I didn't know exactly where to post this since we were rifle hunting, but wanted to share my most recent hunting experience.
A few months back I was curious about the prospect of doing a fox hunt, but had no idea what I was doing, and nowhere to hunt one. I'd always wanted a fox mount to add to the game room so I asked around on the green screen and ended up talking with Bob (breese) about setting up a trip on their new place in Sutton County. He let me know in advance that he wasn't an expert fox hunter, but had called several in the past and was confident that we'd at least be able to get a few opportunities. The price was right, and we set a date for the end of April. For this hunt my best friend Zach and I headed out and met at the ranch on Friday evening.
We met the co-owner Bob and he showed us around camp. The cabin was brand new with two downstairs bedrooms and a loft. We unloaded our things and shot the bull/sighted in rifles before the evening hunt. That night, Bob took us out in the ranger and we tried setup after setup. We were able to call in about a dozen foxes and take several shots with the .17 HMR. I was fortunate enough to take two beautiful foxes my first time out.
The following day we slept in, and woke up to biscuits, gravy, and bacon that Bob had prepared. Between intermittent showers, Bob was able to take us out and show us the ranch. We saw a ton of deer, jackrabbits, a few turkey, and several herds of sheep (mostly corsican, black hawaiian, and texas dall). Bob explained to us that they didn't put the sheep there and that they were for all intents and purposes free-ranging throughout the property. We had a good time riding around and just seeing the place and all the wildlife.
That night, ominous weather had the animals skittish, and even though we were able to call in several, the foxes were able to dodge our bullets all night. Two raccoons and a hog weren't so lucky though.
Well, the following day after we said our goodbyes I spent the entire drive home thinking of an excuse to come back. The answer struck me like a lightning bolt a few days later when my girlfriend asked what I wanted to do for my birthday...A quick phone call and Bob set aside my birthday weekend for us to come back out and do it all again.
The entire month of May drug by so slowly, but finally my birthday weekend arrived. My girlfriend Hope, Zach, and Myself drove out to Sonora last Friday and arrived at the ranch early in the afternoon. Once there we met with Bob and the other ranch owner Ron (millman). Since our last trip the cabin had been further updated and Bob had added a high-rack to the ranger (we were pumped about this).
Hope wanted to take me on this trip, but what she didn't know was that I had arranged with Bob for her to shoot a ram. We'd seen some really good sheep the previous trip, and I wanted her to be able to go home with something too. She's hunted with me in the past but doesn't have anything of her own on the wall. We all sighted in guns and shot the breeze for a little while and then decided to take a drive around the ranch.
That afternoon we saw several herds of sheep, but none that we were able to close the distance on. I've been to a lot of ranches and I've never seen sheep that would just run off like this. Like the previous trip, we also saw a ton of whitetail and jackrabbits. Apparently out there they must breed at the same rate.
That night we tried the fox calling again and were able to call in 8 foxes. I was fortunate enough to squeeze off a round at one and ended up with this half-tailed fella.
Zach got a shot off but wasn't able to connect that night. We finally got to bed around 4, and slept until noon. Once again, Bob and Ron prepared breakfast and we all sat around and shot the breeze while it rained outside.
Around 2 the rain cleared off and we were back out in the ranger with Bob and Ron scouting for sheep. Once again, they eluded us, but we were able to spot several good rams. Hope decided to take some time to thin the jackrabbit herd a little.
We took the backstraps out of one of the jackrabbits and cooked it as an appetizer that night. We were skeptical about it being good eats when Bob told us, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. So much so that I'll do it again next time she shoots one.
That night, we tried for the foxes again. On the first setup, two ran in and Zach was finally able to seal the deal on a big fox. I lost one in some tall grass, but managed a raccoon.
We were exhausted and went to bed early (2 a.m.) that night. Sunday morning, Zach and Bob had to leave early due to previous engagements, so Ron, Hope and I were able to make one last attempt at getting Hope a ram.
Not 5 minutes after we left camp, Hope spotted a black hawaiian standing by himself on a cliffside just watching us drive by. Ron stopped the ranger and we both agreed that he wasn't as good as some of the others we had seen that weekend, but it was worth a stalk anyhow. He watched through binoculars as Hope and I closed the distance to a little over 100 yards. Hope sat down, got a good rest on the bipod and clicked the .270 WSM off safety. The ram is about 80 feet up the cliff looking down at us. She puts her finger on the trigger as I whisper "just squeeeeeze the trigger". Then, he turns around and trots off. We shrug it off and head back to the Ranger and take off again.
Ron said he was going to take us to an area where he'd seen sheep grazing in the past. As soon as we pull into this secluded valley, we see a herd in the distance feeding (300 yds or so away). Ron parks the ranger and Hope and I get out and start stalking. On the ground, we have no way of knowing where the sheep are, but assume they're moving down the valley. We cut them off and unintentionally put ourselves almost right in their path. Immediately we spot a beautiful apricot dall about 80 yards away. Hope sets up the bipod and clicks the gun off safety. He feeds behind a cedar and walks out the other side. She's looking through the scope when I spot a toad of a black hawaiian even closer! She re-adjusts just as he feeds out from behind a mesquite at 60 yds. She wasted no time in squeezing off a round and dropping him within 20 yards. She was pumped and I couldn't have been more proud. It was the perfect ending to my birthday weekend!
