Ranch Rules | CGR Website

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Hi Ranch Guests,

Please read the Connolly Game Ranch rules before your stay. Any violation of the ranch rules, Texas State laws, or Federal laws will result in forfeiture of hunting privileges and all fees paid. You will be asked to leave the ranch.

General Ranch House Rules

Hunters must use a caliber of .270 or greater on all trophy hunts.
All hunters must prove rifle accuracy at range before every trophy hunt.
A guide will accompany every hunter on every hunt.
Each hunter should wear either an orange hat or vest during hunt.
Arrival time is 1:00 p.m. on the initial day and departure time is at 12:00 p.m. on your last day unless other arrangements are made.
Hunters and guests must sign our “Hold Harmless, Indemnity and Warning Against an Inherently Dangerous and Hazardous Activity” form upon arrival. Hunters are required to pay balance on hunting package fees upon departure. Kill Fees, if applicable, shall be paid upon harvesting of animals. We accept cash, check, PayPal or Venmo.
A deposit of 20% of all hunts must be submitted prior to your hunt.
No alcoholic beverages allowed in hunting areas.
No smoking inside our facilities or hunting areas.
Please keep our ranch beautiful. Place all trash in containers.
No pets allowed.
No hunting boots in the lodge.
No brush clearing of any kind without consent from your guide.
No artifacts or sheds shall be removed from the ranch.
Hunters/guests should provide his or her own safety equipment (lanyards, harnesses, etc.)
Hunters/guests assume all responsibility for their own safety including stand inspection and climbing in and out of hunting stands.
Meat processing and taxidermy is at hunters’ expense. We are happy to suggest local vendors.
Please leave the ranch clean and neat upon departure.
If blood is drawn, this is considered a kill and full amount will be charged.
Each group should provide 10-20% gratuity for their hunt as each hunt will be pre-scoped and hunters accompanied by a guide for the ultimate experience.

Connolly Game Ranch Hunting Rules

Note: Connolly Game Ranch, Connolly Ranch, Ranch, CGR, Convest LLC. will be regarded to as Connolly Game Ranch in the following documentation.

