USA: Any experience With Southwest Trophy Hunting In Texas?

[Darren K]

I went on a 2 day hog hunt in April on a ranch between Sweetwater & Abilene with a friend, it was my first nominally "guided" hunt. Cost was $450 each with zero food, two hogs any size each at no trophy fees, any additional cost $$$. Any processing cost $$$. All hunting from static positions morning & evening, mid-day stalk & spot was left up to the hunters to decide who might be going off which direction & when. Some exotics available but must be negotiated up front with significant penalty fee if a goat or sheep or whatever was shot without negotiating up front on top of the trophy fee. Penalty of $20 per milkable nipple on wet sows. Bunkhouse was 2 bedrooms with beds for 4 each and one bathroom each. Large common room with kitchen, refrigerators. Central air & heat. One "guide" who drove everyone around in rattletrap truck for dropoff and pickup + hog retrieval morning and evening. "Tips appreciated but not required". I got my 2 hogs having a spot looking downhill along a road for about 100 yards I stayed at both evenings with no feeder. My buddy never saw anything larger than a piglet and he went on spot & stalks midday in addition to static positions morning & evening. Nobody saw, or took, any hog over maybe 150 pounds.

Our impression was the place had a heyday but that had passed, living on its web presence that reflected the better days. We won't go back.

It's all a learning experience and dice roll to some degree.

Was that with Southwest Trophy Hunting?

 

[Darren K]

Also, this hunt would be on 2000 and 4000 acre ranches near Rocksprings Texas.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Was that with Southwest Trophy Hunting?

No, it wasn't. Sweetwater & Abilene are in the more northern part of Texas, a little east from the base of the panhandle. I was weighing in with my personal experience regarding what @gizmo posted in general, hoping it would be helpful.

I haven't heard of Southwest Trophy Hunting but that doesn't mean anything. Like @gizmo said, there's a lot of such outfits in Texas now.

Rocksprings is just west of San Antonio where I live, a little over a 2 hour drive north and west of where my house is.

There are lots of what were imported exotics roaming around Texas now, naturalized. Axis deer outnumber whitetail on some properties. Some places on Craigslist near here offer overnight hunting (hunting only in hours of darkness) to get rid of Axis & Blackbuck on their property for $300 / night because the property owner considers them a nuisance for whatever other use the property owner is using that land for. Seems like a too easy way to shoot a whitetail out of season to me.

 

[Darren K]

Sounds awesome. I wouldn't be above taking blackbuck or axis at night

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Sounds awesome. I wouldn't be above taking blackbuck or axis at night

Go for it! Give us a trip report.

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=deer

 

[flatwater bill]

On some of these very low cost hunts, the risk to benefit ratio is not that great.......I mean, lose $450 or lose $600 not the end of the hunting world. BTW........Mr Z....$20 per milkable nipple sounds very fair to me. (Anyway, I love your avatar......reminds me of a Joey Ramone concert I went to years ago).............hoping to see a report on this hunt someday.....................FWB

 

[cagkt3]

Haven't heard of them. I would be willing to bet the chances of them putting you in a spot where you would be able to have a realistic opportunity at shooting exotics would be slim to none. Why would they put you in a good spot for exotics that they could charge a few thousand dollars (+/-) to someone else? Sounds like a marketing ploy to sell more $600 hog hunts.

I've done a similar hunt south of Uvalde with another outfitter - 2 nights, 2 hogs, food/beer/lodging. It was a blast. But as @gizmo says, I doubt those guys make much money off it (if any). They told me they basically use that as a tool to get folks out/fill empty weekends and hope that the hunter(s) decide to shoot an exotic that they can make a little more money off of.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

On some of these very low cost hunts, the risk to benefit ratio is not that great.......I mean, lose $450 or lose $600 not the end of the hunting world. BTW........Mr Z....$20 per milkable nipple sounds very fair to me. (Anyway, I love your avatar......reminds me of a Joey Ramone concert I went to years ago).............hoping to see a report on this hunt someday.....................FWB

Perhaps my context wasn't clear FWB. This is not a direct complaint on my part. My point is all these details that didn't appear anywhere on the web site regarding the hunting package nor were they transmitted by email after booking the package. Only once we were on-site balances paid and checked in. The ranch has all sorts of stuff on their web site leading one to believe hog eradication is a focus of the ranch. With $20 per milkable nipple on wet sows, obviously not. Reinforcing again Gizmo's advice in his post this thread.

Another hunter (early 20's) of a father-son hunting pair did shoot a hog standing in grass too tall to see the belly. Turned out to be a wet sow with 9 milkable nipples.

There was no meeting with the owner at checkout for feedback, clearly didn't care much about repeat business IMO.