I have nothing but great things to say about Bob, Ron, and the Harahey Ranch. Besides just being good conversationalists and hosts, they went above and beyond to make sure we had an excellent time. I just may be back in the fall once deer season rolls around
A few months back I was curious about the prospect of doing a fox hunt, but had no idea what I was doing, and nowhere to hunt one. I'd always wanted a fox mount to add to the game room so I asked around on the green screen and ended up talking with Bob (breese) about setting up a trip on their new place in Sutton County. He let me know in advance that he wasn't an expert fox hunter, but had called several in the past and was confident that we'd at least be able to get a few opportunities. The price was right, and we set a date for the end of April. For this hunt my best friend Zach and I headed out and met at the ranch on Friday evening.
We met the co-owner Bob and he showed us around camp. The cabin was brand new with two downstairs bedrooms and a loft. We unloaded our things and shot the bull/sighted in rifles before the evening hunt. That night, Bob took us out in the ranger and we tried setup after setup. We were able to call in about a dozen foxes and take several shots with the .17 HMR. I was fortunate enough to take two beautiful foxes my first time out.
The following day we slept in, and woke up to biscuits, gravy, and bacon that Bob had prepared. Between intermittent showers, Bob was able to take us out and show us the ranch. We saw a ton of deer, jackrabbits, a few turkey, and several herds of sheep (mostly corsican, black hawaiian, and texas dall). Bob explained to us that they didn't put the sheep there and that they were for all intents and purposes free-ranging throughout the property. We had a good time riding around and just seeing the place and all the wildlife.
That night, ominous weather had the animals skittish, and even though we were able to call in several, the foxes were able to dodge our bullets all night. Two raccoons and a hog weren't so lucky though.
Well, the following day after we said our goodbyes I spent the entire drive home thinking of an excuse to come back. The answer struck me like a lightning bolt a few days later when my girlfriend asked what I wanted to do for my birthday...A quick phone call and Bob set aside my birthday weekend for us to come back out and do it all again.
The entire month of May drug by so slowly, but finally my birthday weekend arrived. My girlfriend Hope, Zach, and Myself drove out to Sonora last Friday and arrived at the ranch early in the afternoon. Once there we met with Bob and the other ranch owner Ron (millman). Since our last trip the cabin had been further updated and Bob had added a high-rack to the ranger (we were pumped about this).
Hope wanted to take me on this trip, but what she didn't know was that I had arranged with Bob for her to shoot a ram. We'd seen some really good sheep the previous trip, and I wanted her to be able to go home with something too. She's hunted with me in the past but doesn't have anything of her own on the wall. We all sighted in guns and shot the breeze for a little while and then decided to take a drive around the ranch.
That afternoon we saw several herds of sheep, but none that we were able to close the distance on. I've been to a lot of ranches and I've never seen sheep that would just run off like this. Like the previous trip, we also saw a ton of whitetail and jackrabbits. Apparently out there they must breed at the same rate.
That night we tried the fox calling again and were able to call in 8 foxes. I was fortunate enough to squeeze off a round at one and ended up with this half-tailed fella.
Zach got a shot off but wasn't able to connect that night. We finally got to bed around 4, and slept until noon. Once again, Bob and Ron prepared breakfast and we all sat around and shot the breeze while it rained outside.
Around 2 the rain cleared off and we were back out in the ranger with Bob and Ron scouting for sheep. Once again, they eluded us, but we were able to spot several good rams. Hope decided to take some time to thin the jackrabbit herd a little.
We took the backstraps out of one of the jackrabbits and cooked it as an appetizer that night. We were skeptical about it being good eats when Bob told us, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. So much so that I'll do it again next time she shoots one.
That night, we tried for the foxes again. On the first setup, two ran in and Zach was finally able to seal the deal on a big fox. I lost one in some tall grass, but managed a raccoon.
We were exhausted and went to bed early (2 a.m.) that night. Sunday morning, Zach and Bob had to leave early due to previous engagements, so Ron, Hope and I were able to make one last attempt at getting Hope a ram.
Not 5 minutes after we left camp, Hope spotted a black hawaiian standing by himself on a cliffside just watching us drive by. Ron stopped the ranger and we both agreed that he wasn't as good as some of the others we had seen that weekend, but it was worth a stalk anyhow. He watched through binoculars as Hope and I closed the distance to a little over 100 yards. Hope sat down, got a good rest on the bipod and clicked the .270 WSM off safety. The ram is about 80 feet up the cliff looking down at us. She puts her finger on the trigger as I whisper "just squeeeeeze the trigger". Then, he turns around and trots off. We shrug it off and head back to the Ranger and take off again.
Ron said he was going to take us to an area where he'd seen sheep grazing in the past. As soon as we pull into this secluded valley, we see a herd in the distance feeding (300 yds or so away). Ron parks the ranger and Hope and I get out and start stalking. On the ground, we have no way of knowing where the sheep are, but assume they're moving down the valley. We cut them off and unintentionally put ourselves almost right in their path. Immediately we spot a beautiful apricot dall about 80 yards away. Hope sets up the bipod and clicks the gun off safety. He feeds behind a cedar and walks out the other side. She's looking through the scope when I spot a toad of a black hawaiian even closer! She re-adjusts just as he feeds out from behind a mesquite at 60 yds. She wasted no time in squeezing off a round and dropping him within 20 yards. She was pumped and I couldn't have been more proud. It was the perfect ending to my birthday weekend!
I have nothing but great things to say about Bob, Ron, and the Harahey Ranch. Besides just being good conversationalists and hosts, they went above and beyond to make sure we had an excellent time. I just may be back in the fall once deer season rolls around
Comment