Bowhunters Paradise?

[2Knives]

I just got back from Bowhunters Paradise (Bracketville, Tx) and would like to hear everyones comments...good and bad. I want to know if folks were as disappointed as I was? I'll save my comments until I hear from others first, then I'll give my review.

[wifishkiller]

I havnt gone but was looking at the place for next spring.  I saw there prices jumped alot!!!  I can got to Canada for spring bear for that now

[centaurshooter]

i had a great time, i just got back the day of christmas eve.  we saw tons of game, everyone had some shots, BUT, and this is a big BUT......we were fanatical on scent, getting out extremely early, and staying out late, went hog hunting each evening which was awesome.  i found the animals to be extremely extremely wary, especially the bigger exotic bucks.  you make one slip up in scent, sound, or too much movement and you're not gonna see anything.  i've talked to a few guys that were disappointed but upon further conversation i found that they didn't get out early, couldn't sit still, decided to stalk......which is an extremely poor idea here and basically didn't take jim's recommendations real seriously, not saying you didn't.

i am very familiar with exotics and their different sounds and i can tell you that they are their, the axis bucks were constantly milling around, but i was with my son and we went there to hunt together so we sat the stands together rather than hitting transition areas to find the big boys.

i'm still trying to figure out how to corner these animals on the fence to make it canned. any ideas?

[centaurshooter]

btw, i found jim a great host and we all had a blast whether at the target range, eating at the table or on the stands.

[2Knives]

I guess the biggest thing is NOT seeing shootable animals.
If we were hunting whitetails it would have been great. Does of all species were spotted. Bucks/Rams were not. Most of the males would hang out at the protein feeder!

Animals were stand sour, they were looking at the tripods way before they even got to the feeders. I decided that sitting the stand wasn't for me. I made a blind in the bushes about 20yds from the stand but still close enough to the feeder and trails coming in. I would watch the does and spikes come by me and start looking at the stand before they even got close.
After every hunt we would come back and talk to Jim and tell him what we saw. Mostly everybody would tell him the same thing...does.

I hate canned hunts as much as the next person but if I'm going to hunt a high fence I would at least expect to see shootable animals.
 
Hog hunting: You have to hunt them at night off of a stand, nobody saw them during the morning/day except once and they were 1/4 mile off feeding away from everybody. Although, hunting them at night was a blast and we got the kill on video!

We all got out early, sat the stands as long as we could, its hard to sit there from 0600 to 1100 and  1400 to dark and not see anything. I saw more animals when I decided to stalk and make my own sets in the trees.

We all controlled our scent to the max. Using scent free soap, carbon clothes(some did) and the scent boxes. I wasn't busted by scent once from the animals.

I find if you're not hunting the transition areas (trails leading to the protein feeder) that the chances of taking a mature animal is slim.

This was the first time I've paid for a hunt and this left a bad taste in my mouth.
I would like to try a Bear hunt and another Texas hunt in the future.
Now I've gotta start saving all over again!

Prices did go up I see. I paid $800, it might not seem like much money to some, but for me thats alot! I saved for a year and begged my wife to let me go. This was my birthday present from her.

Out of 8 hunters (possible 16 animals and unlimited hogs) 3 animals and 1 hog were taken.

There were 4 trad guys and 4 wheelie guys.

Jim was a very nice guy and the accomodations were top notch. He is a master with a knife when it comes to caring for animals!

Belle: OUTSTANDING! That dog is amazing! Everybody should be blessed with a dog like that!

If anybody has more to add...PLEASE do.

[wifishkiller]

It might be just me but it sounded just like a normal hunt not a canned one.  I still will have to make it down there some day.

[2Knives]

Its not a canned hunt thats for sure and I prefer that. But I would like to see animals.
If it was just me that wasn't seeing anything I wouldn't have a problem with that.
The thing about stalking is the the stands are so close together that stalking you have the chance of messing up somebody elses hunt. He suggests that you stay in the stand and not move. For anybody thats elk hunted before, you go where the animals are.

[wifishkiller]

I hear you on the go where the animals are!!  I love hunting hogs and the exotics but the price is just getting a little high for me for that kind of hunt, but I suppose its supply and demands.  I no he has people there all the time so its got to be worth it.  I was wondering did he care if you brought a double bull and hunted where you want?

[2Knives]

I just couldn't stay in the stand that long. If I stood in my front yard long enough I bet an elephant would walk by...I'm just not that dedicated.  

