check this link out here on AR Forum...

Wow!

Sounds like they don't want Americans hunting there anymore or what?

Times are getting even worse and more brazen, at a faster pace than ever, eh!

http://forums.accuratereloadin...8321043/m/8401021121

Just doesn't look safe...

It can be bad in places, just like anywhere in the world. You have to do your homework, book with a reputable outfitter and try not to do things that will leave you vunerable while your down there.

Like Drummond says. Know where you're going, who you're going with, and always use a reputable, trustworthy outfitter, and you'll be just fine.

I've hunted Mexico a number of times in the past, even flying my own plane down there on one ocassion. I would not advise hunting there right now. The U.S. preoccupation with treating the health/social problems created by drugs as a primarily a criminal issue has created a nightmare of an overlapping and interlaced criminal infrastructure that is totally out of control. Now that we've ensured that crime DOES pay and pays outrageoulsy well, we're saddled with a problem it may take an entire generation to resolve.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
I've hunted Mexico a number of times in the past, even flying my own plane down there on one ocassion. I would not advise hunting there right now. The U.S. preoccupation with treating the health/social problems created by drugs as a primarily a criminal issue has created a nightmare of an overlapping and interlaced criminal infrastructure that is totally out of control. Now that we've ensured that crime DOES pay and pays outrageoulsy well, we're saddled with a problem it may take an entire generation to resolve.

I'm finding this to be the WISEST answer myself!!!

I've been reading stuff out there and it seems way out of control!!!

Several hunters I read about said they ain't going back either...thanks Steve for your input

Seems Mexico is sinking deeper into the shitter each day:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=235&sid=6110278

Tis a shame as many of my S. Texas old time hunting buddies cut our teeth "so to speak" across the border or in close proximity.

Still do a lot of hunting just this side of the Rio Grande but there is no way, no how you would catch any of us crossing that border today. Haven't been "over" in eight years and really know of only one person still owning ranch land "over there".

I spend four months a year working on the Texas/Mexico border in El Paso, Eagle Pass, Laredo, and the Valley. As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Stonecreek on this one. I won't cross the border at this time for any reason.

Bob

While not having the experiences either in time or numbers that people who live closer to it have, I have hunted, fished, partied, and generally had a great time in Mexico for many years. I seriously contemplated buying a ranch down there a few years back. Luckily I didn't do it. I'm not very "scarey" at all, but even going across the border for lunch is really a dumb thing to do these days.

Sure, if you use a good connected outfitter/guide you PROBABLY will have a great, no problems trip BUT if things go South, it can easily become a nightmare. Now they're after you from both sides, the Feds etc looking for a payoff to get a gringo out of jail, the druggies looking for kidnap ransom or just to plain kill you, not to mention the ordinary criminals who look at Americans like kids pressing their noses against the candy store window..........my advice, go almost anywhere but Mexico.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
While not having the experiences either in time or numbers that people who live closer to it have, I have hunted, fished, partied, and generally had a great time in Mexico for many years. I seriously contemplated buying a ranch down there a few years back. Luckily I didn't do it. I'm not very "scarey" at all, but even going across the border for lunch is really a dumb thing to do these days.

Sure, if you use a good connected outfitter/guide you PROBABLY will have a great, no problems trip BUT if things go South, it can easily become a nightmare. Now they're after you from both sides, the Feds etc looking for a payoff to get a gringo out of jail, the druggies looking for kidnap ransom or just to plain kill you, not to mention the ordinary criminals who look at Americans like kids pressing their noses against the candy store window..........my advice, go almost anywhere but Mexico.

Thanks for the advice EVERYONE...
Life's too short and so many other wonderful hunting destinations nowadays, I just can't live with the probables...
Thanks guys nuff said!

