I just returned from a hunt for free range Axis with Desert Safaris. The ranch I was hunting was 6000 acres, low fenced in Kerr County. The ranch was open with hilly rocky terrain with scattered oaks. With all the recent rain, everything was green an lush.
Upon arrival I was greeted by my guide, James. I was the first Axis hunter of their season which runs June-Aug and James enthusiastically asked if I wanted to go out because we had 2 hours until sundown. I had just driven 5 hours so getting out and about sounded pretty good. We drove around the ranch glassing the hills looking for something to put a stalk on. As we were driving by a the main road of the ranch 30 minutes before dark, James slams on the breaks. Points off the side of the road to the tree line at the base of a rock cliff. There were about seven does, so I say dumbly “the does?”. He’s whispers “look left!” I look left at there was a huge wide Axis. He was a freak, was wide as a big mule deer. In fact, James said "that is a freak! “ As soon as we stopped the truck, the does and the freak ran up the cliff wall. James looks at me and says, “I know it’s only your first night, but that is a freak, this isn’t guide bullshit, he is awesome, you want to go after him?”. “Uh, hell yeah” I responded. We drove around behind where he thought they would be , he grabbed the shooting stick and we headed on foot toward the rock cliff. As we crested a small hill, he was standing about 100 yards from us. He saw us as soon as we crested and ran back down the rock wall. But this time it was getting too dark to shoot so we headed back to the ranch house. The owner of Desert Safaris had arrived, Hunter Ross, and we all had a little whisky and some good pasta with Axis meat sauce. James and Hunter were great. We swapped some good stories before turning in about midnight. It was a full moon and it was bright, everyone was a little concerned about that because the deer were going to be up all night feeding and it was going to change their behavior. The good news was the rut was clearly starting so the bucks would be distracted.
Next morning at 6:30, James and I were in the truck driving around the ranch. We probably saw 75 Axis deer. Mostly does and a few small bucks. We saw a nice buck still in full velvet and a few culls. Went back to the ranch house for lunch about 1pm and back out about 5pm. This time its was Hunter, James and I in the truck driving around and glassing. Not many animals were out probably due to the full moon. We saw one or two bucks but they were 28” and they don’t take them out unless they are 30”+. A lot to driving and glassing. Spent a lot of time looking in the general area we saw the freak. Really a slow night. Went back the ranch house at 9pm, ate some great steaks and talked till about midnight.
Day 3 back in the truck at 6:30 am with James. It was heavily overcast with a cool breeze. We immediately start seeing a lot of deer both bucks and does. About 7:30, James was glassing a hill about 800 yards away. There were probably 30 deer on that hill with about 4 bucks. He sees some mass so he breaks out the spotting scope for a better look. He says “take a look at this”. I look through the scope and see a really nice buck. Rut is definitely on. He says, “he’s over 30” and he has mass, what do you think?”. “Lets go kill that bastard”, I responded. There was no way for a frontal assault. Too may deer to put a stalk on so we drove around to get behind them and started a 600 yard stalk. Working the trees and draws, we snuck up to the last tree. He put up the shooting sticks. He said you can just see the top of his antlers on the other side of the hill. Get set up and wait for him to crest the hill. He ranged him with the range finder at 154 yards. Put the rifle on the sticks, tried to settle down. He started cresting the hill and you could see the top of his back. I wanted to shoot quick because I didn’t want to lose him if he went down the hill. We had no other cover. I settled the Leupold Firedot on his neck since it was the clearest shot and squeezed the trigger sending a 338 Ballistic tip from my Ruger 338 Federal. He dropped instantly and James say “ oh my God , you dropped his ass, he kicked one leg and never moved”. We later measured him at “31.75” main beams.
James
While James and Hunter were skinning him out on the rack, Hunter looks at me and says “You want to shoot a free range Black Buck? I’ll make you great deal.” He threw out a really good price and said “let’s finish out, eat lunch and we’ll go drive the other ranch and take a look. If we find a shooter and you can decide if you want to shoot”. He said it’s a 1200 acre ranch 30 minutes away and there is one really good buck and two other shooters. The land owner will only let him take 2 this year. After lunch we start driving the other ranch. I was shocked. We must have saw 100 black buck on that ranch. It was stunning. Groups of does and young bucks. We did glass a really nice one but Hunter says “that one is good but we saw a better one here last year but never could get a stalk on him.” We knew a spot where they like to hang out but he said “before we go there let me just check this little field over here to make sure.” He slams on the breaks throws up his binoculars and says “that’s him in the high grass about 500 yards out, you guys get out and use the tree line, I’ll drive on like nothing is going on”. James grabs the sticks and we start moving through he tree line. The grass is high in the field and you can just see the top of their backs. We stalk to a certain point and he throws up the sticks and ranges and says “he is right down there, only buck in the field 221 yards”. I try to setting down on the sticks and just can’t get comfortable, buck keeps moving around. I say “i don’t like the shot, can we get a little closer?” he grabs the sticks and we are on the move. Finds a spot to set the sticks ranges and says its 155 yards. I get on the sticks again and am starting to settle in but the little bastard won’t stop moving. Finally I get a shot, slightly quartering away. I squeeze the trigger and boom! James says “I think you hit him.” Well he starts running, so I Ioaded another round and lead him as he’s running and send another 180 ballistic tip his way. He disappears after the recoil and James screams “you freaking flipped him, I wish I recorded that, that was the best shot I’ve seen, you nailed him on a dead run and he did a somersault at the shot”. We went over to check him out. Turns out I missed the first shot and I hit him right where the neck meets the shoulder. James says “man you are a good shot”. I say “if I was that good I would have hit him when he was standing still at 150 yards, this was more luck that skill but I will take it”. You talk about a game of inches. I hit him where the neck about 1.5 inches in. I was 1.5” from completely missing him. I can’t even tell you how I made that shot or what the sight picture looked like. It was all instinctive and happened so fast. I only took the shot because I thought I had a wounded animal.
We took him back to the other ranch and James and Hunter went to work. Late that evening, they were going out to look for the cull bucks we saw yesterday and asked if I wanted to join them. We rode around and never could find those culls. We drove down by the tree line by the cliff and there was the freak. He ran up the cliff and to the top of hill. Hunter broke out the spotting scope and said “he is unbelievable, not only is he wide and heavy, he is between 34-36”, you want to shoot another?” I said, “he is awesome but my wife would kill me, in fact this is my first real guided hunt and I have a budget”. So, the freak is still out there but I had great time and shot 2 really good free range trophies. I’d highly recommend this outfitter. I going to start saving up for a mule deer hunt with them next year.
