This last weekend Eric and I were able to go take an Axis Deer for meat in the freezer. A friend of mine had a place near Campwood, Texas that had to many Axis and needed the herd thinned. It was a dirty job, but Eric and I greedily accepted the challenge. When we got there the land owner had just a few rules

1) Shoot any hog, coyote, bob cat you see.

2) If you shoot an Axis buck you must mount it (Wall Mount for anyone with their mind in the gutter)



Eric and I necks snapped as we both looked at each other because we had only expected to be able to take a doe for the freezer, an opportunity to take a buck was truly unexpected. This is truly hill country topography, as we were right on the East Nueces River (the deck on the house we stayed at looked straight down off of a 40’ bluff into the river), with elevation changes of over a 1000’.

We got down to the place around 4 PM and our host asked us to set in a couple of stands close by, as there had been some free ranging Axis bucks and does seen there. I set up at a tri-pod that was about 150 yards south of the house and walked to it and Eric was taken to the other blind and dropped off. As I was led down to my spot we observed the neighbors walking the river, our host was put off that they would mess my hunt up, but I assured him that the view alone was worth the trip and that it would be all right. I climbed up into the stand and immediately saw a sow and two piglets under the feeder and they were oblivious of the people in the river, as were the people to the pigs. It was neat watching both animals and people knowing that neither knew I was there. I knew if I shot the pigs I would likely be doing CPR on the old couple in the river, as I had the DOD (7MM STW) with me and would likely scare the begizzas out of them if I touched one off. As I made the right decision , the people finally got in their car and as soon as they were completely out of site I took the sow out. The two piglets didn’t go far, as they returned, one went to suckling on the dead sow while I dispatched its sibling. With two pigs on the ground the other piglet finally finished its meal and went to check on its brother when I introduced the DOD to it. Three pigs on the ground and it’s still light out. I decided to go get DOD Jr, so I walked back to camp and got four bullets and the 22-250 and crawled back into the stand. Soon, another sounder came to the feeder so I dispatched a young boar, reloaded shot a sow, then another and finally had to put another round into the last one I shot and was out of bullets (that will never happen again). So Friday evening 150 yards from the 3 bedroom river font house, overlooking the East Nueces River I have Six (6) hogs down with seven shots.



I have to admit that cleaning pigs is not my idea of a good time, but Eric helped out and we got the job done. Hamburgers and drinks that evening overlooking the river with SIX (6) pigs on ice was a good way to start the weekend. The next morning we went to another canyon and went looking for our quarry of Axis and man, the views were outstanding. We were driving up extreme grades of loose rock, with drop offs of several hundred feet right beside us, made that morning drive a puckering experience. That morning I had a free ranging Sika deer come out and feed all morning which was truly amazing. Eric saw white tail and had a view across the valley that was spectacular and our host missed some pigs at his stand.



With no Axis moving, we went into the town of Campwood for breakfast and picked up a tire for the farm truck and one of the land owners four wheelers. On the way back to the ranch we stopped at an old building where this locale was building dinosaurs. Yea, that’s what I said, he was re-creating dinosaurs skeletons using real fossils and plaster bones. It was pretty neat. This was in a town with a population of 832.





After that we head back to the ranch and just kind of set around, snoozed and relaxed. Saturday evening we went into another part of the ranch that was high fenced and that was where we saw White, Chocolate and Spotted Fallow, Red Deer, Black Buck , Lamas and freaking tons of Axis. I went to a stand and Eric went with the land owner. We had spotted a monster Axis buck on the way in and I suggested Eric try for that one. He didn’t close the deal on that Axis, it only showed him it’s rear end and well, we were still after Axis meat. He did take a very nice Axis buck about 32” tall with decent width. I would have defiantly shot it as well. Where I was hunting, was a 3 X 4 Axis in Velvet that the landowner had promised it to his daughter, so it was off limits. Since Axis are typically only 3 X 3, 3X4’s are unique. As I waited, I think every different type of animal on his place came to that feeder.



I finally had an Axis come up and it was a 3 X 4, but hard horned, then the velvet 3 X 4 came up along with three spike Axis and a very pregnant Axis doe. Since the landowner said the velvet 3 X 4 was off limit and indicated that 3 X 4 are not common, I had a moral dilemma on taking the hard horned Axis and elected to pass this one up. The landowner came by a little later to see why I had not shot and I told him of my dilemma, and he gave me permission to shoot one or the other 3X4, as long as he had a 3 X4 left for his daughter to shoot. Didn’t need anything other than that, so I crawled back into the stand and waited. As it typically happens, those deer didn’t come back out, but a heavy bodied Axis, with the top of both main beams broke off about 6+ inches stepped out and I introduced him to the DOD. Neck shot, DRT, game over. Eric and I had two Axis bucks down and Six pigs (that I shot at one setting, at the same feeder, if I haven’t already mentioned that) in the cooler.



Man what a weekend. That evening after the Axis were quartered and on ice, we had some good New York strip steaks with the works, a good adult beverage and a cigar, with a full moon overlooking the river with a nice breeze. Really life cannot get much better.

Harold, superb country, great pictures, wonderful report. Weidmannsheil!

- mike

Good job, sounds like a great trip!

Nice report and pics. Thanks for sharing!

Harold,
Looks pretty green and a good amount of water in the Nueces!!!!!
Where exactly is this place w/the Dinosaur building going on? Always looking for something else to do when we are at our place in Rocksprings.

Building of dinosaurs is in Campwood. Head north on 55 to Barksdale. It is right past down town 55 and RR 337 on the left. Old metal barn tin mechanics building with Old Bones sign above the sliding doors. We were down RR 335 just before Vance on the east side of the river. The guy there does it as a hobby. landowner was saying the river was down? It was green but hadn't had the rain like they have been getting just north of there.

Great photos, thanks!

Sounds like you had a great trip,and thanks for the pics.Good Luck

Looks like a great time not too far at all from my hometown!! God, I love that country... Miss it everyday..

HRS,
Great story and pix. Sounds like a successful hill country weekend. The area around Leakey, Camp Wood, Rockspings, Utopia,Vanderpool is amazing. Its quiet, lots of game, wonderful vistas. Go there with friends, guns, steaks, cigars and adult beverages and its a fantastic change of pace. Thanks for posting. Makes me want to leave today.
GWB

Hey Harold,

Congrats! I just grilled some Axis tenderloin from our Posse "Freezer Filler" up in Junction a few weeks ago. Axis venison is pretty hard to beat on this side of the pond. We are going pig chasing again in two weeks.

The three ranches I guide the free-range blackbuck hunts on are right there at Camp Wood and Barksdale. I sure didn't know about the dinosaurs though!! I will make it a point to head over there next time I am up that way.

FYI-If you have not BJ's Cafe in Camp Wood, you need to. The cheeseburgers are world class...and then you get to the homemade pies and cakes! It is the one with the "stuffed" motorcycle out front.

Bob

Dont get no better than that!!!!!

Well done. That country still looks pretty good although I'm sure they could use some more rain. Do you mind sharing who the land owner was? Just curious.

I will see if I can get his permission. He does not sell hunts to the public, but has a lot of friends. LOL

He use to do day hunts in west Texas and kind of got burnt out on trying to make everyone happy.