My wife & I have friends who go to Mexico every year for about 3 months. He's been doing it for about 30 years. They go in at Nogales and spend time at a sleepy little place facing the Sea of Cortez. I have to admit, it's a nice place with good accomodations too. We've been there twice with them but decided against going again about 4 years ago.
The first time we went, I came out of a little store and what did I run into? A Federali with an M-16 slung across his back. I just about came unglued with that one. Sorry, too many other nicer places in the Carribean to get some "sun time" to put up with crap like that. Have to admit we never had any problems and we always kept a low profile. No more for us though.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

Originally posted by Bear in Fairbanks:
My wife & I have friends who go to Mexico every year for about 3 months. He's been doing it for about 30 years. They go in at Nogales and spend time at a sleepy little place facing the Sea of Cortez. I have to admit, it's a nice place with good accomodations too.

I had a ranch that had 22 miles of coastline along the sea of cortez, beautiful area! Its too bad you dont want to go back.

Bear's post leads in to what I'm curious about. Is this going to be limited to border regions only or is it eventually going to affect Americans who live in or frequent the retirement/vacation areas and beach towns farther south? The busy message boards for U.S. expats down there are filled with all sorts of up-beat topics but few worries over personal safety.

Guys, your mileage will vary.

I have been traveling to Mexico with my own vehicle for close to 30 years now. Neither I or my wife speak fluent Spanish, but we know enough words and do a lot of pointing to make ourselves understood.

At present, my trips amount to twice a year -- once in the fall to drive the 930 miles to our time-share weeks in Mazatlan and normally once in the spring with a friend to go fish one of the bass lakes in state of Sinaloa -- home to Cullican, the drug capitol of the country.

On the drive in the fall, my wife & I overnight in the farming city of Navajoa at a nice motel and walk up the road a block to a very good restaurant to eat dinner and breakfast the next day. On the way back to Phx, we overnight in Hermosillo and eat dinner and breakfast at the local restaurants.

To date, we have never had a bad experience at any time, whether at the Nogales border or deeper into the country. In fact, my wife feels safer walking the streets in Mazatlan by herself, which she sometimes does, than she does in the Phoenix metro area, which she NEVER does.

Does shit happen in Mexico? You bet it does; most of it, however, involves rival druggies against each other or druggies and the police. Attacks of any kind on tourists/hunters such as the one that started this thread are RARE happenings.

Of course, similar crap happens right here in the states each and everyday in about every burg in the country. In fact, I bet more tourists in Miami are mugged in a month than the number mugged in Mexico in a year or more. Obviously the cops that recently got murdered in WA would have rather been in a restaurant in Mazatlan than in that coffee shop in Seattle.

A while back, some dude robbed an elderly couple of their money, CCs and jewelry in a Wal-mart parking lot here in Phx. Before he ran off, he punched the old man and knocked the lady to the pavement.

So you can bet I won't be visiting a Wal-mart in the Phx area anytime soon.

I have been to Texas and Arizona and California, so I see no need to ever go to Mexico. What do they have that I have not seen?

This latest Poncho villa action just makes me more certain.

quote:

Originally posted by SG Olds:
I have been to Texas and Arizona and California, so I see no need to ever go to Mexico. What do they have that I have not seen?

Probably nothing. Those three states should provide all the violent crime one person would need in a lifetime.

Guys - Come on, alot of this sounds like the same thing people have been saying for years about Zimbabwe! Been there many times too, all is just fine.

Drummond and I have been hunting there many times, especially Drummond. All is just fine, paranoia often overtakes common sense.

My wife and I travel to Mexico about 3 times per year, usually to the states of Morelos, Guerrero and Michoacan. These are areas of "unrest" but we are not involved in the illegal drug trade and have no problems.

Reasonable estimates put the number of killings during the last twelve months in the drug wars at between 7,000 and 8,000 people. Almost half of them are believed to have been innocent bystanders.

If a country can't protect the family of a fallen soldier from revenge by the drug lords, what can that country do to protect any of us who are engaged in legal and above board activities? No thanks, I've made at least a half-dozen hunting trips there for both doves and deer, but I'll let things settle down before I feel the need to return.

Interesting replies...very interesting...

I'm not one to TELL others what they should do...or what's safe and what isn't...Hey I ain't GOD!!!

