Sonora TX 2017-2018

[daniel044]

Originally Posted by BowSlayer

Protein hogs are out in full force.

Let me come take care of one or 2 of them for you! haha I am not far from you at all.

[daniel044]

Originally Posted by Stolle

Welcome! We need to have TBH meet and greet at Simon Brothers one of these weekends.

Yea I agree. Ive offered a meet and greet on here before. Was going to try to set it up around September.

Originally Posted by txfirefighter_04

How are you liking the timed protein units? Deer adjust to them pretty easy compared to your gravity feeders?

I was actually very surprised how fast they took to it. It took them about 3 days to figure out it was something to eat and was safe for them. Now they hit it everytime the thing goes off. I also dont have the coon problems all night either now. Ive seen one or 2 coons come right at dusk and eat protein but not all night long anymore.

[Stolle]

We will not be out there this weekend. Probably be around the weekend before 4th of July. Going to be back forth from Camp to Junction. All my buddy's have a big Llano river canoe/Kayak trip for the 4th.

[Bisch]

Originally Posted by Shane

Nice! So that's where you settled rather than Aspermont area?

We're leaving tomorrow to hunt this weekend. I'm figuring on having lunch at Simon Bros. on Saturday. If you two and Eric and anyone else can make it for lunch then, that'd be cool.

Somebody needs to tell the new guy where Simon Bros is????

And yes, Shane, I just did not know enough about the Rotan area to commit to living there. Plus, I got 3 times the ground here in Sonora than I would have had in Rotan.

Of course, I have a remodel job from he** also with this house, that I would not have had in Rotan!!!

Bisch

[Shane]

Simon Brothers is the feed store in Roosevelt. Pretty much all there is in the little spot in the road town. They have The Back Door Cafe around on the back side of the feed store. Good food. You'd never expect to find a cafe in a feed store, but it's there.

http://www.simonbros.org/

[Grant2]

Any of you guys hunt around Ross Rd around exit 420?

[ColinR]

Originally Posted by Grant2

Any of you guys hunt around Ross Rd around exit 420?

I hunt off Baker road which is the exit 420.

[Grant2]

Originally Posted by ColinR

I hunt off Baker road which is the exit 420.

How the hunting? Just found a place off Ross Rd and don't know what to expect.

[ColinR]

Originally Posted by Grant2

How the hunting? Just found a place off Ross Rd and don't know what to expect.

I'm not familiar with Ross road....is it south of I10?? Regardless the hunting should be good to great depending on how big your place is or what kinda neighbors you have. We are north of 10 and have some outstanding whitetail. We get an occasional exotic passing thru but nothing steady. Our neighbor to the north east is covered up in axis and black buck and we are all low fence. Not sure why we don't see more on our place.

[Grant2]

Originally Posted by ColinR

I'm not familiar with Ross road....is it south of I10?? Regardless the hunting should be good to great depending on how big your place is or what kinda neighbors you have. We are north of 10 and have some outstanding whitetail. We get an occasional exotic passing thru but nothing steady. Our neighbor to the north east is covered up in axis and black buck and we are all low fence. Not sure why we don't see more on our place.

I guess it's North when you exit I10 you turn left and go over the overpass across I10. We have just about 9000 acres saw some good axis, but still don't know what the WT look like in this area.

[ColinR]

Originally Posted by Grant2

I guess it's North when you exit I10 you turn left and go over the overpass across I10. We have just about 9000 acres saw some good axis, but still don't know what the WT look like in this area.

Na, if your coming from San Antonio and turn left and cross back over the interstate that would be south. You should have awesome axis. Any openings? I've been trying to find a place on the south side for several years.

[daniel044]

Originally Posted by Grant2

I guess it's North when you exit I10 you turn left and go over the overpass across I10. We have just about 9000 acres saw some good axis, but still don't know what the WT look like in this area.

I hunted that way for awhile, shot good axis and great whitetail. Should have a nice season.

[Shane]

Gotta love pop up blinds in the summer. Got my double bull under some oaks with a good breeze in my face though. It's not too bad. Just need a big axis with a death wish now. So far all I got is this P&Y lizard.

[Grant2]

Originally Posted by ColinR

Na, if your coming from San Antonio and turn left and cross back over the interstate that would be south. You should have awesome axis. Any openings? I've been trying to find a place on the south side for several years.

