I spent the weekend at the ranch in San Angelo hunting for an Axis doe. This was the 4th or 5th time I've hunted Axis, and I've never had any luck. I was on a strict "doe only" hunt, aside from 3 "shoot at first opportunity" cull bucks. One cull is the big spike I hunted some last year, another was his offspring, who now has the same genetics as his daddy and has no upper forks. The 3rd cull is a buck we've seen one time. We couldn't ever tell what was wrong for sure, but he was dragging his front left leg, and had a huge growth right at the knee.
I sat Thurday night, morning and evening Friday, and then again this morning on a large high-line near one of the protein feeders, with no Axis doe or cull sightings whatsoever. (Did see some promising whitetail bucks!!
). We had some work to get done after the morning hunt, so Tyler (trjones87) and I got it done quick, and took out on the Bad Boy Buggy to make a last sneaky attempt at busting a doe. We drove around for a while with no luck, and then decided to swing back by the high-line I'd sat on all weekend.
This ranch is divided in half by a fence, which has never had closed gates until our friend added some cattle a few months ago. As we drove through and did the open-and-shut gate routine, we both laughed at how much more we liked not having to mess with gates. Little did we know....
As we drove down the high-line, there was nothing down the whole stretch. We came over the hill, checked, and didn't see a thing, but decided to keep going just for kicks. As we're driving and talking, I look up to see a big buck standing on the edge of the brush. We stopped to check him in the binocs, thinking he's just one of the big boys that are off limits. Once we get a good look, we realize it's the bum-leg buck. I got my gun up, and tried to get steady as Tyler encouraged me to "Shoot him! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!!" I steadied and shot and watched the buck rare up and take off. We found him just a few yards into the brush, down for the count. We weren't quite prepared for what we found as far as his horns were concerned. Last time he was seen, he had short weak horns. As of today, he's on the way to the taxidermist, and will hang on my wall as a once in a lifetime trophy!! Check out that character!!!
The funny thing is, if we hadn't had to stop and open that gate, we'd have been passing where he walked out, at the very moment he arrived there. If that were the case, we all know I'd never have gotten a shot off! It's amazing on something we deem as inconvenient, can actually be a blessing on occasion!
I sat Thurday night, morning and evening Friday, and then again this morning on a large high-line near one of the protein feeders, with no Axis doe or cull sightings whatsoever. (Did see some promising whitetail bucks!!
). We had some work to get done after the morning hunt, so Tyler (trjones87) and I got it done quick, and took out on the Bad Boy Buggy to make a last sneaky attempt at busting a doe. We drove around for a while with no luck, and then decided to swing back by the high-line I'd sat on all weekend. This ranch is divided in half by a fence, which has never had closed gates until our friend added some cattle a few months ago. As we drove through and did the open-and-shut gate routine, we both laughed at how much more we liked not having to mess with gates. Little did we know....
As we drove down the high-line, there was nothing down the whole stretch. We came over the hill, checked, and didn't see a thing, but decided to keep going just for kicks. As we're driving and talking, I look up to see a big buck standing on the edge of the brush. We stopped to check him in the binocs, thinking he's just one of the big boys that are off limits. Once we get a good look, we realize it's the bum-leg buck. I got my gun up, and tried to get steady as Tyler encouraged me to "Shoot him! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!!" I steadied and shot and watched the buck rare up and take off. We found him just a few yards into the brush, down for the count. We weren't quite prepared for what we found as far as his horns were concerned. Last time he was seen, he had short weak horns. As of today, he's on the way to the taxidermist, and will hang on my wall as a once in a lifetime trophy!! Check out that character!!!
The funny thing is, if we hadn't had to stop and open that gate, we'd have been passing where he walked out, at the very moment he arrived there. If that were the case, we all know I'd never have gotten a shot off! It's amazing on something we deem as inconvenient, can actually be a blessing on occasion!
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