15 Minutes in Mexico!

[TildenHunter]

As many of you know I made my second trip down to Sonora, Mexico with my dad the week before Thanksgiving to chase mule deer with my bow. The trip was OFF the charts!
We made it to Phoenix and met up with the rest of the group and headed to Hermosillo. We went straight to the ranch and made it there with plenty of time to check our bows and get settled in for the next mornings hunt. We were the first hunters of the season this year which turned out to be a huge benefit to us.


Right at dinner the owner of the ranch called my dad over and told him that they had seen a big 200"+/- deer at a stand called San Juan (which is the same stand my shot his deer in 2 years ago). Unbeknownst to me, my dad told the owner that he wanted me to hunt that stand and take that deer. After everyone went to bed, my guide, Herrardo showed me pictures of the big 4x4 that I would be hunting......sleep didn't come easy that night but I was ready to roll when the alarm went off. Harrardo had told me the timed Lamco Feeder was to spin protein at 7:30 AM. He had seen my deer come in the two previous mornings at 7:00 sharp. I settle into my popup blind at about 6:15 and begin the long wait for daylight. I had a great North wind in my face and the temperature was about 51 degrees. I only opened the one window pointing towards the feeder and got everything ready for the morning hunt. At 7:05 the sky begins to get light and I ease the top section of my right hand window and see a BIG Muley rack silhouetted on the Eastern sky. Just as I see him he jumps into the barbed wire feed pen (about 3-4 acres) and I knew it was all coming together. My buck was joined by a 3x3 and I knew it would make it twice as difficult to get drawn undetected. Well just like he had on previous days the 3x3 entered into my shooting lane first and I got the camera rolling. About 3 minutes after the 3x3 began cleaning up the previous nights protein, el jefe joined him. I had the biggest deer I've ever seen at 22 yards completely relaxed and just needed him to turn broadside. Well he eventually did and I draw my bow without any drama. Upon easing into the shooting window I see that he is now facing dead away from me and I had no shot. This went on for about 1 minute and then he decided to walk around the other side of the feeder and start looking for protein scraps while facing me head on. I'm now at full draw for about 1:45 and he decides to turn and head to the alfalfa feeder.

This was a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I was about to have to let my bow down with a giant Muley at 22 yards and he offered me a broadside shot. Curse because he walked out of my view finder on the camera I had rolling. I decided I needed to take the shot with or without video of a deer of this quality. I sent the 400 grain Beman on it's way with a 2 blade Rage and it hit about 2" from where I wanted and hit the back end of the shoulder. I got about 10-12" of penetration and the deer torqued sideways. He ran about 60 yards down hill out of sight if the pop up and I see a cloud of dust start rise from where he face planted and bull dozed his way to his final resting place. Good news is that the guide got the shot on camera from the rifle stand so I still get to make a good video once it is all said and done and I get the footage sent to me.

https://youtu.be/wRV5eYUmoA4

Not often does a hunt go according to plan but this one did. We waited 15 minutes and got out of the blind and began to trail him up. Harrardo and I were confident he was going to be just over the rise and inside the brush line. That is exactly where we was and by the time we found him and drug him out rod the bush he collapsed in, the feeder spins! My 5 day Mexico hunt was over in 15 minutes with me holding a 202 7/8" Mexico Muley!!




The man that gave up the chance at this awesome buck and gave it to me! My best hunting buddy.


After getting back to camp another hunter was already there with a nice 184" drop tine buck that he took with his rifle.


While we are talking and congratulating one another, about 15 minutes later another rifle hunter in our group pulls up and he has killed a 204".


First morning and 3 of our group of 6 had tagged out.

Time to relax


After another awesome meal I start scouting trying to locate other good deer for the rest of the hunters. The last rifle hunter scored an awesome 196" on morning #2.


I see a collection of deer throughout the week but warmer temperatures seem to stop the mature bucks from really walking like they had been the first 2 days.

Sights of the Mexican desert are just awesome.


Their trail cam "box of death"



More to come later......

[160class]

Congrats!!!

[NotJose]

Wow!! Too awesome! Congrats to all the hunters

[bdphunt]

Amazing. Congrats on a trophy of a lifetime.

[PBUCKSHOT]

Holy Moly! I don't know what is cooler...the deer or that trail cam box. Congrats! What a hunt!

[mexico70]

Dude I'm so dang jealous that is my Dream hunt for sure ! Congrats on that stud !

[IowaHunter]

Wow that's great! Congratulations.

[bowkill1978]

I've been waiting for this update. It was worth the wait! Awesome!

[Bone Thug]

Very impressive critter. Big congrats on the giant!!!!

