TXSweat group 2- tales of adventure

[Littlefeather]

I thought it may get a bit confusing following the postings of both groups on a single thread. Lets tell the tales in each group to keep things less confusing.

Each hunt started at noon and concluded at noon, three days appart. The morning hunts kicked off at about 4:45am each morning and the evening activities generally ended around midnight. When the sun was up we were hunting hogs, javelina, coyotes, rabbits(Jack and desert cottontail), Bullfrogs, and BIG Snakes.
By the dark of night many guys put on headlamps and raided the frog ponds. I think there was easily 50 Bullfrogs shot during each hunt.
I do thing each and every hunter at both hunts dropped the string on big and small game alike. It was just unbelievable!

Every hunter was required to be in camp between noon and 1:00pm each day to discuss what they were seeing and tell their own tales of the hunt. Our Camp Chef kept an ample supply of authentic Mexican cooking going and we all ate, drank, and enjoyed the comaradre of each others company. I just can't imagine a better hunt anywhere for any price. The entire 7 days was just way too short now that Im rested and looking back at it all. Incredible! CK

[beachbowhunter]

Thanks Curtis. I was thinking that a separate thread for each group would help. Man a whole lot happens in three days! I was fortunate enough to tag out on  javies but ran out of time chasing hogs!

After your orientation speech about how tough javies are and the lack of blood trails even on "perfect shots" I was determined to be conservative on my shot selection. I just realized that I only shot four arrows at game the whole time and it had nothing to do with the 5 stitches in my finger! Here 's my final tally:
1 missed rabbit
1 arrow airmailed over a javie
2 two javies brought to the shed. Arrowed them in two ways completing the javie cross. I'll post stories of each later.

Thanks again Curtis. I had the time of my life.

Norbert

PS. I usually dont let anyone but my sisters call me Norbie but after seeing the results out of Sweet Spot you can call me whatever you like            :D

[beachbowhunter]

Bob Walker, South Texas Ranger...

 

[Littlefeather]

Yea Norb-e! I thought you'd raise an eyebrow! LOL! Just had to test the water. Kinda cold!!!!!   :D  CK

[Terry Green]

That was a hot spot for sure....."Javie Central" of the north east corner.

Looking forward to seeing more of the 2nd groups hunt......keep em coming please.

[kyle]

That's SUCH a great picture!!!!

[Whip]

OK, I started posting on the other thread, but will try to see if I can move them over here to try to keep things together.  

As I sat on the plane on its way toward San Antonio Sunday morning nagging thoughts were creeping into my head.  What was I getting myself into?  I had never even met any of these guys.  Before leaving, when I told people at home what I was going to be doing the usual response was a puzzled look an the question, "Oh, Really? You're flying down to Texas to go hunting on a ranch in the middle of the desert with a bunch of guys you have only met on the internet?  Why?" I would soon find out.

[Whip]

I raced south in the rental car, and arrived at the ranch just in time to hurriedly met a few of the stranglers on their way out the door to go hunt for the first afternoon.  Everyone else had arrived last night and had a jump on me.

Curtis came back to the ranch after dropping a hunter off somewhere, and by then I had unpacked enough for an afternoon hunt and followed him off to an area containing small pond.  We corned the road, and Curtis bid me good luck and left me to my own devices.

I slowly walked down the road, and climbed a deer tower stand to get a perspective of the terrain.
 
This was certainly different than anything I had ever been in before.

[Whip]

Eventually I ended up sneaking in to the pond to see if I might be able to catch something near the water.  As I eased around the shore checking out the tracks I noticed what looked like an old antler tine sticking up a few inches out of the mud right at the edge of the water.  Near it was another.  When I pulled on them both this is what emerged from the muck.
   
What an awesome find the first night of my hunt!  

I cleaned the rack off a bit in the water, and then worked my way back to the road to see if any javis may have discovered the corn trail.  From the tracks in the road it was obvious there were plenty of animals around, but nothing other than a lone coyote showed.  

