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Escondido Patrons,  We would like to remind you all of the upcoming archery season drawing that will be held on 14SEP11.  Our updated harvest recommendations are two bucks and three doe.  We will begin deer draw tickets sales on 01SEP11 at our ITT Office located at NAS Kingsville (361-516-6449).  We wish you all the best of luck with the drawing!  Addtionally, we will be drawing for our five special management hunt areas (four gun & one bow) on 14SEP11.  The instructions on our website list amplifying information regarding the special management hunt areas(www.navyescondidoranch.com).  All sealed bids will need to be mailed to:  Escondido Ranch, Attn:  Special Management Hunt Bid, P.O. Box 1810, Freer, TX, 78357.  We hope to see you all out at the Ranch this hunting season!  V/R, Ranch Staff

*** ESCONDIDO DEER DRAW TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED AT OUR MWR ITT OFFICE IN NAVAL AIR STATION KINGSVILLE OR BY PHONE.  FOR THOSE WHO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OUTSIDE WHAT IS POSTED ON THIS SITE, PLEASE CONTACT US VIA OUR CONTACTS TAB AND WE WILL PROMPTLY COMPLY WITH YOUR REQUEST. *** 

Escondido Ranch Patrons, Please take a few minutes and view our website.  We have posted all kill shot pictures we have, and would like for you all to check and see if you have been left out.  Please send any missing pictures to mes_73@yahoo.com, and I will get them posted.  Thanks and have a great summer.  V/R-R, Chief Eric Smith, Ranch Manager.

New Special Management Hunt Opportunities
There will be four Special Management Gun Hunting Areas and one Special Management Bow Hunting Area this year. 

UNDERSTAND, THESE SPECIAL MANAGEMENT HUNT AREAS ARE ADJACENT TO THE IMPACT AREA AND HAVE NO IMPACT WHAT-SO-EVER ON THE REGULAR HUNTING PROGRAM AT ESCONDIDO RANCH. IN FACT, THE REGULAR HUNTING PROGRAM IS AN EVEN BETTER OPPORTUNITY THAN BEFORE. SEE THIS YEAR’S INSTRUCTION AND DEER DRAWING NOTICE FOR DETAILS.
Any eligible hunter may bid on these five areas via sealed bid. Minimum bid is $1,500 and the five highest bidders win exclusive hunting rights to their Special Management Hunting Area. The gun hunter with the highest bid gets first choice of Special Management Hunt Areas 1 through 5 on the new Escondido Ranch map. The hunter with the second highest bid gets second choice and so on. The bow hunter with the highest bid will automatically win hunting rights to Special Management Hunt Area 5 on the new Escondido Ranch map.
Sealed bids must be submitted by COB 2 September 2011. Bids will be opened and winners announced on Tuesday, 6 September. This will allow wining hunters time to prepare their Special Management Hunt Areas for opening day. The five winning hunters will have exclusive access to their area from opening day to the end of deer season and are allowed to harvest one deer of their choice, one feral hog, and one javelina. Hunting fees are waived but hunters must pay lodging fees and kill fees will be charged.

There Have Been Major Changes to the Fee Structure for Hunting at Escondido Ranch.
Doe tickets remain $5 each or $6 it you decide to have ranch personnel label them for you. Buck tags are now $7 each or $8 if you decide to have ranch personnel label them for you. The major change is that Buck tags are no longer divided into Management and Trophy categories. Hunters who purchase Buck Tags, and whose tags are drawn as winners, will be allowed to harvest the buck of their choice and will pay a kill fee based on the Boone and Crockett (B & C) score of the animal harvested. Daily hunt fees and blind rental fees still apply. BE SURE AND READ NASKINGS NOTICE 1710 DATED 28 JUNE 2011. THIS NOTICE EXPLAINS IN DETAIL THE REQUIREMENTS ANIMALS MUST MEET TO BE LEGALLY HARVESTED.

Three Super Combos for the 2011-2012 Season
Three Super Combo tickets will be drawn for the 2011-2012 season. These tickets will be drawn at the 20 October 2011 drawing and may be used during any of the four hunting periods. Super Combo tickets are priced at $100 each (same as last year). Super Combo winners will be allowed to harvest one deer of their choice, one feral hog, and one javelina during the hunting season at Escondido Ranch. They are also allowed unlimited quail hunting in season. Hunting fees for Super Combo winners are waived but the hunters must pay lodging and kill fees.