At all times, remember to be a good sportsman and abide by the strictest safety rules. It is not the killing that we go for, but the enjoyment of the hunt. If in doubt of your target, do not shoot! Never carry a loaded gun in the ranch house, in a vehicle or on an ATV, and never shoot from a vehicle.
All hunters must abide by all Texas and Federal game laws, including wearing legally required hunter orange at all times. It is requested that hunters wear, at least, an orange cap during hunting season while on the ranch property. All hunters must have “sighted in” rifles before hunting (not just bore sighted). There will be no target shooting on the premises, except at the designated shooting range. Advise others at the ranch when target or clay shooting.
Hunter safety is our highest priority and hunter safety is entirely the responsibility of each person and guest. Always unload your gun before climbing onto or off of a stand. All stands are dangerous. Therefore, be sure that you have checked to see that your selected stand is in good condition and safe to climb. We do not guarantee your safety or the safety of the stand. Climb them at your own risk. Always use a double safety harness when using a climbing stand. Never shoot in the direction of another stand. To reduce crippling loss, mark the spot where the deer was standing before you shoot. Mark the tree or rock it ran by when it left the area or food plot. Except when it is raining, wait (30) minutes before going to look. Find the blood trail and stay strictly with it until you find the deer. Do not meander around. No shooting past legal shooting hours or past 150 yards with rifles less than .243 caliber is allowed. Do not assume you missed even if the deer shows no sign of being hit. Always notify your guide if you take a shot. Be patient, take your time and find your deer. Be a real hunter and conservationist.
All hunters and guests agree to assume all risks associated with hunting, riding ATV’s and all other activities while on the Connolly Game Ranch (Ranch) land, and further agree to indemnify and hold Convest LLC, Connolly Game Ranch, John Connolly, its owners, members, managers and agents free and harmless from any and all causes of action, damages, costs, and expenses, including attorney’s fees, arising from or related to any accident or activity while on the land. Prior to recreation and/or hunting, all guests must sign a “Hold Harmless, Indemnity and Warning Against an Inherently Dangerous and Hazardous Activity” form.
Prior to each hunt, hunter must check in at the Ranch House and designate his stand with a tack on the camp base map. Stands will be selected on a first come, first serve basis. Deer hunting hours will be from daylight until the end of legal shooting hours. Hunter should avoid disturbing other hunters on stands during these hours. After a hunt has been completed be sure and log out and remove your tack from the camp base map.
All hunters should help prevent trespassing and poaching on Ranch land and agree not to trespass on any neighboring property.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by and supervised by an adult at all times and may not hunt alone. Guests between the ages of 13 to 17 who have completed a DWF hunter safety program may hunt alone, but is not recommended. Guests will be solely responsible for the actions of anyone they bring to the Ranch.
All persons hunting alone must be duly licensed. No stalking or roaming the ranch unless accompanied by your hunting guide. Please remain in your blind.
When put on a stand, do not leave it until the end of the hunt. There will be no “driving deer” allowed.
No damage to oak trees or setting fires is allowed (except at designated areas at the Ranch House).
All MDL and applicable State and Federal hunting rules and regulations must be strictly followed. Accurate accounting of all deer harvesting is required. Any guest who intentionally violates a game law or these rules will be subject to dismissal. Deer must be tagged with a MDL permit. Each and every deer must be weighed and recorded in the log before it is removed from the Ranch. Complete deer data, names and license numbers shall be recorded by the hunter on the MDL form at the Ranch house. The deer data form must be filled in on the day of the kill and before leaving the property. We must have these records available for inspection and verification by enforcement agents at all times. All guests will be expected to provide full cooperation to agent of TDWF if checked while in the field. Possession tags are required if a deer or parts of a deer are left unattended in Ranch house or elsewhere. This applies also if parts of a deer are in transport or in storage other than at home. Photographs of buck harvests are required for club record and for submittal to the wildlife biologist.
Each guest is allowed to keep their kill. Each hunter is solely responsible for cleaning his or her deer, cleaning the skinning area, and hauling off remains to the designated dumpsite. Do not field dress a deer at the kill site if it may affect other hunters who may subsequently hunt from the same stand.
The harvesting of fawn or yearling deer approximately 6 months of age is not permitted since one-half of these are bucks that we want to grow to older age classes. A spike will count as an antlered buck. The taking of does early in gun season is encouraged. These rules are subject to change from year to year depending upon the deer population, sex ratios, lactation rates, deer health and habitat conditions. Any wounded deer that is in obvious distress should be harvested. Does accompanied by fawns should not be taken.
Except as hereinafter stated, due to the presence of lethal and sub-lethal levels of alfatoxin in corn, this grain may not be used as feed for deer or other wildlife, unless it has been properly tested. The toxin (poison) produced inside corn kernels by an aspergillus fungus is deadly to many forms of wildlife and can be passed on to humans in venison. Other grains such as soybeans or rice bran may be used. Typically, sacked corn that has been purchased at feed stores is acceptable, and some corn purchased in bulk at various grain elevators is at risk for alfatoxin.
The land that may be hunted under the above rules by official members and their guests are described as follows: Connolly Game Ranch boundaries depicted on official map posted in Ranch House.
Do not place shot gun shells or bullets in any fire.
It is required that guests carry a two way radio or cell phone while on the Ranch property.
Do not point the barrel of any gun at any person, even if you think the gun is unloaded.
Do not fire any gun at the ground or hard surface.
Once hunter is placed on a stand, hunter should not leave the stand until hunter has notified all other hunters/guests that they are leaving the stand to either claim animal or return to lodge. Hunter should not switch stands or transition to a ground blind at any point after being placed on designated stand.

Items to Bring on Your Hunt

Valid Texas hunting license and stamps
Cleaning/skinning knives
Lanyard and other safety equipment
Rain gear
We have refrigerators, gas stove, microwave, coffee maker, pots and pans and cooking utensils. Depending on your meal packaging, you may need to bring food and drinks.
Ice chest and/or packing supplies to transport your game
Camp shoes (no boots in the lodge)

Other Helpful Information

A 400 yd shooting range is available for hunters’ use.
Bow targets are available for hunters’ use.
Corn will be provided by the ranch.
Firewood is provided for your use in fireplaces.
Local grocery stores and restaurants will be available prior to your arrival!

Local List:

Broken Diamond Wild Game Processing
- Whitetail Euro Mounts - $100 (skull)
- Oryx, Pierre David, Stag, etc - $150 (skull)
- Hog - $150 (skull)
- Call (325) 668-8462 to reserve
Perini Ranch
- One of our favorite spots after a long day of hunting! Visit their website for your reservation.
The Gap Cafe
- The Cafe is one of our new favorites. An ideal spot for breakfast, just miles from the lodge. Check it out here!
Deutschlander Freshwater Catfish Company
- If you are looking for seafood, we recommend stopping in for a great, fresh bite. This one is another Connolly family go-to dinner spot.

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