No sir don't have any openings this year. We put on some guys we already had from another place, but maybe next year. I have never hunted around this area but had a place in Junction that was shot out pretty bad.

[Patton]

Good luck Shane!

[Shane]

Had a nice buck come in and lay down about 75 yds from me. Don't think he was the giants we've been seeing, but was very nice. Probably 32 or 33". Another one walked by him going south, away from me, and the 1st one got up and followed. Couldn't see the antlers on the 2nd one. He had a big thick body though.

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[Shane]

Bucks were in the brush just beyond the feeder.

[DeepDownSouth]

Just literally drove thru Sonora on I-10. Looks green and beautiful. Saw a few large Axis on a low fence pasture. Hope the rut is prime time for you fellas. I hunt in Leakey and Momma approved a weekend for me on Farthers day weekend !! Shot straight fellas.

[Ag_Attack]

Good luck Shane!

[Shane]

They're starting to rut. Bellows all over the place. They're not hitting the feeders much at all though. Everything is green. Lots to eat.

This morning Zach and I put the wind in our face and went slipping through the brush with our rifles. Zach saw an axis in the brush ahead, so we dripped down and crawled up to about 80 yards. There were a few small bucks and does and a couple bucks that looked to be about 30". One of them was broje off on his right side. The other one had a brow time and a 12" skinny spike on the right side. Didn't look like an injury, just freak. We decided to cull him. Zach made a great shot to the neck while the buck was needed. He never knew we'd been watching him for an hour hoping for a bigger one.



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[daniel044]

Nice one! Culls taste the same haha

[bgleaton]

Nice work!

[Shane]

Zach's cull was 31.5" on the good side. Big cooler is full of meat.

We had a 33-34" buck and some does run right out in front of us this evening when we were sitting on the ground in some oaks. They were about 60 yards crossing right to left. Something had spooked them. I was up since Zach killed this morning. I made a quick decision to pass him though, because I've seen a couple that are real studs. I told Zach to take him if he wanted him. He got on the sticks and the buck stopped and looked back south toward where they'd come from. Just as Zach squeezed the trigger, the buck took off again. Clean miss. 50 yards later, he stopped and looked back, but there was a tree between him and Zach. Just as Zach scooted over to clear the tree, the buck took off again. Gone.

Catch and release hunting isn't all bad. We were wore out after walking the brush and cleaning deer all day. It was good to have all the excitement without the work this evening.

The hunt continues....

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[IAFFHunter18]

Congrats on the kills. The grass looks awesome down there in your pics. I am hoping to go down next week. Hoping our pastures look just as good.

[Shane]

The rut is definitely on, by the way. They're bellowing like crazy, and the bucks have harems of does now rather than all being in bachelor groups.

[Fightinaggies]

Originally Posted by Grant2

How the hunting? Just found a place off Ross Rd and don't know what to expect.

We hunt there, PM me

[Doublelunger]

Fallow doe right? Or albino? We haven't seen any exotics yet but this also the first year on the lease and I know they're in the area


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[Shane]

Fallow.

[TildenHunter]

100% fallow doe. Pretty one at that.


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[Fightinaggies]

Yea that's a fallow for sure


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[Texas8point]

.

[Texas8point]

My buddy's went this past week and said everything is green and looks good. Did a weeks worth of work while I was on vacation and missed the trip ! Cleaned up around camp, fixed the road and only had 1 rattler in camp.
Filled protein feeders, ate and drank well !

Cleared some lanes



Mowed around camp






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[Shane]

How's the axis hunting going? We've had some rifle kills on our lease, but it's near impossible to get on one within bow range. They aren't coming to the feeders at all. We don't really have a water hole that is in a good spot for a bow setup, other than just placing a popup blind on the ground and hoping they don't come in downwind.

[FruitCityHunter]

Originally Posted by ColinR

I hunt off Baker road which is the exit 420.

We exit Baker road and go south of the interstate, we hunt the Balch Ranch.

[The Cajun]

Originally Posted by Shane

How's the axis hunting going? We've had some rifle kills on our lease, but it's near impossible to get on one within bow range. They aren't coming to the feeders at all. We don't really have a water hole that is in a good spot for a bow setup, other than just placing a popup blind on the ground and hoping they don't come in downwind.

