Myself, DaveS903, jdafonte2000,meshmover, and his dad all met up for a little hunting weekend. After a little chat time in the parking lot waiting on Keith we headed out to the ranch. Once we arrived we met two other hunters that had been there for a few days already, DJ and the other name slips my mind. Couple of good guys though. Shortly after, Ryan from collage station(and I think soon to be TBHer) showed up. After unloading gear and picking out bunks, and a short meet and greet session it was off to tour the ranch. As we drove around we saw ALOT of animals! I know I was amped up! After the tour we went back to the house and started getting ready for the evening hunt.
Saterday after noon, after not seeing any of the rams while on stand I decided to do a spot and stalk on one. Not the biggest one in the group but an almost solid black Hawaiian Black ram. Wade, Keith's son would be taking me out along with Keith ready with the truck. We pulled to within about 100 yards of the heard of Corsican's and Wade and I bailed out of the truck and the stalk was on! As we slipped up the tree line and got to within about 40 yards the heard split up. The Catalinas went out into the field and the others went into the brush. Slowly we moved off into the brush with them. As we came up on "Gator pond" I'll call it since thats where the gator lives! There were the rams. As if on cue when we got to within 30 yards they also went out into the field. Trying to cut them off we backed up a bit and made a bee line straight out in front of them cuting them off and pushing them back into the trees and brush. Trying to get at least along side of the group Wade and I took the road for a bit and then cut into the brush. We found the rams on the other side of the pond. With Wade ranging for me we were able to get a clear line of sight on my ram. 45 yards he says.Taking a deep breath as I draw my bow and settle my pin, the ram takes about 4 steps right as I am about to loose the Rage tipped FMJ death missile at him. When he stops he is standing behind a tree with a split base, his vitals exposed just enough at a slightly quartering away shot. 47 yards I hear as I re-steady myself. I squeeze the trigger on my release and THWACK..... "GOOD SHOT!" Wade says to me as I slump my shoulders and tell him nope. He didn't see the tree branch fall as my arrow passed through the opening in the tree base. Once we got to the spot the ram was standing we found blood. I knew I had an arrow in the ram but not a good one. Tracking the rams down again I was able to glass the Hawaiian and see that I had indeed hit him. The branch deflected my arrow high. To make a long story a little shorter, we stalked the heard for another 30-45 mins. trying to get another shot. I drew on the ram 5 times more and each time he would move or another ram would get in front or on the other side of him. As we are following the rams back towards the pond, I see Keith up on the road glassing us in the field. As I look back to the rams, the Hawaiian is stand alone for the first time since the original shot. I draw, Wade tells me 45 yards, I settle, and release. THUMP(it sounded like I had kicked a flat basketball). As the arrow entered I saw a bright red spray of life fluid splash the right side of the ram. He lunged forward and two strides later he was down for the count!!!!! 50-75 yards away I can hear Keith yelling "GOOD SHOT!!!!" Walking up to the ram and looking him over I see that the first shot was a death shot not for the branch. It had entered about 3 inches high and exited his neck.
I like I said he isn't the biggest one out there but he is a trophy in my mind for sure.
entry wound.
Saterday after noon, after not seeing any of the rams while on stand I decided to do a spot and stalk on one. Not the biggest one in the group but an almost solid black Hawaiian Black ram. Wade, Keith's son would be taking me out along with Keith ready with the truck. We pulled to within about 100 yards of the heard of Corsican's and Wade and I bailed out of the truck and the stalk was on! As we slipped up the tree line and got to within about 40 yards the heard split up. The Catalinas went out into the field and the others went into the brush. Slowly we moved off into the brush with them. As we came up on "Gator pond" I'll call it since thats where the gator lives! There were the rams. As if on cue when we got to within 30 yards they also went out into the field. Trying to cut them off we backed up a bit and made a bee line straight out in front of them cuting them off and pushing them back into the trees and brush. Trying to get at least along side of the group Wade and I took the road for a bit and then cut into the brush. We found the rams on the other side of the pond. With Wade ranging for me we were able to get a clear line of sight on my ram. 45 yards he says.Taking a deep breath as I draw my bow and settle my pin, the ram takes about 4 steps right as I am about to loose the Rage tipped FMJ death missile at him. When he stops he is standing behind a tree with a split base, his vitals exposed just enough at a slightly quartering away shot. 47 yards I hear as I re-steady myself. I squeeze the trigger on my release and THWACK..... "GOOD SHOT!" Wade says to me as I slump my shoulders and tell him nope. He didn't see the tree branch fall as my arrow passed through the opening in the tree base. Once we got to the spot the ram was standing we found blood. I knew I had an arrow in the ram but not a good one. Tracking the rams down again I was able to glass the Hawaiian and see that I had indeed hit him. The branch deflected my arrow high. To make a long story a little shorter, we stalked the heard for another 30-45 mins. trying to get another shot. I drew on the ram 5 times more and each time he would move or another ram would get in front or on the other side of him. As we are following the rams back towards the pond, I see Keith up on the road glassing us in the field. As I look back to the rams, the Hawaiian is stand alone for the first time since the original shot. I draw, Wade tells me 45 yards, I settle, and release. THUMP(it sounded like I had kicked a flat basketball). As the arrow entered I saw a bright red spray of life fluid splash the right side of the ram. He lunged forward and two strides later he was down for the count!!!!! 50-75 yards away I can hear Keith yelling "GOOD SHOT!!!!" Walking up to the ram and looking him over I see that the first shot was a death shot not for the branch. It had entered about 3 inches high and exited his neck.
I like I said he isn't the biggest one out there but he is a trophy in my mind for sure.
entry wound.
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