I've decided before any more life issues come up to take my 5yr & 2 yr Brittany's for a DIY pan handle hunt. I've never been and I heard about the lions clubs. Any pan handle vets out there for some advise. Best/cheapest - overall hunt quality, hotels...etc I can't afford an outfitter so will need to be public or best lions club. I've grown up in Pa cutting my teeth hunting pheasants and been I Tx for 4 years now its time to take a trip. Thanks for the help!!!

I have similar interests. My Brittanys have been getting older, as well as me! Since quail numbers are so low in TX, I have had to rely on South Dakota trips for any good bird hunting these days. The panhandle would be closer, but not by much for me!

Let us know what you find up there (wild birds). Thanks.

I'd save my money an go to Kansas. If they can get a good spring and summer birds should be up from last year. SW KS isn't any further than the panhandle and on a halfway decent year there are way more birds and thousands and thousands of public hunting land available.

I thought of it but would cost more w/ out of state license

Out of state license is only 78 bucks. Rain will be the key.

Honestly, if you want to see any birds on public land you have to go to Kansas or further North. There's practically no public hunting land in the Panhandle that will be worth your time. The Lion's Clubs would be your best bet if you want to stay in Texas or pay for a lease/outfitter.

Appreciate everyone's input and the reason I'm researching now

I lived in Mt. Hope, Kansas for a few years, we would hunt public out West. It was a while back but I was impressed with the number of birds we saw.

I do some sort of Lions Club or other community funds raiser hunt every year in the Panhandle. There has been years where the hunting was absolutely fabulous, and years that I have only seen 1 bird. Like Kansas, it all depends on rain. I'm not saying that the Panhandle is as good as Kansas, but if the Texas panhandle area gets good timely rains it is very easy to get your limit of pheasant daily on a community fund raiser type hunt, I done it for years. As for where to hunt, you will have to do some calling to local Chambers of Commerce, they will direct you. The people in the Panhandle are super friendly, and will do what they can to help you find a place to hunt. Some communities actually will have guided hunts, others just give you a map and let you go. We go every year good or bad, and it is absolutely my favorite hunt of the year. Some hunts are for opening weekend only, others are season long. We normally go the second weekend to avoid the crowds at the hotels, plus it is usually a little cheaper. You can expect to pay between 100-250 bucks. Like I said before, I'm not comparing this to Kansas or any other well known area, but the hunting at times can be really good, plus it is in Texas. A few towns you might contact are: Stratford, Hereford, Dumas, Hart, Olton, Nazareth, Tulia, Cotton Center, those are just a few off the top of my head. Hope that helps, I'll be there next December, hope some of ya'll can make it.

That's what I needed! Gracias

No problem.

Why are you putting a gap in panhandle

I would wait 2-3 years to try this in the panhandle. I have hunted the panhandle for 25+ years. The drought has been terrible for the population. The above poster mentioned many good town to call. Spearman is also a good bet.

The lions club in spearman had some good land when their are birds.

Southwest Kansas and the Texas/Oklahoma panhandles are all in the same drought boat. Every area need moisture, life giving water to turn the wheat and grass green this spring. Green wheat and green grass also provides nutrients and insects for the hens to eat and valuable nesting cover and escape cover for the chicks from predators.
The snow that area received a few day ago and received today is a good sign that more moisture is riding the subtropical jet from the south pacific. Lets hope and pray that this wetter trend continues this spring and that by this summer a weak El Nina will improve the moisture train or some type of tropical disturbance will come north out of the Gulf or north out of Baja California from the pacific side this summer.

How about an outfitter- maybe access fee kinda deal?

I would have to agree on waiting to hunt the panhandle. I've found that the bird population has been devistated around the Dumas and Dalhart area. Usually limit out almost every day we hunt, but this year it was a struggle to just see some birds. The dove hunting was good though.

Check out Dane with tule creek outfitters. He can point you in the right direction.

I would hate to live in dumass