Hunting leases, guided hunts, fishing guides....more

Trophy Hunters of East Texas
Deer Hunting's Best Kept Secret!

The deer hunting in these areas of Texas is truly a unique experience. No where in the United States is there a concentration of deer like there is in the hill country. There are litterly millions of deer in these counties, and hundreds of thousands are killed every year.

An often overlooked area in Texas to hunt, is the Piney Woods region of Texas. Some really fine racks come out of East Texas over the years.

East Texas is a broad area, from Red River and Bowie Counties on the north to Montgomery, Liberty and Jefferson Counties on the south end. There are national forests that you can hunt. These national forests have a good quantity of deer, although the hunting pressure is tremendous, especially during the first month of the season.

Your best bet for killing a trophy deer, is to find private land to lease from the landowner. Almost all of the land in East Texas is owned by private individuals or paper companies. The paper companies also allow hunting on their property. Again, the hunting pressure, like in the national forests, is heavy, and you have to hunt in areas with people you don't know.

Private individuals are still your best chance to have a quality deer lease year after year. If you can find a landowner that will lease his land to you, you can develop a good hunting lease, by cultivating and growing food plots and by feeding corn or other food during the year. The problem is that most of the land in East Texas is either a homestead, or is a working farm or ranch, with herds of cattle or other animals that the farmers and ranchers are afraid will get shot by careless hunters. Therefore, you usually have to live in the area or know someone who can talk to the landowner for you.

Most of the land in the East Texas area will be in tracts of less than 1,000 acres, not like in the hill country, where a ranch might well have 10,000 acres or in the brush country of Texas, where a ranch might have as much as 100,000 or 200,000 acres or more.

In East Texas, there are hundreds of homesteads where the acreage will only be 10 or 20 acres, with a house or two on the acreage. This is too small to hunt, unless the owner hunts, and most of the time he does not lease out his property to hunters or even allow hunting at all because of the house and the risk of stray gunshots.

Small tracts of land, if you can lease them is really not a problem to hunt, because of the limited area you can see when hunting. Most of the land in East Texas consists of pine trees, oaks, and other hardwood trees, with lots of underbrush, vines, and small trees. In places, the underbrush is so thick you cannot walk through it with ease. Your visibility will be limited in the early part of the season, until the frosts kill the vegetation and leaves fall off of the trees. Pine Trees do not lose their leaves like the hardwood trees, so some areas will have limited visibility all during the hunting season.

Usually, some of the best places to hunt are on utility right of ways (electric and telephone), and pipeline right of ways. The utility companies have crews that work around the year cutting all trees and brush away from the power lines and telephone lines.

There are thousands of oil and gas wells located in East Texas, and hundreds of miles of oil and gas pipelines, buried underground. The oil and gas pipeline companies do not allow any trees to grow on the pipeline right of way. They do this by bush hogging (mowing) all of the right of ways several times during the year.

Because the underbrush is so thick in places, deer and other wildlife use these pipelines to travel at times, when moving between feeding grounds and bedding areas. This makes an ideal place to build deer stands and to hunt, if you like to walk and hunt. Because you can sometimes see several hundred yards down a pipeline or power line right of way, you may see several deer cross at 200 or 300 yards. Sometimes these pipelines will curve and the deer seem to want to cross at the curves or where they feel they have less chance of being seen. You can find out where to set up your stand by finding deer trails between the bedding and feeding area.

These pipelines and right of ways also make excellent areas to plant food plots such as oats, rye, wheat and other foods for the times when there are no acorns for the deer to find. By planting several different plots, you will make a feeding area that will attract deer from all over the area.

Deer stands on these pipelines and right of ways should be well hidden, and placed in the hunting area several months before the season. Even if deer are using a trail, if you put up a deer stand or blind, the deer will alter their routes to avoid the stand. If you place the stand there several months before the season, the deer will become accustomed to it, and tend not to spook so bad. They will always look up at it, to see if there is any movement. You should also build alternate stands in the same area, in the event of wind blowing toward the trails. Deer have an uncanny way of scenting you. High winds will cause them to become spooky and will carry your scent farther.

Probably the best places to locate stands is in clear cuts and replanted areas of land that has been harvested for timber. In lots of areas, timber companies will harvest timber and completely cut all of the trees in an area. Many times, after all the trees are cut, they will burn off the area. This is ideal for deer hunting. After the burn, the brush growing back attracts the deer in droves. For the next several years, the deer will use this area for feeding and bedding, even more so than before the area was harvested for timber.

