San Saba Ranch / ABC ranch / www.sansabaranch.com a bad review
San Saba Ranch / ABC ranch / www.sansabaranch.com a bad review
I will preface this letter with this; this was the worst hunting trip I have ever been involved with. What occurred on this hunt was avoidable and the landowner chose not to make things right in any way shape manner or form. There was a lack of hogs and as bow hunters who hunt day leases we all know this can be part of it, but what occurred Saturday afternoon was completely on the shoulders of the owner of this business. The seven individuals that made up this hunting party are all good people; the kind of people that would give things up for one another. Unfortunately what we gave up Saturday was half of our money and the remainder of our hunt when one of our brothers manhood was brought in to question by a “friend” of the landowner that was on property during our hunting time….
Friday afternoon all seven of us met the San Saba Ranch for a Friday to Sunday hog hunt. With the promise of bringing seven hunters we were guaranteed a full run of the 100 acre hog pasture and use of both camp houses; the lease was to be ours for the whole weekend. After everyone’s arrival Richard (landowner) came into camp and was quick to advise us that our best chances would be to let him run his dogs in the pasture Saturday and Sunday mornings in where we would be required to stab the bayed hogs with knives. Run dogs and stab them with knives?? We were there to bow hunt; to get some pre season practice in…none of us were there to hog/dog we were there to bow hunt. We brushed off his request and informed Richard that we would be bow hunting Saturday morning; not running his dogs. A few of us went in Richards truck to take a quick look at the layout of the stands to give the few new comers an idea of what to expect. This is when Richard made the comment to me that would bother me the rest of the trip, “I don’t really care about hunting them (hogs) anymore I just want to chase them with my dogs” and that “my dogs need practice”. These comments did not sit well with me or members of our party as it did not seem like bow hunting was his focus for this 100 acre pasture, but baying hogs with his dogs was more of his priority during our time at his ranch.
Friday nights hunt ended with Lee getting the only kill of the night; a 40lb sow. Lee was the only person to see hogs while on the stand out of the seven of us that were hunting and there were reports that a couple of the stands had quite a bit of corn stacked up on the ground underneath them. This 100 acre pasture is wired with high fence and hog wire so that as the hogs that are trapped and released in this pasture cannot make their way out of this pasture. We thought it was odd that with no other food source that there would be standing corn on the ground underneath feeders.
Because of the lack of hog sightings Friday night we would do a group stalk of this 100 acre pasture as members of our group that had hunted there in the past informed us that this was a successful way to go about hunting in this pasture. We all headed out in my truck to the far end of the 100 acres to get the wind in our faces for our stalk and spread out from fence line to fence line. After a short distance I heard a group of hogs that had been jumped by someone in our party; and were moving towards me near a property fence line. This group was 20-25 in numbers with 3 of these in the 80-100lbs range and the rest in the 20-30lbs range. I made a quick shot at the biggest one in the group and while the shot placement wasn’t the best the pass through of the Rage caught an artery and dispatched the hog at about 100-125 yards away. After everyone had made their way to the far end of the ranch and back to the truck we started to compare notes on what had been seen; size, color, groups, etc…and we realized that the group I had seen was the only large group in the pasture and that there were no more a couple of groups with 2 to 3 hogs traveling in the pasture. We were not happy with the numbers as compared to what the hog numbers had been in the past when other members of this group had been there. We all took this in stride as this was about being together and having a good time; certainly more than we were worried about the total numbers of hogs killed.
Upon return to camp Richard was again pushing the use of dogs on Sunday morning and that if we really wanted meat then we better plan on using his dogs to get the job done. This had become a major bone of contention with our group as we had spent $1400 to bow hunt this ranch and what was most important to Richard was to get his dogs some “practice”. The other item that had us confused when we got back to camp was a stranger that did not introduce himself at the camp bar-b-q pit putting in a brisket. None of us knew who this guy was and he did not introduce himself; he soon jumped in his vehicle and left. This was the individual that would soon be the person that would ruin our weekend.
During our impromptu horse shoe game Richard showed up at camp with the individual that had been in our camp earlier to check their brisket being cooked in our camp pit. This individual; a “friend” of Richards immediately started running his mouth when he walked into camp. I tuned this “friend” out as I commonly do when I hear someone that I do not know and have no real interest in hearing as it sounded like he might have had a few beers underneath him helping him run his mouth. Richard and his friend jumped in Richards truck and this is when Lee came over and repeated what this guy had said and that it was directed at Lee. I could not believe this “friend” had the audacity to speak to someone that he did not know; Lee said that he fired a remark back the “friend” and that is when they left.
Lee is a guy that if you are a friend of his he will do anything for you and when not pushed is a very approachable individual. Lee was upset enough to tell us his weekend was over and he was not staying at a place where the land owner let his “friend” talk to customers in that manner. I was with Lee and quickly had my truck packed, but before I left I was going to confront Richard to find out exactly what kind of business he was running that he would allow this to occur to paying customers.
