Well this Christmas break My son and his Buddy Jack asked if I could take them hunting. Music to my ears. I have a handful of troublesome deer that I dont want on the ranch any longer. In fact the one in Lampasas is Called "shoot on site 7 pointer". He has had this name for 3 years. So we started our hunt off in Lampasas and then we were going to move to Brady the next day.
My son HUnter was set up with his bow and one stand, and me and Jack went to another. Since all my setups are bow, and Jack does not bowhunt, I had the crossbow all set up for him. But I also brought the Ruger Ranch Riffle 300BO with Can in case we saw some pigs. We got set up in the blind and I cranked the crossbow back, heard a pop, then noticed the limbs twisted so I quickly uncocked it. One of the small cables broke. So thank goodness I brought the Riffle. Our Bow hunt just turned to a gun hunt.
On a side note, that was the first time to crank the crossbow back since I shot the Giant Mulie in Sonora Mexico. Just think if it would have broke one crank earlier.. Yikes that would have been bad.
Anyway, it was pretty slow and no action till about 5:30pm. I have a texting cam and knew these deer were showing. So I felt pretty good it was gonna happen it was just a very hot day. Hunter was having alot of action at his blind, just not a deer he could shoot. All young stuff. I caught movement about 60 yards out and saw a young buck. I knew it was one of the bucks running with the SHoot on sight 7 point. Sure enough, 3 bucks later the 7 rounded the corner. He ran in and jumped in pen. We were set up and ready for the super long 16 yards riffle shot. He shot him right through the shoulder. He jumped out of the pen and ran right beside the blind then out of site. It was a good shot as the video confirmed.
Problem was is that i was using some new ammo and it just did not expand at all. So we waited about 25 -30 min and started the search.. Since the bullet did not expand, there was zero blood. So nothing to really track. He ran down into a thick cedar draw with tall grass. no running tracks to follow either. Needless to say we surfaced hunted for about an hour then decided to come back in the morning.
I sent Jack and Hunter back up to search first thing in the morning. I took off to town to get crossbow fixed at Hoffys archery. Thank god Aaron and his crew were able to get the crossbow back up and running so our trip to Brady would not be cancelled.
When I got back they had covered about 4 miles of zigzags per there tracking apps but still no deer. I decided to help out and told them I knew where this deer liked to bed and we headed that direction. It was 500 yards and 2 canyons away. I dropped into the canyon and went to the bottom along the creek. I had not gone 30 yards and walk right up on him. Just pure luck, but glad we did not stop looking. We were actually going to head to house when I decided to go check that canyon on a whim. I never thought a bullet through the lungs would allow him to go 500 yards.
Here he is. 7 point that is at least 7 years old.
So even thought we were not able to salvage the meat since it was low 80s at least we found him so Jack would have his 2 buck ever and his biggest. His other deer was just a tiny buck.
So we packed up and headed to the Ranch in Brady. Made it in time to hunt the evening hunt. I put hunter in a blind after a really old 8 point and me and Jack hit another spot looking for an 9 with a kicker that is 8 year olds.
Hunter texted and said his buck was at the feeder. I said awesome aim small.... He said he is not going to shoot him. I asked why. He said he already shed both his horns and the spots were all bloody on his head. Deer looked in poor health so not surprised he dropped them. He is an older deer but not so old that he should look like that, but it is what it is.
Back to our hunt, We hunted the hardest set on the ranch to hunt. Not sure why, but even when wind is correct they just seem to know something is different. And I would under stand if we pressured our deer, but this blind might have had 3 hunts in it all season. Anyway, deer come off hill and just stare at the feeder pen. Stay for about 40 min, then leave. So it gets dark and we bail. Next morning I switched our location due to wind and we see a bunch of calm deer in our pen. Nothing shootable, but a great hunt. That evening we finally got the correct wind for my Son Hunter to go after a really nice 9 point. He actually shot and missed him a month ago so he was wanting revenge. Me and Jack climbed back into the hard set trying to get the buck we were after. It was a big 9 with a tiny kicker. really old deer. This time I just left all windows closed in case it is a window closed or open thing. Sure enough, feeder goes off and our deer shows up and jumps in the pen with no problems along with 6 other deer. Now I have the issue of getting the window open to shoot. For better part of 30 min I am waiting for all the deer to be facing away from me so I could open window. Meanwhile I am getting text from Hunter that his deer is there. I tell him aim small and then let him be. Finally all my deer are facing away and I moved the windows. The buck we are after was still broadside but had head behind feeder. at the exact moment he moved head and caught movement. They all bolted out of the pen. I told Jack sorry but that was prob our hunt. Jack said no problem it was just awesome to see him. Jack was nt expecting the deer to be as big as he was so he was very excited just to have had a chance at him.