Bow Hunters Must Purchase Deer Draw Tickets for the 2011-2012 Archery Season
Bow hunters must purchase tickets for the 2011-2012 Archery Season. The good news is that there will be two winning buck tags and five winning doe tags drawn. And just like the regular gun hunting season, winning hunters will be allowed to harvest the buck of their choice and will pay a kill fee based on the Boone and Crockett (B & C) score of the animal harvested. Daily hunt fees and blind rental fees still apply. BE SURE AND READ NASKINGS NOTICE 1710 DATED 28 JUNE 2011. THIS NOTICE EXPLAINS IN DETAIL THE REQUIREMENTS ANIMALS MUST MEET TO BE LEGALLY HARVESTED.

 There will Hunters Safety Course offered 22 Feb 2011- You may register through ESAMS or contact the Safety Office at extensions 361.516.6153/6297/6237/6637

Date: 22 Feb 2011-2/23/2011 (2 evenings)

From: 1700 hours (5:00 pm) to 2100 hours (9:00 pm) 

Where: NAS Kingsville BLDG 2740 Room 212 Naval Air Station Kingsville Texas

Cost:  $15.00 (payable at start of class)

Description: This is a hunter Safety Course that will be given at Naval Air Station Kingsville Texas. There will be a written exam at the end of the class. Ages 9 and above can attend, but they must be 9 years of age at the start of the class.

Archery Only Season

Draw Date- No Draw

Hunt Date- 06 Oct-29 Oct 2010

Special Youth Season (16 and Under)

Drawing Date- No Draw, please make reservations with the ranch in advance.

Hunt Date- 30 Oct- 31 Oct 2010 (Doe Only)

*One management/Cull buck may be taken under MLDP Level 2 during this two day hunt.  Hunters present will draw tickets for the 1 available management buck.

General Season (Rifle) For Antlered Deer

First Hunt-

Draw Date- 20 OCT 2010

Hunt Dates- 06 Nov- 23 Nov, 2010

Second Hunt-

Draw Date- 17 Nov 2010

Hunt Dates- 30 nov-22 Dec, 2010

Third Hunt-

Draw Date- 15 Dec 2010

Hunt Date- 03 Jan- 31 Jan, 2011

Fourth Hunt-

Draw Date- Feb 2011

Hunt Dates- 03 Feb-27 Feb, 2011

Note: The beginning and ending hunt dates are subject to change if harvest quotas are reached before the end of the official Texas hunting season.

Congratulations to these guys!

Larry Zielke 03 April 2010 40 LBS

Since the Ranch has opened for the weekends we have had a few people come out, nothing shot yet though.  There has been a couple weekends that the rain has been so bad that no one has been able to come out.   If you have been out to the Ranch before you know about the road to the Ranch  and how bad it can get if it rains really good.

Congrats to the first drawing winners.  Those names were posted the other day. 

Starting 7 November 2009 the Ranch will open 7 days a week through 31 January 2010.  Hope to see y-all at there.

Please note that due to diminished herd numbers as a result of the drought over the past year, we will have limited deer available for harvest during the youth hunt scheduled for 31 Oct. A total of 1 Management Buck and 2 Doe will be available. All youth that are present for the hunt will be entered into a draw for all available deer. All other in-season game will be open for hunting. If you have questions, please contact the ranch staff at (830) 373-4419.

Below are the results of the first deer draw which covers the first hunt period from 7-24 November. If you have questions, please contact the ranch staff at (830) 373-4419. Current hours of operation are Thursday 1300-Sunday 1200. Congratulations to all the winners!

SUPER COMBO Paul Kite (Active)

TROPHY Chad Pearce (Active)

MANAGEMENT Cyrus Reynolds (Active), John Adams (Active)

DOE Ben Po (Other), Ronald Agabon (Other), Daniel Calderon (Other), Michael Vorpahl (Other), Andres Aquino (Other)’ Ben Po Jr., John K. Adams (Active), Cyrus Reynolds (Active).

The 2009-2010 NASK Hunting Instructions and details for Escondido Ranch are now posted. You can download them from the following links, or under the download section of this site. Please read the entire instruction carefully. If you have questions, please contact the ranch at 830-373-4419, or the MWR ITT office at 361-516-6449.

IMPORTANT NOTE: DUE TO OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, HUNTING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AT NALF ORANGE GROVE IN 2009-2010.

