10 January 2008, 07:08
GeedubyaClosing weekend luck
I’m sure most of you guys/gals are like me in that you love to be out in the field, enjoying all the beauty of the natural world. I’ve ordered my life such that in my old age I am able to devote considerable amounts of time to being in the field. Last year I was able to hunt 30 of the 60 days of our rifle “deer seasonâ€. As I went on an 8 day motorcycle ride in September and a 10 day elk hunt in October, my darling bride suggested I should hang around in December as I had a birthday, a wedding anniversary, daughter graduating college, Christmas and New Year. I was still able to sneak off the week between Christmas and NewYear and closing weekend. Had a great time with my buds and enjoyed taking game. Here are some pix of the luck I had during the last 10 days of our season. I hunt on low fenced Texas Hill country leases. The animals are no means record book but I consider them to be free range and the hunt method fair chase. I was honored to have to opportunity to take this game.GWB
Thursday afternoon Dec.27th I was hunting near the front of our lease that borders an FM road. I was seeing evidence that the secondary rut was on. I saw an Axis doe come across the FM road and jump the fence. She crossed about 80 yds. in front of me. I dropped her with my 45-70 guide gun with a shot to the neck. Needless to say I was jazzed. Axis are exotics in Texas and do not come off my tag. Another plus is that they have an absolutely beautiful pelt. Four hundred grain bullet at 1700 fps, means you can eat right up to the bullet hole, and axis meat is some of the best venison I know of. In fact the tenders never leave our lease. Pull them out when skinning, season with garlic powder, black pepper, Tony Chaceries Creole Seasoning, grill to medium rare and scarf!
Saturday afternoon I was sitting in one of the ranch stands that looks out over a streambed and cedar break. The secondary rut was on and one particular buck was chasing a doe. But as he was a couple of hundered yards away and jutting in and out of the cedars I couldn’t get a good look at him. I had been glassing and watching for about an hour and had seen a young 8 point that was a good looking young deer but was not a shooter. Last I saw of him was when I saw him go into the cedar break in front of me. Next I saw a buck stick his head out of the cedar on the other side of the break. I figured it was the same buck, and as he was only about 80 yds away I decided to get his picture rather than pick up my rifle. I was lucky enough to get his picture which is posted below, but after a few seconds examination, I realized that this was a different buck. This was the one that was after the doe. He turned and took off before I could pick up my rifle. I continued glassing and watching. About 5:20 the doe the larger buck had been trailing trotted out into a clearing about 130 yds. in front of me. I got my rifle ready. About a minute later, the buck came out and I nailed him coming at me with my 257 Weatherby Accumark. A 100 gr. partition at 3650 fps dropped him DRT.
After I loaded the deer on the four wheeler it was getting dark and as I looked out to the west, I saw one of the more glorious hill country sunsets I have seen in a long time. I just stopped and took a few pix and watched till the colors faded. Here are a couple of those pix.
Next morning I was talking with one of the other hunters. He told me he shot a good size hog that had great cutters near his stand. He had planned to do a European skull mount due to the size of the tusks but the upper tusk on the left side had been shot off. I told him that I had shot a hog such as he had described about two weeks before freehand under very unfavorable conditions and thought I had pulled my shot. I had searched for him both evening and morning and never could find a blood trail. Sure enough it was the same hog. I think I am going to wait until the critters do their thing and see what I can do about repairing this skull. Here is a picture of these cutters.
I got to go back to my Concan lease closing weekend. Got out about 3:30 pm and the wind was blowing like crazy. I glassed until 6:10 pm without seeing a thing and thought I was going to get skunked. It was getting dark and I was getting ready to put up my binocs when I decided to take one more scan. Saw something in front of me about 120 yds. walking toward me along a game trail. As I said it was getting dark but I could see this was not a white tail deer and it was too small for a red stag. I said to my self, could this be a Sika deer. I’ve been on this lease for three seasons, go there at least once a month, and keep game cameras set out. I’d never seen a Sika here. I have hunted the Texas hill country for nine years and shot two Sika spikes my first year. Since then, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to have a decent Sika buck in my sights. I decided to take the shot. I was using my 7stw loaded w/ 140 gr. accubonds. The rifle is mounted with a good Burris scope, so I was able to see the crosshairs, and nailed him through both shoulders. Once again I was stoked. An Axis doe, a Sika buck and a whitetail buck, all during closing week. Needless to say my season was made. I had tagged out on whitetail, as well as taken two exotics. When I got back to camp my buds had just drove into the lease. Boy, did I have braggin’ rights. Spent the rest of the weekend smoking cigars, sippin’ Patron tequila and eating great food with four of my buds.
