West Texas Mule Deer - Desert Safaris

Went on a trip out near Alpine / Ft Stockton to do some filming for Desert Safaris for a new promo video we are going to make for them. I was fortunate enough to harvest this awesome management buck. Big body and was he was an old dude for sure. This was my first mule deer and first time to hunt that part of Texas. Very cool experience and would recommend everyone do this hunt at some point. It is truly beautiful country. Lots of Aoudad out there too, one of the other hunters in camp killed a beast 32" ram while we were there. The third image is a deer one of the other hunters in camp killed, that one they figured to be right about 160" which is an average buck for them. We saw a couple of true giants, but couldn't get on them.

Nice one.

good job

Nice buck

Nice buck. I emailed for a price inquiry. If you know a ballpark amount could you pm it to me?

Nice

Very nice. Congrats!

Nice buck. Congrats.

I got this email from them a couple of weeks ago.

2935 Thousand Oaks, #6-217
San Antonio, TX 78247
(210)264-1745 • (210)764-1827
www.desertsafaris.com
2015 PRICE LIST AND INFORMATION
PRONGHORN ANTELOPE (COLFAX COUNTY, NEW MEXICO)
3 DAYS
(2X1)
$3,950.00
PRONGHORN ANTELOPE (MORA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO)
3 DAYS
(1X1)
$5,950.00
FREE-RANGE AOUDAD SHEEP
4 DAYS
(2X1)
$5,500.00
COMBO FREE-RANGE AOUDAD SHEEP AND TROPHY DESERT MULE DEER
7 DAYS
(2X1)
$11,500.00
TROPHY DESERT MULE DEER (TEXAS
TRANS-PECOS REGION)
5 DAYS
(1X1)
$7,950.00
TROPHY DESERT MULE DEER (TEXAS
PANHANDLE REGION)
5 DAYS
(1X1)
$9,950.00
MANAGEMENT DESERT MULE DEER (TEXAS TRANS-PECOS REGION)
3 DAYS
(2X1)
$3,950.00
MANAGEMENT DESERT MULE DEER (TEXAS PANHANDLE REGION)
3 DAYS
(2X1)
$4,950.00
FREE-RANGE TRANS-PECOS ELK
6 DAYS
(1X1)
$5,000.00
plus $4,500.00 trophy fee
JAVELINA
2 DAYS
(2X1)
$1,750.00
Minimum 2 hunters required.
PREDATOR
3 DAYS
(2X1)
$1,950.00
Minimum 2 hunters required.
PREDATOR/HOG COMBO
4 DAYS
(2X1)
$2,500.00
Minimum 2 hunters required.
FREE-RANGE AXIS DEER
3 DAYS (2x1)
$3,950.00
EXOTICS
DAILY RATE
$350.00
plus trophy fee. Call or email for price schedule.
RIO GRANDE TURKEY
3 DAYS
(2X1)
$1,500.00
SCALED QUAIL
DAILY RATE
$650.00
Minimum 2 hunters & 2 days required.
* Hunts Quoted 2x1 (2 Hunters w/ 1 Guide) may be upgraded to a 1x1 (1 Hunter w/ 1 Guide) at an additional $350.00 daily fee.
SERVICES INCLUDED IN HUNT: * Meals & first-class lodging on ranch or motel
* Transportation during the hunt in 4-wheel drive jeeps or pickups
* Services of our professional guides
*Field dressing, skinning, caping and quartering of your trophy
* Preparation of trophy for transport home
*Taxidermist arrangements
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN HUNT:
*Alcoholic Beverages
* Transportation to and from commercial airports
*Taxidermy
*Expediting of Trophies to Destination
*Game Processing
*Gratuities
DEPOSITS:
Your reservation will be confirmed upon receipt of a non-refundable deposit of 50% the cost of your particular hunt.
Upon receipt of deposit, a confirmation letter and acknowledgement of dates will be sent to you. Deposits are transferable to another individual but may not be rolled over into a following year.
PAYMENTS:
Clients will be invoiced for remaining balance 60 days prior to hunt and final balance should be paid in full no later than 30 days prior to your scheduled trip. If balances are not paid 30 days prior to trip, deposit will be forfeited and trip cancelled. Additional add-on or trophy fees are due before departure from camp, payable by cash or certified funds.
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND FEES:
Texas residents: Type 101; $23.00 valid to hunt any legal bird or animal
Non-residents: Type 105; $320.00 valid to hunt any legal bird or animal
Type 157; $ 48.00 valid to hunt exotic animals, all legal game birds except turkeys, non-game animals and javelina. Legal for 5 consecutive days. Fees for hunting lic, stamps and permits are mandated by Texas parks and wildlife and subject to change.
Every hunter in Texas including non-residents born on or after 09/01/71, must successfully complete a hunter education course.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
*Call for season dates (varies annually upon species).
* Liability release and waivers will be signed before hunt takes place.
*All prices quoted are per hunter.
* Observer fee ($250.00) daily per person.
*1x1 guide fee ($350.00) daily per person.
*Additional hunting days may be added to any trip for $750.00 daily fee per person.
* Management Mule Deer may be added to a Trophy Mule Deer hunt if tag allocation is available for $3,500.00
*Mule Deer Does if tag allocation available for $400.00 trophy fee
* Free-Range Aoudad Sheep may be added to a hunt for a $3,950.00 trophy fee.
*Javelina may be added to a hunt for a $595.00 trophy fee.
* Clients arriving by commercial airline will fly to El Paso, Midland, or San Antonio, TX
or for New Mexico hunts arrival in Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
*Any game wounded and not retrieved will be considered harvested and paid in full.

Hope those were cull bucks in the pictures at that price.

I think a 150-160" Mulie is there management deer, their prices are a bit steep but they shoot some true monsters.

Very steep.

Mule deer hunting as a whole is not cheap, but on this place your pretty much guaranteed a nice deer, and its first class accommodations, first class food, and the guides know what they are doing. They have a pretty decent reputation and I think thats pretty much what you're paying for. You can book here and have peace of mind, or you can book somewhere else for a discount and maybe not even come home with anything....Believe me, its not a good feeling to spend that kind of money and come home empty handed. I did just that a few months ago in Colorado on an elk/deer hunt. I still have a pit in my stomach over killing a dink elk and paying an extra 4k (hunt fee + landowner tag) for a deer hunt and didn't see one larger than 130inches....

Any yes, my buck is a cull buck. I think for Texas though, he's still nice trophy, cull or not.

Definetely a nice trophy, I would be proud of that deer, I was just stating thats what they call a Cull but definetely not a cull to most.

Javelina may be added to a hunt for $600.

Very nice