Well we went to Del Rio this weekend for some public hunting. Had to wait till 8 Saturday AM for the park office to open and get the proper permits and such. The ranger recommended #5 to us first timers so off we went. We were the only ones out there at the 2nd entrance point, got out glassed a doe about .5 mile away near the first entrance. Walked the fingers down to the lake and nothing to show for it. Met a nice ranger along the way who was looking for baited areas. Told us the Muflan were here but not here currently 
? Made our way back to the truck and jumped a doe 50 yards from the gate. Went to area 1. walked about 2 miles into it and never saw anything... We took a break and headed back out to 5 for the evening hunt. Spooked up a 4pt while walking in Saw some does walking 400 yards away and called it a night. Hunted 5 the next morning and didn't see anything! Went and found area too it looked great and lots of signs of deer but also lots of hunters... Drove by 3 and didn't seem like deer country to us so we made it back and took a siesta.
Got out to 5 at 3:30 I walked north from the first entrance and setup on a finger over looking a canyon. Didn't like the setup after 1hr I moved to a cliff over looking a creek bed. I could see my buddy to the south on top of a hill. Sat one hour without anything. About 5:30 heard some movement behind me. Hmmmm this could be interesting.... 10 Minutes later I see ear and horn at 40 yards and he's heading my way. Quickly guesstimate distances at points where he might come out on at 40, 25, and 35. He's still coming so I clip on my release, and come to draw. I'm anchored and holding He reached the edge of the creek bottom and is looking right at me! Crap! I saw a lot more horn and it got the best of me - Buck fever quickly set in. Ok I know he's coming out @ 35 yards. Watch him step out, and picked my spot between my 30 & 40 yard pins. Hold my breath and let the arrow fly. Unfortunately herd clink clink vs (the thwack) as my arrow flew over his back by a couple inches. He bolted and I was still shaking. Buddy above me watches him run out of the country and confirms that it was a solid 8 and would of been my second bow kill and best buck to date. I start breathing again and go check the arrow. down the creek bottom about 75 yards I find my 85 g thunder head disappointed at me but unharmed. I tried to regroup and get my fever down but I was sick. Sit around till dark playing it over and over in my head was he 20, 25, 30? After walking down the creek he was 25 and not 35. I make a mental note to self - BUY A RANGEFINDER! and we called it a day drove back to corpus, got in at 2am and will be chasing him in my dreams till next time.... Jason Slocum
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