The Lone Star Solitary (LSS) series has a few premises involved. For example, it involves hunting only free-range deer, almost exclusively bowhunting, and staying reasonably close to home. Of course, in Texas, it also means utilizing deer feeders in some cases. Despite the latter, it also represents a somewhat DIY approach to pursuing whitetails which will no doubt be demonstrated and explained in later LSS episodes.
Occurring exclusively on Texas dirt, LSS will involve things common to the hunting culture in the Lone Star State. Hunting deer in Texas conjures up a variety of images for American hunters – especially for those on the outside looking in. Tripod deer feeders; box blinds; high-powered centerfire rifles; big buck contests. This list goes on.
The biggest foundations of the LSS series are that hunts are done solo and on private hunting grounds. While there are many hunters that do either or both, it’s arguably not the trend these days.
Here is why I do it this way.
One Man One Vote
This one’s easy. As the name suggests, LSS is a solitary affair. At most, an occasional second hunter may be involved, but if so, there will be a united front in terms of hunting methods, means, and philosophy.
While I like deer camp as much as the next guy, I love hunting solo. The alone time scouting, hunting, and traveling to and from multiple venues is therapeutic. It’s a great time for strategizing, reflection, and even self-examination. It also affords me control over how to enter and exit the deer woods, among other things. It’s much to do with control, and with all of the variables involved with hunting mature bucks, this one is huge.
While solo hunting isn’t for everyone, it’s a great way to get it done if you’re serious about your hunting exploits and success levels. Again, it’s much to do with control and focus. Less football-watching and late libation-filled nights equals more sleep and less tardiness to the blind and tree stand. I know what your thinking, “I bet you’re fun at parties…” I actually like to hunt this way – and for the record, and it doesn’t mean I never hunt with friends.
Solo hunting on multiple private parcels has its advantages, namely that you call the shots.
Challenge and Opportunity
First off, over 95% of Texas’ huntable land is privately-owned. There are still public land hunting opportunities in the Lone Star State. LSS is in no way intended to sway anybody from chasing whitetails on public land. Nationally, whitetail hunting on public land is definitely on the rise. It has many benefits, including inherent challenge and the opportunity to sharpen woodsmanship skills. It also lends well to the mobile hunting trend, an actionable and more DIY approach for chasing whitetails. It ain’t easy.
Hunting free-range private land can be challenging as well, particularly if you’re seeking mature whitetails. This is the species of whitetail that’s hard to arrow whether the land is owned by the federal or state government or Joe Rancher off County Road 308. If you hope to put an arrow in one, you still have to contend with an old buck’s senses, determine travel patterns, and often deal with the pressure of other adjacent private land hunters.
Put differently, hunting private grounds still requires one to push the right buttons in order to put themselves in front of a remarkable buck, much less sink your favorite broadhead into one.
Setups on multiple properties means alternatives in the face of changing variables such as weather.
While you might have to pay to hunt, it’s not a given. If you do your due diligence, there are ways to secure some acres reasonably close to home for nothing more than any combination of some chores, friendly visits, or backstrap steaks. And…once you secure a piece, you’re not likely to abruptly find that someone has placed a stand in the area you’ve been scouting and preparing for weeks.
While obtaining private hunting property can be difficult in some areas, it’s worth putting in the effort to find a place or two, or more…
Hunting private land is an opportunity to find multiple pieces of dirt close to home. This means choices; choices in response to weather conditions, terrain, and your available time to hunt at a given time.
Final Thoughts
If your goal is to hunt and harvest mature bucks (or any bucks for that matter), finding private grounds is a great option. And if you’re willing to do it solo, you can enjoy the freedom to hunt the way you want, controlling variables such as deer pressure. It has much to do with creating alternatives in the face of weather conditions, wind direction, and the like. If you can’t our choose not to go out, you can rest assured there are no fellow lease members out there either.
So, consider finding two or more tracts to hang your stands. If it’s too late for 2021, start seeking some for 2022. Solo and private land hunting are a great combination and foundation for big buck success.