If there are tracts of land that have not been harvested, that has lots of acorn trees on it, you can usually find several areas where the deer will bed down in the cutover area, and travel to and from the area with the acorns. Most of this travel will be at dawn and dusk. They will feed a lot at night, expecially during the full moon, and bed down just after daylight. You should build your stand on the edge of the cutover area, where the trails are. Again, you should have your stands built several months before the season. When acorns are plentiful, deer will travel very little, except during the rut, so you want to be in the most likely looking spot at dawn and dusk. The big bucks will hardly ever move after daylight or before dusk, except during the rut. They will bed down in the thickest area possible during the day. You should spend enough time in the area to find deer rubs from the previous year in order to establish the rut route. Deer use the same general area year after year during the pre-rut and rut. By spending lots of time in the area, you will have a better chance of getting the monster rack you have been hunting for.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please email me at:

For a list of available land in East Texas, visit this website: East Texas Hunting Leases

I have witnessed deer (whitetails) killed with a number of different cartridges through the years, from a .22 caliber up to a .35 caliber, and as a result, I have formed my own opinions about rifle cartridges and deer.

When I first started deer hunting, I bought what I thought was a tremendously large caliber deer rifle. I remember taking the rifle to see my grandfather as soon as I picked it up from the sporting goods store.

I wanted to get the opinion of my greatest hero (my grandfather), so I immediately drove to his house to show off my new and first "high powered rifle". Since my grandfather had never fired a "high powered rifle", he was tremendously impressed with the rifle and cartridge I was showing him. His comments were "what in the world do you need with such a big gun?"

This was in 1962 and the "big gun" I had chosen was the venerable Winchester Model 94, chambered in 30-30 Winchester. As you can surmise, this was one of the vintage "pre-64 Winchesters".

The thirty-thirty would have been adequate for the type of deer hunting I did then, mostly in East Texas, where a long shot would be 75 yards. However, it was about that time that Remington came out with the 7MM Remington Magnum (a belted magnum). I think it was the mistique of the belt around the bottom of the case, plus the magic word "magnum", that helped Remington capture the hearts (and the market) of hunters around the world with their hot new cartridge.

One of the men I worked with bought a brand new Remington Model 700 Rifle chambered for the 7 mm Remington Magnum, (7mag as he called it) and we went out to shoot it. To say the least, I was from then on "undergunned" with my "thirty-thirty". Luckily for me, in order to be able to buy the new Remington, he had to sell one of his rifles, and I got it, a Deluxe Model Sako in .243 Winchester, complete with a hand checkered stock, fine silver etching, and rosewood tipped forearm. Talk about a nail-driver, this was it. (but that is another story).

Through the years, I have owned a number of rifles chambered for the 7 mm Remington Magnum, and have hunted with a number of people who also shoot the same round. Although I have killed deer quite adequately with other cartridges, it is my belief that the 7mm Remington Magnum, is by far the best cartridge for hunting whitetail deer.

The cartridge seems to be accurate in almost every type of rifle I have seen. In some rifles, like the Remington Model 700, and the Ruger No. 1, it is extremely accurate. It is probably flatter shooting over a wider range, with less recoil, less muzzle blast, than any other cartridge available today.

Now, I am sure that a lot of you will grab up your pen to write me a nasty letter, that your favorite cartridge is just as good at killing deer as the 7 mm.

Now before you flood my mailbox with obscene letters, let me quickly say I don't disagree with you. Its just that the 7 mm Remington Magnum has superior ballistics, longer range, flatter trajectory, better sectional density, better ballistic coefficient, (some of these terms apply primarily to the bullet), which is actually .284 inches, than any other cartridge. If you can find a better cartridge, let me know, and we will compare ballistics. Any cartridge that can push a .284 caliber bullet at the same velocity, with the same twist, will be exactly the same as the 7mm. However, there are not many available that do.

The 7mm Remington Magnum with a 162 grain boattail bullet has a ballistic coefficient of .514, and a sectional density of .287, and properly loaded will leave the barrel at approximately 2900 to 3000 fps.

One of the finest deer hunting bullets available for the 7mm Remington Magnum, is the Hornady boattail 139 grain boattail spire point bullet. You can whip this bullet up over 3000 fps. Out at 300 yards, the bullet still has over 1700 foot pounds of energy. (It is reported that you need about 1000 lbs of energy to efficiently kill a whitetail deer). If true, this would mean the 7mm Remington Magnum is capable of a clean kill at 600 yards! Very few people are capable of hitting a deer size target at that range, so don't think you can run out and kill deer in the next county with the 7mm Remington Magnum. Use good judgment and only take those shots you are capable of making.

There are a number of fine cartridges available for deer hunting. Here are some of my favorites:

.243 Winchester:
Over the years, I have killed a lot of deer with the .243 Winchester. I have a 1968 model Sako chambered in .243 caliber, and with handloading, it will shoot a five round group under 1/2" (when I can hold it still enough). To me, the .243 is quite adequate to kill whitetail deer, up to 300 yards. Beyond that point, you are stretching the capabilty of the fine cartridge (and in most instances the shooter). The recoil is minimal, and most rifles are very accurate with the round. You should use around a 100 grain bullet for hunting whitetail deer.

