For the last couple of months I have had an itch to kill a blackbuck with my bow, but was turned off a little by 2 things: The first being going to a ranch without a trophy fee and being out all that money whether or not I kill. The second being the price at some of the ranches with a trophy fee. So after alot of thought I decided to go with Thompson Temple to a ranch he guides on in the Leakey area. I know some people have mixed feelings about Thompson's discounted ram hunts and for myself I love Thompson's exotic knowledge combined with his Christian attitude.
So Sunday I drive from Azle to Barkesdale to Thompsons ranch with my dad who is going as just my support companion. I arrive at Tompson ranch Sunday around 5PM totally pumped from all of the exotics on the way down. I love that drive!!! So we visit with Thompson for a while observing some of his impressive Mouflons and also some of his new Big Horn Crosses (for a great price). As most of you might know Thompson has been cross breeding numerous of species of rams for decades tying to duplicate that Big Horn look. Well let me tell you he is close... So anyway we stay the night in the Cowboy Casa and get up around 7AM and ride with Thompson over to the ranch about an hour away.
Once we arrive at the ranch I'm first blown away by the huge herds of blackbucks combined with the number of mature animals. After glassing some blackbuck thompson takes my dad over too a lake on the ranch and I fish for about 20 minutes and catch a handfull of Large Mouths. I then start my day and put get in my bow stand that was made from Hog Panel and neatly woven with hundreds of cedar branches creating awseome concealment and scent control. I'm stage in a funnel between 2 main pastures that animals cross between all day long. Right off the bat I have some whitetails come in at 15-20 yards and 1 buck that must have scored around 160 inches. Shortly followed by fallow, axis, and tons of blackbucks. After about 2 hours in the stand a heard of blackbuck come in all nice calm when I spot a buck that had seen while glassing 15 yards away. This buck was a little spooked so as he calmed I directed my camera towards him, and drew my Invasion. All of the sudden all of the does started to spook, and I hear a diesel truck in the background and perfect timing that it might be my lunch is being delivered and the buck spooks.
So after filling my stomach with some local Cafe food I get bac into serious blackbuck mode. Shortly after I eat I'm envaded by a huge herd of Axis including a couple of bucks that had to be over 35 inches. About 4PM and about 6 hours of exotic watching including 1 buster oppurtunity I see some blackbucks heading my way. The problem is that these blackbucks are in a playfull mood and moving quickly so I as I sit in this 60 yard wide funnel I witness 40-50 blackbucks combined with several 20+ inch bucks move threw quickly. I tried grunting in attempt to slow a couple of bucks, but failed in doing so. At this point I refuse to use my rifle and even though I have seen tons of animals on a beutiful ranch I become a tad disappointed. Maybee not fully disappoointed but a little discouraged. All the sudden I hear some rock rumbling across the ground that was clearly disturbed by a blackbuck. I look to my left and the buck that I had drawn on earlier was headed my way. The only problem is that he was trotting along and on a path that was anywhere from 50-60 yards away. So I range him quickly and grunt and the buck stops dead in his tracks and I let the arrow fly 53 yards. I hear the 'Thwack', and as my senses are enhanced I hear the arrow slam against the rocks and the bucks goes stumbling up the mountain out of sight creating all sorts of racket. I instantly walk over and see my bloody Easton Flatline Surgical and Rage 2 Blade coated in blood.
I start my walk over to the lake that I know my dad and Thompson are fishing at nearly 7 hours later after dropping my off. As I arrive I notice know is interested in my bloody arrow but more at my dads rod bent in 2 with enormous blue cat on the other end. After wearing this fish out with a bass worm I get a pair of gloves on and snatch this 70LBS BLUECAT out of the water. Once we took some pictures (that will come shortly) we put the monster back in the water and head over to the kill scene. Not really intereted in following a blood trail due to the fact that I heard where he headed I started hiking up the mountian followed by my dad concerrned about the little blood found. I then notice pools of red blood all over and look up a head and I see my trophy wrapped around a cedar after falling a few feet back.
