| Chicolete Culture |
| I added this page to give anyone who might be interested in getting on this lease an idea of what to expect and maybe what not to expect.
I can speak to you as a person who has been coming to this place since I was a small boy. I have seen the changes in the lease and the area around it over the last 35 years. In that time I have hunted all over this state and Mexico and I have noticed that some things about a deer lease never change. I will try to explain. Chicolete has a culture about it; men come here to get away, no matter where they live or what kind of work they do. When they get here they want to forget about the other part of their life (like the city or home) and open their mind in front of a camp fire and just take it all in. We want to take a moment and share some of our life stories with new and old friends. What would life be like if you had no one to share it with? You may find some of us having a brew or taking shots of tequila and no one is going to tell us we should not do that or you have had too much (unless you really have!!). This is the place you can let yourself go, laugh at your friends and laugh at yourself. Sitting around the camp fire at the end of the day and putting together a great meal has been the mainstay of Chicolete today. In the old days we had a paid cook to take care of meals all season; you got your 3 squares every day and you concentrated on hunting. I remember we did not have four wheelers back then; we had one jeep so if you missed that ride in the morning you had a long walk. I remember that most of us had along walk in those days anyway. Today most hunters don�t want to walk more than 300 yards. I can tell you that the kinds and quantities of wildlife here are constantly changing. I have watched new arrivals and the decline of old game like the armadillo and quail, and every year there is a surprise to see what Mother Nature and the human population has changed. The turkey made a big comeback and the hogs have taken the land at an insane rate; last year I noticed that the quail are making a rally again. Chicolete is not a place where you are going to set a world record for the biggest buck maybe the biggest pig. The hunt is really only a small part of the whole Chicolete experience. Read on you will see what we mean. When you get to this place you become part of the family and if you can make it through your first year we take you in. We respect each other and our family and friends are welcome. During the hunting season everyone knows the difference between a visitor and a member. We encourage the education of hunting and camping to the next generation. The basic rules of tribal existence start to resurface here. You can see it in the respect given to elders and the big hunter will always clean his own kill. (You kill it -- you clean it) We work hard together to solve problems like getting unstuck, fixing generators or improving faculties in the camp area. We members are not looking for the man who wants to do everything on his own. If you don�t want to be a part of the group then do not waste your time getting on. Good whiskey, good food, good music and good friends are at the core of our group. This does not mean you need to be a drunk all day eat, all day and dance all day but we try. We have a saying that you have heard before, �What happens in camp stays in camp�. We are a band of rednecks and rodeo trash that love to be outside deep in this great state. We make the best of life and what God has put out for us to enjoy. Religion has never been an issue for us as long as you are not out to convert any members. Politics is a good area for arguments so if your looking for one that�s a good way to get one. The only thing that is certain at Chicolete is the next year will be different than the last. If you are a big buck trophy hunter then you best find someplace else to hunt. We love deer hunting but we know this is not a south Texas territory and you�re not going to kill a 180 class buck here. No one ever has in 85 years mainly because we do not have the vegetation that would make the horns get that big. Protein has been tried with some improvement but not to that level. These deer are not going to be able to eat enough of that stuff to make a difference. Come here because you want to be friends with some like minded folks or because you like some of the things we have told you about here. Come here because you like the idea of sleeping under the giant live oak trees that line the banks of the white sandy Chicolete Creek. Come here because there is nothing that sounds quite as good as Texas music while sipping on a cold long neck next to a crackling fire while the sweet smell of bar-b-q lingers in the cool air under a clear night sky with a million stars you have never seen so bright. Think about it now you have hunted in other places before and you have killed your big buck. You remember the excitement of the big kill and you are left standing there with the great white tails horns in your hands. Now take away all the people that were there when you made the kill and take away all the people you ever told the big story to. Then ask yourself would you have done this at all if it was not for the people you could share this moment with. That is what never changes about a deer lease. You need someone at some point to share this moment with and that�s what we are really buying when we join a hunting camp. We hope we have gotten through to you we hope you understand just little bit better what we are all about. We wish you the best even if you never lay your eyes on this corner of heaven. Texas has so much for all of us we love it all right here on Chicolete Creek. Take care. |
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