.270 Winchester:
One of my close friends hunts with a .270 Winchester in a model 700 Remington. He has been hunting (and killing) big (horns) deer with the same rifle for over twenty-five years. I have never known him to miss a deer with it, and the deer he has shot, very seldom run over a few steps before falling. As a result of what I have seen him do for the last quarter century, I would have to rate the .270 as one of the best rifle cartridges available for whitetail deer. If I remember right, this was also the cartridge that Jack O'Connor used in his model 70 Winchester. As I remember, he used his .270 Winchester to take a number of plains animals in Africa and around the world.

6 MM Remington:
The 6MM Remington is a souped up .243. Both the .243 Winchester, and the 6MM Remington are actually .243 Caliber. The 6 MM Remington, is loaded in a slightly larger case, so that the bullet can gain a little advantage by having a slightly larger powder charge than the .243 Winchester. Personally, I don't know if there is really any practical difference in the two rounds, so whichever you prefer, you should have an adequate cartridge for whitetail deer.

30-06.
No discussion of deer cartridges would be complete without including the '06. Originally a military round, ("ball cartridge, caliber 30, Model of 1906") the 30-06 has probably killed as many, or maybe more deer than any other cartridge. The .30-06 is a .308 caliber bullet. Probably because of the availability of both the surplus military rifles and the availability of surplus ammunition, plus being manufactured in every type and brand of rifle, the 30-06 has a reputation, and rightfully so, as an excellent deer cartridge. The rifle is available in a large number of bullet weights, from around 110 grains up to around 200 grains. It has been my experience that about 150 to 165 grain bullets perform better in most rifles. The smaller bullets are not as accurate, probably because of the diameter of the bullets being so large, the lighter bullets are not long enough to be as stable as the middle weight bullets.

.308 Winchester:
Another military round, the .308 Winchester is the same bullet used by the 30-06, but in a shorter, smaller case. Quite accurate, the .308 Winchester is a very good deer cartridge. A lot of people prefer the .308 to the 30-06, because of the shorter case. You can use a rifle with a shorter bolt throw, than you have to have for say a .270 or the 7MM magnum. By the way, the .243 Winchester is a .308 necked down to .243 caliber. I have taken once fired .308 cases, and necked them down and trimmed them to reload in my .243.

.30-30 Winchester:
Supposedly, the 30-30 Winchester is a "leg breaker cartridge". This probably comes from the fact that the 30-30 does not have as flat a trajectory as some of the other cartridges, so that the bullet drops more, and deer out at 150 to 200 yards are often hit in the legs, rather than in the vital parts of the body. If you use the rifle under 100 yards, the 30-30 rifle is quite adequate to kill deer. A couple of years ago, we were hunting in Alabama, and one of my hunting companions killed two deer with one shot each at about 150 yards. One of the deer weighed (field dressed) 195 pounds, and the other weighed 214 pounds. These are the two largest (body weight) deer that I have ever seen killed with the 30-30. But, this just goes to prove that the 30-30 is an adequate deer rifle at reasonable ranges.

.338 Winchester Magnum:
This cartridge is probably on the maximum end of the range to be considered a whitetail deer rifle (it is a .458 Winchester necked down to a .338 caliber bullet). I have killed several deer with the .338 and it is definitely a one-shot cartridge. None of the deer that I shot ran at all. Part of the reason, was not necessarily the cartridge, but where I shot the deer that made the difference. Shot placement will be covered in another article, and you may be surprised at the best place to shoot a deer to anchor him. Where you have always been taught to shoot deer is not necessarily the best place. Be sure to catch our next article on shot placement.

I hope I haven't hurt anyone's feelings because I haven't mentioned their favorite deer cartridge. These above, are just a few of the fine cartridges available for whitetail deer hunting and are by no means the only or the best cartridges available. If you would like to submit your opinions on your favorite cartridges, and the reasons why, send us an email message to:

For more details, send any questions by email to:

I am sure some of the other readers would agree with you on your choices and would like to have a second opinion.

To me, if you chose any of the cartridges above, in a good quality rifle, with a good quality scope, you will be able to kill deer consistently. Remember, when that big, once in a lifetime deer, walks out at 250 yards and stands broad side to you, you will have wished that you got the rifle you wanted, and more importantly, practiced enough with it to be able to hit the deer in a vital spot. You may only get that one chance in an entire lifetime of deer hunting, so you need to make the shot count.

Hunting Scopes-Make Your Rifle More AccurateThe choice of the type of hunting scope you choose will make you a better Shot. Today's scopes are capable of giving you better vision. Be sure you know what is available before you spend your money.Click Here to find out the details!

