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Friends in the Texas Hill Country |
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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Posted: October/14/2013 at 16:45 |
Allow me to prefeace with this. Earlier this year, I had an amzing opportunity to hunt with who is now a very good friend of mine, Jason Wallace, and we recently spoke with one another at the Texas Trophy Hunters Extravaganza show in San Antonio Texas. While talking with one another, he brought up a point about having too many animals and asked if I was out of meat. With a somewhat sarcastic look on my face, I replied to him, with yes, I am out of meat actually and I could certainly use more meat for the freezer. He mentioned to me, that he had an unusual year with females in general. But mostly Audad ewes and Elk cows. Where he was going with this, was he needed to do some culling. He wanted me to bring some friends and he was offering these to us for reasonable prices. Now, I'm having the internal struggle of who to invite. My first call was Rifledude, because he has never hunted exotics and I haven't seen him in a while. And I invited a couple other guys as well. Friday, after work, I head out, making my way to the most beuatifull part of Texas in my opinion, the Texas Hill Country. Matter of fact we were heading to the very same place where, I was able to harvest my Axis. I had spoke with Ted and the other off and on, while driving down. Ted arrived first, then Brian and Matt. Shortly after they arrived, I pulled in. Talk about dark, actually there is next to no light pollution out there and my favorite part, no cell phone service. Looking at the stars and the cresent of the moon over head, I was ready for a weekend of hanging out with good friends and looking at several majestic creatures on this goregous ranch. Once we arrived at the bunkhouse Jason came out to meet everyone and explain where we would be bunking for the evening. In the midst of arrival, I know my excitement to catch up with Jason and Ted took over and we engaged into conversasion and as the yawning became more contagious, I realized that it was three O'clock in the morning and the sun was going to be on top of us before we knew it. I went and laid down and took a couple hour nap. Then Jason came in our room and said "Cock a Doodle doooo" softly. In the midst of my excitement, I sprung out of bed and started to wake everyone up so we could head out and begin the sacred part of the weekend. Saturday morning we spent a lot of time looking and deciding on stand locations. After we decided on stand locattions and dropped everyone off, I was on my way to the stand I was going to hunt. I have to be honest, I was jealous of his locattion. I sat and waited and was glassing the area when I heard one shot go off. Then I hear another shot go off. And I'm thinking, Yes! the guys are seeing animals and harvesting what they came here for. Then everything goes quiet for a while. Then to the right of me, I hear suppressed fire, then a pig squeeling, and all of a sudden two scimitar oryx bulls run 15 yards in front of me and I still hear rocks turning from being kicked. So at this point, I pulled my bow back and I'm sitting at full draw, because hear still hear animals coming. Now four black buck ewes run in front of me and I look over my right shoulder and hear come more....audad, whitetail, sika, fallow, but here's the kicker, they all ran right behind me. DANG IT! knowing that all my opportunities had just passed me by, I decided to come down and make my way over to where I heard the shot. I started up the hill and Jason heard me and explained where he was. I met up with Jason and Matt, we loaded his pigs. Matt shot one time and hit three pigs. We loaded up one of the younger ones in the truck and drove over to pick up Brian and the other Matt. After picking them up, we started making our way over towards Ted, when we saw a huge herd of Audad. I still hadn't had a chance to shoot one, and all of a sudden, all of the ewes and calves leave and there are two rams, heads up on one another....they rare back and WHAM! the fight is on. For fourteen minutes striaght they hit each other, then go side by side hooking one another trying to bring each other down. I was 283 yards away from essentially a NATGEO exclusive. It was simply awesome to visualize how one projects dominance over the other in order to be an alpha male. After that was over, we were in just about total darkness and we pick Ted up. Ted was explaing how his night went, and I will let him post what he saw. But now we are on our way up to the bunkhouse. Ted had prepared chicken and Jason's dad Ross was babysitting it while and I started warming up our sides and at the same time, we took Matt's back straps from the pig he shot. Now for this, I cleaned the backstraps up and I had made a large batch of rub, but I always bring a small container of it, because you never know when you will run accross something that could use a littler seasoning. After everything was done, Ted helped me plate everyone dinner. While we are plating there was a moderate roar of excitement from the guiys talking about how the Audad came to the feeder, but once the paltes hit the table....SILENCE! You know it's good when the entire lodge is quieter than a church on Monday night. After that, some of us went out again, looking for other game, but then came back to the bunk house to get some rest. It had been an exceptionally long day. After a good night sleep. We woke up and were getting packed up and ready to leave. But, Ted went out and hade a fatal introduction with a great looking non-typical axis buck. I had a blast. So here's the recap from the hunt. Brian shot a 20" Audad Ewe Matt W. shot a 19" Audad Ewe Matt M, shot three pigs with one bullet. Ted shot a great non-typical Axis buck. I personally struck out, but that is not what this weekend was about. This trip was about getting together with friends in the outdoors. Hanging out, rooting for one another to be succesful, sharing in the triumph and cutting up with each other in the deer camp. Many of you here are like minded and love hunting more than anything in the world, but that is just part of it. Observing the habitat and viewing all the creatures that were created, talking about it, all the ups and the downs, how you got to that part. Sometimes when all the stars align and everything is perfect, you have the wind in your face, your scope is on, the air is crisp, the leaves are changing its nearly cinamatic and you all know how it ends, but its the body that gets you there that makes it exciting and the friends you have with you when it happens to share it with. That is what this was about. How one friend turned into several based one excursion to the Texas Hill Country. I have to get the photo off my phone, and I will post them shortly for you guys.
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Great story! I bet you didn't have to twist Ted Winkle's arm to go hunting!
