Laguna Atascosa 2020

[Bowhunter1994]

Good morning gang...new to the forum and popping my Laguna cherry on the 12/4 hunt. Have been dotting my "i's" and crossting my "t's" and noticed in the hunt orientation vid the refuge put out....I could have sworn the fed officer said that unit 6 was only open for the 1st two hunts as it wasn't mentioned in the list for remaining. Did I hear that wrong and if it is closed...why would they close it for the remaining two?

Big congrats to all who came out heavy so far and best of luck to those on the grind right now!! C'MON December!

Ocelot survey is what I heard


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[HighwayHunter]

Good morning gang...new to the forum and popping my Laguna cherry on the 12/4 hunt. Have been dotting my "i's" and crossting my "t's" and noticed in the hunt orientation vid the refuge put out....I could have sworn the fed officer said that unit 6 was only open for the 1st two hunts as it wasn't mentioned in the list for remaining. Did I hear that wrong and if it is closed...why would they close it for the remaining two?

Big congrats to all who came out heavy so far and best of luck to those on the grind right now!! C'MON December!

Ocelot studies or something. Talked to a guy who said over the years the majority of wt deer he’s killed were in 6. I actually did all my planning around hunting 6 before realizing it was closed


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[HighwayHunter]

Tried to drop by the board but gate was locked. Think the deer are mostly moving at night.


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[CentralTXHunter]

I checked the board on the way out tonight. There was nothing updated from what I posted yesterday.

Had a great hunt today. I had a doe in bow range at first light. I’m not after a doe. I’ve already tagged one at the family place and I’ll tag another at my lease in Val Verde County. At 11:45 this morning I saw 3 bulls. First saw them about 100 yards out and they were at full gallop. They were running away from my set and slowed down about 7-800 yards out. Funny thing is they slowed down about 10 yards in front of a dude’s pop up blind. He had got out of the blind around 8:45 that morning. That is why you stay late/all day. Had 3 doe in bow range this evening. Solid hunt, but I may switch some things up tomorrow.


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[jronning77]

Good morning gang...new to the forum and popping my Laguna cherry on the 12/4 hunt. Have been dotting my "i's" and crossting my "t's" and noticed in the hunt orientation vid the refuge put out....I could have sworn the fed officer said that unit 6 was only open for the 1st two hunts as it wasn't mentioned in the list for remaining. Did I hear that wrong and if it is closed...why would they close it for the remaining two?

Big congrats to all who came out heavy so far and best of luck to those on the grind right now!! C'MON December!

I'll be there on the same hunt. If you or anyone else for that matter needs a helping hand packing one out or gets in a bind feel free to reach out I don't mind helping.

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[Huntindad]

I saw a big bull right before sunrise as he walked out of the fog. He got about 200 yards and turned and walked in the brush. Saw a big cow right at dusk.

More people than critters.

You'd figure they could survey the ocelot at times there is NOT a hunt going on.

[HighwayHunter]

I saw a big bull right before sunrise as he walked out of the fog. He got about 200 yards and turned and walked in the brush. Saw a big cow right at dusk.

More people than critters.

You'd figure they could survey the ocelot at times there is NOT a hunt going on.

Seriously. Like maybe in the spring


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[merlin]

Oh I'm sure they could

[RichExotics10]

This is the Ocelots breeding season, which is why the survey is conducted now.


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[CentralTXHunter]

I actually saw one Friday. He jumped up out of the ditch and ran down the road a bit before tucking off into the brush. I about wrecked my bike trying to get my phone out of my pocket for a pic. Needless to say... I didn’t get a pic, lol.


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[Benson]

Laguna Atascosa 2020

This is the Ocelots breeding season, which is why the survey is conducted now.


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There’s some really sick people trying to catch ocelot p*rn.


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[Jamesl]

I'll try and keep it short.
This hunt was tough tough! Very hot and humid.
Day 1) I spent 12 straight hours in one square foot of a mesquite. I did not climb down once. A skunk came under me at dawn. That is the only animal I saw. Literally, skunked.
Day 2) Saw a doe and two fawns, 1 bull spooked when I swapped spots.
Day 3) I abandoned 1 and went to 8, worked a large loop of the refuge. South of 8, into north of 3 through 8 back south then back west into 3. Saw animals, nothing close. 189 yards was the closest. Did some unorthodox methods. Hard pushes, wind bumps, even got undressed to cross a canal. Full blitz into the howling north wind. Passed on some deer. I was already accepting my first time being defeated, but just trying to enjoy it and tone it down a bit. Things were different this year, dead. Limited sightings. Not as much sign, no green vegetation, hardly any **** piles and small at that in some of my go to spots. So I tried new turf. It was still fun, but temps made it miserable. North looked fresh, green, lush and plenty of water.
Day 4) North wind still blowing had me feeling it, I knew it was the day that something was going to happen. It did.