Good bye, and good hunting.

Wayne Hartt

Hunting Tips, Tricks and Secrets Articles:

1998 Deer Hunting Leases

Trophy Hunters of East Texas-Deer Hunting's Best Kept Secret!East Texas hides some of the best deer hunting in the Lone Star State. Find out how you can cash in on this deer hunting bonanza. Complete details on where to go, how to find deer, where to build stands, more.

Early Season Scouting

Early Season Souting-Calls, Lures, ScentsDeer are very susceptive to pressure, even indirect pressure from unusual movement of people and vehicles. People who travel outdoors regularly in an area, such as oil well pumpers, utility workers, and farmers, regularly see deer in the same general area year round. However, the deer become accustomed to seeing these outdoor travelers and this becomes part of their regular routine also, so they don't necessarily alter their travel routes. Take a look for yourself

Texas Hill Country Deer Hunting

Texas Hill Country Deer HuntingRead about the best place to find a deer in the U.S! The sheer number of whitetail deer in this area is staggering. Deer hunting locations to help improve your chances at bagging a trophy buck. Find out the best place in Texas to bag a Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young deer. County by county maps to pinpoint deer hunting hotspots. Take a look for yourself.

First Elk Hunt by T. J. Greaney

This was my first hunt. I don't mean first Elk hunt, it was my first hunt period. I had not even shot a rifle larger than a 22 or a 410. The invitation was given to me in March 96' and I accepted, wondering the whole time if I really wanted to go. The only other attempt I made at hunting was fifteen years ago when my brother (same one) took me out to a piece of land he had and sat me under a tree in the cold rain for hours. I had no problem with not hunting after that.

Hunting With Someone Who Don't Now this may sound like a hunters nightmare...But how else do you introduce a loved one to the sport you love? Every bow hunter, or hunter for that matter owes it to our sport, and our For Fathers, to get as much of our family members involved in some section, or at some platue of the sport of hunting to "Carry on the Tradition" so-to-speak. Take a look for yourself

New Offroad & ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) SectionWe will be adding information and links from off road and all terrain vehicle (atvs) sites. We will be linking sites to sporting goods stores, atv (all terrain vehicles) dealers, atv manufacturers, atv distributors, and other sites that sell new and used atvs (all terrain vehicles). We will also be adding links to off road and atv online sites that furnish information on atv (all terrain vehicles) dealers, atv manufacturers, atv distributors, and other sites that sell new and used atvs (all terrain vehicles). We will also link to atv manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris, Arctic Cat, and others.
We will also be adding dealers and wholesalers of the same products from time to time.

We will also be furnishing links and information on atv special meetings and mud racing circuits such as the one held every year by H & W Honda of Marshall, Texas. This is a big event that draws over 5,000 atv entrants every year. New Offroad and All Terrain Vehicle (ATVs)Section.

Archery Hunt-The First of Many

Archery Hunt-The First of ManyMy cousin was out on the second to last day of whitetail season in Wisconsin, when he shot a Pope and Young eight pointer. My point is that maybe they happen more often than not. So, remember, the next time you get discouraged because the sun is setting a little earlier each day and you think all the big bucks have been shot or have already gone into hiding, it's not over until it's over. In Colorado, it's not over until 31 minutes after sunset on the last day of the season. Take a look for yourself

Outdoor Writers Needed

Dove Hunting Primer-Scouting

Dove Hunting Primer-Scouting Information about dove hunting you can use this dove season. What you need to know now for the upcoming dove season. Learn how to pattern doves. Find out what the best gun and guage is for dove hunting in your area. Learn how to find a dove hotspot near you BEFORE the season opens. Take a look for yourself.

Bowhunting Accuracy

Bowhunting Story-Hunting With Someone Who Don't

7Mag vs 338 Vs 8MM Mag-Which Is Best?

Elk Hunting and the Big 50!

Texas Dove Hunting-Mexico Style

Texas Dove Hunting-Mexico Style

Texas Dove Hunting-Mexico StyleRead about a Texas Hotspot for mourning doves that rivals whitewing dove hunting in Mexico. Learn how to cash in on a Texas dove hunting bonanza, without the hassle of Mexico. Learn why it is important to handle firearms with extreme caution. Find out what kinds of food plots attract doves best. Get a personal opinion on best shotgun for fast action dove hunting. Take a look for yourself.

Deer Hunting-Changing Old Habits

In Tune With Nature

Hunting and Camping Done Correctly

Deer The Hard Way By Mark Edwards

Improved Handgun Performance by Sandy Lindsey

Improved Handgun Performance by Sandy Lindsey

Safe Gun Handling

Fishing Articles:

WORLD RECORD CATFISH?