Dr. Dan McBride has spent 11 years cultivating landowners and ranch managers and probably has more antelope permits on prime Hudspeth County ranches than anyone. Most seasons, that's about 25 permits. McBride is a Central Texas veterinarian who loves hunting for big trophy antelope. He loves it so much that he sells four-day guided hunts for $2,850. His 26 hunters last season killed 20 antelope that would score above 78 B & C points. Included were two B & C antelope, and McBride's hunters shot at and missed four others that he believes would have made the book.
"On the ranches we hunt, it's unusual for a hunter not to see a truly big antelope in four days," says McBride. "We can't always get a shot at the animal, but we'll generally see a big one." The biggest antelope ever killed by one of McBride's hunters is the third biggest antelope ever reported from Texas. It was killed by Pat Riddell and scores 89 net B & C points.
The key to McBride's phenomenal success is that he doesn't rely on his outfitting business to earn a living. In fact, he loses money some years. McBride believes in maintaining very light hunting pressure on trophy antelope. He's also very selective about who he takes as a client. When McBride was contacted in late May, he had one permit unspoken for.
Don't expect plush lodging and fancy food if you hunt with McBride. He is not that kind of guy. He describes his accommodations as rustic and........(continued)
