Tony-

Don't forget to pick up that "special" Texas lynx license before coming back for your buck hunt.

And don't forget to get some pictures, too...

Seriously, though, good luck on your hunt. It should be a bit cooler than your last Texas adventure. It hasn't been out of the 40s here in south central TX today, and I prefer it that way.

Yup. I made a note to get the special license.

I originally planned to go back for another buck over the New Year's weekend, but I spoke to Doug yesterday, and he said it got much colder and the bucks are rutting hard. Thus, they should be moving well, making it easier to glass them.

So I quickly changed my plans and will be leaving here about 3 a.m. Friday to hunt Sat. Sun. and Mon. if needed.

BTW, was it you who told me it's kinda rocky in that area? If so, you couldn't have been more right. The terrain is very much like where we hunt Coues deer, however. It's quite hilly and vegetated, but not so thick where I can't spot deer with my 15s on a tripod.

There are also a couple of nice valleys, but most of the bucks we saw were on the hillsides. That could be different this weekend if the does are still frequenting the valleys.

I had a feeling you'd be right at home in that terrain...

You should have great weather for deer hunting this weekend if the forecasters have it right. The mornings should be nice and brisk and really have those rutting bucks on the move.

Good luck!

Bobby

Looks like a bobcat to me, but not clear enough to be sure.

I saw a great big one with a very dark coat at twilight that looked very much like a Lynx driving to my hunting area with my wife. We are about 70 or 80 miles closer to the ocean than the Arizona border here in Southern CA, wish I could find my crummy photos so we could guess about him too. I know they shouldn't be here but when my Grandfather traped a Wolf 80 years ago they weren't supposed to be within 50 miles of San Diego either.

I think there are enough nutty amateur biologists in North America not counting wildlife rescues or sanctuaries that will transport animals and plants that you never can be sure of what will show up in the neighborhood. There are only a couple of fences and miles between me and 1/2 of the animals in the african bush run by the SD Zoo......so just in case I'l keep the .375 ready.

I'm also looking forward to getting a close look at the buck I killed two weeks ago. It looked good through the binocs and scope. I just hope the ground shrinkage isn't too much.

These maps show where the ranch is. It's about 1,600 acres. The circle is where the ranch headquarters is located. The place next to it to the lower right with the lake is a high-fence exotic set-up. When we went through the gate to get to the one I hunted, three zebras ran across the road.