All the bucks run out to about 80 yards and just stand there. I open window and say it is staying open and maybe they will come back. The deer worked there way behind us about80-100 yards, then to my surprise they all just bed down. It is about 5pm. I told jack they are just laying there cleaning themselves. I watch them bed for better part of 20 min. Meanwhile I get a text from Hunter. He is not happy. Said He just messed up and he is done with this deer for the year. I was like what happened. He said he hit him bad. I said send me video. He said no use, no way deer is dead. He is mad. I said tell me more, where did you hit, how was he standing. Penitration etc. He said deer ran out of pen with the whole arrow sticking out. Finally about about 10 min of feeling sorry for himself he sends me a short video of the hit. I watch it and ask him if he is messing with me cause the hit was a little forward on shoulder, but that should be a dead deer. He said he was not messing with me. I told him to go get arrow and text me back. He said there was a doe there, I say who cares grunt her off and get arrow. About this time I am also lining up Matt McWilliam to bring his dog over. I showed him the video and said it was forward but not bad. Then hunter texted me a pic of the arrow. Blood almost whole arrow. I told him that deer is dead. I told him to track him with another arrow knocked. he said ok. Then Matt texted and said he is brining dog so dont track. So I call hunter and he answers. Mind you, we are still in a blind hunting. 2 does just showed up by my feeder pen, bucks are still bedded 80 yards away. So ALot is going on. I tell hunter in my softest whisper voice to not tract. He said no need, deer died 35 yards from pen behind a bush. So I hang up, text matt and say he found it. Then Hunter sends pic of dead deer. Then Jack taps me on the arm and says small buck out right window. I lean forward and small buck jumps in the pen. I told him this is exactly what we need to happen. The buck we are hunting runs this feeder and does not like others eating his corn. About that time jack taps me again and says bigger buck. I lean forward and there he is. Jumps in pen. I tell jack to shoot him first chance you get. 20 seconds later he smokes him through the shoulder. Deer runs about 50 yards and falls over.
I could not believe it happened. Went from Me scaring our deer away, and Hunter making what he thought was a bad shot on his buck, to Hunter finding his deer, then ours jumping in the pen and getting smoked. So we doubled. I told Hunter, who had dropped us off, to come get us as I wanted good pictures with the sunset creeping up. Here are the pics of both of them. My son Hunters buck is the tall longer tined 9 point and Jacks buck is the wider 9 with a kicker. What a evening at the ranch.
My son HUnter was set up with his bow and one stand, and me and Jack went to another. Since all my setups are bow, and Jack does not bowhunt, I had the crossbow all set up for him. But I also brought the Ruger Ranch Riffle 300BO with Can in case we saw some pigs. We got set up in the blind and I cranked the crossbow back, heard a pop, then noticed the limbs twisted so I quickly uncocked it. One of the small cables broke. So thank goodness I brought the Riffle. Our Bow hunt just turned to a gun hunt.
On a side note, that was the first time to crank the crossbow back since I shot the Giant Mulie in Sonora Mexico. Just think if it would have broke one crank earlier.. Yikes that would have been bad.
Anyway, it was pretty slow and no action till about 5:30pm. I have a texting cam and knew these deer were showing. So I felt pretty good it was gonna happen it was just a very hot day. Hunter was having alot of action at his blind, just not a deer he could shoot. All young stuff. I caught movement about 60 yards out and saw a young buck. I knew it was one of the bucks running with the SHoot on sight 7 point. Sure enough, 3 bucks later the 7 rounded the corner. He ran in and jumped in pen. We were set up and ready for the super long 16 yards riffle shot. He shot him right through the shoulder. He jumped out of the pen and ran right beside the blind then out of site. It was a good shot as the video confirmed.
Problem was is that i was using some new ammo and it just did not expand at all. So we waited about 25 -30 min and started the search.. Since the bullet did not expand, there was zero blood. So nothing to really track. He ran down into a thick cedar draw with tall grass. no running tracks to follow either. Needless to say we surfaced hunted for about an hour then decided to come back in the morning.
I sent Jack and Hunter back up to search first thing in the morning. I took off to town to get crossbow fixed at Hoffys archery. Thank god Aaron and his crew were able to get the crossbow back up and running so our trip to Brady would not be cancelled.
When I got back they had covered about 4 miles of zigzags per there tracking apps but still no deer. I decided to help out and told them I knew where this deer liked to bed and we headed that direction. It was 500 yards and 2 canyons away. I dropped into the canyon and went to the bottom along the creek. I had not gone 30 yards and walk right up on him. Just pure luck, but glad we did not stop looking. We were actually going to head to house when I decided to go check that canyon on a whim. I never thought a bullet through the lungs would allow him to go 500 yards.