We had 5 double bulls and he strongly suggested against it! Everytime somebody would bring it up he said that they aren't worth it and not to bother, just stand in the trees.

Yep, its gonna take some more saving till I get to hunt again. My next one I'm hoping for a bear hunt!

[wifishkiller]

2knifes I fallow lots of post on the other site and theres a guy from Here (colorado) that hunts there a fair amount.  The last few Blackbucks he shot where from the double bull not off the stands.  Hmmmm now you got me thinking.  Where you at texas or south dakota?

[Benha]

Hmmm I have been seriously thinking about giving BHP a whirl. Maybe you saved me some money.

[Danny Rowan]

Been there two year in a row. Had an outstanding time both years. I saw animals every day. If you cannot sit still you will get busted. The animals aint stupid and they know where the stands are at. That happens when you have so many people hunting from Sept through March or April. Especially when some of them try and run off animals they are not hunting. Stupid just educates the animals.

Had a big axis at 12 yards with his head down and he still sensed me and spooked before I could finish my draw. On the way out one morning I stalked a couple of rams, got to within 30 yards and while planning my next move a sika doe jumped up from under the cedar I was behind and bout gave me a heart attack, course she barked and spooked the rams, but hey I could of slapped her she was so close.

It is not an easy hunt and if you make mistakes you will get busted, it is hunting. Guess what I am saying is that no matter if you pay for a hunt or are hunting public, there are no guarentees.

Danny

[Sneakypete]

I'm sorry guys. I know some of you will hate me for this. But you've spoken yours, and I trust I have the same right. No disprespect, just different views re "canned hunts." Bottom line: You're sitting over a feeder, and/or hunting imported exotics, you are not hunting. Just the word "Texas" has come to equate to the opposite of fair-chase. If you will keep these conversations private, you won't have to deal with "jerks" like me who see this sort of thing as a failure of the true hunting spirit. Go in peace ...

[2Knives]

I'm from Texas, right now I'm stationed in South Dakota.

Danny: I didn't get busted by movement, I just opted for not sitting in stands anymore. I went back to my elk hunting frame of mind, hide in the trees.
I know nothing is guarenteed. The ranch is what, 5,000 acres and all the stand placements and hunting area is what 500 acres? The animals have other places to go and hide instead of coming to stands.

This is just a write up on our trip and what we encountered. Hope it helps others spend their money wisely.

[Axe Thrower]

Danny,
I'm sorry but I would have to agree with Dave.  I've always been under the impression that good guides continuously scout their land to make sure that stand locations are productive.  It sounds like this operation just puts up stands and does not make adjustments during the season to make sure that every hunter has a productive hunt.  I've only been on one guided hunt, in Kentucky.  And even though I didn't shoot a big deer, the outfitters kept me hunting good stands while they scouted new locations.

[gitnbetr]

I hunted there last February with my grandson and we had a fantastic experience. We did as Jim suggested and saw plenty of shootable game. My grandson sat in a chair under the stand and was thrilled at having game within a few yards of him. I will be going back this year and cannot imagine being treated any better anywhere than we were treated by Jim (and Belle). While we were there, a group of compound shooters were also. Every one of us had at least one kill, most of us had multiple kills. Jim is always looking for ways to improve the experience and his respect and dedication to the animals is incredible.

[Alex.B]

Originally posted by 2Knives:

I hate canned hunts as much as the next person but if I'm going to hunt a high fence I would at least expect to see shootable animals.
 
 

 ???? High fence isn't canned hunt?
what Sneakypete said  

[wifishkiller]

I don’t want to get in a highfence is ok or not.  Most of use where talking about a off season opportunity, that doesn’t cost a ton of money.  Anyway I've never heard a single bad thing about BP till now.  That being said it is possible to just have a slow hunt (been on lots, not saying I didn’t have fun just animals weren't moving much) The thing that I was wondering about, is if negative things were able to be posted on the other sight?

[centaurshooter]

i somehow knew we were gonna get on the high fence thing, and no, High fence does not equal canned hunt.  not at all, perhaps for the uninitiated, perhaps it's not how you'd want to do it, but canned.......not hardly.  been to bhp and many other ranches as well as public land and private land in over 10 states and i'll tell you this was the most educated/spooky animals i've ever encountered.  you may not think you've spooked game but you only know about the obvious ones.  if everyone sees shootable animals every trip it's a sign it's not fairchase or you're just lucky.  having 8 guys out there with no guarantee one or two aren't mucking things up and still taking a few animals in no way shape or form means that the ranch is mismanaged.