Long story short, Active Duty Military Originally from Michigan, but was stationed in Japan for the last 5.5 yrs. Just got stationed in San Antonio Tx, and am finally able to enjoy some of the perks of being American (Trucks, guns, HUNTING, ect.).

I would like to start hunting with my son and while I'm looking into it, it seems that everything is privatized in my area. People are charging $5,000 for land leases. $2,000+ for guided whitetail hunts, $250 to kill a feral hog... These prices seem astronomical.

There are two "Public" land spots less than 2 hrs from me but they seem to bother operate on a Lottery system which just based on ratio it would seem highly unlikely to get a tag in the lottery.

My question to the South Texas Hive is this. Are any of you a land owner that would be willing to let myself and my 6 yr old son hunt on your land for a decent price that isn't 5 grand?

Also, are there resources out there that I am not tapping into that could be cheaper? Should I just be poor somewhere else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

All I can say is good luck.  Hunting is expensive in Texas if you don't own land

Go hunt on Ft Hood.  Camp Bullis and Swift also have hunting. Hit up the Ft Hood  Rod and Gun club for info on local hunting leases.

I've done practically zero hunting in the last 20 years because land owners are getting the prices they are asking for leases.  They've got no reason to give anything cheap let alone free.  A lot of people I know turn away most of the inquiries because they are booked up with regulars who gladly pay what they are asking.

Sadly, you'd have to rely on the generosity of a landowner that has not already leased the hunting rights to his/her land.  If he has already leased his land, he is likely prohibited from offering you hunts because he would violate most hunting leases.  Liability always becomes an issue and is also addressed in leases.  A landowner without a hunting lease would be liable for you hunting their land.  Not many are willing to accept this risk if they don't know you well.

Texas is a tough place to hunt due to the fact that most all land is privately owned.

That, and I already have problems with the neighbor setting up to shoot shit on my property, I don't want to bring some rando out to just do whatever. I've had a couple friends come out to shoot hogs, but if I was gonna let someone go deer hunting it would probably be one of us goes with you and says shoot that one.

My dad has a fair bit of land not too far from Austin and I've done a good bit of hunting out there, but it's really hit or miss a lot of the time. My dad won't allow anyone out there unless I'm with them. I have invited some Arfcommers out there on occasion and it's worked out pretty well so far. Problem is, I haven't been able to get out there since January and didn't see any game out there.

If you are not a land owner here you have to pay to play.

My family (4 guns) and I just came off a lease paying 1700 a gun.  Previous to this we paid 2000 a gun. These were not a lease with Monster deer and 100% privacy.  We just looked at another lease that was 5000 a gun,  so I feel your pain there. We turned down the lease for various reasons.

The lease was found by posting on Craigslist what we wanted,  how many members and a brief description of who we were.  We had some hits this last month or so but got turned down on one in Laredo and decided not to go with another, in Junction  for various reasons.  

Another way one lease was found was looking at chamber of commerce. Texas parks and wildlife does have an area where a lease can be posted,  try that to see if you like anything there. It might be getting late to be looking.

One problem we are running into now is some landowners are not wanting kids on the lease or family, each gun pays and each gun counts toward the amount of people on the lease. Hope all this makes sense to you.

So far we are looking but expecting to sit out next season. Maybe you can look around and get on with a group.

If you want to get outdoors,  I think fishing opportunities are more easily accessible and it is where I will move over toward more especially if I don't hunt next year. A kayak down at the coast or around a lake and you are in business teaching your boy the same lessons as in hunting.

Hope this helps.

We have four guns on a ~500 acre lease southwest of Mason and we pay $2500/gun.  This was a steal given the area and the quality of the deer.  Like the poster above mentioned, there are a number of ways to look for a lease.  Years ago, I was on a 10,000 acre lease near Brady but the cost per gun of that place today would be outrageous.  We had 20 guns and we all were friends.  Another lease was 1000 acres north of Fredricksburg (four guns) and that was found through family.   I'm not ever going to pay $5000/gun . . . I'll opt for a more modest place with fewer amenities and less acreage.

Did they stop the access to hunt on Bullis and the Medina Annex?

Fort Clark

Its an old army base that's now a retirement community.  Its easy to find online.  They will let you hunt Axis cheaper than anywhere.  You might be hunting a golf course!

I should really stop telling people about this.

For cheap leases, go west.   Way west.   Brewster, Presido, Jeff Davis, Culberson counties.  

It will be tough hunting.   But cheap.   And, it will be a camping style hunt were you have to bring in everything, and what you leave behind worth more than $5 will likely not be there when you return.  

My BIL has a lease in Sanderson.  They shoot alot of jack rabbits and very few decent deer.  Some armadillos and some javelins.

Get your kid a hunter education certificate and put him in the Texas youth hunting program and put in for the draw hunts. You should get at least one. You can also put in for draw hunts, I spent like $20 and got drawn for 2 hunts for the 2020 season. Plus there are also about a million veteran non-profits in the area that do nothing but take  vets on hunts. Military Warriors Support Foundation is a good one.

@witago

https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/free-cheap-public-hunts-texas/


I live on Laughlin AFB (I haven't been military for over 20 years though) and they allow hunting on Laughlin AFB In Del Rio ( about 135 miles west of San Antonio on US HWY 90).

https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/laughlinafb/publication/laughlinafbi32-7064/laughlinafbi32-7064.pdf

https://www.laughlin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/637798/laughlin-hunting-program-re-opens/

https://www.laughlinfss.com/outdoor-recreation

Also Lake Amistad (Del Rio) has archery hunting including whietail.
https://www.nps.gov/amis/planyourvisit/hunting-regulations-2019-2020.htm
https://www.nps.gov/amis/hunting-season-2020-2021.htm

Fort Clark Springs (in Brackettville about 115 miles west of San Antonio on HWY 90 between Uvalde and Del Rio)
https://www.fortclark.com/hunting.html

There are also several areas for day dove hunting between San Antonio and Uvalde.

As others said Presidio is also a good spot.
Lived there for 6 years and some of the best (and FREE) dove hunting on the Rio Grande river levees and flats.


Also just West of Presidio  (past HWY 67 and North of FM170) there are numerous sections of land that are owned by the state that people hunt on for free.  Its all mule deer and Aoudad sheep and you have to work for it.

Also Big Bend Ranch State Park in Presidio area.

https://texashuntingtimes.com/big-bend-ranch-state-park-hunting/

Game Warden contact info for Presidio County.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/warden/index.phtml?county=PRESIDIO

@M2K
Or you can hit them with your truck as they run though town, like I did 3 years ago LOL.
Lived in Brackettville 5 years just moved to Laughlin the last year.

Sanderson, I didn't think anyone else even knew of that area on the map.

The blue quail hunting out that way can be hard work, but a lot of fun.  The dog pear makes it particularly interesting.

OP i sent an IM with info you desire;
don't know if you got it, so IM me if u want to hunt with your son

Hogs are not difficult you can find hunts for $100-$200/night, deer, exotics, etc., yeah if you don't know someone it is going to cost you more for sure. If you aren't having luck message me, I can get you in contact with some folks.

My boss gave up paying for leases because they got so expensive. He just goes out of state to hunt now.

The company we work for is looking to buy some land to build a warehouse. He's doing everything he can to get them to buy at least 40 acres so we can use it for hunting.

$2,500 a gun you say?  

I never pay that much for meat. I fire my .308 all day at "Carter's Country" for about $50 in reloads and range fees, and on the way home I stop off at the HEB and buy a 5lb pack of Sirloin for $20 which the wife prepares. That leaves me about $2,430 left over in my wallet and plenty of time to be back at work on Monday.

I know you are joshing us but the cost we pay for leases is not only for the meat.  The experience is what we pay for . . . camaraderie, being close to the land and its wildlife, maintaining the skills our forbears had regarding land and game management as well as meat processing and preservation.  We never see the night sky in all its glory from our urban cities.