Stop leasing — start owning. Private 10-acre hunting parcels in mule deer, pronghorn, and quail country. Starting at $4,600 with owner financing.
The Trans-Pecos region of West Texas — encompassing Hudspeth County, Presidio County, and the vast Chihuahuan Desert stretching into the Big Bend — is one of the most legendary hunting landscapes in North America. This is mule deer country. Pronghorn country. A landscape shaped by millions of years of geology into dramatic canyons, open desert flats, and mountain ranges that provide perfect habitat for a surprising diversity of game.
Unlike the crowded hunting leases of Central and South Texas, West Texas offers something increasingly rare: wide-open space and genuine solitude. When you hunt here, you may go an entire day without seeing another human being. The horizon stretches to mountains 50 miles distant. The silence is total except for wind, quail calls, and the crunch of caliche underfoot.
Both Hudspeth County and Presidio County sit within the Texas Trans-Pecos — the region that game biologists consider the heart of Texas's mule deer population. The Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem supports a food web built on native grasses, shrubs like lechuguilla, sotol, and creosote, and seasonal water sources that concentrate wildlife in predictable patterns.
Here's what you can expect to encounter on your West Texas property through the seasons:
Season: Late November – mid-December (general); archery opens earlier in October
The Trans-Pecos is home to the largest mule deer population in Texas. Rocky terrain, desert washes, and brushy draws provide excellent habitat. Mature bucks in the 150–170 Boone & Crockett range are taken here annually. Water sources and feeders dramatically improve success rates.
Season: Late September – early October (typically)
The pronghorn — North America's fastest land animal — thrives on the open desert flats of Hudspeth County. They're uniquely suited to this landscape and can often be spotted from the road. Pronghorn hunting requires a special permit drawn through Texas Parks & Wildlife; owning land puts you in the strongest position for adjacent public land hunts.
Season: Year-round in Hudspeth; October–February in Presidio (check TPWD)
Javelina are abundant throughout the Trans-Pecos and provide action when other seasons are closed. They travel in herds of 5–15 animals, are active morning and evening, and are best hunted around water sources and prickly pear flats. Their musky scent glands make them one of the most aromatic game animals in North America.
Season: September (Zone 2: opens first Saturday); late season through November
Dove hunting in West Texas is world-class. The Presidio and Hudspeth county corridors see massive dove migrations each fall. Fields of grain sorghum, sunflower, and native seed grasses concentrate birds by the thousands. Owner-hunters report 50+ bird days on good property near water and food sources.
Season: October 28 – February 23 (typical)
Both Gambel's quail and the native scaled (blue) quail inhabit the desert grasslands and brushy draws of far West Texas. Population cycles with rainfall — good rain years produce spectacular quail hunting. Walk-up shooting over a pointing dog in this country is an experience that many hunters describe as the pinnacle of the upland tradition.
Season: No closed season; year-round
Coyotes are abundant and can be called year-round. Feral hogs have moved into some West Texas drainages and can be hunted at any time with no bag limit. Bobcats (with a valid license) round out the predator opportunities. Night hunting for hogs with thermal optics is legal on private property in Texas.
Hunting leases have been a Texas tradition for generations, but they've always been a financial dead end. You pay every year, and at the end you own nothing. The landowner gets your money; you get access — until the lease ends or the price goes up.
Here's what the math actually looks like on a typical West Texas scenario:
| Factor | Hunting Lease | Own 10 Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 Cost | $500–$2,000/yr | $4,600–$7,500 (one time) |
| Year 5 Total Cost | $2,500–$10,000 | ~$4,600–$7,500 + taxes |
| Year 10 Total Cost | $5,000–$20,000 | Same price + appreciation |
| Annual Carrying Cost | Full lease fee | Under $100 (taxes only) |
| Asset built | None | Real property equity |
| Can be terminated | Yes, by landowner | You are the landowner |
| Improvements allowed | Usually limited | Unlimited |
The break-even point on owning versus leasing in West Texas is often 3–5 hunting seasons. After that, you're hunting for free — on land you own — while building equity that can be sold, gifted, or passed to your children.
Raw land becomes a productive hunting property with a few strategic improvements. Here's what experienced West Texas hunters recommend for 10-acre parcels in the Trans-Pecos:
In the Chihuahuan Desert, water is everything. Game animals will travel miles for reliable water. A simple wildlife guzzler — a plastic tank with a float valve fed from a rainwater collection system — costs as little as $200–$500 to set up and will immediately attract and concentrate game. Some landowners haul water in 275-gallon totes on trailers during drought periods to maintain the water feature year-round. Once you have water, you have wildlife.
Modern cellular game cameras allow you to monitor your West Texas property remotely from your phone — even from hundreds of miles away. Set cameras near the water source and any natural travel corridors (desert washes, fence lines, rocky draws). You'll quickly learn what's living on and passing through your 10 acres and the surrounding public land.
Ground blinds and tripod stands work extremely well in the flat to rolling terrain of both Hudspeth and Presidio counties. The open terrain means visibility is excellent — you can sometimes spot game at 300–500 yards. A shooting house or elevated tripod near water gives you the best combination of concealment and field of view.
If dove hunting is your primary interest, consider discing or grading a portion of your acreage and planting a food plot of milo (grain sorghum) or sunflower. The desert soil in West Texas is surprisingly productive with any moisture. Dove fields near water sources during September migration can produce extraordinary shooting.
Trans-Pecos Desert | Mule Deer & Pronghorn Country
Flat to rolling Chihuahuan Desert. Excellent mule deer, javelina, dove, quail, and pronghorn corridor. ~90 miles east of El Paso on I-10. Read the full county guide →
Browse Hudspeth LotsBig Bend Region | Mountains, Canyons & River Corridor
Rugged canyon and mountain terrain. Mule deer, javelina, dove, and quail. Near Big Bend NP. Read the full county guide →
Browse Presidio LotsTexas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) sets all hunting seasons, bag limits, and license requirements. As a landowner, you are still subject to state wildlife laws. Key points for West Texas hunters:
Stop writing lease checks to someone else's land. Own 10 acres in prime West Texas mule deer and quail country starting at $4,600. Owner financing, no credit check, 30-day satisfaction guarantee.