Proudly ranked as one of Texas’s Top 11 All-Inclusive Resorts | ~1 hr from Dallas | ~ 3 hrs from Houston, Texas
Trophy Elk & Red Stag Hunts in Texas
Two Legends of the Deer World — One Hour from Dallas-Fort Worth
There's a reason Elk and Red Stag sit at the top of so many hunters' lists. One is the icon of the American West — a bull that can top 700 lbs, carrying a rack of sweeping, ivory-tipped tines and a bugle that echoes through the timber. The other is the icon of the Old World — a stag built lower and denser, crowned with a compact, crown-tipped rack, announcing himself with a roar from somewhere back in the brush. Both are bucket-list trophies in their own right, and both are available on the same heavily wooded range at Cedar Cove Ranch, without the cost or logistics of a trip to Colorado or the Scottish Highlands.
Elk and Red Stag couldn't feel more different in the field, and our timber changes the read on both. A bull elk in rut is loud and mobile — but in heavy cover, that bugle is as much a location clue as an invitation, and closing the gap means threading through timber toward a sound instead of watching a bull cross open ground. A mature stag is quieter still, holding tight to cover and relying on a low, guttural roar rather than distance covered to make his presence known. Hunting either one here is a still-hunt: short shot windows, careful footing, and a lot of listening. Having both available means you can choose the animal that matches the experience you're after — or take on both in a single trip.
At roughly 85% heavy woods, our East Texas range doesn't give up long sight lines, and that's the point. Elk and Stag both use the timber the way they would in the wild — bedding in thick cover, moving along shaded corridors, and relying on the brush to do their hiding for them. It's a slower, closer, more deliberate hunt than the open-country version most hunters picture, and it rewards someone who can move quietly and shoot fast when the window opens. When the stalk or the call finally pays off, the lodge is a short ride away on the ranch with a gourmet meal, a comfortable and luxurious lodge, and the kind of hospitality that makes the whole trip feel earned.
Professionally Guided • All-Inclusive • Luxury Lodging • Just 1 Hour from Dallas-Fort Worth
Elk & Red Stag Hunting at a Glance
Species Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis) & Red Stag (Cervus elaphus)
Also Known As Wapiti (Elk) / Monarch Stag (Red Stag)
Home Turf: Elk: Western North America — Stag: Europe & Asia, now well established on Texas exotic ranches
Season Year-round — Fall/Winter; rut activity typically September–October
Difficulty Elk: High — close-range, timber-driven still-hunt — Stag: High, quiet, and cover-dependent
Weapon: rifle or bow
Bull/Stag Size Elk: 600–900 lbs — Red Stag: 400–600 lbs
The Trophy Elk: wide, sweeping antlers with ivory tips — Stag: dense, compact rack with a crown top
On the Table Excellent, lean, low-fat venison from both species
Terrain: Heavily wooded, roughly 85% timber and thick cover, with occasional shaded lanes and clearings
Where Cedar Cove Ranch, Eustace, TX
From DFW ~1 hour
Elk Trophy: starting at $16,000 | Red Stag Deer at $14,000
Why Hunt Elk / Red Stag at Cedar Cove Ranch?
Elk hunting at Cedar Cove is built around the rut — calling a bull toward you through the timber, reading his response by ear as much as by sight, and closing a much shorter gap than an open-country hunt without blowing the setup. It's loud, exciting, and can happen fast once a bull commits, often inside bow range before you ever get a clean look at him.
Stag hunting shares the same close, quiet rhythm — working through cover, watching wind and body language, and waiting for a brief lane rather than a long open shot. Our guides know this ground and are equally comfortable running both hunts, helping you decide which style — or which animal — fits what you're looking for out of the trip.
Because both species share the range, it's easy to build a trip around one animal and leave room to pursue the other if the opportunity presents itself. Whichever hunt you take on, whether it ends in an hour or fills the whole trip, the lodge is waiting afterward with a proper meal, a comfortable bed, and none of the rush of a commercial operation trying to move you through on a schedule.
Highlights
✔ Two iconic trophies, one range — bugling Elk and roaring Red Stag
✔ Guides experienced in both timber calling tactics and quiet still-hunting
✔ Private, professionally managed East Texas woodland — roughly 85% heavy timber and cover
✔ All-inclusive package — no surprise line items
✔ Luxury lodge stay, chef-prepared meals
✔ Roughly 60 minutes from DFW
✔ Pair with each other, or Fallow or Axis Deer, or one of the African game hunts
A Note on "Stelk" — Elk/Red Stag Hybrids
Elk and Red Stag are close enough biologically that many taxonomists now classify them as subspecies of the same animal (Cervus elaphus), and on rare occasions, a herd will produce a natural cross between the two — informally known as a "Stelk." We currently have one such animal on the ranch, and while it isn't something we breed for, an occasional Stelk can turn up in the herd. A Stelk typically shows a blend of traits from both species — perhaps an Elk-style body with a more Stag-like rack, or the reverse — and no two look quite the same.
If you're interested in the chance to hunt this animal specifically, or want to know whether a Stelk is currently available, let us know when you book, and we'll fill you in on what's on the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between hunting Elk and Red Stag here?
Both hunts happen in heavy timber, so both are close-range and quiet by nature. Elk hunting still leans on calling — you're working a bull through the cover by sound as much as sight. Red Stag hunting relies more on a careful, silent stalk, watching for a brief lane rather than working a call.
Can I hunt both on the same trip?
Yes. Since both species share the range at Cedar Cove Ranch, many hunters book a trip with the flexibility to pursue either animal, or both, depending on how the hunt develops.
What is a "Stelk," and will I know if I'm hunting one?
A Stelk is a natural Elk/Red Stag hybrid — a rare occurrence when the two closely related species cross within a herd. We currently may have an opportunity on the ranch, and an occasional Stelk can turn up, though it isn't something we breed for. Stelk is typically at $12,000 trophy fees.
When is the best time to hunt?
Rut season, typically September through October, is prime time for both species — Elk are more vocal and mobile, and Stag are more active and easier to pattern. That said, fall/winter are great times for these animals.
How big do they get?
Bull Elk typically run 600–900 lbs with wide, sweeping antlers. Red Stag typically run 400–600 lbs with a denser, compact rack topped with a crown.
Bow or rifle?
Both are viable for either species, depending on terrain and the shot opportunity your guide identifies.
What about the meat?
Excellent on both counts — lean, low-fat venison that's a favorite among hunters who've tried it.
Is everything really included?
Guiding, lodging, and meals are all part of the package from arrival to departure.
Ready to Plan Your Trophy Elk or Stag Hunt?
Whether you're chasing the bugle of a Rocky Mountain bull or the roar of a European monarch, Cedar Cove Ranch puts both legendary hunts within reach, an hour from Dallas-Fort Worth.