Odessa stole my heart

[the Ferret]

Oh yea? NOW I'm salivating    

I happen to like close up encounters with POd javies. lets you know you're alive (and may bleed shortly ha ha)  

Congrats on the stink pigs. I understand there's more stories and pics to come?

[Ted Fry]

Yeah if there are hogs or Javies around Curtis will find them , he is the Jack Russel of bow hunters, sic em Curtis .
Looking forward to our hunt in January, still a few spots open guys get on it.

[Danny Rowan]

WOW Curtis,

Great shooting and story. Is this the place we will be hunting in Dec?

Danny

[Missouri CK]

Curtis,

Those are some of the best pictures I've seen.  Great light with the setting sun in front of you and the moon in the background.

Awesome,

Chris

[Littlefeather]

Thanks guys. I like the pics too! I wasn't aware that I'd also gotten the moon in the pics till later.

Yes, This will be the base camp for many hunts this year including Texas Sweat. We will utilize this ranch (3500 acres) and the big ranch (65,000 acres). I will also have access to another ranch there if we somehow run out of room.  :p  

On the second day I mainly worked but I did get in an evening hunt in which I saw more javelina and one big boar hog. The boar wasn't in a position favorable of stalking so I gave him game point. On my way back to camp I set the trail cam and got some great pics. The first are a series of a Burrowing Olw landing for a drink of water. This is a water source for all animals on the ranch.

 
 
 

Kris Wrathall was in from Canada on business and dropped by to hunt a couple of days with me while I was there. Kris was a lot of fun to hunt with and was not disappointed with his time in Texas. Hopefully he'll post later. Kris was there the next morning when we checked this trail cam and found all 161 pics of pigs and other wildlife. Here's a few of the pigs.

Sow
 

Small boar

 

The toothy big boy

 


I'll try and get caught up later. CK

[Terry Green]

Good stuff as always Curtis    

[Tique]

Curtis, Please Please do NOT PO those animals. I want them nice and friendly in February. If you persist, let the Ferret hunt that side of the ranch. Great shooting and story so far; keep it up.

[tippit]

CK,  Great stuff there!  You seem to keep coming up with amazing hunting places.  

Gary,  Sounds like you are mending well and chompin' at the bit    Doc

[Yellow Owl]

Well,

I better tell my side of the story before Curtis steals my thunder    I had a great time huntin with ya Curtis and I sure hope I can do it again sometime.

This was my first trip to Texas and I had a blast. To say that it was different from what I'm normally used to would be an understatement. I come from the land of cold weather, heavy timber and rain. This was hot, dry and flat country. I saw alot of animals, hogs, javelina, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, burrowing owls and one mean looking snake  :D  

I will forever remember the image of Curtis chasing after a big sow hog and little piglets running in every direction...to much fun.

I'll finish my part of the story in a bit...

[Pat B.]

Livin' large !!!

I like Odessa too..

[Littlefeather]

I'll let Kris tell the tale of the Sow with small pigs. It was another of the exciting opportunities we both experienced while hunting the sand hills.

If there is one general word to describe the Odessa area it would be bare. There simply isn't any topography, large trees, or water. Any water in this region is put there by man due to the incredible lack of rain(except this year). Here is the general lay of the land showing the standard water hole. Don't think for a minute that there isn't loads of game somewhere wihin this pic.

   

These were placed on most of the ranches for use by cattle but they provide life for all game in the region as well. You can see by the trail-cam pics that they are frequented often. It reminds me of Africa as Kris would say. Here is a pic of a dirt road running adjacent to the water hole. You'll also see soon that the night isn't the only time game crosses the road to drink at the water hole.

   

I couldn't help but think ahead to the hunts we'll have here this year as I went out for each hunt. We'll be kicking of the New Year with Ted Fry's Hunt and I'm so excited for the participants that I can't convey it. I'm going to skip ahead to the final morning of the hunt when I found myself once again alone in this harsh and desolate region.

As the Sun chased the darkness from the Eastern skyline the day was beginning to break. A golden orange hue draped north to south in it's promise to wake the earth for another day. I stood silent as a shiver ran through me. The morning was brisk and the breeze was light. It would be my final morning here and I'd return to the daily schedule I keep this time of year. I reflected at the recent days past and I begain to find the events were all running together in a kaladiscope of wonderful colors creating a soup of one hunters dreams. I could have not asked for any better hunt. There had been game in front of me on every time afield. Kris's experience was a mirror reflection of my own.

As a light breeze carressed my bare face I look through the veil between darkness and sunrise and I begin to make out dark shapes that can only be hogs or javelina. I move aheah with a newfound excitment at the morning that will close out this awsome adventure. CK

   

[Ted Fry]

Dont stop now Curtis , we need more stories to hold us over till we get to hunt there.

[Boris196]

Is January here yet?

I can't wait to come down there, and these stories aren't helping they just make me want to come even more.  Awesome!!!!

