Looking for a spot on a Texas lease for son

[Scott CWO]

My son is a Petroleum Engineer for a major and is moving to Midland, TX from Williston, ND in the Spring of 2023 with his wife and my one year-old grandson. He is a good and safe hunter with Colorado hunting experience and North Dakota white-tailed deer hunting experience but has not hunted in Texas. He hunts with bow and rifle and is willing to put in the work. He took a buck scoring 174 last year from a tree stand in ND after a lot of scouting and planning but he doesn't expect to take a deer like that again unless he's really lucky. He just loves to hunt. He also enjoys bird hunting and has a great chocolate lab. If anyone has room on their lease for another hunter or knows of a spot, please let me know. He's a good guy and willing to help with upkeep and chores. He's a 6'4', 205 lb former D2 college QB and not afraid of hard labor.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Scott CWO during my nearly 40 career as a petroleum engineer with a major corporation, I successfully avoided both Midland, TX and Williston, ND. I have a son-in-law that worked for a service company in Midland for a few years and he did a few sandhill crane hunts and deer hunts. You might talk to @cagkt3 as he is a petroleum engineer who worked and hunted the Midland area for a few years, until he escaped to the greener pastures of Tulsa.

@Philip Glass is another West Texas resident and can probably point your son to where to look for hunting opportunities.

Depending on the corporate policies of the company your son works for, there might be opportunities to get invited by service companies to hunt on their leases.

 

[mdsalern]

What is his budget and how far is he willing to drive? Texas is a big place and becoming more expensive by the day.

+1 on the service companies.

 

[cagkt3]

My escape was short lived @375 Ruger Fan as I’m back in West TX

There are definitely some good opportunities for crane and geese hunting close by (towards Lubbock) for reasonable prices. Deer leases can be harder to find and can be quite unreasonably priced in some cases. I‘m currently not on a lease anymore since I bought some land near Brady, TX but he can definitely contact me. I can introduce him to some good guys that might be able to help. Lots of places for deer, dove, turkey, predators, maybe even some quail and mule deer depending on the location.

As Dave mentioned he might be invited on some hunting trips with vendors if he’s allowed to go by his company.

 

[Philip Glass]

Being an engineer for a major he will likely get invited to hunt from time to time. It is hard to find a deer lease in Texas. I suggest he get settled in and then start asking around.

 

[375Fox]

Lots of explaining to do that the buck was only valued at $100 or less when you work for a major and vendor turns your name in on his expenses, not as simple as it once was depending who your managers are.
For the cost of deer leases and driving distance in Texas would it not be more economical buying a few 2/3 day management buck hunts in different areas the first year or so? He won’t be far from good aoudad hunts in marathon or fort Davis either.

 

[Scott CWO]

@Scott CWO during my nearly 40 career as a petroleum engineer with a major corporation, I successfully avoided both Midland, TX and Williston, ND. I have a son-in-law that worked for a service company in Midland for a few years and he did a few sandhill crane hunts and deer hunts. You might talk to @cagkt3 as he is a petroleum engineer who worked and hunted the Midland area for a few years, until he escaped to the greener pastures of Tulsa.

@Philip Glass is another West Texas resident and can probably point your son to where to look for hunting opportunities.

Depending on the corporate policies of the company your son works for, there might be opportunities to get invited by service companies to hunt on their leases.

Thanks for the info and tips.

He’s been in Williston since doing an internship there before graduating Colorado School of Mines and has been there the longest of the current engineers and has the most responsibility of all the engineers in his office. It’s been four years since graduation and it’s his turn to be sent somewhere else. He knows Midland isn’t a garden spot either but he wants to get experience in the Permian Basin for his career track.

As for Williston, he actually likes it there. It’s a bit cold in the winter but he can hunt 170-180+ class mule deer every year with a bow in the Badlands, hunt nice whitetails along the Missouri River and Yellowstone River and there’s good pheasant hunting north of Williston. If you’re a sportsman, Williston isn’t all that bad.

 

[Scott CWO]

What is his budget and how far is he willing to drive? Texas is a big place and becoming more expensive by the day.

+1 on the service companies.

He makes a good salary and doesn’t mind driving a ways. No school debt thanks to football. He’s going to the Yukon in August and he’s hunting sheep while I go along to help and maybe shoot a caribou or grizzly. Other than family activities, hunting is his big hobby. South Texas would be quite a drive but we would consider all possibilities.

