Pics first!
Now for the story...
Back in June I submitted a photo to the Lonestar Outdoors Show photo contest and ended up winning the June contest. The prize was (2) Mossberg patriot rifles, a .270 (pictured) and a .243 for my son.
At the end of the year all (12) monthly winners square up again for the grand prize, a Trophy Axis or Black Buck hunt. Well, I ended up winning that contest as well.
Here is the picture that won it all for me.
...Which brings me to this hunt this past weekend.
Showed up at the Ranch (Koons Canyon Ranch) in Rocksprings Friday midday. Met up with Cable Smith (Cable on TBH) from the Lonestar Outdoors Show and he showed me around the ranch and we went and check our rifles.
Went out for the afternoon hunt and saw quite a few critters. Numerous whitetails, a several blackbucks, oryx, and (4) or (5) axis. The axis bucks were pretty far away, so I had a hard time gauging them, but could tell they were all pretty nice bucks. They never came close enough for a shot I was comfortable with using that rifle, but then again, I didn't necessarily want to end my hunt on the first hunt either.
The next morning I'm in the same blind and I am watching several whitetails feeding about 100 yards away. Then I see this beast walk out from the bottom of the draw. He was heading my way slowly feeding towards me. I knew when I saw him he was a stud... and I knew I needed to shoot that deer. I waited for a few more minutes until he gave me a broadside shot, which he did about 90 yards out. I put the crosshairs on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger.
After the shot I looked back where he was standing and he was down right there. No track job necessary!
I was pumped! Killed my first axis and I knew it was a good one, but didn't know how good.
Walked up to him and finally put my hands on him, he was an impressive animal.
Took a few trophy photos.
Finally got him back to camp and we started to look and admire him and get some measurements.
He ended up being 36" each side main beams with 29 1/2" inside spread. To my surprise and everyone one else's surprise as well, this buck ended up being the largest axis ever killed off this ranch. Pretty sweet!
Now, I am "tagged out" and it's only lunch time on Saturday... so the Owner of the place, Glenn, asked me if I wanted to go hunt some Turkeys... Well, heck yea! He was nice enough to loan me a shot gun and a call, and I went out again, this time after turkeys.
I found a spot and sat down in the shade under a few oaks and started to call here and there. About 30 minutes into it, I finally hear another turkey talking back. It was a hen making its way in from behind me. She got within 15 yards away before wandering off. Never had a gobbler respond or seen that hunt, even though I saw one there the evening before and heard them gobbling all morning. Any ways, I figured it was time to move to another area and try again.
I am walking and come around a big cedar with a bunch of limbs laid over on the ground and hear a rustling in the grass. I turn back out of curiosity and see a HUGE rattlesnake. I walked within 5' of him and didn't see him. Naturally I made sure he got a taste of the 3" turkey shot I had
After a few hours of no turkeys We call it a day and head back to camp for an hour or so until it was time for the evening hunt. Cable still had his eyes set on an Axis as well, which he ended up taking a nice 31" axis that evening.
I sat in the stand just watching all the critters that evening even though my hunt was really over. Ended up seeing a few more whitetail, (3) immature blackbuck males, and (3) more axis bucks. ! really nice hard horned, and 1 buck in velvet that still had lots of growing. But I also saw another axis buck still in velvet that would have been really close to the same size of the one I shot, just not as wide.
Back in camp there was lots of food, beer drinkin' and lots of stories and laughter. It was a great getaway, and heck of nice ranch.
Kind of hard to believe that I was able to get such a nice animal and experience from a simple photo.
Now for the story...
Back in June I submitted a photo to the Lonestar Outdoors Show photo contest and ended up winning the June contest. The prize was (2) Mossberg patriot rifles, a .270 (pictured) and a .243 for my son.
At the end of the year all (12) monthly winners square up again for the grand prize, a Trophy Axis or Black Buck hunt. Well, I ended up winning that contest as well.
Here is the picture that won it all for me.
...Which brings me to this hunt this past weekend.
Showed up at the Ranch (Koons Canyon Ranch) in Rocksprings Friday midday. Met up with Cable Smith (Cable on TBH) from the Lonestar Outdoors Show and he showed me around the ranch and we went and check our rifles.
Went out for the afternoon hunt and saw quite a few critters. Numerous whitetails, a several blackbucks, oryx, and (4) or (5) axis. The axis bucks were pretty far away, so I had a hard time gauging them, but could tell they were all pretty nice bucks. They never came close enough for a shot I was comfortable with using that rifle, but then again, I didn't necessarily want to end my hunt on the first hunt either.
The next morning I'm in the same blind and I am watching several whitetails feeding about 100 yards away. Then I see this beast walk out from the bottom of the draw. He was heading my way slowly feeding towards me. I knew when I saw him he was a stud... and I knew I needed to shoot that deer. I waited for a few more minutes until he gave me a broadside shot, which he did about 90 yards out. I put the crosshairs on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger.
After the shot I looked back where he was standing and he was down right there. No track job necessary!
I was pumped! Killed my first axis and I knew it was a good one, but didn't know how good.
Walked up to him and finally put my hands on him, he was an impressive animal.
Took a few trophy photos.
Finally got him back to camp and we started to look and admire him and get some measurements.
He ended up being 36" each side main beams with 29 1/2" inside spread. To my surprise and everyone one else's surprise as well, this buck ended up being the largest axis ever killed off this ranch. Pretty sweet!
Now, I am "tagged out" and it's only lunch time on Saturday... so the Owner of the place, Glenn, asked me if I wanted to go hunt some Turkeys... Well, heck yea! He was nice enough to loan me a shot gun and a call, and I went out again, this time after turkeys.
I found a spot and sat down in the shade under a few oaks and started to call here and there. About 30 minutes into it, I finally hear another turkey talking back. It was a hen making its way in from behind me. She got within 15 yards away before wandering off. Never had a gobbler respond or seen that hunt, even though I saw one there the evening before and heard them gobbling all morning. Any ways, I figured it was time to move to another area and try again.
I am walking and come around a big cedar with a bunch of limbs laid over on the ground and hear a rustling in the grass. I turn back out of curiosity and see a HUGE rattlesnake. I walked within 5' of him and didn't see him. Naturally I made sure he got a taste of the 3" turkey shot I had
After a few hours of no turkeys We call it a day and head back to camp for an hour or so until it was time for the evening hunt. Cable still had his eyes set on an Axis as well, which he ended up taking a nice 31" axis that evening.
I sat in the stand just watching all the critters that evening even though my hunt was really over. Ended up seeing a few more whitetail, (3) immature blackbuck males, and (3) more axis bucks. ! really nice hard horned, and 1 buck in velvet that still had lots of growing. But I also saw another axis buck still in velvet that would have been really close to the same size of the one I shot, just not as wide.
Back in camp there was lots of food, beer drinkin' and lots of stories and laughter. It was a great getaway, and heck of nice ranch.
Kind of hard to believe that I was able to get such a nice animal and experience from a simple photo.
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