It took 13 years to draw this tag. The hunt was everything I dreamed it would be....
I left home at 2AM Monday morning to make it for orientation at TPWD Black Gap Ranch bordering Big Bend. We were assigned our compartments and started hunting shortly after.
Day one was pretty slow for me. I only saw some javelina and no deer. After a long day and about 5 miles on the boots hiking in some of the nastiest country I set up my tent. No phone service, deep in the back country... Just me and the howling coyotes!
Day two, I got up early and hiked to the highest peak before sunrise. I wanted to be as high as possible with a great vantage point to see the animals feeding. That morning I found a herd of 20 Desert Bighorn Sheep, javelina and one young buck I decided to pass.
With temperatures being above average this time of year, I focused on sitting at water from lunch time until about 430PM when I spotted a shooter!
The buck was about 1350 yards away with two does. I made a move and by time I got there, he chased the does to the ridge I marked to position myself. As I am sneaking up I look and he’s 40 yards away walking toward me coming up hill. I throw up my rifle and shoot free hand like I’m in a western draw through his chest head on. He’s stumbling, took it like a man still trying to tend his does and I put a second one through his heart.
War cry and sound carries forever! It was a long night for me getting him out of the desert mountains alone. With the full moon as my flashlight, I dragged him about 1100 yards to a road. I then hiked back to my truck and was able to get him to my camp.
I’ve been dreaming about this hunt for as long as I can remember. DIY, Solo, Public Land, Big Buck Down!
Video of hunt link here, enjoy
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I left home at 2AM Monday morning to make it for orientation at TPWD Black Gap Ranch bordering Big Bend. We were assigned our compartments and started hunting shortly after.
Day one was pretty slow for me. I only saw some javelina and no deer. After a long day and about 5 miles on the boots hiking in some of the nastiest country I set up my tent. No phone service, deep in the back country... Just me and the howling coyotes!
Day two, I got up early and hiked to the highest peak before sunrise. I wanted to be as high as possible with a great vantage point to see the animals feeding. That morning I found a herd of 20 Desert Bighorn Sheep, javelina and one young buck I decided to pass.
With temperatures being above average this time of year, I focused on sitting at water from lunch time until about 430PM when I spotted a shooter!
The buck was about 1350 yards away with two does. I made a move and by time I got there, he chased the does to the ridge I marked to position myself. As I am sneaking up I look and he’s 40 yards away walking toward me coming up hill. I throw up my rifle and shoot free hand like I’m in a western draw through his chest head on. He’s stumbling, took it like a man still trying to tend his does and I put a second one through his heart.
War cry and sound carries forever! It was a long night for me getting him out of the desert mountains alone. With the full moon as my flashlight, I dragged him about 1100 yards to a road. I then hiked back to my truck and was able to get him to my camp.
I’ve been dreaming about this hunt for as long as I can remember. DIY, Solo, Public Land, Big Buck Down!
Video of hunt link here, enjoy
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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