My hunt started Thanksgiving morning at my Dimmit County lease. I had made plans to hunt the lease and then made plans to hunt the Farm in Maverick County the following day. I got to the lease with much anticipation since I had only hunted their 3 other times this season. My optimism suddenly went south when I discovered my feeder was not working properly. After closer inspection, I noticed the feeder was practically full…not a good sign, since it should have been running close to empty!!! After an uneventful morning I headed to Eagle Pass for our Thanksgiving Feast. The following day my stepfather (Tom) and my daughter Emily and I hunted the family farm in Quemado, Texas in Maverick County and we had non-stop action with my stepfather harvesting a big pig. After picture taking and some much needed rest, I woke up and made the hour drive to my Dimmit county lease. I was greeted at the lease by the sound of coyotes near the highline to the east of my blind. I was hoping for better luck with the feeder this time and was glad to hear the resonating sound of corn being slung from my favorite set up at 6:45 in the morning. It didn’t take long to get covered up with does and small bucks. Around 7:20, one of the rancher’s bovine decided to visit my feeder and it spooked every deer from the blind. Luckily I keep a sling shot for this occasion and after several hits, the cow was persuaded to leave the area. About 10 minutes later, I notice a buck off in the brush 60 yards from my blind. The buck decided to come in but I noticed he had a very bad limp and a visible gash/cut on his leg. I tried to identify the buck from the previous seasons and from my trail cam pictures but I could not recognize him. The more I looked at him the more I convinced myself to take him, especially with as many yotes in this pasture…the smell of blood on the buck was an automatic death sentence….its pretty bad. I decided I would punch my tag on this buck for my Dimmit County lease. In retrospect I am pretty sure this buck would not have made it the night… the visible cut was bleeding and after dressing him out I’m pretty sure his leg was broken. I think the new high fence from our neighbor to the north of us or possibly a pre-rut fight may have caused the injury, in any event I like the look of this buck and I decided to take him. Last year coyotes got to my buck before I could recover him and this year I decided to even things up a bit.
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