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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Nice
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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I really appreciate Skylar inviting me on this hunt, as I had a fantastic time! Mark, to say he didn't have to twist my arm to get me to go on a hunt is the understatement of the century! There's nothing I'd rather do than go hunting, and Skylar has become a great friend and hunting buddy.
I will post my account of the hunt very soon, hopefully tomorrow. Right now, I'm winding down from a busy day, I'm super tired, and I have an epic headache from a combination of lack of sleep, the remnants of seasonal allergies, and the affects of the allergy meds. I still haven't even unpacked all my stuff yet. Stay tuned... |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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jonoMT
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: November/13/2008 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 4853 |
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That sounds great. It's always good to get out of town, be among great company, enjoy some fine grub. No matter what the hunting results might be. And away from the cell phone too!
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Reaction time is a factor...
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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Mark, I couldn't even say: "Ted, would you like to hu....." Yeah, I'm ready, let go!"
Edited by Skylar McMahon - October/16/2013 at 10:25 |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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and at least Ted can cook...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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Excellent story Skylar. Your so right, hunting is so much more then just pointing and shooting.
Its the entire experience and it a true bond builder! Hunting with someone forms a bond simular to the bond soldiers who serve together form. It can last life time!
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Oh, I'm sure of that!! No doubt.
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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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ccoker
Optics Master Joined: February/13/2008 Location: Austin, TX Status: Offline Points: 2041 |
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Awesome
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www.TacticalGunReview.com
Pro Staff - Silencer Shop http://tacticalgunreview.com |
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helo18
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: December/02/2006 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 5620 |
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Great story. I am surprised Ted wasn't at your place that night of the phone call.
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To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.
GEORGE WASHINGTON |
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Peddler
Optics God Joined: July/04/2012 Location: Oswego,NY Status: Offline Points: 13532 |
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Very nice trip.
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When you are dead, you don't know you are dead.It is difficult only for others.
It is the same when you are stupid. |
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bugsNbows
Optics God bowsNbugs Joined: March/10/2008 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 11201 |
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Great story Skylar. You Texas boyz be lucky... the hunting around my area sux bad. I'm jealous!!! Sounds like a great trip.
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If we're not suppose to eat animals...how come they're made of meat?
Anomymous |
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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Bud, ever think about coming to Texas?
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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We will see you next week though. I would hang in there brother. Christopher helped me greatly when I was hunting. You are in great hands.
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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Here's some pictures from this past weekend.
Friday evening, Jason shot this ewe. Notice anything unusual? Here's Brian with his ewe, shot Saturday evening. Here's a couple of Matt's ewe shot Saturday evening. Out of respect for Ted, I will wait to post his pictures. |
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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.
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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This was a great
trip!
As Skylar said, I’ve never hunted exotics, unless you count feral pigs, which are technically “exotics” in that they’re not native wildlife species. I’m a deer, hog, and occasional elk hunter. “Exotic” to me means “I never see it when I’m deer hunting.” Anyone who knows me very well knows I would rather go hunting than pretty much any other endeavor a human being can do. So when Skylar called to invite me on this hunt, he’d barely uttered the first sentence past “hello” before I said “I’m in!”
Skylar…“you had me at hello!”
I echo Skylar’s view of the Texas Hill Country, a.k.a. “Edwards Plateau.” It is by far my favorite region of my home state. It has a unique, rugged beauty to it unlike anyplace else in the world. Places like the Rockies and Alaska are certainly more majestic and vast, but no place is so synonymous with “whitetail deer” in my mind than this region. It’s rocky, rugged, and it seems every living plant that grows out of the ground there except the live oak trees has thorns on it. If that weren’t enough, it’s also home to scores of diamondback rattlesnakes! Yet, for all the inhospitable things that live here, it’s strikingly beautiful to the eyes of this beholder. The ranch we were hunting is located near Rocksprings, in Edwards County. My dad once had a deer hunting lease about 70 miles from there, near the small town of Harper. I killed my first three whitetail deer there when I was 12, and I’ve had very fond memories of that place ever since. As a kid, I couldn’t believe it was possible one piece of property could have so many deer! There are areas of the Edwards Plateau that have the highest concentration of whitetails of anywhere else on planet Earth. I’d still be hunting somewhere in the Hill Country every fall today if it weren’t so ^$%&*@! far from my house! I’m the kind of guy who hunts every possible weekend during deer season and who burns every vacation day I have on hunting, so I prefer hunting close to home, where I can leave at a moment’s notice after work and be there within an hour.
This particular ranch is literally “in the middle of nowhere,” a 20 mile drive down a gravel road, off a remote county road, miles from anything. No cell phone reception, no noise, no distant city lights visible in any direction. Perfect! I was so anxious to get there, I arrived 2 hours before anyone else showed up. Since I didn’t know our hosts or where to meet up with them, I parked off the gravel road a few miles from the property boundary, opened the windows, and relaxed, listening to the sounds of the night woods until the guys – Matt B., Matt W., Bryan, and Skylar showed up. It turns out I’d already met everyone except Matt W. before.
Once we arrived at the camp, I knew this was my kind of place. The cabin (an old frame house) was decorated with animal hides and game mounts. Thankfully, it wasn’t some |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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Peddler
Optics God Joined: July/04/2012 Location: Oswego,NY Status: Offline Points: 13532 |
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Congratulations Ted, great trophy, great trip and great story.
Skip |
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When you are dead, you don't know you are dead.It is difficult only for others.
It is the same when you are stupid. |
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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Most excellent!!! .
Scratch another one off the bucket list!!!!
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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