Brians Adventure(trophy pics)

[Guru]

   


 Keep it coming boys!!

[Huntrdfk]

Great hunt guys, but I'm with Mickey on that last entry Brian,  I think we might need a story telling class around here!    


David

[Littlefeather]

Yep, 4 days is a long story. Talked to Brian last night. He's is overwhelmed with the magazine subscriptions and phone calls. He'll finish today.    Cher! G'Day! heeeheee!

After the big porker piled off into the brush, I shook off the adrenaline and started off in pursuit of my next quary. It wasn't long and Id amassed a pretty good pile of bunnies. I was thwacking them and leaving them along the road to retrieve on my way back by. Well, this didn't last long. Id only eased around the corner for a short distance when I hear coyotes yipping and yelping in the exact area where Id left the last rabbit. I hot-foot it over to the spot where I suspect they were and sure enough they'd gotten my rabbit.

I decided Id better go get all my bunnies and pile them in one area. This I did. I laid three rabbits together and hid them a tad better. I continued to walk along and when I returned to the bunny pile there was an Owl sitting there. I thought Owls only took live prey. Well, I was wrong and I'd returned in the nick of time. The Owl had pulled the head off of one bunny and was sure to have eaten him if I hadn't thwarted his plans. Boy, is this area just one big food chain!!!!
Shortly after the coyote and Owl spectacles, I found myself in stalk mode toward one unsuspecting javelina. He'd have nothing of it and in a matter of about 5 minutes the game was over. I decided to sit in the sand awhile and enjoy the rest of this last morning. I was in the middle of soaking up sun when the bushes started moving around me. I ready a 160 Snuffer in hopes that it is the javelina returning. As the animal spills out into the roadway it was no javelina at all but a grown female Badger. Wow! What a sight at close range. These guys are pretty rare to see in these parts. Luck was on her side this morning. As I fumbled for a camera, she became nervous and started to scurry away. I though of Debbie for a moment and wondered if she had room for yet another trophy mount in our home. The thoughts were short and the arrow was in the wind. Like I said, luck was with the Badger today and she ended up with an ugly haircut but non the less unscaved from the encounter. The morning hunt now complete, I enter the truck to go pick up Brian..... CK

[RayMO]

And....

[JC]

Great yarn spinnin fellers....

[Littlefeather]

Yep, 4 days is a long story. Talked to Brian last night. He's is overwhelmed with the magazine subscriptions and phone calls. He'll finish today.    Cher! G'Day! heeeheee!

After the big porker piled off into the brush, I shook off the adrenaline and started off in pursuit of my next quary. It wasn't long and Id amassed a pretty good pile of bunnies. I was thwacking them and leaving them along the road to retrieve on my way back by. Well, this didn't last long. Id only eased around the corner for a short distance when I hear coyotes yipping and yelping in the exact area where Id left the last rabbit. I hot-foot it over to the spot where I suspect they were and sure enough they'd gotten my rabbit.

I decided Id better go get all my bunnies and pile them in one area. This I did. I laid three rabbits together and hid them a tad better. I continued to walk along and when I returned to the bunny pile there was an Owl sitting there. I thought Owls only took live prey. Well, I was wrong and I'd returned in the nick of time. The Owl had pulled the head off of one bunny and was sure to have eaten him if I hadn't thwarted his plans. Boy, is this area just one big food chain!!!!
Shortly after the coyote and Owl spectacles, I found myself in stalk mode toward one unsuspecting javelina. He'd have nothing of it and in a matter of about 5 minutes the game was over. I decided to sit in the sand awhile and enjoy the rest of this last morning. I was in the middle of soaking up sun when the bushes started moving around me. I ready a 160 Snuffer in hopes that it is the javelina returning. As the animal spills out into the roadway it was no javelina at all but a grown female Badger. Wow! What a sight at close range. These guys are pretty rare to see in these parts. Luck was on her side this morning. As I fumbled for a camera, she became nervous and started to scurry away. I though of Debbie for a moment and wondered if she had room for yet another trophy mount in our home. The thoughts were short and the arrow was in the wind. Like I said, luck was with the Badger today and she ended up with an ugly haircut but non the less unscaved from the encounter. The morning hunt now complete, I enter the truck to go pick up Brian..... CK

[Walkingstick]

Dang Brian, using magazine subscriptions as an excuse.....You got that southern sickness guy where you tell some story, leave a guy hanging and go sip tea or Mexican Beer...Great read guys..I'll come back for more..Mac~

[Brian Halbleib]

Man you guys are tough. I just got home from working my regular job on the midnight shift (back to reality). Dang it, I'm tired but I'll try to finish up...

OK I left off where I was completely hidden behind a tangle of pear cactus and was peering over, motionless. Well like I said, I've been getting a real education on these animals who are constantly pursued by predators and on constant vigil for danger. The lead pig took one look at my eyes and bolted into the brush on the opposite side of the road. DANG IT! Yeah this was gonna be too easy right? R-I-G-H-T...

Geez, even whitetails back home don't look around THIS good. Another rookie south Texas hunter mistake.

