spend high dollar for the chance and that means just that. First thing is if you don't travel get a credit card that gives you airmiles. Secondly a great way to find true bargains is cancellation hunts. A great resource is The Hunting Report newsletter. Their bargain board is totally free and lists new hunts every Monday. Thirdly you can do the same thing with the major outfitters. Most of them have cancellation hunts and so do email announcements. All of these hunts are fully or partially paid for. Expect 50 to 70% off many if not most. No one makes money if you can't go. Some of them need a hunter quickly, usually within a month. They had PAC lions available for 5 grand a few years ago, but they need the hunter there within 5 days. The same 5 grand will just put you into trophy ranch range in South Texas. There are other ways as well. Listen. Learn.

Had a friend go to Chef school on Vermont. He went out hunting with a local he met. They just parked on the side of the road, crossed the fence and started hunting. Asked the guy is he had permission and he said "No, this is how we do it up here." My friend was nervously watching over his shoulder the whole time waiting for an irrate landowner to come run them off.

On the out-of-state thing. I spend $1000 (+/-) for two weeks DIY archery elk. Don't lease here in TX. I'm a landowner and much prefer the two weeks in CO to the whole season here in TX. The TX season is mainly for my boys.

So five grand for one hunt=1year of hunting here hmmmmm my opion varies on what you get for the money!

I can see trying to save another hunter some money.

From what I see however, both in Canada and Africa, prices are rising just as fast.

Add to that the fact that travel outside of North America, is getting hazardous for Americans.

Yes, I see special deals that outfitters in Canada and Africa offer, and after having looked at the ones in Africa, there are some reasonable deals there, in some instances better than the High End Trophy White Tail hunts in Texas and other parts of the U.S..

That does not negate the fact that many hunters do not pay for those High End trophies.

They lease themselves a place and are happy with any good buck they get, and they are not having to pay a daily guide fee, no trophy fees, no seperate goverment fee for each species bagged, no shipping and dipping and customs fees, no daily tipping rates, no fees for moving from one hunting area to another, no bribes to local officials(unless they are hunting in Mexico), no layovers in England or Germany, and the list goes on.

Are there cheap hunts in the states, yes there are, providing you are not hunting by yourself, and can split the costs among two or three other people.

Are there cheap hunts in Texas for what some folks might consider a Trophy some but not a huge number.

Are there some reasonably priced hunts for decent bucks that the average person would be proud of, you betcha, you just have to look for them.

Hunting, World Wide, is continueing to increase in price, nothing can be done about that.

Everything involved in doing a hunt is increasing right along with the the price of the hunt its self.

Do you feel that outfitters/guides and landowners should reduce their prices for hunts, while everything they use to put on those hunts is increasing in price.

That is like saying stores should not raise their prices to their customers, even though everything they do to keep their doors open and goods on their shelves is costing them more.

I understand what you are getting at, and while I do agree in principal on some things you have said, I just feel that what you think people should do is just highly impractical and would only add to the problem instead of correcting it. JMO.

Depends upon what you're looking for Scott. Five Grand only gets into the lease, it doesn't pay for the rest, gas, wear and tear on the vehicle, ATV's etc. Like I said it's an alternative that people need to know about. If it's not for you then it's not for you, but I bet you'd love to take that beautiful rifle and your daughter on a hunt overseas and you could do it relatively cheaply. Overseas airfare is a game and you have know how to play the game. Cheapest way of getting to Africa is simple in peak time. Split the trip. Use your US carrier airmiles to get to Europe, someplace like Frankfurt which is a huge hub, take a day room there, and then book the national carrier of the place you want to go to. It takes longer but is ultimately cheaper and often a lot cheaper.

Actually Wes Carter does it now, but you have to be a wounded veteran to hunt with him.

I'll pass on that I am going when daughter is 16, but I think I will pay to go direct, dont want to get stuck somewhere trying to find my rifle. She wants a Zebra and I will make it happen!

Well that's a stand up thing for him to do. It really has nothing to do with the matter of you running down Texas hunting, while pimping African hunts as being better . Some folks want to hunt all year & some want to spend it all in one wad. One isn't better or worse, just different, so what's the point of running down what most of the folks on a site dedicated to Texas hunting, enjoy.

you keep talkin' about using all your airmiles to make hunting cheaper for the regular guy? How may blue color guys who are having a hard time paying for their Texas deer lease travel enough on airlines to accrue the frequent flyer miles needed to fly to Africa or Canada???

But I really like your idea of "lets all not hunt for a year, that'll fix 'em!"

Germany is the best place to go. NEVER go to the UK. NEVER leave the US from NYC if you want to find your gun. Otherwise you probably won't need to worry much. A Mountain Zebra in Namibia is a great hunt and a great trophy. Package there are superb and are all inclusive including the tip. Taxidermy is also superb and cheaper as well. See Scott, I got you thinking. Next thing you'll be doing is looking at the websites and reading Peter Capstick.

Whats that got to do with the price of rice in China?


Sorry some guy made a moronic comment about rich people keeping deer leases so poor people could hunt for free. Wes Carter of Carter's Country sponsors wounded vets to hunt at his ranch. Great program.

Why aren't you hunting right now instead of talking about it if its so cheap? I own a place and have an outfitter working our land and Ive never heard of him discounting a cancellation hunt. You're talking passports, out of the country hunting licenses,red tape out the kazoo. Let us Texas hunters do it the way we been doing it and you do yours your way! That is one of the alternatives I suggest for you.

you keep talkin' about using all your airmiles to make hunting cheaper for the regular guy? How may blue color guys who are having a hard time paying for their Texas deer lease travel enough on airlines to accrue the frequent flyer miles needed to fly to Africa or Canada???
you keep talkin' about using all your airmiles to make hunting cheaper for the regular guy? How may blue color guys who are having a hard time paying for their Texas deer lease travel enough on airlines to accrue the frequent flyer miles needed to fly to Africa or Canada???


Well you can pay for all your gas, beer, etc on a credit card that will GIVE you airmiles for each purchase. Try Capital One. There are many others.

I am sure it is, but the bottom line is hunting is expensive, people have to make choices, and it boils down to your income and how important it is to you, No different than me choosing to drive a 4x4 diesel instead of driving a little toyota 4x4. Economics and Choices.

Illustrating your absurdity with more absurdity appears to have been lost on you. Why am I not surprised... Bottom line is, you are bashing away at Texas hunting, while foolishly attempting to compare it to African hunting. Look in the dictionary under moronic, you may actually see a mirror.

Why aren't you hunting right now instead of talking about it if its so cheap? I own a place and have an outfitter working our land and Ive never heard of him discounting a cancellation hunt. You're talking passports, out of the country hunting licenses,red tape out the kazoo. Let us Texas hunters do it the way we been doing it and you do yours your way! That is one of the alternatives I suggest for you.


Lets take it one at a time. I just got back from Namibia a month ago. I'll be going to Argentina after Thanksgiving, it's their off season and cheaper. If you've never heard of an outfitter not discounting a paid for hunt then it only emphasizes what's wrong with Texas and it shows you've never looked beyond what goes out of the state. I suggest you google up cancellation hunts and see for yourself. I didn't know passports were a problem and everyone should have one. Outfitters take out all the red tape. It's what they do.

Congrats to sab, this one will be locked down in NO TIME!

I mean yea NY got his facts a bit crossed, hes from out of state, dont be toooooo harsh on him but thats nooo reason for "some" to get all anti-Texas hunting.