 

[flatwater bill]

Good points, Z....................FWB

 

[CoElkHunter]

Food isnt included so I guess they save money there?

Wait! No free beer after the hunt? In Texas? Un American! Guess I’ll have to buy my own beer to drink after our annual elk hunt in Colorado! OR, go to Africa on a warthog CULL hunt and drink free beer after the hunt! Coming back to reality though, I’ve looked into some of the discount hog hunts in Texas, cause I can drive there from Colorado. One offered 3 days 2 nights, for $250.00 per person with unlimited hogs. But, THEY had to process your pig(s) at $1.00 per pound. Still looking for a fairer deal and free beer!

 

[SWTH]

As others have stated -- calling and discussing the details with us is always a good idea. The website and Facebook posts also have Phone numbers, Email address, and a Contact Link to make contact with us with any questions you may have. As we also have many references that we send out almost daily to inquiring hunters. We have been in the outfitting business for over 12 years, with over 2,500 hunters . and Never Once has a Hunter sent in a Deposit and then Not had their date available to hunt. (some have been reschedule based on weather, floods, etc.. but this was always a recomendation to the client which they agreed on)

In Regards to "newboomer" no he didnt hunt with us - i thought the same for a moment but as a re-read his comment looks like he is just mentioning "one of those hunts" that are 3 days/2night texas hunts. but not with us.

 

[SWTH]

this is a HOG HUNT with the possibility of harvesting a Exotic Animal at no extra cost. we are Just South of Rocksprings Tx - prime Free Range Exotic Country. Some people will get 1 and some will not. we have "averaged" bigger axis bucks off this place the past 5 years than we have on high fence ranches. biggest being 37 inch. Aoudad and Axis are the most common on this ranch. But again, not everyone will get one. this is not a "exotic hunt" -- it is a "hog hunt" ...

making contact with us and asking these questions and asking for refferences is always a good idea.

this is a basic Hog Hunt @ $590 per person -- it includes 2 nights lodging in our brand new cabins on ranch . bring your own food, but you have full use of cabins, kitchen, etc.. this offer is only for groups of 4 or more hunters. (with a minimum of 4 hunters @$590 is how me make it doable) as others stated, it would be a Loss if only 1 hunter was there

 

[SWTH]

ANOTHER NOTE -- please note that these Stories of past experiences and $20 nipples and forced $ to clean hogs -- these are people telling experiences of other places they hunted. just to clarify they are not speaking about my business

 

[Darren K]

Thanks for all the clarification! With the normal trophy fees for exotics, I thought that your deal, even for the possibility of an exotic sounded too good to be true which is why I wanted to ask around before committing to a hunt. I'm sure you understand. And not complaining about not providing food. I really did mean what I said about not expecting more than a single wide at that price I'll pass the info along to my buddies and see if we can put a group together. If I can, I'll even put a trip report on here so that folks can get a first hand account of the experience. I'll email you once I can get 3-5 buddies who are committed to going. Again, thanks for the reply!

 

[Mekaniks]

ANOTHER NOTE -- please note that these Stories of past experiences and $20 nipples and forced $ to clean hogs -- these are people telling experiences of other places they hunted. just to clarify they are not speaking about my business

Welcome to AH @SWTH Tell us more about your business

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Yes, thanks for the details of what you're offering vs other service providers SWTH.

I've never joined Facebook (just not my platform), is it possible for me to book such a hunt as you've described here?

FWIW my hunting buddy took a trip to Hawaii with his girlfriend shortly after we returned in April, they're now engaged to be married. So I'll likely need to find a new hunting buddy short term, he has other considerations for his free time & finances at this point!

 

[flatwater bill]

Thanks SWTH..............what's not to like here....................great price, and up front info............FWB

 

[flat8]

Not an answer to your question, but if you want a fantastic Texas hunting experience you can’t beat @gizmo. Three of us went in April and had an absolute blast. Great guides, beautiful animals, great food and plenty of beer!

 

[Darren K]

Just to come full circle on this, I have a group of guys together and we are in communication with SWTH to book a hunt in the late spring or early summer. Zorg, if you are interested, I suggest emailing SWTH and setting something up. I'm not sure yet how many hunters he can accommodate at a time, but if there are open spots and you want to join in the fun, you are welcome to jump in with us. The group is mostly veterans but we are all pretty easy going. I'll continue to let yall know how it goes and will be sure to post a trip report after the hunt. Thanks for all the perspective everyone!

 

[gizmo]

Not an answer to your question, but if you want a fantastic Texas hunting experience you can’t beat @gizmo. Three of us went in April and had an absolute blast. Great guides, beautiful animals, great food and plenty of beer!

Thanks buddy