Spot and Stalk is about the only way I've gotten close to them.. We have goats and cows throughout the entire property so no hand corning and like you said they don't go to feeders. I've been going after one with my bow for sometime now on the spot and stalk. Been very close multiple times and have had opportunities to shoot 28-30 inchers multiple times, but have passed since I've already shot 7 axis since September (rifle). With that said all I do is walk and walk. Most days I average 5-7 miles between morning and afternoon hunts. Most of my encounters are in the mesquites where i'll find a group laying down or feeding. I'll slowly make my way to them, sometimes crawling or inching on my stomach, and then wait till they make moves. Can take hours, but its fun to be that close and watch them in their natural environment. I've had them come 10 yards from me and stare for 10 minutes barking at me and then they just go back to what they were doing.

Last trip, (April) I regret not shooting a buck in velvet that presented a perfect opportunity. Came up on a group one afternoon that had a nice hard horn buck so decided to go after him. (Low on funds right now and don't want to pay extra since Im planning on shoulder mounting my first axis bow kill). Eventually I got into a stare off with the buck at about 25 yards. Was very intense, couldn't move and was on my hands and knees. Went on for about 15 minutes and then he ran off about 10 yards and turned back to stare at me again. This was really cool because he started doing all the dipping of the head to see under the mesquites. Eventually he just walked off to meet the group which was now heading away. I decided to try and cut them off so got up and backed out some and made a loop around them. As i was coming around some mesquites i popped right up in front of them. The group was heading my way roughly about 40 yards from me. I got down and knocked an arrow. I was only behind a bush and had a perfect shooting lane. Most the group went just outside my lane but one decent velvet buck was coming right for it. I looked him over and figured he was about 29 inches and decided to pass. He steps out slightly quartering away in my lane at 25 yards and stops. He looks at me and thats when i saw the extra 2-3 inch tine coming off his main beam. We had a stare down and then he trotted off.

It's hard work, but one of my favorite ways to hunt them. Can't get enough of watching them do there thing in a natural setting.

Last thing I'll say is I've been fortunate to hunt a place that has more axis then you can handle (low fence). Over 20 bucks shot since September and doesn't even seem to be a dent in the population. So this plays a factor in being able to spot and stalk and be successful finding them. Also its mostly flat making hiking a lot easier. I've hunted other places and not so sure about spot and stalk with a bow. Would probably be better off hand corning if possible.

[Tradman1971]

I shot a nice Axis (32") the other day @ 12 yards next to a free choice feeder filled with Sweet Feed, Protein & Corn. I'll get pics on here soon. At least for me, I think having a free choice feeder in a very quiet area (large sanctuary) and that is rarely hunted. I also think what helped was using a feeder that keeps feed off the ground, which means pigs don't come around was key! The area stays nice & quiet.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by The Cajun

Spot and Stalk is about the only way I've gotten close to them.. We have goats and cows throughout the entire property so no hand corning and like you said they don't go to feeders. I've been going after one with my bow for sometime now on the spot and stalk. Been very close multiple times and have had opportunities to shoot 28-30 inchers multiple times, but have passed since I've already shot 7 axis since September (rifle). With that said all I do is walk and walk. Most days I average 5-7 miles between morning and afternoon hunts. Most of my encounters are in the mesquites where i'll find a group laying down or feeding. I'll slowly make my way to them, sometimes crawling or inching on my stomach, and then wait till they make moves. Can take hours, but its fun to be that close and watch them in their natural environment. I've had them come 10 yards from me and stare for 10 minutes barking at me and then they just go back to what they were doing.

Last trip, (April) I regret not shooting a buck in velvet that presented a perfect opportunity. Came up on a group one afternoon that had a nice hard horn buck so decided to go after him. (Low on funds right now and don't want to pay extra since Im planning on shoulder mounting my first axis bow kill). Eventually I got into a stare off with the buck at about 25 yards. Was very intense, couldn't move and was on my hands and knees. Went on for about 15 minutes and then he ran off about 10 yards and turned back to stare at me again. This was really cool because he started doing all the dipping of the head to see under the mesquites. Eventually he just walked off to meet the group which was now heading away. I decided to try and cut them off so got up and backed out some and made a loop around them. As i was coming around some mesquites i popped right up in front of them. The group was heading my way roughly about 40 yards from me. I got down and knocked an arrow. I was only behind a bush and had a perfect shooting lane. Most the group went just outside my lane but one decent velvet buck was coming right for it. I looked him over and figured he was about 29 inches and decided to pass. He steps out slightly quartering away in my lane at 25 yards and stops. He looks at me and thats when i saw the extra 2-3 inch tine coming off his main beam. We had a stare down and then he trotted off.