Well the swine swung wide of my position and ended up back on the road about 50 yards up wind. They started to feed nervously again. I started to notice how they were always tensed up and ready to bolt at ANY sign of danger. Yeah just get some corn and go to south Texas and you'll kill a bunch of stupid pigs   :rolleyes:  

The wind was in my favor so I ducked back into the brush on my side of the road. I emerged ahead of them once again, this time determined to stay hidden until they already scanned my location and passed by for a quartering away shot.

Here they come, I can only see small pieces of movemement through the brush. I do my best statue impersonation as my fingers tighten on the bow string. Just as they are about even with me, something across the road gets their attention, they do their crazy pig scramble into the brush opposite the perceived threat on my side which lands one of them a mere 5 feet from me on the other side of a creasote bush. C'mon, c'mon, just a few more steps and I'll have a point blank shot. Nothing to shoot at, no holes in the brush, the pig is RIGHT THERE! Geez, c'mon!

Well they froze up for a while and tried to figure out what it was across the way that was bothering them. In a flash they headed away from me, into the wind, and dissappeared again. Now I'm starting to get aggravated, darn pigs are out smarting me at every turn.

I droped back into the brush and circled further ahead on the road but was unable to locate the pigs again. I almost feel bad for that first bunny that I encountered after getting dejected seeing my smoked pork running away. That cottontail paid the price for a frustrated pig hunter.

BUT, the critters of south Texas always seem to get the last laugh. Mu judo tipped laminated birch shaft smacked the bunny so hard the arrow stayed with him as he turned into the brush. He made a valiant escape effort but didn't go far. Unfortunately it was far enough into a nasty thicket that I actually had to get down on my stomach to get to him. Now I'm really aggravated   :mad:  

I recover the bunny and my arrow as I try to spin my self around on my stomach. There literally is no option of standing up. I spin and come WAY too close to an 8 foot + black snake. I was just about ready to offer the bunny in exchange for my life as the snake slithered in the other direction. He must have figured I was one crazy sonofabitch to be crawiling around in there for a bunny and decided to move on.

Back out of the brush, half undressed now, I pick up my gear and spot another bunny. Aggravation victim number 2, this one stays put for a change. I cross the road and gather him up, making all kinds of noise and movement along the way. I spin around to see two javelina, yep, right under the tree stand I spent two nights in    

-Brian
 www.bowyersjournal.com

[Brian Halbleib]

Curtis I want to thank you and Debbie once again for your hospitality and showing me a wonderful experience. I will be taking you up on the return invite as it is a perfect escape from the late winter. I learned a lot and hopefully will be better prepared next year.

If you have never tried this, you guys have to go. As far as big game hunting goes, it's a very inexpensive trip. Plus you have so many species available to pursue. I could honestly go back and just hunt rabbits the whole time, it was that much fun. I was able to do the whole trip for under $600 and the bulk of that was airfare and car rental. I was tempted to to go back next week for the Sweat but I have too much to do, I know Mac, no excuses          

Thanks Curtis!

-Brian
 www.bowyersjournal.com

[Shaun]

Good stuff there fellows. Sounds like you got south Texas brush country fever Brian. Not been able to find a cure myself, just have to keep going back and getting a fix each winter. Keep up the great work with the magazine and be real nice to the wife and kiddies so you can get back there next year.

[Brian Halbleib]

You're right Shaun. I'll be back, thanks to a VERY understanding and supportive wife. Besides, I'm always nice   :D  

    Going to bed now, very tired. Yes some of us DO still work for a living      

-Brian
 www.bowyersjournal.com

[Littlefeather]

Brian, The pleasure was all mine! Come again anytime. I'm glad you got to see just how easy is is to hunt game here in South Texas.     Those critter can sure show a hunter just how fragile his world really is. Hope the memory stays bright for a long time. CK

[IB]

Curtis and Brian.......Thank you to for taking me along        :eek:  
  Thanks again...........vance

[Walkingstick]

Brian, with us working the campground and planning a trip to MS here in a week to visit the kids I would have loved to go to the sweat.Curtis sent me an invite last summer but not being home until October I never saw it until too late. We bought a new camper and plan to travel some winters. I hope to hunt LA and MS and just might try to hook up with Warren. He has sent me the info on all the WMU and game sites and has been giving advice. Lord willing I plan to see that desert country and if Curtis will let me I plan to stop in to meet him too if I get down that way. Will be there within the next two years if the good lord sees it so. Curtis's writing and pics have given me a whole new insite to the desert country. I think I watched too many Saharah Desert type films as a kid and have an idea that deserts are all sand. I see not. Thanks for the trip guys............Mac~

PS  Brian..you going to make it up to Black Forest in April. I am hoping we are back by then. Since the folding of PATHA I really miss you guys.

[Stew]

What a great story! Thanks for letting us in on the adventure.

[Marvin M.]

Good job guys!  You had me right back there with you walking the trails and picking Pear thorns out of my clothes.

[LV2HUNT]

A classic, thanks guys!

[TexMex]

Gracias muchachos!!!      

[Terry Green]

Great thread guys........thanks.....got me reved for next week for sure.  Hope to meet ya some day Brian.

[Pinecone]

Great story, fellas!  Made me feel like I was right there with ya!

Claudia