[Shane]

W O W ! ! !

What a dream buck!! Congrats!!!

[Maui-diver]

muy grande amigo!! Muy bien

[graesz]

WOW! Incredible deer, congrats!

[tmkrueger]

Very nice, Congrats!

[GarGuy]

OH MY GOD! Thank you so much for sharing again.

[Pullersboy]

That's a hoss for sure

[Poco]

Wow!! One of these days i'll get to do that. Thats an awesome experience and to have your dad there is simply breath taking. Thanks for sharing it with us Hunter.

Ray

[kingchip]

Congrats, hell of a buck. I doubt if he spells, but if he did he would spell his name Gerardo, or Jerry in English.

Did you fly into Hermosillo or drive down from Tucson?

Who is your outfitter? Sounds like a hunt some friends went on last year. I hunt about 30 minutes south of Sasabe, which is also about 30 minutes south of America.

[locknload]

beautiful trophies

[MarkV]

Incredible place and animals. Any details of the outfitter?

[TildenHunter]

Originally Posted by kingchip

Congrats, hell of a buck. I doubt if he spells, but if he did he would spell his name Gerardo, or Jerry in English.

Did you fly into Hermosillo or drive down from Tucson?

Who is your outfitter? Sounds like a hunt some friends went on last year. I hunt about 30 minutes south of Sasabe, which is also about 30 minutes south of America.

I spell it like it sounds!

We flew to Hermosillo.

Outfitter only runs 15-20 hunters a year. Usually about 10 Americans and 10 Mexicans. Pretty much all repeat customers and word of mouth friend of a friend deals. No website and no marketing for the most part.

[TildenHunter]

After several days of
Scouting various locations around the ranch, I finally found a mature deer but he wasn't what my dad was looking for. A really cool deer with extra dagger points inside his forks. I nailed him on video and I will post when I get all other footage edited.


Typical view from a rifle stand.




Typical bow stand set up.

Amazing sunset. The picture does not do it justice!

Really cool house on the backside of the ranch about 45 minutes from the main camp.


My dad did draw some blood though! Made a heck of a shot on this coyote. There were a bunch of them roaming that country.

My dad didn't get a buck this time but he is going back in January to try and fill his tag.
Just a great place to spend some time. Hope to see it again some time!

[Chad2682]

Amazing hunt! Great read with some awesome pictures

[kingchip]

A very prominent friend of mine from Corpus hunted last year down there. Just curious. Thanks.

[Jamesl]

Good Grief! Incredible buck! Congrats!

[TildenHunter]

Originally Posted by kingchip

A very prominent friend of mine from Corpus hunted last year down there. Just curious. Thanks.

Very well could be at same place. I am going to refrain from listing any contact info for outfitter since we were invited on this hunt and it isn't my place to give out that info.

[Slew]

Heck of a hunt!! Congrats!!!

[Ag_Attack]

Deer of a lifetime! Congrats!

[NF HUNTER]

That's an Awesome Buck, Congrats!! Great story also.

[texas shag]

thanks for taking us along! congrats on a muley of a lifetime!

[zcole04]

Congrats!! That deer is a stud!!

[Patton]

Congrats again Hunter. What an incredible buck.
I have to ask, is the box of death to deter humans or animals?

[Krivoman]

That is simply amazing

[ShawnG]

Great story! Great hunt. Congrats to all of you.

[Stick-1]

Fantastic job, congratulations!

[BBBGP]

Awesome. A dream buck.

[Mexico]

What a giant...wow!! Huge congrats!!

[dwkole]

Awesome deer. Congrats

[Buck Roar]

awesome buck
congrats

[topher]

Wow!! What a hunting trip. Those are some great bucks. Congrats

[LHPanther]

What an awesome buck and a great hunt!

[TexasAggie04]

Awesome buck. Congrats!

[hweissert]

Awesome mulie buddy! Congrats!!!

[Adam G.]

Awesome pics and congrats!

[TildenHunter]

Originally Posted by The General

Congrats again Hunter. What an incredible buck.
I have to ask, is the box of death to deter humans or animals?

Ha. Animals. I think they were having trouble with the deer messing with cams. One hunter did have some cows break into one of the feed pens while we were there also.

[Veschels]

Great story and deer. Congrats!!

[wheels]

Awesome

[dope hunter]

Man that buck is freaking awesome! Congratulations!

[Coup de Grace]

Yes sir, awesome hunt.

[HELLRAZOR]

Awesome partner one of these days ill go hunt them

[Pedernal]

That's an awesome buck. Big congrats!!! Thank you for sharing.