First, welcome to the site.  There are a number of folks here that will try to help you in any way they can so feel free to talk about anything you might need to get started. 

If you want to meet some hunters try to frequent a gun shop, shooting range, or someplace where they congregate and start asking questions.  At most places I've gone there will be a number of folks very willing to share their experiences, and over the years I've really learned a lot from essentially complete strangers.

You're on the right track about equipment too - its paramount.  While many people shoot a .243 I'd strongly recommend something heavier if and when you buy.  There are a number of choices (.270, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06, .308, are a few), but a .25-06 Remington is a minimum in my opinion.  That .303 you have sinks like a rock after 100 yards (my first deer rifle was a .303 Enfield) and can't tell you much about your Mauser.  Depending on where you hunt they could work for the short term, but understand you'd have to learn how those rifles behave and likely limit your range.  Also, when you get your rifle there are some things to consider for purchasing ammunition, gun cleaning, and breaking-in the barrel.

Here is a link to a by-the-numbers method on how to field dress a deer.  There are also some you tube videos on the subject out there.

Hope this helps.

To me the taking of a buck that scores umpty gillion B & C isn't much of an accomplishment unless its done with a free range deer (i.e. no steroids or hormones) and fair chase.  I agree with Will that people can choose how they hunt and that this type of high fence hunting is not unethical.  But, trying to genetically manipulate deer so that they score more and brighter just so someone with a big wallet can blow it away to show that he's an accomplished hunter kind of brings hunting down to simple dollars and cents issue.  To me, there will always be something more to hunting than that...much more.  Yeah, I like getting a wallhanger as much as the next guy, but there's also the comraderie of family and friends as well as the elation of a crisp cool morning or evening just being outdoors.

You can't put a price tag on memories or experiences like those.

Texas is pretty diverse in its habitat and there are a lot of variables that dictate body size. It can depend on where you hunt in Texas, the age of the deer, genetics, deer density, the availability of food that year, and the degree to which food is supplemented by the landowner/manager...up in the NTX area (Shackleford Co.) you can see free range deer drress out easily in the 150-170 lb range.  WTX can get up to 150-160 lbs, and of course STX can get over 200 lbs. 

Andrew,

I agree - the price of land is getting insane.  10 years ago it was way less than half the price it is today, sometimes less than a quarter depending where you're talking about.  In ETX you'll have to work very hard to but land for under $2,000/ac.  The places I've looked at in Coleman Co. usually aren't less than $1,500/ac, and you really wonder what you're getting at that price.  If you lease land, with prices lately getting up into the $8-10/acre range, at 200 ac/hunter that's anywhere from $1,600 to $2,000 a gun.

We're considering getting a small place...problem is, it keeps getting smaller!!!!

You may already have this, but here's a link for the NRA-affiliated gun ranges in Texas.  Saw one close to you in Conroe, as well as others in Spring and Livingston.  The one in Spring is Carter's Country, which I understand is a pretty big operation.

NRA affiliation is not guarantee that the range will work for you, but at least its a start.  Hope this helps - let us know how things turn out.

A number of years ago I bought some ammunition from a major manufacturer, in bulk.  When I took it to the range I knew something didn't sound right at the first shot, plus I had a hard time opening the bolt.  The primer looked flattened, but not really bad.  Throwing the behavior off to a fluke I shot the second time.  This time, unburned powder hit my face, I had a REAL hard time getting the round out of the chamber, and the primer looked more flattened.  After cleaning my gun and swabbing it out I made the mistake of shooting it one more time.  Fortunately I didn't get hurt, but a lot but burning powder got on my face and arms and it took me quite a while to get the round out.  The primer was flat as a pancake and had blown out of the brass.  Finally I had had enough and sent the ammunition back to the manufacturer after a frank phone conversation.  Several weeks later they sent some sort of cryptic report saying (I think) that their ammunition tested within tolerances...I also got some new ammunition, which didn't have any problems.  In fact, we haven't problems ever since (we still buy ammo from this company).

My point is even in the best and most controlled of situations things might happen at a rifle range, and you never know where the problem is going to come from so prepare accordingly.