Originally posted by SabreKiller
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I returned home Monday from the lease in western Val Verde/Terrell County and we saw a lot of movement this past weekend. Bucks are starting to split up as we saw several good bucks that were alone. On Saturday morning a good 9 and a good 8 got into one helluva fight. The 9 won despite being a little smaller than the 8.
Movement was pretty good in the morning and evening and there was movement all day long, despite it heating up during midday. We drove around a glassed several canyons and always saw movement. In fact, the biggest buck we saw, which was probably the biggest I've seen on that ranch, we jumped at 3 PM and he was in the middle of large, open flat. Very tall, heavy and way outside his ears. I just couldn't get the rifle out fast enough.
Saturday morning, after the buck fight they all scrambled and left by 730. I caught movement coming form my right at 200 yards and spotted a big buck working to my left. He was on a mission. I glassed him as he worked through the brush toward the creek bottom and could tell he was tall and heavy, but he never turned his head my direction. He stopped at the creek bottom and turned his head and I knew this was probably the same 8 point I saw last year. Just a huge 8 and probably the biggest 8 on the ranch. I saw him last year and had a broadside shot at 150 yards, but didn't take it because he'd broken every tine off his left side. All that was there was the brow tine and his main beam.
Anyway, I grabbed my rifle and was gonna give him a dirt nap when he came out of the creek bottom, but he came out farther down than I expected and was half way up the mountain before I found him again. All I could do was watch as he continued on his mission.
I left the blind and went to pick up my fiance around 930 and found a bunch of sheep on the mountain to my left. Barbado and mouflon crosses that we've been trying to eliminate from the lease. We had pretty much done that last year, but I found this group of about 20 rams and ewes. I chased them down the mountain and when they stopped I let the Barrett 6.5x55 eat. I knocked down the biggest ram and they took off. Ultimately I killed two more rams before I decided I needed to pick her up. Everywhere I sat this weekend I heard sheep so we've been invaded again.
I found two more rams in another canyon Monday morning and used the 6.5 PRC. They were a looooooong way off and I didn't have my spotter standing next to me to tell me where I was hitting. I missed the first two shots at a tan colored ram as he ran closer. I'm pretty sure I nailed him on the third shot as he stood broadside. I couldn't find him again when after the rifle recoiled.
We will be headed back out the weekend of December 7. Last year, everything broke loose that week and the bucks were running does like cutting horses. It was fun to watch.
Movement was pretty good in the morning and evening and there was movement all day long, despite it heating up during midday. We drove around a glassed several canyons and always saw movement. In fact, the biggest buck we saw, which was probably the biggest I've seen on that ranch, we jumped at 3 PM and he was in the middle of large, open flat. Very tall, heavy and way outside his ears. I just couldn't get the rifle out fast enough.
Saturday morning, after the buck fight they all scrambled and left by 730. I caught movement coming form my right at 200 yards and spotted a big buck working to my left. He was on a mission. I glassed him as he worked through the brush toward the creek bottom and could tell he was tall and heavy, but he never turned his head my direction. He stopped at the creek bottom and turned his head and I knew this was probably the same 8 point I saw last year. Just a huge 8 and probably the biggest 8 on the ranch. I saw him last year and had a broadside shot at 150 yards, but didn't take it because he'd broken every tine off his left side. All that was there was the brow tine and his main beam.
Anyway, I grabbed my rifle and was gonna give him a dirt nap when he came out of the creek bottom, but he came out farther down than I expected and was half way up the mountain before I found him again. All I could do was watch as he continued on his mission.
I left the blind and went to pick up my fiance around 930 and found a bunch of sheep on the mountain to my left. Barbado and mouflon crosses that we've been trying to eliminate from the lease. We had pretty much done that last year, but I found this group of about 20 rams and ewes. I chased them down the mountain and when they stopped I let the Barrett 6.5x55 eat. I knocked down the biggest ram and they took off. Ultimately I killed two more rams before I decided I needed to pick her up. Everywhere I sat this weekend I heard sheep so we've been invaded again.
I found two more rams in another canyon Monday morning and used the 6.5 PRC. They were a looooooong way off and I didn't have my spotter standing next to me to tell me where I was hitting. I missed the first two shots at a tan colored ram as he ran closer. I'm pretty sure I nailed him on the third shot as he stood broadside. I couldn't find him again when after the rifle recoiled.
We will be headed back out the weekend of December 7. Last year, everything broke loose that week and the bucks were running does like cutting horses. It was fun to watch.
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