I snuck in as stealthy, silently and as lightless as possible. Pausing frequently to listen for any game spooked or nilgai verbal alerts every time I heard something. Clean entrance. Saw a long tail cat. I saw 1 doe. At 8:30 am I heard him. The sound of grass moving. Here he comes. 30 yards at my 10 o'clock hoofs walking straight towards me his head down. I instantly grab my bow and latch on. Hes walking straight to me down a trail and will end up at 11 yards at the closest xing. I draw back before he clears the last bush. He stopped 18yds, hard quartering towards. I get to full draw smoothly (I told myself and others I'm taking a head shot to the brain anything 20yd or less, I did not want a track job) but at that angle I chickened out. I centered the pin on him, relax, and let it go. SHWACK! It stuck directly in his shoulder BONE(not blade) 31" of full arrow sticking out! He JUMPS! Bounds 15 yards to my 12 o'clock and spins around looking at what just stung him! Looking hard, up and down, lifts his right hoof and STOMPS. He was mad and confused and totally zoned on looking for what stuck him. I reach blindly for another arrow(quiver detached) never taking my eyes off him, he keeps looking as I fumble and fight my quiver to get an arrow loose(normally I have a 2nd one free already) I fumble and fumble and fumble pulling at this arrow(hog arrowhead but at this point I just wanted any arrow), I nudge the quiver into the tree and he heard it. Glanced towards me, then immediately back to the area he got stuck. He turned away and I took my eyes off him for a split second to get orientated on which arrow to grab, grabbed my 2nd arrow and knocked it as he begins walking away. DOINK! He heard me knock the arrow and turned around to look. I froze. We stared. He contined walking away, quartered perfectly(just like I needed) I drew back again! He looked again. I knew he was 35-40yds. My pins vibrate back and forth left to right from drawing so quick, the pins settled, yellow pin, let it go! SHHHHPAH! Sunk it deep behind left shoulder with solid penetration. He takes off and I jump down and run up 20 yards to be able to watch. He's at 100 yards before I get eyes on him running, turns right, out of sight, I freeze and listen. Limbs cracking for 2 seconds then, death moan. 2 horrendous bawls. Silence.
I couldn't believe I got a 2nd shot. I waited an hour. Told some buddies. Went after 70mins after. Found blood at 30yds, followed it straight to him 120 yds away to where he laid.


The A-Team disintegrated, Dad wasn't able to attend due to lung/bone cancer. TXoutdoorsman never showed, my 2 other hunting partners were 30 & 15 mins down the highway I was alone. Not turning around. Then, The Laguna Master comes to help. He walks a cart all the way in. Helps me drag, gut and haul him out whole. He is a beast and thinks it's funny the entire time! Told me he was a baby bull. I couldn't have done it alone. I doubt seriously any one man could. Arrived at parking lot at 1:30pm. He helped me skin then went back for an evening hunt.I finished everything by 6pm. I was in bad shape. Hadn't eaten anything since the nught before, pee'd for the first timr at 5:30 pm and had several waters and gatorades. It was a rodeo and I had more support than I can type.

Anyways, enough yapping. Here's what you've all been waiting for.

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I was on the edge of my seat with that story. I didn't think you were going to get that 2nd arrow out of the quiver. Congrats on a well deserved bull!

[TN_boy]

It's official, I have committed to the Dec 4-8 hunt. After my brain fart on Big Lake orientation this will be my only draw this year. We scouted in September but things have probably changed quite a bit since then. I'm headed to Gbludau's spot in hopes of piggybacking his success. All joking and foot stomping aside, thank you to everyone who replied to PMs answering questions for someone who has never hunted Laguna or even hunted landscape similar. I need a bigger truck to haul all the crap I'm taking.

Hopefully I don't jack this hunt up and actually get to make it into the brush. That'll be defined as success in my book.

If anyone is interested in splitting a hotel shoot me a PM. I'm solo on this one.

[HighwayHunter]

It's official, I have committed to the Dec 4-8 hunt. After my brain fart on Big Lake orientation this will be my only draw this year. We scouted in September but things have probably changed quite a bit since then. I'm headed to Gbludau's spot in hopes of piggybacking his success. All joking and foot stomping aside, thank you to everyone who replied to PMs answering questions for someone who has never hunted Laguna or even hunted landscape similar. I need a bigger truck to haul all the crap I'm taking.

Hopefully I don't jack this hunt up and actually get to make it into the brush. That'll be defined as success in my book.

If anyone is interested in splitting a hotel shoot me a PM. I'm solo on this one.

If you don’t have a bike, get one. I tried to hoof it the whole hunt with two buddies and it was a huge mistake. About 3 miles into unit 2 I realized I’m not that tough lol.


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[TN_boy]

Bike is prepped and bags packed. Been working on mounting my bow to outside of Osprey pack. Looks like I'll be able to pack full day supplies pretty easy.

Day 1 bike in 1.5 miles
Day 2 bike in .75 miles with .5 mile hike
Day 3 200 yard walk
Day 4-5 TBD based on previous results