Dallas Area members step in please

[antsi]

Considering a job possibility in Dallas. I know Texas is generally reckoned a gun-owner-friendly state, but I'd like to get some more info about the Dallas area and what is available there for shooters.

I used to shoot a fair amount of NRA high power rifle, and if I was in an area where matches were more accessible I'd like to get back in to it. Are there high power matches ongoing in the Dallas area? Especially on Saturdays?

If high power isn't the game in Dallas, what is?

I like to deer hunt. How far out of a commute would it be if I wanted to get into a rural area where I could hunt and shoot on my own land? Mind you we are talking a college professor salary here, so a grand hunting estate in a wealthy suburb is not going to be an option. Also I would like to avoid having a huge commute every day.

Anything else you can tell me about the area would be appreciated. I grew up a farm boy in the Midwest. I like cities, but would prefer not to live in the middle of one. If there are nearby smaller towns or rural areas that are attractive places to live I'd like to hear about them.

 

[jerry4570]

I'll try to help, have been in this area all but one of my 45 years. Having recently looked for high power match, I can tell you I dont think there are many but, I did just miss one in terrell, which is a short drive from east dallas. There are many opportunities for the action pistol events, several clubs in the area, depending on your preferrence. I have shot idpa locally. Urban sprawl got its name from the dallas ft. worth area, but from most areas you can get out in the rural areas quickly enough. I drive into oklahoma to hunt because a friend owns land there, hunting leases are expensive and the hunting isn't great around here anyway, unless you like feral hogs. If you want good deer hunting, you have to drive to the hill country, approx. 4 hours, and still pay through the nose. there should be more info on high-power here.https://www.tsra.com/

 

[fisherman66]

What school?

I can't help with competition information, but I hunt on both sides of the metroplex and on public land. Depending on the school I can narrow down which direction to go.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

DFW is a huge sprawl and it takes about 2 hours to drive from the westernmost edge of Fort Worth suburbs to the easternmost edge of Dallas suburbs. So where you are going to be at in the DFW area is going to be important.

The only two ranges I know that hold High Power matches regularly are Tac-Pro in Stephenville (about 1 hour West of Fort Worth) and L. T. Dillion in Waco (about 90min-2hrs South of DFW).

 

[Bud Helms]

Allow me a second here.

Anything else you can tell me about the area would be appreciated. I grew up a farm boy in the Midwest. I like cities, but would prefer not to live in the middle of one. If there are nearby smaller towns or rural areas that are attractive places to live I'd like to hear about them

As much as I sympathize with your solicitation of opinions about an area to live from people with like interests, "Anything else you can tell me about the area ..." is a little too open-ended for a discussion here and off topic for The Firing Line.

Anyone may feel free to offer knowledge about the shooting community, local attitudes concerning RKBA and concealed carry issues, permits, local gun shops, ranges, etc. But stay focused. This is a firearms board, not a job relocation board or a real estate forum.

 

[antsi]

OK, shooting related info only.

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[benogil]

Not sure what you are looking for. Lots of ranges and range activities here.

 

[pvt.Long]

well since its such a large city the few long ranges are quite picky about the kinds of ammo they want you tp use soft point ammo. If you want to look for ranges just Google and see whats closest to you. The several highways that are in the area will take you out to rural areas about a 2 to 3 hr drive to hunt. and game is pretty good for each season we have depending on which area you go to. Here's a tip if your out hunting and see a feral hog please shoot it. We have the topo population of the piggy and if you dont want to mess with it leave it. Those are words from the fish and wildlife department.

 

[antsi]

Honestly I am not married to deer hunting per se. My main motivation is filling up the freezer. Now you all have me thinking pig hunting. Are they good eating?

 

[rbernie]

Yes, they are.

If you decide on what part of the Metroplex you are likely to be working, you can likely get better recommendations on shooting-related activities and infrastructure.

 

[pvt.Long]

For good eaten pigs your in the right state. The max size for not to tough and good tasting pig is 200lbs and under atleast to me. All here will agree that there is nothing that beats wild boar.

 

[jerry4570]

fisherman66

I can't help with competition information, but I hunt on both sides of the metroplex and on public land. Depending on the school I can narrow down which direction to go.

I'd given up on the public areas, where do you go?

 

[fisherman66]

LBJ Nat Grassland (Caddo section specifically). This year out trip was cut short (only 2 days) and we didn't kill anything, but we watched several deer pulled out and there was a line at the check station. Had I been a little more patient I would've pulled a doe out, but I was moving a little fast for still hunting and we saw each other at the same moment and needless to say the doe won. Year before we did Sam Houston and saw very little game.

 

[2rugers]

Lots and lots of public land hunting within an hour of Dallas.

Head south less than an hour toward corsicana and hunt around the Richland chambers reservoir.

Check TPWD website for areas and available game.

 

[fisherman66]

DosRugers; you are right, but most of the spots are geared more toward birds. Muzzleloader/Shotgun restrictions are in place for the larger game in most areas. Still, I'm not complaining. We have it pretty good here in Texas as far as public hunting land compared to many other states.

 

[2rugers]

Yeah Fman, I just looked at what some of the areas have to offer these days, (we haven't hunted the public lands since the early 90's), and I see that some of them now only allow deer hunting with archery tackle. What a bummer.
Like you said though, still alot of land with alot of hunting and shooting activities close to DFW.

Another public oppurtunity for a surefire cheap deer hunt would be Fort Hood.
We hunted there for many a year.
Guided for rifle and shotgun mind you, (but easy do it yourself for archery).