I know quite a few Lubbock people hang on this site. I grew up in Tahoka and used to hunt the playa lakes out west and south of Tahoka. Does anyone know of any Lubbock guides that lease around Tahoka. Since it has become pretty good business I figured some of the landowners I knew when I was younger have starting leasing their lakes for fly over shooting . Specifically Tahoka Lake, TBAR Lake and Twin Lakes..

Any help would be appreciated.

Big Honker Outfitters does crane hunts, not sure if it is in the Tahoka part of the world or not.

I live in Lubbock. Still no big deal to get permission for free. Still gotta get up at 4 and put out a jillion rags but it's free. Our running joke/bet is what the landowner will say when you ask for permission. By far the most common response is: Kill'em all!

I did a crane hunt last year with Big Honkers and it wasnt a favorable experience. We did fly by shooting and they werent flying by.

Since I was raised in Tahoka I still have connections. I am going to investigate further on the 30th October when I am in Lubbock on business.

That is interesting about your hunt with Big Honker.....
Who was your guide......Kinda curious on that one.....
True though that hunting over stuffers is still one of the best ways to go......but crane hunting is not like goose hunting or duck hunting.......

kwrhunting

It doesnt matter if we were hunting prairie dogs. If I am paying for a guide I expect them to be professional and I pay for their expertise. I saw neither on this trip.

It wasnt organized and they didnt have their business together. They may be decent goose guides but I will never use them again.

PJ,
Well that wasn't my original question.......The only reason I was asking was I know that one of the original owners quit and his partner has ended up hiring some new people...

Brad was who I dealt with and a bunch of college kids

I agree PJ that has been my experience with Brad. Only hunted with the guys on one duck/goose trip, they put the geese in our laps, but I wasn't to impressed with the organization etc.

My quail lease is out near Lamesa so I drive through Tahoka at least 3-4 times a month. I will let you know when I start seeing the big groups of cranes.

That really suprises me, but maybe things have changed since Joe left the outfit.........I haven't hunted with them in a couple of years........They do have access to some hot fields up north and can put you on geese.....I guess the young college attitude is starting to show with the new guys he has brought in.....

Thanks Mark3.. I appreciate it .

Yeah no problem. I doubt you can scout them very well from McKinney.

mark3..

I still know quite a few farmers around Tahoka and also quite a few buddies I graduated with in high school farm around there.

Just a matter of making my rounds and going back to my old haunts I havent hit in 20 years..

Well sounds like you don't need a guide just the time to go. Myself and some buddies go pretty often, we hunt the other direction Levelland, Littlefield and New Deal, but like I said the quail lease is at Lamesa so I see those big salt lakes covered with cranes on the way to quail hunt.

Mark3.

It sounds like I need to hire you as guide.. let me know if you see anything buzzing around there.

I am no guide, but I have a 100 rag crane decoys, some full body Canadas, and a 10 gauge; so next time you are headed this way let me know and if the birds are working you are welcome to join.

This is pretty hilarious, a couple guys trashing an outfitter because the hunt did go there way. I’ll tell you the truth on the hunts first the one with Luke Dunlap. We went out to pass shot crane, because that seemed to be the only thing that was working. Well the past five mornings went out with other clients and sat up in different fields and blasted away, and came home with limits most mornings. The way we sat up for them was we had a steady west wind that pushed the birds down low. We sat up right under them, on there way out to a corn field. Luke’s hunt we had a front that changed the wind to a east wind and that is why the birds flew out of range that one day. We shot a couple birds nothing spectacular so I felt a little bad. So we asked I they wanted to go jump shot a duck pond and we went out and shot a few ducks I think us my have even shot a couple more crane. Know I ask you how many other outfitters that you might go and for some reason you have a bad hunt try to make up for it. I even told this guy to find a time to come back and we would go out at no charge, he was the dumb butt that didn’t take me up on the offer, and goes and cries and complains on the computer PS loved the mini van/ hunt rig
The second hunt was with the bankers I told them that the duck hunt was not going to be very good and it wasn’t. The hunt total price was 4100 I cut them a great break 1250 hoping that they would return later on that year one group did. Well the goose hunt was one of the best of the year 42 birds shot. I had 5 shotguns including 2 SBE that I loaned out as well as going out and buying a case of shells for the group because some didn’t have anything to shot and he has the mind to say I am not organized maybe he has no clue what is going on. You deal with banking and I will deal with hunting. My record speaks for it self 58 days of birds shot 45 of those were full limits and there was a time frame were 18 days straight of limits I had ONE day that I shot ZERO birds. Joseph last year had his head up his girlfriends butt and had about TEN no kill days. Every one has them every once in a while. I would like to see you (mark3) go on another goose hunt like the one I took you on. Lets face you shoot a smoke pole (10ga) for a reason, you can’t get the birds I range so you just have to sky bust them. Watch my videos on the website and look for me in upcoming hunting shows and videos