Gold Metal 21.5 inches... Score 58 2/8, Huge body and a 53 yard bow kill to brak in my new Invasion... thanks Thompson
So Sunday I drive from Azle to Barkesdale to Thompsons ranch with my dad who is going as just my support companion. I arrive at Tompson ranch Sunday around 5PM totally pumped from all of the exotics on the way down. I love that drive!!! So we visit with Thompson for a while observing some of his impressive Mouflons and also some of his new Big Horn Crosses (for a great price). As most of you might know Thompson has been cross breeding numerous of species of rams for decades tying to duplicate that Big Horn look. Well let me tell you he is close... So anyway we stay the night in the Cowboy Casa and get up around 7AM and ride with Thompson over to the ranch about an hour away.
Once we arrive at the ranch I'm first blown away by the huge herds of blackbucks combined with the number of mature animals. After glassing some blackbuck thompson takes my dad over too a lake on the ranch and I fish for about 20 minutes and catch a handfull of Large Mouths. I then start my day and put get in my bow stand that was made from Hog Panel and neatly woven with hundreds of cedar branches creating awseome concealment and scent control. I'm stage in a funnel between 2 main pastures that animals cross between all day long. Right off the bat I have some whitetails come in at 15-20 yards and 1 buck that must have scored around 160 inches. Shortly followed by fallow, axis, and tons of blackbucks. After about 2 hours in the stand a heard of blackbuck come in all nice calm when I spot a buck that had seen while glassing 15 yards away. This buck was a little spooked so as he calmed I directed my camera towards him, and drew my Invasion. All of the sudden all of the does started to spook, and I hear a diesel truck in the background and perfect timing that it might be my lunch is being delivered and the buck spooks.
So after filling my stomach with some local Cafe food I get bac into serious blackbuck mode. Shortly after I eat I'm envaded by a huge herd of Axis including a couple of bucks that had to be over 35 inches. About 4PM and about 6 hours of exotic watching including 1 buster oppurtunity I see some blackbucks heading my way. The problem is that these blackbucks are in a playfull mood and moving quickly so I as I sit in this 60 yard wide funnel I witness 40-50 blackbucks combined with several 20+ inch bucks move threw quickly. I tried grunting in attempt to slow a couple of bucks, but failed in doing so. At this point I refuse to use my rifle and even though I have seen tons of animals on a beutiful ranch I become a tad disappointed. Maybee not fully disappoointed but a little discouraged. All the sudden I hear some rock rumbling across the ground that was clearly disturbed by a blackbuck. I look to my left and the buck that I had drawn on earlier was headed my way. The only problem is that he was trotting along and on a path that was anywhere from 50-60 yards away. So I range him quickly and grunt and the buck stops dead in his tracks and I let the arrow fly 53 yards. I hear the 'Thwack', and as my senses are enhanced I hear the arrow slam against the rocks and the bucks goes stumbling up the mountain out of sight creating all sorts of racket. I instantly walk over and see my bloody Easton Flatline Surgical and Rage 2 Blade coated in blood.
I start my walk over to the lake that I know my dad and Thompson are fishing at nearly 7 hours later after dropping my off. As I arrive I notice know is interested in my bloody arrow but more at my dads rod bent in 2 with enormous blue cat on the other end. After wearing this fish out with a bass worm I get a pair of gloves on and snatch this 70LBS BLUECAT out of the water. Once we took some pictures (that will come shortly) we put the monster back in the water and head over to the kill scene. Not really intereted in following a blood trail due to the fact that I heard where he headed I started hiking up the mountian followed by my dad concerrned about the little blood found. I then notice pools of red blood all over and look up a head and I see my trophy wrapped around a cedar after falling a few feet back.
Gold Metal 21.5 inches... Score 58 2/8, Huge body and a 53 yard bow kill to brak in my new Invasion... thanks Thompson
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