It's hard work, but one of my favorite ways to hunt them. Can't get enough of watching them do there thing in a natural setting.

Last thing I'll say is I've been fortunate to hunt a place that has more axis then you can handle (low fence). Over 20 bucks shot since September and doesn't even seem to be a dent in the population. So this plays a factor in being able to spot and stalk and be successful finding them. Also its mostly flat making hiking a lot easier. I've hunted other places and not so sure about spot and stalk with a bow. Would probably be better off hand corning if possible.

The one that Zach killed the other day with his rifle was a stalking hunt like that. We stopped at about 75 yards, but we probably could have crawled closer to get within 30-40 yards if we'd had to. I agree that stalking is probably the best way to get close. If you had the right kind of set up on a water hole, that would probably work too. Both would be more productive than sitting on a feeder.

I love hunting spot and stalk, whether it's with a bow or a rifle. We've seen a really huge buck that I'm after. I'd be happy to take him with my rifle. If I'm successful, I'll definitely be after more with my bow.

[Stolle]

Originally Posted by Shane

How's the axis hunting going? We've had some rifle kills on our lease, but it's near impossible to get on one within bow range. They aren't coming to the feeders at all. We don't really have a water hole that is in a good spot for a bow setup, other than just placing a popup blind on the ground and hoping they don't come in downwind.

Get you one of these and keep it full of protein. Your out of range problem will be solved.



This mornings breakfast group

[Saltyag15]

Shane- every time you talk about the location of the ranch you are hunting on out there, it sure sounds like it is in the same vicinity as mine. When you go into town in Roosevelt and pass Simon Bros., the first county road to your right is I believe 260. We wind back and forth on those dirt/paved roads for 13 miles until we reach our destination. Do you keep going through town on the main drag, or is your place a bit north as well?

[Fightinaggies]

This is how we have killed 90% of ours over the last ten years or so. Occasionally you will have one come into a feeder but much better odds with spot and stalk, plus its a whole lot more fun

Originally Posted by The Cajun

Spot and Stalk is about the only way I've gotten close to them.. We have goats and cows throughout the entire property so no hand corning and like you said they don't go to feeders. I've been going after one with my bow for sometime now on the spot and stalk. Been very close multiple times and have had opportunities to shoot 28-30 inchers multiple times, but have passed since I've already shot 7 axis since September (rifle). With that said all I do is walk and walk. Most days I average 5-7 miles between morning and afternoon hunts. Most of my encounters are in the mesquites where i'll find a group laying down or feeding. I'll slowly make my way to them, sometimes crawling or inching on my stomach, and then wait till they make moves. Can take hours, but its fun to be that close and watch them in their natural environment. I've had them come 10 yards from me and stare for 10 minutes barking at me and then they just go back to what they were doing.

Last trip, (April) I regret not shooting a buck in velvet that presented a perfect opportunity. Came up on a group one afternoon that had a nice hard horn buck so decided to go after him. (Low on funds right now and don't want to pay extra since Im planning on shoulder mounting my first axis bow kill). Eventually I got into a stare off with the buck at about 25 yards. Was very intense, couldn't move and was on my hands and knees. Went on for about 15 minutes and then he ran off about 10 yards and turned back to stare at me again. This was really cool because he started doing all the dipping of the head to see under the mesquites. Eventually he just walked off to meet the group which was now heading away. I decided to try and cut them off so got up and backed out some and made a loop around them. As i was coming around some mesquites i popped right up in front of them. The group was heading my way roughly about 40 yards from me. I got down and knocked an arrow. I was only behind a bush and had a perfect shooting lane. Most the group went just outside my lane but one decent velvet buck was coming right for it. I looked him over and figured he was about 29 inches and decided to pass. He steps out slightly quartering away in my lane at 25 yards and stops. He looks at me and thats when i saw the extra 2-3 inch tine coming off his main beam. We had a stare down and then he trotted off.

