Free-Range Whitetail Deer Hunts in South Texas
Mellon Creek Outfitters is a true hunter’s paradise for whitetail deer hunting. Spanning over 110,000 acres, the ranch offers some of the richest and most diverse whitetail hunting in South Texas—all on a low fence, free range basis.
If you are looking for an authentic, fair-chase deer hunt in South Texas, reach out to start planning your trip with Mellon Creek Outfitters.
Guided Deer Hunts in South Texas
At Mellon Creek Outfitters, we offer four different guided deer hunting packages:
- Meat Hunt: 3 bucks & 3 does (*guide’s discretion)
- Management Hunt: 1 doe & 1 buck up to 125” (*guide's choice)
- MCO Hunt: 1 doe and 1 buck 130′′- 140”
- Trophy Buck Hunt: 1 doe and 1 buck 150+”
South Texas Meat Deer Hunts
Our meat hunt is a 3-day hunt that includes 3 bucks and 3 does, all carefully selected by your hunting guide to ensure the best possible animals are harvested for the long-term management of our deer herd. This hunt package is an excellent opportunity to hunt multiple deer at an affordable price. If you are on a tighter budget or simply looking for action over inches, this is the hunt for you.
South Texas Management Deer Hunts
Our management deer hunt is a 3-day hunt that includes 1 doe and 1 buck up to 125 inches—again, according to your guide’s selection. Our overarching deer management plan at Mellon Creek Ranch is centered around improving genetic diversity and quality. In order to achieve that, we follow an intensive management plan that involves maintaining a certain balance in the deer population and removing buck genetics that we don’t think will contribute to overall trophy potential. Our management hunts invite you to be a part of this management program by both participating in our annual offtake goals, and by culling a mature management buck. This is another great hunt package for anyone who is more interested in the experience over a trophy.
The MCO Hunt: Medium-Sized Trophy Deer Hunts
Our “MCO Hunt” package is for the deer hunter looking for everything that our management hunt offers, but with a slightly larger trophy to hang on the wall. This is a 4-day hunt that includes 1 doe and 1 buck in the 130 to 140-inch range—by all means a great free-range whitetail trophy, but not the top of our trophy tier.
South Texas Trophy Whitetail Hunts
Our trophy whitetail hunt package gives hunters the opportunity to hunt a true trophy South Texas buck. This 5-day hunt package includes a doe, just like our other deer hunts, but there are no size constraints on the buck that you harvest. Years of meticulous herd management have allowed us to build an outstanding free-range trophy whitetail herd, and this hunt is your chance to take full advantage of what our 110,000-acre low-fence ranch has to offer. If your dream is to shoot a big, mature, trophy whitetail buck in South Texas, this hunt offers everything you could ask for.
What to Expect on a Guided Whitetail Hunt in South Texas
Hunt Details
All our guided whitetail hunts start on the evening of the day you arrive, and you will hunt the following two/four full days, the last morning, and conclude at noon. Guides will take all hunters to our range to sight in and check their rifles before hunting. Guides will field dress/skin/quarter/cape your harvest, and we have a recommended local processor if so desired.
Hunting Methods
We do deer hunts a little differently in South Texas. Hunts are mostly safari style, spot-and-stalk with shots made with shooting sticks or in a prone position. This hunting style, especially in the free-range Texas brush country, is a welcome change of pace for most deer hunters. We typically hunt the first 2-4 hours and last 2-4 hours of daylight, depending on the time of year.
South Texas Whitetail Hunt Packages
What is included:
- 3-5 days of fully guided hunting. (Trophy Buck hunts are 5 days. All other deer hunts are 3 days.)
- Field dress/skin/quarter/cape.
- Drop off at our taxidermist.
- 3 meals daily, prepared by our on-site chef.
- Private bed/bath lodging with WiFi and laundry facilities.
- Transportation to/from Corpus Christi (CRP) Airport.
What is not included:
- Hunting license
- Shipping to you or your taxidermist
- Taxidermy cost
- Gratuity
*Please see the FAQ page for more information and details.
What You Need to Know About Deer Hunting in South Texas
Deer Hunting Season in South Texas
Mellon Creek Outfitters participates in the Texas Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP), which gives us exclusive state-issued MLD tags based on the sustainable offtake for our property size and deer population. Not only does this give us access to more deer tags than what hunters are given on a standard hunting license, but it also gives us an extended rifle hunting season from October through January. This generous window makes planning your deer hunt in South Texas even easier.
Whitetail Deer Habitat in South Texas
Located just outside Refugio, northeast of Corpus Christi, the landscape at Mellon Creek Ranch shifts from bayfront and prairieland to saltgrass marshes, crop fields, and thick brush, creating the perfect habitat for whitetail deer to thrive, and a diverse landscape for hunters to experience.
Hunting Licenses Needed to Hunt Deer in Texas
To hunt whitetail deer in Texas, hunters must have a valid hunting license. Licenses can be purchased through the Texas Parks & Wildlife website.
Resident:
Resident General Hunting License Item 101
Non-Resident:
Non-Resident General Hunting License Item 105