It was difficult to sit still on the first night of the hunt, so I eased back toward the pond.  I came into it at the same place I had found the whitetail rack earlier, and not 10 feet away from the first find noticed more antler tines.  As I approached to investigate these I suddenly froze in place when I saw a bobcat laying in the mud next to the antler.  I had walked up to within 15 yards of him, and he just layed there staring at me, obviously hoping that he blended in.  After a 30 second stare down, and he finally jumped up and ran off.  I had missed the initial camp meeting, but I was thankful that Shaun Webb had taken the time to give me a breifing earlier and he had mentioned that the ranch managers did not want bobcats shot during our hunt, or that if we did the cost would be $500.  I didn't need one that badly, but the experience of seeing him was a treat.

[Whip]

After the bobcat left, I turned my attention back to the antler laying nearby.  I bent over and picked up a beautiful 5 point shed.  How could I have missed this earlier?  Impossible!  There was only one explanation - in the 1 1/2 hours I had been gone, a buck had stopped by for a drink and left a gift for me to find.  
 
I had been looking closely before, and had been able to see the two small portions of tines sticking out of the mud.  There is just no way that I could have missed this shed.  The picture below shows the point of my arrow laying in my boot track I left as I walked over to investigate on my first trip to the pond.  The shed lay no more than 20 inches away.
 
 
My evening ended without a single hog or javelina sighting, but somehow the experiences left me feeling more than satisfied.  I could only take it all as a sign that this was going to be a very special trip indeed!
 

[beachbowhunter]

Originally posted by Littlefeather:
Yea Norb-e! I thought you'd raise an eyebrow! LOL! Just had to test the water. Kinda cold!!!!!    :D   CK

Brother that water is fine! In fact, there's a swell running right now. Get yourself over here. I got a 6' 8" Rusty with your name on it  

[Whip]

The morning of day 2 found me with more of the same - no hogs or javis sighted.  The guys planned on hunting until 9:30 or 10, so headed back to the Jeep and stowed my gear for the morning.  I turned and glanced back up the road to see the first two javis of my life in the middle of it about 150 yards away!  Game On!

I had the wind in my favor, but they were feeding away from me.  I made a loop out into the brush to try to catch up and received my first leasons in moving through the Texas brush - everything that grows can hurt you!

Eventually the group grew to six, and they apparantly got to the end of where we had corned earlier, because they turned and started feeding right back to me.  Perfect!  Except for lesson number two for the morning - javelina have very good eyes at close range and I was busted as soon as I moved my bow.  Note to self - wait until they feed PAST next time!

I walked back to the Jeep just as the rest of the group pulled up.  As we were talking and discussing the mornings events, four of the javis were back out in the road again right where I had left them.  A quick plan was formulated - Norbert and I would try for a drive by shooting - South Texas style!

Norbert - you're up!

[Littlefeather]

I have to admit that by day 4(day 5 for me and Charlie) I was absolutely running on fumes. Id been up at 4:45am every morning and tracked well into the night. I really felt like I was about to crash and burn. Well, as always seems to happen, I got a second wind each day and continued to enjoy all the occurrances. It all runs together when you hear 12-15 hunt stories at each round table gathering. Somewhere, somehow along the way they seem to all run together. They all seem to start with "I looked down the road and there they were".......LOL! And then I started sneaking down the sendero and they looked up.....LOL!
Oh man, what a time! I've got lots of pics I am just now getting to. I've compliled a short movie that was generated by running all my best pictures together. I'll get it all worked out and get someone smarter than me to post it here. CK

[beachbowhunter]

Based on inside info we got from Terry, Bob Walker, StevenR and I focused our efforts around the hub and the double ponds area that has been discussed. The first afternoon Javie Hunting 101 started as we corned the senderos that spread out from the deer stand at the hub. I jumped out of the Hummer as Steve and Bob continued to corn and found a little spot to hide. Only a minute later, my first javie encounter began. A single boar came out to eat and worked his way down the road. I made a few minor advances to close the gap but settled down to wait. The javie drew to within 15 yards headed in my direction.  I waited to let him turn broadside and he only obliged with a 45 degree angle change. The slightest movement of my bow sent him off into the brush. Lesson No. 1 for me = learn how to shoot without moving!

