El Paso, Texas

Red_Eagle · February 1, 2009, 06:48 PM

Is there anything to hunt there besides rabbits and coyotes? I might be getting stationed at FT Bliss soon.

Daryl · February 1, 2009, 08:36 PM

A friend of mine just got transfered to El Paso, from Ft Huachuca. He hates it.

I'd imagine that there's quail and other small game, and deer if you travel just a bit and figure out where you can hunt. Texas has a lot of private property, so it's tough to find a place to hunt unless you know someone or pay to use the land for hunting.

Daryl

2rugers · February 2, 2009, 03:02 PM

Mule deer, whitetail deer, pronghorn antelope, an occasional elk, wild hog, javalena, auodad sheep, wild goat, mt.lion, bobcat, coyote, turkey, quail....

H.W. French · February 2, 2009, 04:51 PM

ORYX! If you're lucky enough. Although most of the ones I've seen have been in the Mcgregor/Otero, NM area.

Art Eatman · February 2, 2009, 09:42 PM

Mule deer, east of El Paso. Oughta be pretty good between I-10 and the Rio, around Sierra Blanca. Some pretty big racks in the general area of Sierra Blanca and Van Horn.

Lots of stuff in New Mexico. I don't know if military folks get resident rates, though.

XLT · February 2, 2009, 11:56 PM

Military personnel can get NM licenses at state resident rates, may also get to hunt on installation land in Texas, not sure about that one. I know they can at Fort Hood down in Killeen. That is probably the best bet for you. I moved here in August and pretty much missed the deer season, didn't even see anything... have to head back towards Sierra Blanca (roughly 70-100 miles) to find anything.

If you can in Texas and need/want a buddy...invite me along (nudge, nudge, nudge...

)

Juliet39 · February 4, 2009, 12:12 AM

i cant speak for the texas side but NM has elk and deer by cloudcroft area, and in the las cruces area dove and quail are big, especially if you can get permission from the daries.

lon371 · February 5, 2009, 02:46 AM

2rugars

Quote:

Mule deer, whitetail deer, pronghorn antelope, an occasional elk, wild hog, javalena, auodad sheep, wild goat, mt.lion, bobcat, coyote, turkey, quail....

Where do they hide? I was there for 3 years, never seen anything but dove, rabits and hot little mexican girls. I did not spend a lot of time hunting. I did do some dove hunting. It amezes me, you can drive out in the desert find what was a pond years before and the dove still come. Find some like minded once there, like most hunters they will probably help. Did see some critters up around LasCruses and Elephant Butte,NM.

Good luck. TAKE AN AIRCONDITIONER!
Lonny

Art Eatman · February 5, 2009, 10:44 AM

lon371, desert wildlife populations are sparse. Two basic ways to hunt: Either a lot of sitting and watching--particularly at daybreak and dusk--or a heckuva lot of mid-day walking and trying to kick critters out of bed.

Success in the walking hunting requires some knowledge of where critters are likely to be bedded down, or you wind up several inches shorter from the many wasted miles.

XLT · February 5, 2009, 07:24 PM

Art is right...I'm from the Texas Hill Country, if you just sit down a deer will run over you most of the time...

I don't know if the mule deer range much farther, but the space is wide open... if they were moving slowly it would be real hard to see them at all... lots of space to scan almost everywere I've been...

I'm by no means an expert here...but I aim to find an expert before I go out again...

Art Eatman · February 5, 2009, 07:37 PM

While it varies with rainfall and specific locale, mule deer densities can vary from one deer per 40 to 60 acres to as bad as one per 150 or 200. Much of the country is water-limited, not food limited. A lactating doe must stay pretty much within a half-mile to a mile of water. Bucks are not so limited. The problem for hunting bucks is that they might only drink once or twice a week, and hardly at all during the rut.

The aoudad herds are very much on the increase. They are feral, and may be hunted any time of year, day or night. All that's needed is the basic hunting license. Check the TP&WD website...

