Spring Time at the Hackberry Ranch

JC's Axis

May father-in-law, JC, had been looking for an Axis since last fall, but had the misfortune of always attracting Hogs and Axis in velvet to wherever he was. Well, we were going to change that on this hunt.

While I hunted for my Aoudad, he sat in a number of different blinds, but never saw any Axis bucks, just Hogs, Whitetails, Sika, and Mouflon. The weather was very erratic while we were there which caused the Axis to change their feeding times. Initially, they were feeding after dark.

Mature 31", 145 pound Axis Buck

Monday
Around mid-day on Monday we were driving to the back on the ranch in J's truck to get some work done. As we drove past #3, heading to #4, I saw some Axis ahead of us about 200 yards in the middle of big field grazing. It was 12:26 PM. We immediately stopped and got ready to shoot. There was a very nice Axis buck with a group of about 10 does. Unfortunately, the does saw us and the herd scrambled up to the left. We were unsure whether they had gone up the hill or were working their way down to the stream bed by #4, so we got out and started a stalk. We slowly crept all the way to #4, but didn't see or hear them. Axis usually don't go very far when startled and make a lot of noise. They had gone up the hill, so we got back in the truck and continued on.

Tuesday
This was a full day. After getting my Aoudad in the morning, we drove into Kerrville to drop him off at Rhodes for a shoulder mount and to get the backstrap made into sausage - I just have to try it. We also have lunch at a local BBQ place and then came back to the ranch to do some work.

By the time we had finished working and taking a break, it was almost 7 PM. We decided to take a drive down the North road around 7:30 PM to see if we could find anything. We stopped at the Goat pens by #3 and walked down the road and up to #3 to have a look. We didn't see anything except for a lone Axis doe on the hillside behind the Goat pens. We watched her for a few minutes to see if she was alone, she was, so we moved on.

We started a quite walk towards #4. In the same field where we had seen the Axis the day before, we jumped two does that were in the stream bed to our right. We kept walking. As we got near the end of the field on the road (where it goes down into the stream bed and then up towards the field behind the #4 stand) we saw a small group of Axis on the low ridge to our right. Unfortunately, they had seen us first and took off at a moderate pace. There were two bucks and one doe. The bucks were the ones I had seen at #3 in February and stalked to within 10 yards of as they moved to eat by the Goat pens. At that time one was in velvet and was around 34-35" inches, the other was just starting to grow out. By this time the 34-35" inch Axis was polished and the his buddy was fully grown, but still in velvet. Both nice deer.

We were beaten, but not done. We slowly made our way towards the field behind the #4 stand, but instead of taking the road, we crept along a low area that lay between the field and stream bed. I had never been back here before, but it was an awesome area to stalk from. It kept us out of sight and eliminated any noise we would had made in the stream bed. We went about 200 yards and then I crawled up to the edge of the field. I looked out and about 100 yards to the right of the #4 stand (the stand, not the feeder) there was an Axis buck and a doe feeding along the fence that runs into the #4 stand. They were about 125 yards in front of us. I had J come up behind me and I put the shooting sticks in position. I waited until the Axis was positioned correctly and told him to shoot. Bang! The shot hit in front of his shoulder in the brisket/lung area. The deer took off running. We didn't have a clear idea of where the shot hit at this time, so we put 2 more into him right before he made it into the thick brush. He was down. J's first Buck - Axis or Whitetail - he was very excited. I called him 31" and 150 pounds on the ground; he proved to be 31" and 145 pounds after meauring and weighing, pretty good!

This was the third Axis buck I guided (Carla, Jay Pettersson, JC), all three being spot and stalk kills versus stand/feeder kills. If you want to take an Axis, get up and move around! This would have been #4 for spot and stalk, but Alek and I missed a chance last November at an Axis buck down South. He ran away when an Axis doe busted us! Make sure and keep an eye on the does!

Aoudad Hunt

Friday April 13th was my last day at Dell after almost 14.5 years. My father-in-law and I decided to take some time at the Hackberry to hunt and do some work. We arrived Friday afternoon and stayed through Wednesday. My friend Mario joined us Monday and Tuesday to hunt turkey.

Several of us had sighted a large chocolate Aoudad on the ridge behind the #1 blind for quite some time. He was usually part of a larger group that typically appeared early morning. They would typically graze from West to East and then disappear onto the ridge. He had also been seen at the #4, the Double Feeder, behind #3, and closer to the highway on the same ridge. Several folks had made stalks on him, but no success.

He weighed in at 233 pounds. His right horn measured 32" and his left 30.875". I still don't know if he was the Chocolate Aoudad or another monster we had on the ranch. Let's hope "Chocy" is still up on the north road waiting for someone.

Saturday

I started the morning hunting #4. I didn't expect the Aoudad to show up here, but the blind gave me a good vantage point to glass several of ridges. Around 8:30 AM, I went to check the hog trap. I glassed the canyon behind the trap and immediately found four Aoudad grazing at the back of the canyon, but I didn't see the large one. On my way back to the cabin, I stopped to glass behind #1. I saw a lone Aoudad high up and nothing else.

Around 10 AM we went into Aoudad Canyon to fill the feeder. On the way in we glassed a group of Aoudad near the top of the ridge past the feeder. We filled the feeder and then went further back into the canyon to look around. We found the Aoudad sunning themselves at the very top rim of the canyon. Tthere were two large rams, one a monster. There was a group of Aoudad several hundred feet below them that blocked our approach. We didn't think he was the Chocolate Aoudad, so we made note of their position and moved on versus trying to stalk them.

