I have an opportunity to deer hunt on some private land in Mexico south of Del Rio this year. I won't be taking a gun across with me, so I don't need to worry about that, but I was wondering how difficult the process is of getting a Mexican hunting license and the logistics of bringing a deer back across the border. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'd be worrying about getting MYSELF back across the border. The drug cartels have YOU on their hunting license.

Here is a little info. http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u...o_safety#UNREAD

I know two people in the hunting/outfitter business. Both had great hunts available in Mexico, and both of them quit crossing the border a few years ago. Said it wasn't worth the risk.

I would love to go down to Mexico, but I think the safety aspect just isn't there right now.

It's a tough call. I know of numerous folks that cross over and hunt without any issues at all. And then there's the horror stories that we all know and hear about.

One of my friends has a family ranch down there. His uncle went down to stay for a couple of weeks. Apparently, one of the ranch staff members was paid to tip off the cartel when one of the "gringos" was on the ranch. They came in the middle of the night and kidnapped him. A ransom letter was sent but they couldn't provide proof that the uncle was still alive. The uncle was never seen again. That was several years ago. Was all over the S. Tx. news.

I am as close right now as I ever want to be to meXico

The bone collector and Jackie Bushman are still going with Clay Young 50 miles sw of Acuna unless all of the shows are old. I know Ray Hanselman and Jim Ballard quit helping Clay a few years ago.I fish Amistad on both sides of the lake and feel safe but no way Jose would I hunt there.

Not for me

As it turns out, there's some pretty good hunting right here. Good enough for me.

Laredo is as close as I'm getting.

I have a safe place to stay and feel relatively comfortable traveling to and from the location, so I definitely intend to go. I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction on what I need to know/do in order to bring back a deer. As far as I can tell I would need to acquire a Mexican hunting license and paperwork to get through U.S. Customs, anything else I should consider? Would I be better off not dealing with trying to bring back a frozen cape and skull and trying to find a taxi over there?

Fishstory - You know you can't say "Mexico" without a debate starting up, and both sides have valid points.

However, I do have a church friend that is going into his second year of hunting the same general area you mentioned. I'll email him and see what he says. I know he killed a good buck and likes the ranch very much.

He told me he wanted to take me down for a cull. 'Can't say I'm looking forward to that call - the wife's basically saying "hell no." We travelled down there (Monterrey) regularly when I was a child, and I do miss it. But, las drogas have changed everything.

Is Angadi still in operation? They've been a big help to a lot of hunters entering and leaving Mexico.

If you bring the cape back for mounting, it has to be froze solid or dipped for ticks with paperwork from whoever dipped it. Only way to get the cape across into Texas..Always skinned and quartered our deer, never had an issue with the meat itself, just the cape..

Fishstory - Here's what my buddy answered:

"He will need a Mexican hunting license and an import declaration signed by the land owner. There can not be any meat on the skull, if he wants to bring the entire skull across for a European mount he will need to boil it and get all the meat off of it both inside and out. If he caps it, which is what I do, he needs to get the skin off and scrape the brains out; I have not had any issue with doing this.

As far as the cape is considered, I called my taxidermist and he had some capes so I did not bring the cape across, this in my opinion is the best way. It is a pain to bring them across, you need to comb them out and they recommend looking at it with a magnifying glass when you do this. After combing all the ticks out you need to freeze the cape, than when you are ready to leave you need to partially thaw the cape, so the US customs agent can ply it apart and make sure you are not hiding something in the cape. If they find one tick they will turn you around.

As long as you have your license and import tag, you can bring the deer meat back across without a problem. I did not have any problems bringing back the meat and capped skulls. Although you need to allow for time at the border."

'Hope this helps.

If our capes weren't froze solid they would turn us back around to Mexico. Maybe things have changed since 2009 but a thawed cape would get you a return trip to Mexico and you can't just simply leave the cape in the trash on the Texas side.

Thank you very much Creekrunner, that is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Now I just need to get that license, hopefully that isn't too much of a pain.

I think the Ciudad Acuña area is safer than further east or further west. With that being said, anywhere is safe until you are in the crosshairs, then it is too late to repent...

I truly think the chances are slim something would happen but then again with a family I am not in a position to take those kind of chances.

In Eagle Pass, the cape must be thawed and you can leave it with the Agents at the border if they decide not to let you bring it across.

be sure to pay the zetas to watch your car

I guess things have changed since 09. That's where we crossed in 09 and they sent us back because it was thawed..Good info..

Stompy...yes things have changed....now U.S. Customs requires the cape be thawed out. They go over the cape with a fine tooth comb.
If they find even one small dead tick they will not let it enter.

The hunting down there this year should be awesome. The ranch I hunt has had about 10 inches of rain this spring and summer which very seldom happens. I hunt off Highway 2 about 14 miles from Piedras and have never had any issues at all. Hunted there since 2006. We only travel during day light hours and always have all our paperwork in order.

Here are the numbers for a couple of outfitters in Eagle Pass that has been in business for years and are very reputable.

Juan Garza 011 52 1 878 788 0310 cell number
Humberto Gomez 011 52 1 878 788 0701 cell number

Give either one of them a call and they can tell you everything you need to know about hunting in Mexico.