Darryl and I went to talk to Richard and found him in the barn with three other men drinking beer. I asked Richard to step outside to discuss this with me, and I then repeated to Richard what his “friend” had said to Lee. He took a step back and looked at me very surprised and immediately agreed that his “friend” had absolutely no right to be speaking that way to anyone in our groupand that he was just drunk and we should forget about it. I informed Richard that he did in fact say it and that Lee was so mad that he was leaving. Richard insisted that I talk to his friend face to face to iron this out and I agreed that I was exactly the person that he need to talk to. The “friend” comes out with chest bowed and an arrogance that I knew was going to be trouble. I asked him to repeat exactly what he had said and he absolutely obliged me and repeated it more than once. He then stated that if “I thought I needed an apology for whatever he thought I said then he would do it”; I turned to Richard and asked him if thought this was an apology and if he thought it was right for this guy to talk to a paying customer this way…Richard did not say a word.
As I turned back towards this guy he takes a step toward me as an attempt to stare me down and intimidate me. This is when I quickly remind him that he does not scare me and I am not intimidated by him and if he would like to continue on this path I was going to kick his ******* ***. I again repeated to Richard what was he going to do about this to make it right and was not able to utter a single word; no apology, no I am sorry, nothing…
I was done and in a show of solidarity even though we as a group did not all want to leave we were sticking together. We have up the remaining two hunts and packed up and left; for going the hard earned money that all of us had spent for a two day hunt that turned into a one day hunt. We stuck together as true brothers do and headed down the road to complete our weekend; unfortunately this marred a good time and we would recover. I personally informed Richard that would be contacting everyone I knew and everyone that I could reach out to and tell them this story; he again had nothing to say as I closed the door to my truck.
For the record Richard did admit that he had not trapped any hogs and that he would not trap hogs during the summer; nowhere on his website or in discussions with Daryl was this ever released as information. He claimed 30-40 hogs where in that pasture after Daryl pressed him on the issue; as a group we do not believe there was any near 40 and 30-33 is more like it. Members of this group walked that pasture from 7:30 till noon and the sightings were all the same. We left that camp in a condition that we found it in; it would have been very easy in our anger to leave things a mess and maybe take some frustrations out on the property, but we did not we were men and we held up our end of the bargain.
For those of you that claim there are two sides to every story then you go ahead and run with that thought as there are seven men that know the truth to what happen there that day. This was a long story, but a story that needed to be told as I would have wanted this information released if it had happen to anyone else. There are ways to show solidarity in times like these , and now is our time to show solidarity. Thank you for following what was a great trip and turned into a spoiled one.
I will preface this letter with this; this was the worst hunting trip I have ever been involved with. What occurred on this hunt was avoidable and the landowner chose not to make things right in any way shape manner or form. There was a lack of hogs and as bow hunters who hunt day leases we all know this can be part of it, but what occurred Saturday afternoon was completely on the shoulders of the owner of this business. The seven individuals that made up this hunting party are all good people; the kind of people that would give things up for one another. Unfortunately what we gave up Saturday was half of our money and the remainder of our hunt when one of our brothers manhood was brought in to question by a “friend” of the landowner that was on property during our hunting time….
Friday afternoon all seven of us met the San Saba Ranch for a Friday to Sunday hog hunt. With the promise of bringing seven hunters we were guaranteed a full run of the 100 acre hog pasture and use of both camp houses; the lease was to be ours for the whole weekend. After everyone’s arrival Richard (landowner) came into camp and was quick to advise us that our best chances would be to let him run his dogs in the pasture Saturday and Sunday mornings in where we would be required to stab the bayed hogs with knives. Run dogs and stab them with knives?? We were there to bow hunt; to get some pre season practice in…none of us were there to hog/dog we were there to bow hunt. We brushed off his request and informed Richard that we would be bow hunting Saturday morning; not running his dogs. A few of us went in Richards truck to take a quick look at the layout of the stands to give the few new comers an idea of what to expect. This is when Richard made the comment to me that would bother me the rest of the trip, “I don’t really care about hunting them (hogs) anymore I just want to chase them with my dogs” and that “my dogs need practice”. These comments did not sit well with me or members of our party as it did not seem like bow hunting was his focus for this 100 acre pasture, but baying hogs with his dogs was more of his priority during our time at his ranch.
Friday nights hunt ended with Lee getting the only kill of the night; a 40lb sow. Lee was the only person to see hogs while on the stand out of the seven of us that were hunting and there were reports that a couple of the stands had quite a bit of corn stacked up on the ground underneath them. This 100 acre pasture is wired with high fence and hog wire so that as the hogs that are trapped and released in this pasture cannot make their way out of this pasture. We thought it was odd that with no other food source that there would be standing corn on the ground underneath feeders.