Next we moved to a vantage point on Four Mile Ridge to view the feeder above #1. It is in the path of the Aoudad we see in the morning, but before going up there to hunt (a long walk) we wanted to be sure. We found a position on Four Mile Ridge where the canyon behind the Photo Blind ended. We glassed for about 30 minutes. Nothing. Right when we were about to move on we sighted a group of Aoudad on the left side of the canyon. We studied them for about 20 minutes. They were in very thick cedar and hard to make out. We determined they were a different group. That night I hunted #4 just in case the large Aoudad made a rare evening appearance. Nothing. Just a single Hog.

Sunday

I decided to hunt the #10 blind in the morning. It sits on the ridge above where I saw the large Aoudad Saturday morning and evening. Maybe he would come to the top to eat. Only Hogs came to the feeder. Nice. I walked down the ridge and found the area I saw the Aoudad sunning themselves Saturday morning. The cover is a lot thicker than it looks once you are in it versus looking across from the other side of the canyon.

I headed to Aoudad Canyon for the evening hunt. I parked at the gate and walked in, during which I jumped the same Axis buck twice. I got into position on the side of the hill opposite the feeder and waited. From about 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM I glassed several different lone Aoudads and groups moving about on the hills. We have a lot more on the ranch than we ever thought. Around 6:30 three Whitetail bucks came into the feeder and stayed until it went off. At this point the side of the hill came alive with noise and eight Aoudad ran full speed to the feeder and started to eat. The large one was nowhere in sight. I spent the next 30 minutes glassing the opposite hillside and finally found the large Aoudad with another mature ram, a ewe, and a lamb. They were very far away. I moved laterally across the face of the hill to try and get closer. I decided to take a cross-canyon shot at 516 yards. I had my 300 Ultra Mag. I got into a rock steady position and after watching him move in and out of cover for about 20 minutes, I took the shot. The herd reacted immediately. He ran down the rock face, back up, and then ran full speed across the ridge, and disappeared into the brush with his herd. I looked across the canyon and there was yet another group of Aoudad eating, watching me shoot, and not even running. I ended the hunt and walked back to highway. I jump the same Axis buck.

Monday

We slept in Monday morning so we could get some work done during the day. I decided to hunt Aoudad Canyon again that night and got into the same position again around 5 PM. Again, I saw large numbers of Aoudad grazing on the opposite hill side. Around 6 PM I sighted a large group to left before they disappeared into the tree line. I saw several large Aoudads in the group, definite shooters, but at this distance I couldn't determine whether the large one was in the group. After the feeder went off, a group of Aoudads made their way down to feed. This was a different group from the previous evening hunt. It was smaller group, but with much large rams; at least two shooters. It was also a different group than I had seen around 6 PM. We have a lot of Aoudad. I waited until 7:45 PM and then decided to walk to the very back of the canyon to see if I could see any other Aoudads or maybe run across some Axis or Hogs. I didn't find anything, but it was an incredibly beautiful walk. I eventually turn around and make my way out in the dark. I jump the same Axis again when I get near my buggy.

Tuesday

Mario and I get up around 5:15 AM. I need to get him up to the blind North of the cabin to Turkey hunt. We almost stayed in because of a very light rain, but decided to go ahead with the hunt. I dropped Mario off and then drove to Aoudad Canyon. This time I parked a little further in to shorten my walk over the wet rocks, plus the rain and wind offered some sound cover for the buggy. I manage to jump the same Axis buck again.

I got into position around 6:20 AM and waited. First visible light was around 6:45 AM and I noticed a lone Aoudad ram under the feeder patiently waiting for it to go off. At 7:00 AM the feeder went off, but the Aoudad barely touched the corn. Around 7:25 AM a ewe came in and they start to feed together. I guess he was waiting for his girlfriend to show up. I didn't know Aoudad were so polite. I decided to be polite as well and waited for the big Aoudad.

Around 7:45 AM a group of about five Aoudad showed up and started eating with the other two. I kept glassing the hill sides and ridges for the large Aoudad, but don't see him or any others. I had just put my binoculars down when I caught movement on the opposite side.... it was the large Aoudad! He was moving down the side of the hill, I assumed he was making his way towards the feeder. He stopped for a few seconds and looked at me, but not enough time for a shot.

As he came in closer, I confirmed he was the one I saw Saturday morning and took the long shot at in the evening. This would be much easier at 122 yards. Once he got settled down I slowly moved from behind a cedar tree to shoot. I raised my 300 Ultra Mag up, steadied it on his shoulder (an Aoudad's vitals are further forward than a deer, behind the shoulder would be a gut shot) and squeezed the trigger. It hit him, but it didn't knock him over. I've shot 500, 700, and 1,500 pound Africa antelopes at longer distances than this and put them on the ground! He spun around and started running on three legs! I chambered another round and got ready to shoot, but he crumpled over after running about 60 yards and disappeared down the side of the hill. I couldn't see whether he regained his balance or not so I quickly ran down to look for him. I found him a few yards from where he fell. The bullet had gone through both shoulders, the center of his heart, and his lungs. A perfect shot! I beg to differ with the African PHs that say the Blue Wildebeest is the toughest animal pound for pound on the planet!