 

[Scott CWO]

My escape was short lived @375 Ruger Fan as I’m back in West TX

There are definitely some good opportunities for crane and geese hunting close by (towards Lubbock) for reasonable prices. Deer leases can be harder to find and can be quite unreasonably priced in some cases. I‘m currently not on a lease anymore since I bought some land near Brady, TX but he can definitely contact me. I can introduce him to some good guys that might be able to help. Lots of places for deer, dove, turkey, predators, maybe even some quail and mule deer depending on the location.

As Dave mentioned he might be invited on some hunting trips with vendors if he’s allowed to go by his company.

Okay thanks! I will get the two of you in touch. It will be a few months before he’s headed that direction.

 

[Scott CWO]

Being an engineer for a major he will likely get invited to hunt from time to time. It is hard to find a deer lease in Texas. I suggest he get settled in and then start asking around.

Thanks. We were trying to get ahead of things a bit but that might not be the best way to go. He would hate to miss a hunting season completely.

 

[Scott CWO]

Lots of explaining to do that the buck was only valued at $100 or less when you work for a major and vendor turns your name in on his expenses, not as simple as it once was depending who your managers are.
For the cost of deer leases and driving distance in Texas would it not be more economical buying a few 2/3 day management buck hunts in different areas the first year or so? He won’t be far from good aoudad hunts in marathon or fort Davis either.

Thanks for the ideas. Will consider about anything.

 

[375Fox]

He knows Midland isn’t a garden spot either but he wants to get experience in the Permian Basin for his career track.

As for Williston, he actually likes it there. It’s a bit cold in the winter but he can hunt 170-180+ class mule deer every year with a bow in the Badlands, hunt nice whitetails along the Missouri River and Yellowstone River and there’s good pheasant hunting north of Williston. If you’re a sportsman, Williston isn’t all that bad.

Williston doesn’t sound bad at all for a sportsman. I’ve heard that from other hunters who lived there for work. I don’t ever expect to see midland or Odessa on a postcard. I’ve been working rotationally in west Texas (midland west to Pecos +/- north and south) for 4 years. Aside from quail and coyotes, I can still count the deer I’ve seen on one hand, surprisingly though lots of hogs in certain areas. If he ever gets opportunity to be assigned western Canada he should take it, probably best job I’ve had all aspects work, location, people.

 

[mdsalern]

I’d be looking for ‘23-24. Deer season ends in January. Try to find a year round lease by the time everyone is doing work days in August. Leases won’t be renewing hunters until the summer or later.

 

[WAB]

Scott, piecing things together, it sounds like you’ve raised a young man to be proud of. Congratulations dad!

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott, piecing things together, it sounds like you’ve raised a young man to be proud of. Congratulations dad!

Thanks, Bill. We are proud of him and you are very kind!

 

[Mike B]

I graduated from Mines as well (mechanical engineering) and now run an IT company in Lubbock. Always amazed at how small the world can be.

I’m no real help for a lease, but if I hear of anyone leasing land, I’ll shoot you a message.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Just a thought, but Midland isn’t that far from NM. He should research the government lands in NM. Antelope, deer, and exotics.
Spent my high school years summers woking on farms (moving irrigation lines mostly) in Seagraves, TX. Back then the farmers would let you hunt if you asked permission. Of course things have changed a bit since the 1960s…!

 

[wesheltonj]

Might look around Van Horn for a lease, not too far from M/O. I would check the classifieds in Texas Trophy Hunter. Maybe DSC Camptalk too.

 

[Buffalo1]

Go to Facebook and get hooked up on "Texas Guides and Outfitters" and "Texas Hunting."

I think you/he will find what you are looking for in regards to hunting and leases. Best of luck.

 

[Alaska Luke]

I lived in Midland for 3 years. I didn't hunt there though.

I don't think hunting close to Midland is much good. But New Mexico is about 3 hours away. He could look at public land options there. Drive about 8 hours and you get to nice mountain areas for hunting, fly fishing or just fun exploring.

I really enjoyed hiking in West Texas. I backpacked in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend State Park, and Guadeloupe Mountains National Park. The key is a good pack, light gear and than you can carry plenty of water. The Guadeloupes were cool. You could hike up into a mountain bowl of pine trees in December. Since the Rocky Mountains were snowed in that was a fun winter trip. It's a fun way to get a wilderness adventure without the logistics of a hunt.