My son drew the youth big bend hunt. Anyone here been on one of the big bend hunts? Didn’t see much through the search function.
Hunted West Texas for Mule Deer for about 10 years.
Had one of the best teach me so I'll pass along what I learned.....
Find a high vantage point and stay parked. Look into the bottoms and on short gravel ridges. People get in a hurry and they pass over deer moving. If there is a deer there, they will be pretty obvious. Most bed down until they stand up to feed. You will be looking at nothing and then boom, one silver dot, then another, then another. They will shine silver, especially when the sun hits them. Typical movement is morning and evening. Deer density is generally low, with only a handful of deer per section, though some areas will hold more than others. Water is a plus but they are not as dependent on water sources as you would think. If you see a decent in the morning and lose him, stay put. He will get back up. If you see a good buck in the evening and lose light, go back the next morning, he will more than likely be within a few hundred yards of where he was the prior day.
Get a good pair of shooting sticks and practice off them.
Other than that, get a good kit together, tire plugs ( thorns and stobs are a real thing) jet boil, water, ramen, toilet paper, leather gloves, etc. plan on hunting all day....I usually didn't come back into camp save for a rare occasion. Also, cell service can be spotty so I recommend an inreach so you can text the manager if you get in a pinch
Good luck and as mentioned, make it a vacation/adventure.
