Yes. Kids 12 and under stay and eat free. Ages 13 and up are $200 per person per day for lodging and meals.

What is a good first exotic hunt?

A blackbuck trophy hunt at $3,950, or a doe meat hunt from $750 for a lower-cost first hunt.

Can we borrow a rifle?

Yes. Ask about a loaner when you book.

Do you hunt with first-time hunters?

Yes. Every trophy hunt is fully guided, and the guide stays with a new hunter through the shot and the recovery.

Your first trophy hunt

First Hunt

Built for the first one

Somebody's first trophy hunt is the most important hunt on the ranch that day, and we treat it that way. Rustic Springs Ranch in Franklin County, East Texas, is under 2 hours from Dallas, every trophy hunt is fully guided, and there is no minimum age to hunt. Whether you are bringing a son or daughter for their first buck, taking a friend who has never hunted, or trying an exotic hunt yourself for the first time, the guide's job is to make sure the first one goes right.

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Blackbuck antelope, a classic first exotic trophy

Why exotics make a good first trophy hunt

Blackbuck and scimitar horned oryx are hunted year-round, so a first hunt can happen on the weekend that works for your family, not the one the calendar dictates. Axis are hunted in the spring and fall, and fallow and red stag in the fall. Trophy hunts are backed by our "No Shot Opportunity, No Pay" policy, and a fully guided hunt means a new hunter has someone beside them for judging the animal, the shot and the recovery. A blackbuck, our most affordable trophy at $3,950, is a classic first exotic. A doe meat hunt, from $750, is a lower-cost first hunt that still puts venison in the freezer.

Youth hunters

Youth hunt alongside a parent under Texas Parks and Wildlife rules, and a Youth Hunting License is $7 for anyone under 17. Kids 12 and under stay and eat at the ranch free; ages 13 and up are $200 per person per day for lodging and meals. If your young hunter needs a rifle, ask us about a loaner. Texas requires hunter education for hunters born on or after September 2, 1971, so plan the course before the trip; our license guide explains it.

Father-son and family trips

The ranch is set up for a family to hunt together and stay together. Our homes and cabins host over 30 guests, the 6,000 sq. ft. party barn has a commercial kitchen, a theater screen, a pool table, ping pong, darts and lighted axe-throwing, and we cook for you. Hunt in the morning, spend the afternoon at the barn or on the live feeder camera, and cook the first steaks from a first deer that night.

What to bring

Your rifle, or ask for a loaner. Your Texas hunting license, bought before you arrive. Clothes for sitting still in a blind. A camera. We handle the guiding, the recovery and the cleaning facility, and a 50 percent deposit reserves your dates.

Photo gallery

First hunt FAQ

Is there a minimum age to hunt at Rustic Springs Ranch?: No. Youth hunt alongside a parent under Texas Parks and Wildlife rules.
Do kids stay free?: Yes. Kids 12 and under stay and eat free. Ages 13 and up are $200 per person per day for lodging and meals.
What is a good first exotic hunt?: A blackbuck trophy hunt at $3,950, or a doe meat hunt from $750 for a lower-cost first hunt.
Can we borrow a rifle?: Yes. Ask about a loaner when you book.
Do you hunt with first-time hunters?: Yes. Every trophy hunt is fully guided, and the guide stays with a new hunter through the shot and the recovery.