Here he is. 7 point that is at least 7 years old.
So even thought we were not able to salvage the meat since it was low 80s at least we found him so Jack would have his 2 buck ever and his biggest. His other deer was just a tiny buck.
So we packed up and headed to the Ranch in Brady. Made it in time to hunt the evening hunt. I put hunter in a blind after a really old 8 point and me and Jack hit another spot looking for an 9 with a kicker that is 8 year olds.
Hunter texted and said his buck was at the feeder. I said awesome aim small.... He said he is not going to shoot him. I asked why. He said he already shed both his horns and the spots were all bloody on his head. Deer looked in poor health so not surprised he dropped them. He is an older deer but not so old that he should look like that, but it is what it is.
Back to our hunt, We hunted the hardest set on the ranch to hunt. Not sure why, but even when wind is correct they just seem to know something is different. And I would under stand if we pressured our deer, but this blind might have had 3 hunts in it all season. Anyway, deer come off hill and just stare at the feeder pen. Stay for about 40 min, then leave. So it gets dark and we bail. Next morning I switched our location due to wind and we see a bunch of calm deer in our pen. Nothing shootable, but a great hunt. That evening we finally got the correct wind for my Son Hunter to go after a really nice 9 point. He actually shot and missed him a month ago so he was wanting revenge. Me and Jack climbed back into the hard set trying to get the buck we were after. It was a big 9 with a tiny kicker. really old deer. This time I just left all windows closed in case it is a window closed or open thing. Sure enough, feeder goes off and our deer shows up and jumps in the pen with no problems along with 6 other deer. Now I have the issue of getting the window open to shoot. For better part of 30 min I am waiting for all the deer to be facing away from me so I could open window. Meanwhile I am getting text from Hunter that his deer is there. I tell him aim small and then let him be. Finally all my deer are facing away and I moved the windows. The buck we are after was still broadside but had head behind feeder. at the exact moment he moved head and caught movement. They all bolted out of the pen. I told Jack sorry but that was prob our hunt. Jack said no problem it was just awesome to see him. Jack was nt expecting the deer to be as big as he was so he was very excited just to have had a chance at him.
All the bucks run out to about 80 yards and just stand there. I open window and say it is staying open and maybe they will come back. The deer worked there way behind us about80-100 yards, then to my surprise they all just bed down. It is about 5pm. I told jack they are just laying there cleaning themselves. I watch them bed for better part of 20 min. Meanwhile I get a text from Hunter. He is not happy. Said He just messed up and he is done with this deer for the year. I was like what happened. He said he hit him bad. I said send me video. He said no use, no way deer is dead. He is mad. I said tell me more, where did you hit, how was he standing. Penitration etc. He said deer ran out of pen with the whole arrow sticking out. Finally about about 10 min of feeling sorry for himself he sends me a short video of the hit. I watch it and ask him if he is messing with me cause the hit was a little forward on shoulder, but that should be a dead deer. He said he was not messing with me. I told him to go get arrow and text me back. He said there was a doe there, I say who cares grunt her off and get arrow. About this time I am also lining up Matt McWilliam to bring his dog over. I showed him the video and said it was forward but not bad. Then hunter texted me a pic of the arrow. Blood almost whole arrow. I told him that deer is dead. I told him to track him with another arrow knocked. he said ok. Then Matt texted and said he is brining dog so dont track. So I call hunter and he answers. Mind you, we are still in a blind hunting. 2 does just showed up by my feeder pen, bucks are still bedded 80 yards away. So ALot is going on. I tell hunter in my softest whisper voice to not tract. He said no need, deer died 35 yards from pen behind a bush. So I hang up, text matt and say he found it. Then Hunter sends pic of dead deer. Then Jack taps me on the arm and says small buck out right window. I lean forward and small buck jumps in the pen. I told him this is exactly what we need to happen. The buck we are hunting runs this feeder and does not like others eating his corn. About that time jack taps me again and says bigger buck. I lean forward and there he is. Jumps in pen. I tell jack to shoot him first chance you get. 20 seconds later he smokes him through the shoulder. Deer runs about 50 yards and falls over.
I could not believe it happened. Went from Me scaring our deer away, and Hunter making what he thought was a bad shot on his buck, to Hunter finding his deer, then ours jumping in the pen and getting smoked. So we doubled. I told Hunter, who had dropped us off, to come get us as I wanted good pictures with the sunset creeping up. Here are the pics of both of them. My son Hunters buck is the tall longer tined 9 point and Jacks buck is the wider 9 with a kicker. What a evening at the ranch.
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