Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: dhaverstick on March 09, 2025, 03:25:54 PM
-
I just got back from a week-long javelina hunt on the CE Miller Ranch in southwest Texas. When I asked one of my companions, Dan Novotny, where this ranch was at he said, "Google Prada Marfa. The turnoff is about 100 yards past it." Well, I did just that and learned that "Prada Marfa" is a piece of art right in the middle of nowhere. It has an interesting history that I will let you learn on your own.
(https://i.imgur.com/TIIb7Xy.jpeg)
There were 10 stickbow shooters in camp, most of them I knew from the United Bowhunters of Missouri. A feller named Russell Hines, from Kentucky, rode down with Dan and me. Dan knew him from a PBS event. We all stayed in the remnants of Fort Holland, which was built in 1918 to help thwart the raids of Pancho Villa and his gang. The story I heard was that the fort was built by WWI German POWs. I think it was decommissioned in 1921.
(https://i.imgur.com/VkCV5oY.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tWmcXGX.jpeg)
We were near the Davis Mountains at an elevation of around 5000 feet. The terrain is RUGGED! Using a walking stick is highly recommended to keep from breaking a bone.
(https://i.imgur.com/d9sBbTp.jpeg)
Javelina are tailormade to hunt with traditional archery equipment. One of their favorite foods is prickly pear cactus, so if you find some that have been chewed on, you are in the right place. We would glass for them, but probably found the majority just by listening for them eating and fighting. Their eyesight isn't the best so it is fairly easy to sneak in close to them, provided you can physically reach their location quietly.
(https://i.imgur.com/mM7epaK.jpeg)
We had stalks every day and Dan was the first of us three to bring one back to camp. Tuesday morning, he stuck this dandy boar. It was also the biggest one killed all week with a weight of 57.3 pounds.
(https://i.imgur.com/wpx7ZhA.jpeg)
We did a long walkabout Tuesday afternoon to the top of one particular mountain. While Russell was resting, Dan and I went to explore a bit. 15 minutes later, Russell called to tell us he was stalking one. We arrived just in time to see him arrow it. That javvie had some serious drag marks on him by the time we got him back to the truck!
(https://i.imgur.com/AbGrdaS.jpeg)
It was cold Wednesday morning so we figured the best place to find the critters was where the sun was hitting the mountainsides. Russell worked his way south of Dan and me while we slowly worked our way up the lip of a canyon. We were soon in the thick of feeding javelina and I arrowed this nice boar in short order. We were all pretty positive it was going to beat Dan's in weight but it came up short at 57.1 pounds. The scales used were Dan's so Russell and I still think something hinky went on. Russell ended up killing his second javvie that morning while Dan and I were taking pictures of mine.
(https://i.imgur.com/OVHMz4O.jpeg)
The wind was terrible for three of the days and we ended up being in dust storms just like we've all seen in those old westerns.
(https://i.imgur.com/y5MoFdx.jpeg)
On the plus side, it sure made for some beautiful sunrises!
(https://i.imgur.com/59slLWL.jpeg)
Our group ended up killing 14 and I think the longest shot was 15 yards. My shot distance was maybe 5 yards. I always thought that, pound for pound, the toughest animal I ever hunted was the gray squirrel. Now I believe that crown goes to the javelina. They have a will to live like you can't believe and the environment they live in is harsh, to say the least. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year!
Darren
-
Congratulations on an awesome trip. Thanks for taking the time to share.
-
Thanks for posting that up! Congratulations on a great hunt! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
-
I love seeing stuff like this. Thanks for taking the time to share the pics and story. Congrats on a great hunt.
-
COOL!.... congratts! guys :thumbsup:
-
Another great story, Darren. Thanks for sharing.
-
Thanks for sharing. Nothing like the chaos of javelina huntin. :jumper:
-
Awesome! Sounds like a great trip!
Kyle
-
Great story thanks for sharing. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
-
Thanks for putting this up Darren. It was a fun trip with great guys if you took away the wind and dust storms!
I was so glad to share the hunt with 2 new guys who had never experienced Javelina hunting especially in terrain like this. It is rugged.
And congratulations to Darren and Russell on their first javies. I'm still waiting on my tips for my guiding services.
-
Dan, usually my company is compensation enough. Let me see what I have in my change jar and I'll get back to you. :biglaugh:
Darren
-
Darren::: Thanks for sharing , sounds like you all had a great time :archer2:
-
Looks like an awesome hunt. Congrats
-
Thank you for sharing that's a cool recap. The Davis mountains are really something cool. I've stopped there a couple of times on my cross-country road trips whan I camp out at Balmorea State Park. Lots of Tarantulas! I saw Javvies too and wanted to hunt them, good to know you can so perhaps I'll return and give that a try one year.
-
Darren, I had to have another look, now that I have more time.
Tell us about those rock cabins please.....
-
Terry, I'm the one invited Darren and Russell on this hunt.
The story I've been told is that those building were built by German POWs in 1917-1918. The place is called Fort Holland. It was established as a place to supply our troops with supplies at the border during the Mexican war. The supplies were carried by mule train over the mountains. It's a fascinating place full of history.
There's also a marker establishing it as the last stand of the Apaches in that county where they were defeated in 1880.
If you google Fort Holland there re more pictures and info.
-
Thanks Dan, I will check it out....
This is hysterical.... I designed carpet for many years for these type hi-end stores and it is insane what people will pay for a pair of shoes or a blouse!!!!
-
NICE, congrats and thanks for sharing!!
-
Terry, we passed the "Prada Marfa" sculpture art (that's what Wikipedia calls it) on the way in and out and there were folks standing around taking photos both times. I think the thing that surprised me the most about the "art" was when I first Googled it and a whole bunch of photos on Etsy showed up for sale. Things like "Prada Marfa with motorcycles" and "Prada Marfa with cowboys". I have no idea why someone would want to buy a photo of the place, but I guess there is a market for everything!
There is a book available about the fort and the circumstances around it called "Bosque Bonito: Violent Times along the Borderland during the Mexican Revolution".
Darren
-
Yes Sir! I have been doing more research on this, although NOT Trad related, but seriously related to my livelihood which lets me live out my Trad related life.
I'm now wanting to hunt those Davis Mountains and see this "Artwork" I catered to for years.
This is so outrageous its genius. :readit: