Why Is It Challenging to Hunt Mule Deer on Public Land in Texas?

For mule deer hunting in Texas, you have two choices – you can either hunt your prey on a private Texas hunting ranch or public land. If you choose the latter, you are someone who loves a challenge. Hunting mule deer on public land in Texas is no easy task.

Hunting on Public Land in Texas: The Challenges 1. Scout More than You Hunt

95% of land in the state is privately owned; so, your first challenge is finding a suitable location to hunt for mule deer. Even though the state has more than 1.5 million acres of public land, hunting for game takes more time because you are scouting more than you are hunting.

Most public grounds are either overhunted, or they just will not produce any quality game for you to hunt, hence leaving you with no choice, but to scout for mule deer and pray you to get lucky. You will need to get clever about it by hanging several trail cameras at different parts of the land. In doing so, you can hunt and scout at the same time.

2. Recovering Game is Your Biggest Obstacle

You got lucky and nabbed your first mule deer of the day, but now, the real challenge begins — hauling the game out of there and into your truck. Since you had to travel far to get the mule deer, most probably, you are miles away from your truck.

If you do not mind dragging the mule deer to your truck, hunt it down and take him home. If you do not want to hunt big game because of the difficulty of taking it to your truck, hunt small game on public land.

3. No Secret Spots in Sight

When you find a new, undiscovered secret spot, you feel over the moon. If you are hunting on public land, the likelihood of you finding a secret spot is slim, but still possible. These days, you have the technology to help you find the most optimal spots to hunt. Back in the day, it was all you.

Even though technology has made it easier for hunters to find various spots to set up for hunting game, it’s likely that others before them have also found that same exact spot. When you find a new spot, it will not be a secret, and you will not feel over joyous as you would have before. No one is complaining, as technology has made it easier to hunt for game.

4. Sharing Information Can Cost You Good Game

You put your blood, sweat, and tears into exploring, scouting, and hunting in that location only to lose it to a friend. It took you season after season to experience that part of the public land, but your friend just got it handed to them on a silver platter. When they go without you, taking a large party along with them, you lose the location to them for good. First off, public land in Texas hardly produces enough game. If you find a location that does, losing it hurts, especially since you worked so hard to discover it.

5. Do Not Believe the Videos

Not everything you see in a video should be believed. If you see an online magazine, for instance, telling you about this grand public location for hunters accompanied by a video, do not believe it. Videos do not tell you the whole truth, but only tell you what you want to see and hear.

Hunters hunting on public land create videos for their followers to see, depicting an ideal location to hunt for mule deer. In reality, these videos are far from being realistic. It took them at least one week or more to shoot that particular scene that garnered so many views.

If you take their word for it, you will be surprised to learn that game will not just present itself to you like in the videos after a few minutes of being there, but you will have to scout and explore the area.

Where Should You Hunt if Not on Public Land?

Have you heard of Desert Safaris? Desert Safaris across Texas offer hunters a chance to hunt on private land. Desert Safaris involved guided hunts aimed at giving you the best hunting while reducing the probability of unsuccessful hunts and hunting accidents.

Even though you can bring your own hunting equipment, some private hunting companies in the state offer high-tech hunting equipment to make hunting an even more enjoyable experience. You can choose from a wide range of hunting equipment such as high precision automatic guns, manual guns, binoculars, knives, and trucks to roam around the entire area easily.

If you plan to hunt for more than one day, they may even offer you accommodation during your stay. You will have better chances to hunt a mule deer on privately owned land than on public land. If you do not mind a challenge, you can try your luck hunting on public land.

Author Bio

Desert Safaris offers hunters a private hunting experience. They offer people access to free-range aoudad sheep, free-range axis deer, Texas mule deer, and New Mexico antelope hunting. They offer hunting in Texas and New Mexico.

Emily Scott is a blogger that has a passion for writing. She publishes content on various topics ranging from tips for event planning and interior designing to technological advancements and financial tips.