[Shaun]

Nice pigging there CK! You da man when it comes to bow and porkers. Looking forward to this winter in the big state.

[hunt it]

The famous South Tickass heart shot - right between the eyes! I knows a guy that tried that one as well, didn't quite works as well as your did Curtis!

Now don't be eradicating all the hogs on that place for we get there! Sides aint you only lowed two javies and two hogs a year?? One of dem pig looks sick - has spots all over him - better quarantine that ranch till Doc gets there and gives ya the ok to kill any more - OK!

[robtattoo]

How in heck does Curtis manage to stay so slender (some might say 'snake-hipped'  :D ) with all that pork?? Does he ever eat anything else, I wonder?

Looking forward to trying some fresh myself! (Is it February yet?)

[Danny Rowan]

I will be there in Dec. Cannot wait to hunt with ya Curtis.

Danny

[Whip]

Looks like some wild and desolate country Curtis.  Sure looking forwad to seeing it up close and personal!
Great job on the pork collection!  

[Littlefeather]

A neat thing happened while we were out hunting one morning. It was Kris's last morning and he wasn't going to shoot a hog but he would accept a javelina. As luck would have it we scared some hogs while driving but circled around to another road where we caught them crossing. I went after them and Kris stood on the truck to see across the landscape and to watch the show. I got in front of a sow with weaned pigs. These were 35# pigs-red. Anyway, I got in front of her and as she passed I let one go. It was a real shock to see the arrow bounce back after hitting the shoulder. The first time I,ve had a shoulder NOT break. The arrow obviously hit bone and bounced off. I was not shooting a Grizzly this time.

The pigs scattered several directions and that was my cue to go. I rushed in to the point where I was between all of them and I started grunting. I know this works because I've had several other hunters almost run over by hogs when I've called them back. It worked again and the Sow was coming fast with hair up and teeth chomping. I shot again in total disorientation. To much was happening too fast and the quickly approaching sow took a hit through the lower back leg. Yea, it was a long way from her heart. LOL!

The show continued a few more minutes as I kept grunting the little pigs back into range. They simply wouldn't stop moving and 35# pigs are hard to hit on the move. That's the story Kris was going to tell. The sow will survive to fight another day.

The last morning of the hunt was best for me when I ran into pigs at every turn. One pig down and when I go get the truck I came across more pigs. Shot one and continued to the truck. More pigs ahead, and so on....... I wanted to leave early but there were chores to tend to.  :D   CK
A fantastic hunt to say the least!

[Yellow Owl]

Okay,

I've managed to scan some of my pictures so I will try and share them with the gang. I'm probably the last guy on this site using print film!!

Anyway, you guys that will be hunting this property later this year are going to have a blast. This ranch is full of Hogs and Javi's. I wasn't sure what to expect from this trip. The country is very different from what I'm used to up north.

Earlier this year I found out that I would be going down to El Paso for some business. I decided that I should take my bow and see if there were any hunting opportunities. Using Trad Gang as a resource I quickly got hooked up with Curtis. He proved to be a great host and guide.

I arrived at the ranch after a 4 hour drive from El Paso.
 
The country is hot dry and flat.
 
Curtis was waiting for me and had everything ready to go. The first night out I was on some Javelina but I ended up running out of light before I could close the deal.
I found that my ASAT camo worked well down here.
 
For those of you that have never hunted down in Texas...every plant seems to have thorns or spikes. You cant walk through the bush without getting stuck on something. I had numerous close encounters with cactus and such.

The first morning I managed to stalk up to within 18 yards of a large hog. He was quartering towards me so I waited for as better angle. Things were looking good until I raised my head over a small bush. The hog caught the movement and was gone before you could blink. Man these things are spooky. Curtis had warned me about that.

After the blown opportunity on the hog I linked up with Curtis. We promptly spotted more Javelina and before you could say "don't mess with Texas" we started a stalk.  Curtis got me within 8 yards of a great looking Javelina. Everything was looking good. I stood up and let an arrow fly...well...I wish I could say that I got em but I didn't  :rolleyes:  Score 1 for the Javelina. I'll be thinking about that "chip" shot for a loooong time. Oh well thats why it's called huntin and not killin.

That night I had a close encounter with this guy    
 
If the picture looks blurry thats because the guy holding the camera is probably shaking. Anyway, I gave him a wide berth and kept hunting. The hogs came out just at last light. It was just a bit to dark for a stalk.

Heres a shot of Curtis climbing a windmill looking for hogs and such.
 

The next morning I had a front row seat while Curtis put a stalk on a large hog. As long as I live I will never forget the sight of that crazy Texan zig-zagging across the road, running like a man possessed with pigs squeeling and oinking in every direction. What a hoot. Those hogs are probably still wondering what beast was on their tail.

Anyway, the hunt ended far to quickly. Hopefully I can make it back for another rematch with those elusive Javelina.