February 1, 2009, 06:48 PM	#1
Red_Eagle Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2007 Location: Western NY Posts: 598	El Paso, Texas Is there anything to hunt there besides rabbits and coyotes? I might be getting stationed at FT Bliss soon. __________________ My Calibers: 22 Hornet, 223 Rem, 22-250, 243 Win, 270 Win, 280 Remington Ackley Improved, 30-30, 308 Win, 30-06, 300 Winchester magnum, 7.62x39mm, 380 Auto, 9mm Parabellum, 38 Special, 357 magnum, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 45 GAP, 45 Auto, 12 & 20 Guage

February 2, 2009, 03:02 PM	#3
2rugers Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2005 Location: texas Posts: 762	Mule deer, whitetail deer, pronghorn antelope, an occasional elk, wild hog, javalena, auodad sheep, wild goat, mt.lion, bobcat, coyote, turkey, quail.... __________________ Pain Is The Quickest Teacher 2RUGERS AKA "HALFCOCKED"

February 2, 2009, 11:56 PM	#6
XLT Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 207	Military personnel can get NM licenses at state resident rates, may also get to hunt on installation land in Texas, not sure about that one. I know they can at Fort Hood down in Killeen. That is probably the best bet for you. I moved here in August and pretty much missed the deer season, didn't even see anything... have to head back towards Sierra Blanca (roughly 70-100 miles) to find anything. If you can in Texas and need/want a buddy...invite me along (nudge, nudge, nudge...) __________________ It's a shame all my guns were with Trapp's...

February 5, 2009, 07:24 PM	#10
XLT Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 207	Art is right...I'm from the Texas Hill Country, if you just sit down a deer will run over you most of the time... I don't know if the mule deer range much farther, but the space is wide open... if they were moving slowly it would be real hard to see them at all... lots of space to scan almost everywere I've been... I'm by no means an expert here...but I aim to find an expert before I go out again... __________________ It's a shame all my guns were with Trapp's...

February 1, 2009, 08:36 PM	#2
Daryl Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Posts: 2,350	A friend of mine just got transfered to El Paso, from Ft Huachuca. He hates it. I'd imagine that there's quail and other small game, and deer if you travel just a bit and figure out where you can hunt. Texas has a lot of private property, so it's tough to find a place to hunt unless you know someone or pay to use the land for hunting. Daryl

February 2, 2009, 04:51 PM	#4
H.W. French Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2009 Location: Blue Ridge Plateau Posts: 151	ORYX! If you're lucky enough. Although most of the ones I've seen have been in the Mcgregor/Otero, NM area.

February 2, 2009, 09:42 PM	#5
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Mule deer, east of El Paso. Oughta be pretty good between I-10 and the Rio, around Sierra Blanca. Some pretty big racks in the general area of Sierra Blanca and Van Horn. Lots of stuff in New Mexico. I don't know if military folks get resident rates, though.

February 4, 2009, 12:12 AM	#7
Juliet39 Junior Member Join Date: February 3, 2009 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 6	i cant speak for the texas side but NM has elk and deer by cloudcroft area, and in the las cruces area dove and quail are big, especially if you can get permission from the daries.

February 5, 2009, 10:44 AM	#9
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	lon371, desert wildlife populations are sparse. Two basic ways to hunt: Either a lot of sitting and watching--particularly at daybreak and dusk--or a heckuva lot of mid-day walking and trying to kick critters out of bed. Success in the walking hunting requires some knowledge of where critters are likely to be bedded down, or you wind up several inches shorter from the many wasted miles.

February 5, 2009, 07:37 PM	#11
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	While it varies with rainfall and specific locale, mule deer densities can vary from one deer per 40 to 60 acres to as bad as one per 150 or 200. Much of the country is water-limited, not food limited. A lactating doe must stay pretty much within a half-mile to a mile of water. Bucks are not so limited. The problem for hunting bucks is that they might only drink once or twice a week, and hardly at all during the rut. The aoudad herds are very much on the increase. They are feral, and may be hunted any time of year, day or night. All that's needed is the basic hunting license. Check the TP&WD website...