If it’s not a Super Black Eagle, it’s a boat paddle

Also a little info on Big Honker Outfitters. It is no more I had to start over with Big Honker Guide Service, joseph had his worst season ever last year (2005-2006) and i am through dealing with his crap he was never there and had he was the one with the i don't give a sh#T attitude, As far as the new guides i will put them up against anyone.

And where do i hunt I-40 to I-20 and some hunts in New Mexico and Oklahoma. i cover more ground than any other outfitters, so to answer you question yes i have many acres in Tahoka let put it this way if theres good number of birds there so am I.

Well hello Brad. First off that wasn't a banker hunt I was the only banker those other guys do various types of work, I was just a guest of the guy paying so I had the privilige to tag along. Secondly if I am not mistaken in the 2nd or 3rd post on this topic I gave the guy your name and told him to use you, so anyway I see that you appreciate the referral. As far as the hunt we both know it was great, and I had a nice time listening to your stories about past hunts and dealing with other Outfitters in the area. The duck hunt, I thought it was pretty fun, afterall I killed the Cinnamon, so it was really good for me (someone still owes me a rifle for that bird). The goose hunt, was the best of my life, and no I didn't need the 10ga for sure, maybe even a 20ga, but the comment offended me, you know I love my 10, and you know I bought it to pass shoot cranes; however I will get over it. As for the comment about me sticking to banking and you sticking to hunting, well I guess I will have to since I don't want to live with my folks. Take care buddy, and keep after those geese. I will be in touch.

Well mark don't count on that rifle hes a cheap [censored] and by the way the lodge was my house to begin with and i figured that the hunters wanted a little privcy so yes i stayed with my parents last winter man it was great i did have to cook one meal and my mom even did my laundry so i had fresh undies every morning. Now i have completed the 1000 sqft. addition on the lodge and have my very own room(not at my parents house). The lodge is now 2500 sqft with 3 showers 2 toilets 4 spacist bedrooms one game room with a bar, pool table, and ping pong table, living room, and kitchen and i didn't have to take a loan out for the remodle, by saving money and staying with my parents for the winter

Brad,
What's the water situation out that way......I am assuming with all the rain, that playas are full for the birds.....
I hunted up near Dumas last year and had great water for the Thanksgiving hunt, but then it started to dry up by Christmas.........

Yeah I knew you used to live there and was using it as a temporary lodge, you told me about it. I am proud of ya, I think your a heck of an entrepeneur. I only took the shot about living with folks cause you blasted me for the 10ga, I love that gun. Anyway, the cheap guy you are referring to is talking about goose hunting again, and as you know I have not enjoyed the run ins I have had with other guys, so we will be calling. No lodge this year most likely only a couple of different morning hunts (I of course will bring the 1100 this time and 2 3/4 shells). We will be in touch, by the way I lived with my folks up until a couple of years ago, and I know I have at least 5 or 6 years on you, so you are doing pretty good.

One more note maybe to help you guys out shoot your crane and skin them completly brians and all sew them back up and go out and by a can of expanding foam and spray it in them place them outside let them dry for 2-5 days and know you have a crane stuffer one can of foam does about 3 birds and it take about 30 mins a bird once you get the hang of it. make sure to keep the stuffers away from the cats and mice as i have made that mistake before. 2dzn stuffers will bring the birds in like you would never guess. and as long as you take care and store the birds properly they should last.

I am looking forward to seeing the lodge......
Sounds like you have done quite a bit without Joe......
Didn't he end up becoming a father........