in texas every hunter born after 1973 need to have a hunters education course to hunt. now you go around the hunters education course by buying a defermant/waive at an additional cost. this allows you to hunt without taking the course for that hunting season legally. i have hunted public lands but most of them are run by national refuge parks. they have a once a year hunt. you pay 50.00 to bowhunt buck, hogs, and nelgai for about three days. there are other parks that offer six day hunts for 50.00. best bet is to call some of the parks and ask when they offer hunts. if nothing availble then follow up on the suggestions on previous posts.