2009-2010 ESCONDIDO RANCH DETAILS

Ranch Schedule
Escondido Ranch will open for 2009-2010 hunting seasons on 18 September. Details regarding specific hunting seasons for all game are detailed below.  Please note the below dates that the ranch will be closed during the seasons.

                                25-29 November (Thanksgiving)
                                23 December – 2 January (Christmas & New Years)

                                27-28 March 2010 (NAS Kingsville Air Show)                                                                

Archery Only Season
Archery only deer season is scheduled for 3 October – 6 November.
Please Note: No trophy bucks will be harvested during archery only season.

Special Youth Hunt
Our special Youth Hunt is scheduled for 31 October & 1 November. A special draw will be conducted for one antlered deer prior to the hunt for all youth hunters that are present.

Wounded Warrior Hunt
Escondido Ranch will once again host the Wounded Warriors. This great event is tentatively scheduled for 11-15 January.

Antlered Deer Hunt Periods & Draw Dates

First Hunt Period:             7 November – 24 November
                                                *(Draw date: Wednesday 7 Oct. 0700 at MWR ITT Office, Bldg 3766)

Second Hunt Period:      30 November – 22 December
                                                *(Draw date: Wednesday 28 Oct. 0700 at MWR ITT Office, Bldg 3766)     

Third Hunt Period:           2 January – 31 January (Antler season ends 17 January)
                                                *(Draw date: Wednesday 2 Dec. 0700 at MWR ITT Office, Bldg 3766)

*Deadline for entering any given draw is close of business the day prior to the scheduled draw.

Fees

Big Game Hunt Fee (per day)   $100
Small Game/Bird Hunt Fee (per day)  $50
Trophy Buck Kill Fee   (Active Duty) $300    (Retired/DOD) $450
Management Buck Kill Fee  (Active Duty) $250    (Retired/DOD) $325
Doe Kill Fee  (Active Duty) $50    (Retired/DOD) $75
Hog/Javelina Kill Fee  (Active Duty) $50    (Retired/DOD) $75
Bobcat/Coyote  (Active Duty) $50/25    (Retired/DOD) $75/25

INSTRUCTIONS
NASKINGINST 1710.27E – revised 09.04.09 – Official hunting instruction.
NASKINGSNOTE 1710 - Official Deer Tag Draw guidelines for 2009-2010.
KING’S HUNT CLUB - revised .1.25.09 – King’s Hunt Club Membership Form

The Ranch is coming right along.  The staff is working very hard to make this a better place.  Here are some pictures of some improvements.  It is hard to tell from the pictures but it looks pretty good. 

Front gate repainted

New window blinds in Lounge

Smokers painted and crackes filled

New sink and counter in cook house

The Ranch came to a close last weekend.  It has been very eventful since last September 2008.  We will be closing from June to August to allow for Maintenance and to get ready for the upcoming Deer season.  The staff will be working Monday through Thursday for the summer.

Here are some rough numbers for the Ranch.  Between the Does and Bucks there were 103 shot, 36 Javenlina’s, 31 Hogs, 474 Quail and Dove, 7 turkeys, and several Coyotes, bobcats, rabbits, and raccoons.  No mountain lions even though there were sightings.

I know it seems like easy duty out at the Ranch, and a dream duty for every military person (who wouldn’t love this duty), but the staff put in a lot of hard work to make things happen for all the hunters. 

Thank you to all the Hunters that came out.  Without you the Ranch would not exist.  I haven’t been here for very long but I have met a lot of people and had a lot of fun out at the Ranch.  Looking forward and hope to see all of you this coming season. 

Also want to say thanks to all the volunteers that came out, helped the staff and put a lot of hard work to make the Ranch look as good as it does now.   

If there is any questions or any concerns please let the staff know.   If there is anything that you remember that we can improve on also please let the staff know.  Keep on eye on this website for more info on the upcoming season.

Tell everyone that didn’t have a chance to come out, to come out this upcoming season.

The King Hunt Club card is good from May 2009 to May 2010.  You can join early even though the hunting season is not until September 2009.  Same price $20.  You can join by stopping by here on base at the ITT office NAS Kingsville or call 361-516-6449 or at the Ranch the day you get there to check in. 

Thank you,

MWR Leading Chief:  ABFC(AW) John Ordonio

Ranch Manager: HTC(SW/AW) Ken Semlinger

Ranch Staff:

            EN1 Ben Carnes

            EN2(SW) Larry Hill

            MR2 Jonathan Cruz

            DC3 Javier Morgan