WEST TEXAS MULE DEER

Good Morning,

I'm a new member, but I've been following this forum for several years now. Just curious if anyone has experience mule deer hunting with Box R Outfitters south of Dryden. They offer a pretty reasonable price as far as their hunts, but I can't find many reviews/photos of mule deer that have been taken on the 10,000 acres that they lease out.

If anyone has any experience/information it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Welcome to our forum. Its great. You should get some info on your request I would guess. Im curious how you could follow the forum without being a member. Can anyone just read along without being a member? No problem if thats the case but just didnt know it. I like the 3006 in your screen name. Of course if this thread turns into a debate about caliber/cartridge etc then your first thread may go for pages.

Mule deer hunts in Texas are expensive and have a multiyear waiting list for a spot to open up with most outfitters. Leases are the same way. If they are offering an inexpensive hunt then I would guess it is due to low deer numbers and the quality of those deer available. I would ask for pictures from the last 5 yrs and references from them.....call every reference. I would ask if it includes guiding, lodging, food and travel to and from the hunt location? How many acres and how many bucks are taken each year? Success rates over the past few years?

When I hear Dryden, I don't immediately think of mule deer. They're there, but that's kind of "crossover" country, isn't it?

I appreciate the welcome sir. And yes, you can read along without actually being a member. That's how I found information about Mulie Mike McKinney. Seems like an awesome guy, but unfortunately all of his mule deer hunts for '21 are booked.

I'm not too worried about the caliber debate. That .30-06 is a Remington Model 700 from the 70's that was handed down to me by my dad. It has always done the trick.

Yes sir, I believe it is "crossover" country. Seems like more whitetail are taken in the area than mule deer. I think it's one of those "luck of the draw" kind of things.

You can look into a management mule deer hunt with one of the larger ranches or outfitters that can be guided, lodges and fed also. They are at a reduced price compared to the trophy hunts. Might even get one in this year yet under MLD.

Do you happen to have any insight in to those ranches or outfitters? That's what I'm looking for. Mature mule deer in the 130-140 class range. Been searching around trying to find something for my dad and I. Was hoping to keep the cost at around $3,000 or less. I've been in law enforcement for the last 13 years, so to say that I'm not made of money would be an understatement.

Check with Wildlife Systems...Desert Safaris...CF Ranch...Escalara Ranch....all have websites. All are in the Trans Pecos area. If they have the MLD permit they will be hunting till last part of Jan this season. There are many more but those come to mind. First two are very reputable outfitters with lots of country to hunt. You will see a lot deer in a hunt period.

Desert Safaris would be awesome, but it's a little more than I want to spend. Waiting to hear back from Wildlife Systems. I'm not really interested in having to draw a mule deer tag. That's why I was trying to stick to Texas. I'm open to the panhandle region as well.

Desert Safaris hunts West Texas...so no drawing a permit. They are MLDP so you only need a valid hunting license and do not need any tags. Call Hunter Ross and talk to him about Mule Deer management hunts.
http://www.desertsafaris.net/

Yes sir, $5,000.00 for a management mulie.

He has gone up then. That is pricey for a management hunt.

https://www.bigrimoutfitters.com/rates/ Scroll down the page
https://allseasonsguideservice.com/mule-deer-hunts/
https://www.highwestoutfitter.com/hunt-mule-deer

don't have to be a member to read the forum, curious as to why that bothers you

Might look at Lone star trail outfitters web site,Trent Huckbay has some good prices on management hunts,30 miles south east of Ft Stockton

Longfellow Ranch?

Yes sir, I came across Lone Star Trail Outfitters' website a few days ago, but I wasn't sure how current the information was on there. Definitely some good prices, but looks like they may be from a few years back.

The ranch is 45 miles south east of Ft Stockton in highway 285, and yes that may be old website, I know Trent and he is a nice guy so might give him a call.

South of 90 many more Mule Deer, North of 90 its a mix with the predominant species being specific to where you are. From what I've seen, the Mule Deer in that area just do not get very large on either side of the highway.


The first year I got into real estate, I got a call from a buddy of mine who sold houses here in SA, he had talked to a guy who was a dentist in Del Rio and had two places he wanted to sell, one in Dryden and one in Sanderson. We pick him up in Del Rio and the whole time he is talking about this giant Mule Deer he shot on his Sanderson place. He said the Dryden place "had some decent mule deer from time to time but was mostly whitetail with some elk and blackbuck drifting in "

We take the tour and that evening drop him back off at his house, he asks if we want to come in and see the giant mule deer he killed. I'm thinking I'm about to see some Sonoran'esque buck so I jump out and follow him inside to his foyer where it was hanging.


What gazed down upon us was probably a 3 year old buck that would score in the 120's......

I appreciate all of the responses and information. I believe I found out who Trent with Lone Star Trail Outfitters is on this forum. I've reached out to him and am waiting to hear back.

A 150-160 buck in the Trans Pecos is a good one nowadays. Drought and lions have really taken a toll on the population and quality, unless you're Hunter Ross' outfit and feed tons of corn and protein in feeders year round. That's why his hunts are so high. Not my preferred way to hunt mule deer but to each his own.

Colt, you misread my post. I said " No problem if thats the case but just didnt know it." I have ZERO problem with it, I just was not aware. This is my only forum/social media of any kind so I dont know what the norm is. Now that I know I will encourage my friends to just get on and check it out. I dont think its a hassle to join but some may want to just look before joining so I think its great. Learn something new everyday.

They don’t sell hunts anymore.

Lease holders only

My bad, didn't know that. I know they have quite a few elk too. They get hit on 285 and 90 west of Sanderson at least once a week.

I don't know if the Yturria ranches north and west of Sanderson have hunts, I know they have mulies and elk.