I apologize for being a little late in getting this posted, but I figured a little late is better than never.
October 10th - 12th found us at the Rod Ranch in Dimmit County, Texas for our 3rd Annual Garrett Trucking Company Hunt. We have taken some really nice deer off the Rod Ranch in year's past, and 2008 would be no exception.
We left Houston about 9:00 on that Friday to make our way to the ranch which is located in between Dilley and Big Wells. We made the usual stops along the way, we hit Bucee's in Luling, Los Cazadores in Pearsall, and some little mexican food joint in Dilley. Word to the wise, when you dine at a "Mexican Food" establishment, it is best to not order a rib-eye steak, you will always leave disappointed!!!
We arrived at the ranch about 2:00, a little back-slapping and story-telling ensued, and then it was time to check our rifles. The Rod Ranch is not set-up to bow-hunt so I carried my Dad's 30-06 with me on this trip, and there is a story behind this gun which I will share a little later. One shot and I was ready.
We were there to hunt management deer, which this year was an 8 or 9 point with less than desirable traits, or just not quite big enough to fit the status of a trophy buck. The ranch was lush, they had already seen some pretty nice deer in the previous 2 weekends, so needless to say I was pumped. It felt good to be in the South Texas Brush.
My Guide, Jason, and I set out for a stand on the backside of the ranch, where a really nice 8 point had been spotted. The weather was warm, October in Texas, but the deer movement was really good. We saw quite a few young up and comers, one shooter 8 that only scored about 100, and a GORGEOUS typical 11 with a kicker that had 3 too many points and about 50 too many inches. He was my dream-buck, long dark tines, 24 inches wide outside, and scored just shy of 180. I know this because on a later hunt he ate a 30-378 Weatherby Magnum for breakfast...
Jason and I headed out early Saturday morning to a stand called Bobcat, for the many sightings of those critters at this location. While we were driving out Jason mentioned to me that they had seen a deer from their helicopter survey in this area, with what looked to be 8 or 9 inch brow-tines. He also told me that he didn't have a lot else on his head, but his brows were obviously outstanding. I told him, "... if I see something roaming around with 8 or 9 inch brow-tines, he dies on the spot." I also told him that I wouldn't pass another good deer to wait on him, but I would like the opportunity to kill something with 17 inches of G1's.
After corning the senderos and getting situated it didn't take long for the action to start. We saw a ton of deer, and I mean a ton of deer. Little bucks, big bucks, 8 points, 9 points, Way Too Many points, it was an unreal hunt. I was enjoying every second of it. Did I mention how much I love the South Texas brush?
About an hour into our sit, Jason whispered, "Matt there is our deer..." I grabbed my binoculars looked at this beautiful deer, and then I grabbed my jaw off the floor of the blind. I could not believe what I was looking at. He was still 500 yards away at this point, but just one glimpse, and I knew this was the deer I wanted to kill. I sat down my binoculars, and grabbed the 30-06, and Jason said, "What are you doing? He is still 450 yards away. Don't you want to take a closer look?" My response, "Buddy I have seen all I need to see, when he gets within range, I am going to take him!!!"
He worked down the sendero right towards us. He milled around, ran a couple of the younger bucks out of the road, and put on quite a show for us. The whole time I was watching him through scope and mesmerized by the length of his brow-tines. I had never seen anything like this buck. It seemed like an eternity for him to come into range, but looking back it could not have been more than half an hour or so. There were so many deer it took a few moments for him to work himself into shooting position. Finally he stepped out from behind some does and the moment of truth had arrived.
Well a little thing called buck fever set in, I was shaking, my breaths became short, and I was having a very difficult time keeping my scope steady on this deer’s shoulder. I clicked the safety off, and instantly a calm came over me, my rest became rock solid, and this deer was mine. I squeezed the trigger and never felt a recoil. He leaped high in the air kicked his back legs, and staggered into the brush.
Jason said I had hit him hard, and I told him I felt really good about the shot, but we both decided to give this deer some time to expire. We sat in the blind for about 15 minutes and then walked to the jeep to load up our gear and head back to the blind. We went to the spot where I shot the deer, and there was good blood. We trailed him into some pretty thick brush and we found my buck laying about 40 yards off the road. I was relieved and so excited to be holding this deer in my hands.
Jason was a little off on the length of those brow-tines. The right G1 was 10.5 and the left G1 was 9.5. He ended up scoring 135, but I could have cared less. He was one of the coolest looking deer I had ever laid eyes on, and I was tickled to have him in the back of the truck.
I chose my Dad's 30-06 for this hunt because it was a gun that his father, my Paw-Paw, had given him for his graduation back in 1971. This gun had taken many deer, and it was very important for me to shoot my deer with this gun in 2008. Paw-Paw passed away in November of 2007, and I felt one very small way I could honor his memory is kill a deer with a gun that he had given my father over 35 years ago. I don't know if Paw-Paw was my calming influence from above when I clicked that safety, but I still vividly remember him sitting behind when I killed one of my first deer 15 years ago. His hands on my shoulders, and him whispering in my ear, "... take a breath Cool-Cat, you can make this shot, I know you can make this shot!!!" I miss my Paw-Paw every single day but I'll look at this picture of my long Brow-Tined Buck and My Dad's 30-06 and have a lifetime of memories.
