Afternoon guys - I am new to this board and found it while looking for information on Mule Deer and Big Bend State Park. The discussions looked interesting/helpful so if you don't mind I'd like to ask a few questions myself. I have hunted Black Gap and would like to get a perspective on Big Ben Ranch.

o Does anyone on the board have experience hunting Mule Deer in Big Bend SP ?
o Any advise on how you would setup for a hunt in this area ?

Can you even hunt in the SP? I didn't think it was allowed.

I hope so - I have the tag...

Did you put in through the draw system? I knew Black Gap had it but never heard about the SP. When do you hunt during the regular mulie season and is it buck only. O.K just give me all the details. 300,000 acres to cover or do you hunt compartments? I am jealous!!! Thanks

OK - Let me clarify... It is a draw hunt (AMD) under Big Bend Ranch. I can see the confusion being that Black Gap is just North of "Big Bend NATIONAL Park". Whenever I hear Big Bend I also think of the National Park.....Big Bend Ranch is a buck and javelina hunt with feral hogs and exotics thrown in… but I can’t recall ever seeing feral hogs and exotics in that area…. Unfortunately I spend far to little time in that area to be an expert though…..

Hogs are getting more common in West Texas in the area and so are the Elk.

StraitShot, you didn't give me many details. Have they been hunting the SP very long? When are you going? I know there is no hunting in the NP, but I have never heard of anybody hunting the SP. I did a search on this forum and couldn't find any conversations on hunting the SP. My brother in law and I put in for Black Gap every year but have yet to get drawn, did you have any luck there? The hogs and black bear are definitely becoming more populated, are you allowed a mountain lion if you see one?

Big Bend Ranch State Park has been in the TPWD drawing system for several years now. There are hunts in several hunt categories (Javalina, Gun Mule Deer, and Youth Only Gun Deer).

I do not recall how long Big Bend Ranch has been on the draw. I remember reading about it coming into the park system years ago (about 5 - 6 years ago if I am remembering correctly) and it got a lot of attention. Check it out in your draw book for details.

Black Gap is a wonderful place to hunt. I loved it. I was lucky and drew section 6 (as it was designated then) and it came complete with a small box canyon on the north end and a small stream feeding three successive pools of water. The middle section had two rather large hills where mule deer would bed down very near the top!! To the east was a very tall rock ridge that ran the length of the section, rough hard and hot. The section also had two guzzlers, one to the south and one to the north that were full at the time. There had been lots of rain and the high plains desert was a green as anything you might imagine. Rock plants in bloom and the ocotillo leafed out. The ocotillo looked like flames of gold when back lit in the evening sun. I had five days of camping and hunting all to myself. Not far from my camp site was a place where candelaria (a waxy cactus) was harvested and there were very old rifle casings on the ground as well as some home made tin pots that had been left behind. The candelaria had not been harvested there in about 50 years and it was interesting to try to see the landscape though the eyes of folks who had been there along time before.

So about the wild life. I nearly jumped out of my skin when quail burst over my head as I was creeping through some brush. That was good for a laugh and I got use to it after the third time. But of course every animal in the area also knows something is up at that point... you just laugh and go on... I had javelinas walk into my camp one evening.. Shot one behind the shoulder at 7-yards with a mechanical head. The sound of an impact that close is amazing. Like a rip, cut and hard punch all at once. Tracked the animal into the brush and wound up in the middle of the heard / pack. The tracking tail is story in itself I won't post here. I felt bad about not retrieving the animal but the lead biologist showed me a javelina skull with a neat hole in the front. That javelina had been hit with a three blade broad head and ran off too. The hole was healed except around where the arrow shaft had been. So the animal had survived a long time with a broad head and shaft in its head. That was amazing. I did not get a deer. Two other hunters got smaller young bucks. There were bear sign… large lefy plants pushed over and eaten from the bottom up and middle out and cougar scat. I never saw either of these animals although we were told they are in the area.

Hope that helps. Keep on entering the draw and you will get the license.... it does take awhile though...

I hunted the Big Bend Ranch before the state bought it. We hunted on horseback. Mexicans would ride in to camp with a bunch of horses and mules. They did the guiding. It was one of the best and enjoyable hunts I've ever been on. We didn't kill any big mule deer but it was just a fun and unique hunt.

That sounds like a great hunt! I get so bored hunting the hill country and I have a place in Dryden too, but that sounds like a whole lot more fun. Well, hopefully somebody can help you out on where to try at, the only thing I can think of is to try google earth. Good luck on your hunt!