The first day ended after a bunch of failed stalks but the excitement of being around game all day was terrific.  We'd do better on Day 2.

[beachbowhunter]

OK Whip....The South Texas Drive-by Shooting...

The second day, Bob, Steven, Joe and I headed up to the same area because we had seen so much game. Joe was back on the family unit that hung out off the main road west of the ponds while Bob, Steve and I revisited the hub area. We were fooled all morning by a single smart boar who danced between the senderos and that was it. We decided to call it a morning and head back to the lodge for some grub.

We caught up with Joe on the main road and he needed a lift back to his vehicle. We saw a good size group feeding about 100 yards up the road in the direction we were headed. Gong on a tip from Curtis, we tried a local trick. You've heard of "C'mere Deer" well this is like "here Javie Javie Javie".  In full Rat Patol mode, Joe and I rode the running board of the Hummer up to the javies. They are not all that afraid of vehicles so they lazily move off the road. Just before we busted them up, Joe and I slipped off the back and hid behind the Hummer and moved into cover on either side of the sendero. Bob and Steve continued on through rattling a pop can filled with corn to simulate the sound of a feeder....

[beachbowhunter]

Joe and I were not in position for more than 2 minutes when I caught some motion directly in front of me in the brush. Luckily I drew my bow first and a split second later I was part of a Texican Showdown. I was on a small sand pile looking over a bush staring down a javie. It is hilarious when they look at you straight on. With it's Mickey Mouse ears turned in my direction, beadie eyes and snout pointed at me, it looked like a cartoon rat.

However, head on these darned things are only a few inches wide. With no shoulders or hips to speak of, it's like looking at an eel or a fish. I stayed at full draw with visions of Charlie's skull shot javie (he needs to share that story!), going through my mind. Joe got a great view of it from less than 10 yards away. He later told me he's never seen a trad bow shooter hold off that long. I didnt tell him that my 57# Zipper Extreme has an 80% let off.....     :D    

I stared at it unti it turned its head to the right and I could see the white collar. I picked a spot that looked like the top of its shoulder and released. There was an indescribeable sound as the javie looked like it exploded in front of me. It sprang to my left and passed by me at about ten yards. I saw it stumble but continue ahead. I was excited and Joe reminded me to keep my cool and wait for another. None showed up. This is what we saw about 10 feet away from where I stood...

   

My Stinger 4 blade tipped CX Rebel arrow was soaked and covered with goo like out of Alien. Not a drop of blood anywhere. We decided to go for lunch and come back to track it down....

[Whip]

I don't know how you got to full draw on that thing without it seeing you!  And then holding for as long as you did - you're an iron man!  I kept looking back and forth from the javi to you waiting to see who would flinch first......

[beachbowhunter]

Luckily he got bored first and looked away!  

Joe, Gary K and I went to look for the javie after lunch. When we got to the point of impact, all of the liquid evidence had already totally evaporated. Not a speck of blood. We followed along the apparent trail based on my recollection of the sound after the shot. We hadnt looped more than 15 yards back of my shooting position before Joe called out.."Norbert take a look..." and there it was under a bush about three yards to my right.

Gary set me up for a few pics. The javie was 3/4 gutted by the passage of my arrow from front to back. It was devastating. It wouldnt make for a pretty picture so that's why we have it oriented face forward......

   

I was using my green and white fletched arrows during the day and switched to the neon orange for the afternoon-evening but that's another story....

Ready for the closeup on the cutters. Your turn Joe!

   

[Terry Green]

[Missouri CK]

Norbert,

Great story and great pic! You are the iron man. Five stitches but after it was all said and done those broadheads must have been sharp because they did a heck of a job bring meat to the pole.

Chris