Baker Ranch Next Weekend?

[TildenHunter]

Is anyone going to Baker Ranch next weekend for the Spring Blackbuck and Axis Hunt? I went about 10 years ago but haven't been since then. Has anyone been in recent years?

[Passthrough]

I went on the June '08 axis hunt. Took a buck and a doe.

[TX_Kevin]

The Baker Ranch? Where is it?

[Passthrough]

The Baker Ranch? Where is it?

Rocksprings

[DRT]

I went in July 08 and was disappointed with the hunting. The people were great and the accommodations weren't bad either. I had a great time with my friend and met some nice folks.
It was the axis doe/black buck doe hunt and I only had one shot at about a 3/4 grown axis doe. I passed it hoping for an adult animal. It was the first morning and I figured I'd have other chances as the people on another forum really hyped the place up. I did see several animals at distance but my partner saw nothing but whitetails. I talked to several people and some saw a lot of animals and some had been there several times. The most predominant opinion was knowing where to go, which pasture to hunt. I would suggest going down to Rocksprings (or close by) the day before and spending the night, showing up real early the first day (early morning) and scouting. We got there an hour or so after the "earliest arrival time" and 3/4 of the hunters were already there and set up. We didn't really have much choice where to go set up as all the "choice" spots were spoken for. Get there early, scout hard and set your stands. I would suggest taking a feeder (one of the 5 gallon bucket types) with a remote control set up. When the feeder feeds they will come, if you can keep the whitetails off of you. I literally got out of the pop up and threw rocks at the deer eating my corn 20 yards from the pop up and had to hit them to make them leave. I would avoid the high fence area. The fence is down in a couple spots so it's not like it's a captive audience and the animals seemed "well educated". I took a couple of tripods and ladder stands for me and my buddy and they seemed to get noticed the least. I suggest a short tripod and a ladder stand if you get to hunt around trees. The pop up was like a force field that kept the exotics away no matter how we brushed them up. If you take one set it up where you can use it to adjust the animals movements towards another stand you have because they will stay 60 to 100 yards away from it. I'm going to try the Diamond C for a Blackbuck soon and hope it lives up to the positive feedback there seems to be on this forum. I won't be going back to the Baker 3 Ranch anytime soon though for the reasons I listed as several hundred dollars of my money spent should have at least a realistic opportunity for LDPs. Then again maybe my expectations were too high.
By the way, I left a soft sided ice chest there, blue with a silver lining I use for fishing in my kayak. If you see it grab it. Good luck and may you have a great hunt and a great time.

[mudbone]

Baker 3 Ranch

Sorry you had a bad time there, but 23000 arcres is hard too find a good spot to hunt the first time. Hope you decide too give it another try sometime. Also, if someone is signed up for the Exotic hunt this year you need to make sure and read the rules. They will not be letting anyone onto the ranch before 3:00 pm Thursday the 25th. Just thought I would remind people that you cannot get there as early as we would like too. Hope too see a few of you there.

Mudbone

[TildenHunter]

TTT....... Anyone have any suggestions which pasture I should try and set up in? It is just me and my dad going so I am not trying to swoop in with 10 guys or anything to crowd anybody. I am just looking to go and see some animals and have a decent shot at sticking something. Thanks for any pointers

[Hafernick]

I have been on a summer hunt the past two years, I not going to make it this year though. Our group is still going. The way it is laid out for us is certain people get a certain pasture. You don't get access to the whole ranch. We normally have access to 7,000 acres. It is still a lot of land to cover. The first year I went I didn't kill anything but last I shot three doe and recovered two. I had two opportunity at good bucks I passed on one and couldn't get a shot at the second.

As far as pointers....Do not spot and stalk the first day. And if you do spot and stalk I would designated one area for that and have a stand to sit in during the mornings and afternoon hunts.

[DRT]

Sorry you had a bad time there, but 23000 arcres is hard too find a good spot to hunt the first time. Hope you decide too give it another try sometime. Also, if someone is signed up for the Exotic hunt this year you need to make sure and read the rules. They will not be letting anyone onto the ranch before 3:00 pm Thursday the 25th. Just thought I would remind people that you cannot get there as early as we would like too. Hope too see a few of you there.

Mudbone

Didn't say I had a bad time. I saw several animals at distance including a heck of an bull axis. They were roaring in the mesquites and that was interesting. The add says to "bring an ice chest because you will need it to take home plenty of meat" or something to that nature which led me to think they had plenty of animals and ops to thin the cow axis heard. The reality was a little different. I'm no Fred Bear but I am fairly successful when I hunt for the most part and know how to set up as well as very careful with scent and scent control. Like I said though, maybe I expected too much. It was my first exotic hunt and I wasn't sure what to expect. I just would like to have a little better chance than what I had there the last time and if I were going this weekend I would have no better idea where on the place to hunt than before so it would probably not be worth my while to spend my time and money. Just like not wanting to pay year after year for a deer lease I'm not seeing deer on I have to find what will pay off for the money I invest.
Btw the barbecue was a nice touch too! Still wear the hat now and again.
Beautiful ranch and great folks there though and the hunters that have gone there several times seem to have a better feel for where to hunt and be more successful.

[hweissert]

I agree with DRT. I just returned from the hunt this weekend and it was tough. They do have alot of animals and you will see alot. But, I am pretty sure that the unlimited axis deal is there due to the extreme unliklihood of everyone even killing one. They were the wildest animals I have ever seen anywhere. I am all about a challenge and have killed SEVERAL animals with my bow but what I noticed here was that when you see an animal, they will take off and run for 3 counties before turning around even the WT does that will usually run 100 yds and turn and look...not here they are gone. This just told me that they had alot of pressure on em. We had a good time but, dont take too many coolers or load up on arrows like the web site says unless you are comfy taking 80-100 yd shots. When we left yesterday afternoon there had been 1 Axis killed out of over 30 hunters. Cant tell me all of em are bad hunters. Just my 02