the dates are locked in

[BLKBEARKLR]

Going on a ram hunt 3 days get to shoot two pigs with it also, talked to the land owner quite a bit may also end up whacking an axis or a fallow buck.

Going the 2-4 Jan. All with the bow. My old Army buddy and me will be the only two on the 2300 acre ranch....

Hopefully pics to follow.

Joe

[DoubleJ]

Stick 'em good

[Lawman]

 

[400out]

  sounds like a blast! have fun for us all!

[250savage]

good start for 2012

[coachcw]

Merry christmas !

[summit creek]

weres the ranch joe

[huntergreg]

Good Luck Joe! 

[BLKBEARKLR]

thanks everyone, the ranch is located down by Del Rio

[elkhuntindad]

Best of Luck to the two of you!   

[Arteman]

Good luck BBK, to you and your wife right?  Can't wait to hear your success stories and see some photos.

[SemperFidelis97]

Im looking foreword to hearing the story, and seeing the pictures Joe.

[bearpaw]

Going on a ram hunt 3 days get to shoot two pigs with it also, talked to the land owner quite a bit may also end up whacking an axis or a fallow buck.

Going the 2-4 Jan. All with the bow. My old Army buddy and me will be the only two on the 2300 acre ranch....

Hopefully pics to follow.

Joe

sounds like a blast Joe, good luck.... 

[BLKBEARKLR]

Well here is my report       

While down here on my last visit I got to link up with an old Army buddy of mine that is a 100% disabled and was showing that he had interest in hunting. We sat down and talked a lot and he finally bit the bullet and bought a nice Bow. We then started doing some research on a pig/exotic hunt. I called and talked to Crystal creek/brushcountry/chambers ranch. He has 3 ranches. I thought I was asking the right questions. I was told that we would see between 50/100 animals a day. We made reservations and sent in our deposit. We would be hunting the 2nd - 4th of Jan.

We got there at approx. 10am on the 2nd. Even though our hunt did not start until noon, we figured if we had any paperwork or briefings he would have. We linked up he said “ Ok so I see that you still owe me 400.00” I paid him cash then, he then had us sign some liability forms he got up never said another word and said my guide will be here shortly. So we are sitting there and in walks a 17 -18 yr old kid. He showed us where to put our belongings. With that being said I have been deployed to a few third world countries and I think the living conditions were better there. My buddy and I talked and we both agreed that we would not take a shower while we were there.

Ok so we get to go out on our first hunt, the kid drives us out sitting in the back of a ranger pickup. Holding on to some cage. I think he purposely hit every hole and branch he could find. So we get to the stand and he says ok this one is yours. In my mind I was thinking a blind with a feeder. But it turned out to be him spreading some corn on the ground. When I asked him where the stand was he pointed to a tree. I looked over and there was an old aluminum ladder that was brought back from World War I. I did not say anything went over to it, he takes off and I attempt to climb up this thing, there is an old piece of plywood about the size of a 5 gallon pail to sit on. Does not rotate does nothing. I start looking for my shooting lanes and the only thing I can come up with is a hole in the branches about the size of a 55 gallon drum. That was it. That night I did have pigs come in but there was no way a shot could ever be made. So I just watched them in the brush.

I talked to my buddy that night and he did not see anything and with him being disabled he did not even try and get in the stand that they put him in, so he stayed on the ground. Next morning we requested different stands and told them about not being able to get in the tree for my buddy. They put him in a ground blind. In the ground blind there was not even enough room to draw the bow back. The way they had it set up as soon as the sun started to rise it was directly in his face and he could not see anything. I got put into what they called the killing tree. Once again although the ladder was a little safer to climb up there was no shooting lanes except two small openings. That is the way we spent our last two times out.
All in all it was a horrible experience. And I told the kid that, since the old man did not even come up to talk to us after he got his money. And I bit my tongue when a 17 yr old kid asked me if I had ever bow hunted before? I calmly explained to him that yes I have been since 1992 and I have killed everything from a Grizzly bear to a deer with my bow. I asked him if he has ever hunted from any of the stands and he said a couple of them.

I did join a forum down in Texas, seems to be a lot of decent folks on there and they are pointing me in the right direction, might have to save up a few coins before I go on another one. It was truly crazy though not being able to park the truck and bail out and go hunting. If you guys have never seen Texas, no matter how bad Washington ever gets I can tell you, you don't want it to be like it is here.

Joe

[Arteman]

WOW!  I wasn't expecting to hear that, thats horrible!  Sorry to hear you flew all the way to Texas for that, what *censored*!!!