But this SHIT is enuff for me...have at it please! ENJOY yourselves by all means! I'm not one to judge..ain't my style!

I just brought it to the attention here for forum menbers who aren't aware of some real TRAGEDIES, whether or not ya all perceive them or not...by the looks of it some may have a stake in it and others don't...

I ain't that naive although you may think so...Hunters have a right to know what's going on there...PERIOD...We're REAL PEOPLE...We ain't cash machines...SOME of us got a life ya know!

quote:

All is just fine, paranoia often overtakes common sense.

You go ahead and take your family and freinds. I will remain on this side of the Rio Grande and nurse my "paranoia".

Bob

quote:

Stonecreek: Reasonable estimates put the number of killings during the last twelve months in the drug wars at between 7,000 and 8,000 people. Almost half of them are believed to have been innocent bystanders.

With all due respect, most of the casualties are directly or indirectly associated with the drug war. Casualties who are "innocent bystanders" or in the wrong place at the wrong time are rare, although yes there are some.

Bob - I have and will continue to go to Mexico, with friends as well. I do think however we may be talking about 2 different things to some degree. I would in fact be more hesitant to cross the border south from Laredo for example. But I guess I was more referring to hunting in Sonora, especially if one flies into Hermosillo, is pickup up there by the outfitter/guide and is taken directly to the hunting location. That sort of situation is very safe in my opinion.

I have in fact crossed the border at Nogales numerous times, with my own truck, supplies, guns, etc, etc. All necessary items for guiding, just like anywhere else. I certainly keep a closer eye on things and hang out in Hermosillo as little as possible. But once on the hunting ranches, man things are as safe as could be.

To each his own as we all march to our own drummers.

My experiences are all associated with the Tex/Mex border from El Paso to Brownsville and to a lesser extent the interior cities of Acapulco and Monterrey. All the border cities are the proverbial ghost towns! Must be a reason?????

At 65 life is just too short! My choice is the safe choice and that should make your trips there cheaper - enjoy.

Hell, this is a good thing for me! I hope every American stays home and Sonora will be like it was when I first started going down there. Used to see a few hunters flying in, most were going to shoot birds, now it's a damn zoo!

I'll be down there and I'll continue to go down in the future.

I think that using blanket statements to define an entire country is a bit rediculous but to each his own. Just FYI, I wouldn't go to California if I were you, I hear the gangs are bad in Compton

quote:

Originally posted by drummondlindsey:
Hell, this is a good thing for me! I hope every American stays home and Sonora will be like it was when I first started going down there. Used to see a few hunters flying in, most were going to shoot birds, now it's a damn zoo!

I'll be down there and I'll continue to go down in the future.

I think that using blanket statements to define an entire country is a bit rediculous but to each his own. Just FYI, I wouldn't go to California if I were you, I hear the gangs are bad in Compton

I agree! I absolutely refuse to go to Kalif. Kalif. has nothing I need & I've been there before. I'll take the Brooks Range, thank you very much.
Bear in Fairbanks

There are so many places to hunt, that I have not hunted yet.

I just put Mexico on the bottom of the list, right after Mugabe-Hitler's Rhodesia.

This is the reason I travel to the lakes in Sinaloa each spring. There aren't many lakes here in the states where you can catch several bass over 10 lbs. in a few days of fishing.

Tony - I don't fish, but man I would go just for that. Nice pics!!

I actually live in Mexico, and my family has lived there since I was born....

There are parts of mexico specially around the northern part which I would definitively not go to no matter who I was with..

however throwing the whole country into the same category is unfair, for example, I have a ranch about 2 hours out of mexico city that is awesome hunting and no one messes with us....

If anyone would like to ask any questions about traveling or hunting in mexico, It would be my pleasure to answer them.....

I hunted Mexico in 2007 for Gould's turkey a couple hours outside of Chihuahua City. I had no complications whatsoever. I went with a buddy of mine.....the most reputable and recognizable outfitter for the Gould's there is. But I can't say as I'm real eager to cross the border again.