Because of the lack of hog sightings Friday night we would do a group stalk of this 100 acre pasture as members of our group that had hunted there in the past informed us that this was a successful way to go about hunting in this pasture. We all headed out in my truck to the far end of the 100 acres to get the wind in our faces for our stalk and spread out from fence line to fence line. After a short distance I heard a group of hogs that had been jumped by someone in our party; and were moving towards me near a property fence line. This group was 20-25 in numbers with 3 of these in the 80-100lbs range and the rest in the 20-30lbs range. I made a quick shot at the biggest one in the group and while the shot placement wasn’t the best the pass through of the Rage caught an artery and dispatched the hog at about 100-125 yards away. After everyone had made their way to the far end of the ranch and back to the truck we started to compare notes on what had been seen; size, color, groups, etc…and we realized that the group I had seen was the only large group in the pasture and that there were no more a couple of groups with 2 to 3 hogs traveling in the pasture. We were not happy with the numbers as compared to what the hog numbers had been in the past when other members of this group had been there. We all took this in stride as this was about being together and having a good time; certainly more than we were worried about the total numbers of hogs killed.
Upon return to camp Richard was again pushing the use of dogs on Sunday morning and that if we really wanted meat then we better plan on using his dogs to get the job done. This had become a major bone of contention with our group as we had spent $1400 to bow hunt this ranch and what was most important to Richard was to get his dogs some “practice”. The other item that had us confused when we got back to camp was a stranger that did not introduce himself at the camp bar-b-q pit putting in a brisket. None of us knew who this guy was and he did not introduce himself; he soon jumped in his vehicle and left. This was the individual that would soon be the person that would ruin our weekend.
During our impromptu horse shoe game Richard showed up at camp with the individual that had been in our camp earlier to check their brisket being cooked in our camp pit. This individual; a “friend” of Richards immediately started running his mouth when he walked into camp. I tuned this “friend” out as I commonly do when I hear someone that I do not know and have no real interest in hearing as it sounded like he might have had a few beers underneath him helping him run his mouth. Richard and his friend jumped in Richards truck and this is when Lee came over and repeated what this guy had said and that it was directed at Lee. I could not believe this “friend” had the audacity to speak to someone that he did not know; Lee said that he fired a remark back the “friend” and that is when they left.
Lee is a guy that if you are a friend of his he will do anything for you and when not pushed is a very approachable individual. Lee was upset enough to tell us his weekend was over and he was not staying at a place where the land owner let his “friend” talk to customers in that manner. I was with Lee and quickly had my truck packed, but before I left I was going to confront Richard to find out exactly what kind of business he was running that he would allow this to occur to paying customers.
Darryl and I went to talk to Richard and found him in the barn with three other men drinking beer. I asked Richard to step outside to discuss this with me, and I then repeated to Richard what his “friend” had said to Lee. He took a step back and looked at me very surprised and immediately agreed that his “friend” had absolutely no right to be speaking that way to anyone in our groupand that he was just drunk and we should forget about it. I informed Richard that he did in fact say it and that Lee was so mad that he was leaving. Richard insisted that I talk to his friend face to face to iron this out and I agreed that I was exactly the person that he need to talk to. The “friend” comes out with chest bowed and an arrogance that I knew was going to be trouble. I asked him to repeat exactly what he had said and he absolutely obliged me and repeated it more than once. He then stated that if “I thought I needed an apology for whatever he thought I said then he would do it”; I turned to Richard and asked him if thought this was an apology and if he thought it was right for this guy to talk to a paying customer this way…Richard did not say a word.
As I turned back towards this guy he takes a step toward me as an attempt to stare me down and intimidate me. This is when I quickly remind him that he does not scare me and I am not intimidated by him and if he would like to continue on this path I was going to kick his ******* ***. I again repeated to Richard what was he going to do about this to make it right and was not able to utter a single word; no apology, no I am sorry, nothing…
I was done and in a show of solidarity even though we as a group did not all want to leave we were sticking together. We have up the remaining two hunts and packed up and left; for going the hard earned money that all of us had spent for a two day hunt that turned into a one day hunt. We stuck together as true brothers do and headed down the road to complete our weekend; unfortunately this marred a good time and we would recover. I personally informed Richard that would be contacting everyone I knew and everyone that I could reach out to and tell them this story; he again had nothing to say as I closed the door to my truck.
For the record Richard did admit that he had not trapped any hogs and that he would not trap hogs during the summer; nowhere on his website or in discussions with Daryl was this ever released as information. He claimed 30-40 hogs where in that pasture after Daryl pressed him on the issue; as a group we do not believe there was any near 40 and 30-33 is more like it. Members of this group walked that pasture from 7:30 till noon and the sightings were all the same. We left that camp in a condition that we found it in; it would have been very easy in our anger to leave things a mess and maybe take some frustrations out on the property, but we did not we were men and we held up our end of the bargain.
For those of you that claim there are two sides to every story then you go ahead and run with that thought as there are seven men that know the truth to what happen there that day. This was a long story, but a story that needed to be told as I would have wanted this information released if it had happen to anyone else. There are ways to show solidarity in times like these , and now is our time to show solidarity. Thank you for following what was a great trip and turned into a spoiled one.
Comment