LAKEVIEW LODGE MANAGED DEER HUNT

The Lakeview Lodge deer hunt is a controlled hunt managed with assistance from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Managed Land Deer Permits program (MLDP). Limited hunting is used to control deer populations, maintain a strong gene pool in the herd, and raise funds for maintenance at the camp. No other hunting is allowed during the year. A TPWD Wildlife Biologist supervises the annual fall deer count and analyzes the results to issue deer tags for use by the hunters participating in the annual managed harvest on the ranch.

Lakeview Lodge is part of the 2500-acre Sid Richardson Scout Ranch (SR2) located on Lake Bridgeport, 70 miles northwest of DFW airport.  Each year the Ranch closes for a controlled harvest of deer.  This year the Thanksgiving hunt will be a 3-day hunt.  Registration will be the afternoon of Thanksgiving.  See registration to the right for the other hunts.  The youth hunt is for youth and parent only and the youth must be 16 years old or younger.

The Lakeview Lodge Deer Hunt is an example of what proper game management can achieve. In 2009 the average weight of a full-grown doe on Sid Richardson Scout Ranch was approximately 60 pounds, and bucks were 80-100 pounds. In 2020 the average mature doe weight is now 100-120 pounds and mature bucks are 140-180 pounds. Through proper management the deer herd on Sid Richardson Scout Ranch is now far healthier

This year’s hunts may incorporate current Covid-19 protocols for hygiene, social distancing, masks, cleaning and sanitizing. For example, hunters in cabins will get a grill to cook their own big steak dinner at the cabin.

 Our TPWD Wildlife Biologist has advised that we need to reduce the number of antlerless deer on the property. In order to prevent overpopulation and to increase the number of bucks available in the future.  This year a management buck can be taken versus a Doe.  A management buck is defined as a buck with at least one unbranched antler.

 Only 15 hunters are booked for each weekend and this is dependent on the availability of housing.

 All hunts are rain or shine. We will place you in productive areas. While we cannot guarantee that you will harvest a deer during your stay, we do promise good food, good fellowship, and a weekend in the woods without any ZOOM meetings!

If the number of tags is insufficient to cover the number of hunters in the field, then technology is utilized to accommodate the hunter who requests the harvest of a deer.  A text is used to request authorization to harvest the animal. Do not harvest unless authorization is received.   We cannot exceed the number of tags issued for Buck or Antlerless deer by the TPWD under the MLDP program. 

Stands
22 Deer stands are available.  Ground blinds, tree stands, and elevated platforms.  Stand locations are determined by first come, first served basis. If requested, transportation can be arranged to and from your stand. 

NON-Hunting Guests fees:
A. Non-Hunting guests 16 years of age and older are $175.00 each for the weekend.

B. Non-Hunting guests 10 years of age to 15 are $100.00 each for the weekend.

C. Non-Hunting guests 9 years of age and younger are Free.

Weekend Hunts 

Hunter Fees are noted below, with check in date and time and .  Please note the section pertaining to refunds for hunts. 

Hunters must ensure that an antlerless animal to be harvested does not meet the definition of a buck as defined in the TPWD Outdoor Annual.

 Other Services and Facilities

• Fishing available, with license

• Experienced help available weekends to help prepare kills for cold storage.

Location
Lake Bridgeport, Wise County, Texas


Lakeview Lodge Accommodations

• Eight 2-bedroom cabins with central heat, living room, TV/DVD for DVD viewing only, bathroom & shower, and kitchen (sleeps 6 with pull out couch, 2 twin beds per room).

• Four 16-bed dormitories with central heat and showers.

• Weekend hunters are served meals in the Lakeview dining hall Friday supper to Sunday lunch.

•  Thanksgiving hunters are served meals Friday morning to Sunday lunch. 

• All buildings are smoke free.

Our staff will assist the hunter with processing the deer for transportation. “Processing” is defined as field dressing, skinning and quartering for transportation. Upon request, we will teach first-time hunters how to field dress/process their deer. All deer harvested must be brought to the ranch’s processing station immediately for weighting and measurements and issuance of a MLDP tag before the harvesting of the next deer.   

 The wildlife management program is managed by our volunteer Wildlife of Management Committee with deer lease management and deer hunting experience
 

GUIDELINES:

Hunting Guidelines

Max of 15 hunters per hunt weekend except for Youth hunt weekends.

Maximum harvest for a hunt is 2 deer per weekend except for the harvest of a non-management buck which is one per weekend.  No trophy fees are assessed.  No additional tags will be issued except on the last hunt weekend for the year and only if tags are available.

Bucks must be 3.5 years old or older.  Inside spread of 13 inches or greater.

Young buck may not be harvested, 2.5 years old or younger

Doe with yearling must not be harvested

Yearling must not be harvested.  Use Binoculars to ensure animal is not a button buck

A Management Buck* is defined as a buck with at least one unbranched antler

Hunters can harvest Feral hogs, coyotes and a legal turkey.

Personal hunting tags are utilized for the harvest of a turkey.  Maximum harvest per hunt is 1 legal turkey.