October 10th - 12th found us at the Rod Ranch in Dimmit County, Texas for our 3rd Annual Garrett Trucking Company Hunt. We have taken some really nice deer off the Rod Ranch in year's past, and 2008 would be no exception.
We left Houston about 9:00 on that Friday to make our way to the ranch which is located in between Dilley and Big Wells. We made the usual stops along the way, we hit Bucee's in Luling, Los Cazadores in Pearsall, and some little mexican food joint in Dilley. Word to the wise, when you dine at a "Mexican Food" establishment, it is best to not order a rib-eye steak, you will always leave disappointed!!!
We arrived at the ranch about 2:00, a little back-slapping and story-telling ensued, and then it was time to check our rifles. The Rod Ranch is not set-up to bow-hunt so I carried my Dad's 30-06 with me on this trip, and there is a story behind this gun which I will share a little later. One shot and I was ready.
We were there to hunt management deer, which this year was an 8 or 9 point with less than desirable traits, or just not quite big enough to fit the status of a trophy buck. The ranch was lush, they had already seen some pretty nice deer in the previous 2 weekends, so needless to say I was pumped. It felt good to be in the South Texas Brush.
My Guide, Jason, and I set out for a stand on the backside of the ranch, where a really nice 8 point had been spotted. The weather was warm, October in Texas, but the deer movement was really good. We saw quite a few young up and comers, one shooter 8 that only scored about 100, and a GORGEOUS typical 11 with a kicker that had 3 too many points and about 50 too many inches. He was my dream-buck, long dark tines, 24 inches wide outside, and scored just shy of 180. I know this because on a later hunt he ate a 30-378 Weatherby Magnum for breakfast...
Jason and I headed out early Saturday morning to a stand called Bobcat, for the many sightings of those critters at this location. While we were driving out Jason mentioned to me that they had seen a deer from their helicopter survey in this area, with what looked to be 8 or 9 inch brow-tines. He also told me that he didn't have a lot else on his head, but his brows were obviously outstanding. I told him, "... if I see something roaming around with 8 or 9 inch brow-tines, he dies on the spot." I also told him that I wouldn't pass another good deer to wait on him, but I would like the opportunity to kill something with 17 inches of G1's.
After corning the senderos and getting situated it didn't take long for the action to start. We saw a ton of deer, and I mean a ton of deer. Little bucks, big bucks, 8 points, 9 points, Way Too Many points, it was an unreal hunt. I was enjoying every second of it. Did I mention how much I love the South Texas brush?
About an hour into our sit, Jason whispered, "Matt there is our deer..." I grabbed my binoculars looked at this beautiful deer, and then I grabbed my jaw off the floor of the blind. I could not believe what I was looking at. He was still 500 yards away at this point, but just one glimpse, and I knew this was the deer I wanted to kill. I sat down my binoculars, and grabbed the 30-06, and Jason said, "What are you doing? He is still 450 yards away. Don't you want to take a closer look?" My response, "Buddy I have seen all I need to see, when he gets within range, I am going to take him!!!"
He worked down the sendero right towards us. He milled around, ran a couple of the younger bucks out of the road, and put on quite a show for us. The whole time I was watching him through scope and mesmerized by the length of his brow-tines. I had never seen anything like this buck. It seemed like an eternity for him to come into range, but looking back it could not have been more than half an hour or so. There were so many deer it took a few moments for him to work himself into shooting position. Finally he stepped out from behind some does and the moment of truth had arrived.
Well a little thing called buck fever set in, I was shaking, my breaths became short, and I was having a very difficult time keeping my scope steady on this deer’s shoulder. I clicked the safety off, and instantly a calm came over me, my rest became rock solid, and this deer was mine. I squeezed the trigger and never felt a recoil. He leaped high in the air kicked his back legs, and staggered into the brush.
Jason said I had hit him hard, and I told him I felt really good about the shot, but we both decided to give this deer some time to expire. We sat in the blind for about 15 minutes and then walked to the jeep to load up our gear and head back to the blind. We went to the spot where I shot the deer, and there was good blood. We trailed him into some pretty thick brush and we found my buck laying about 40 yards off the road. I was relieved and so excited to be holding this deer in my hands.
Jason was a little off on the length of those brow-tines. The right G1 was 10.5 and the left G1 was 9.5. He ended up scoring 135, but I could have cared less. He was one of the coolest looking deer I had ever laid eyes on, and I was tickled to have him in the back of the truck.
I chose my Dad's 30-06 for this hunt because it was a gun that his father, my Paw-Paw, had given him for his graduation back in 1971. This gun had taken many deer, and it was very important for me to shoot my deer with this gun in 2008. Paw-Paw passed away in November of 2007, and I felt one very small way I could honor his memory is kill a deer with a gun that he had given my father over 35 years ago. I don't know if Paw-Paw was my calming influence from above when I clicked that safety, but I still vividly remember him sitting behind when I killed one of my first deer 15 years ago. His hands on my shoulders, and him whispering in my ear, "... take a breath Cool-Cat, you can make this shot, I know you can make this shot!!!" I miss my Paw-Paw every single day but I'll look at this picture of my long Brow-Tined Buck and My Dad's 30-06 and have a lifetime of memories.
Comment