It's hard work, but one of my favorite ways to hunt them. Can't get enough of watching them do there thing in a natural setting.

Last thing I'll say is I've been fortunate to hunt a place that has more axis then you can handle (low fence). Over 20 bucks shot since September and doesn't even seem to be a dent in the population. So this plays a factor in being able to spot and stalk and be successful finding them. Also its mostly flat making hiking a lot easier. I've hunted other places and not so sure about spot and stalk with a bow. Would probably be better off hand corning if possible.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Stolle

Get you one of these and keep it full of protein. Your out of range problem will be solved.



This mornings breakfast group

We have a bunch of free choice protein feeders. We just haven't filled them up. We started with timed feeders in hopes that we could get them coming during daylight rather than feeding at night. Hasn't worked so far. We'll probably fill the protein feeders soon.

Originally Posted by Saltyag15

Shane- every time you talk about the location of the ranch you are hunting on out there, it sure sounds like it is in the same vicinity as mine. When you go into town in Roosevelt and pass Simon Bros., the first county road to your right is I believe 260. We wind back and forth on those dirt/paved roads for 13 miles until we reach our destination. Do you keep going through town on the main drag, or is your place a bit north as well?

No, I'm south of I-10.

[Stolle]

Originally Posted by Shane

We have a bunch of free choice protein feeders. We just haven't filled them up. We started with timed feeders in hopes that we could get them coming during daylight rather than feeding at night. Hasn't worked so far. We'll probably fill the protein feeders soon.







No, I'm south of I-10.

Our neighbors have a 2500# free choice and the axis empty it in 2 weeks. Keep an eye out for used timed feeders. This way they eat when you want them too

[The Cajun]

Think I may head out on Sunday evening to get a few days of relaxing in at the ranch. Not sure how much hunting will be done, but hopefully at least one or two stalks.

Google maps has always shown a route that takes you through some county roads/ranch roads to get to bond road from I10 rather than going to Sonora and then back down. Anyone familiar with county road 312 or ranch road 3130?

[Shane]

Anybody know of any rental cabins between Junction and Sonora? I know the Simons have Copperas Creek Cabins. Any others?

[Stolle]

Originally Posted by Shane

Anybody know of any rental cabins between Junction and Sonora? I know the Simons have Copperas Creek Cabins. Any others?

I know of some on the river North of Junction.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Stolle

I know of some on the river North of Junction.

Yeah, there are several in and around Junction. My lease doesn't have a cabin, and I don't have a camper. I'd like to find a place closer to my lease than driving in to Junction or Sonora. I'm almost exactly halfway between the two towns.

It takes a looooong time to hunt all day in the summer time. Adding in the drive back and forth to town makes it an hour longer.

[Edward54]

Originally Posted by The Cajun

Think I may head out on Sunday evening to get a few days of relaxing in at the ranch. Not sure how much hunting will be done, but hopefully at least one or two stalks.

Google maps has always shown a route that takes you through some county roads/ranch roads to get to bond road from I10 rather than going to Sonora and then back down. Anyone familiar with county road 312 or ranch road 3130?

There used to be a loop from station B road which is 313 but a ranch owner locked the gate. Then 312 had a road that would cut through but it got locked up also. Pretty much only way is if you work for an oil or gas company is the only way to cut through


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[The Cajun]

Originally Posted by Edward54

There used to be a loop from station B road which is 313 but a ranch owner locked the gate. Then 312 had a road that would cut through but it got locked up also. Pretty much only way is if you work for an oil or gas company is the only way to cut through


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Thanks, not to familiar with the ranch roads and didn't want to start driving across someones property Im not suppose to be on. Was mainly gonna take it for the scenic route this trip.

[daniel044]

Anyone starting to see good velvet bucks on cam in the area? I got this one coming everyday. Been watching him grow for the past 2 months now. His brow tines are looking to be something special, hoping the rest of his horns turn out well.

[Patton]

Saw two near Camp Wood like that this weekend, lots of other small guys. Thought the axis would be out and about but not so much. We got 2 pigs and an axis doe on the ground though.