Finally a WT buck for the bowhunter

Someday, I'll be posting about my Aoudad successes, but today it's all about an 8pt WT. I've been sitting back in Aoudad Canyon on the last few trips to Hackberry. I know for sure there's a herd of Aoudads that come through there.

On Saturday morning, the fog was heavy. I was in the invisi-blind which is now tucked inside the clump of cedars about 30 yards from the feeder. Before it was light enough to see without glasses, this buck came into feed. I had never seen a WT buck at this feeder before. As I convinced myself to not let this deer go, it got spooked by soemthing and took off.

About 30 minutes later he was back. Since I had not heard any Aoudad footsteps on the rocks or cliffs and since I was not sure if I was going to get another chance at a WT this year, I decided to shoot. He gave me a broadside shot at 25 yards. After buckling immediately, he fell into the draw about 20 yards from the spot I hit him.

I estimated 4 1/2 years while Darryl said 4 years. Is that close enough? In any case, it's my first buck bowkill. Brett's way ahead of me.

I Stand Corrected!

Contrary to my previous post, there are good representative trophies of Corsican sheep on the ranch! At least one!

I was filling and checking feeders Friday morning around 11:30 am and was driving from the Doghouse to the Cave Blind. About one third of the way down the steep hill to the Cave Blind, a herd of Corsican crossed the road about 80 yards in front of me. I have seen this herd many, many times in this area - all females. However, I looked closer and saw horns and realized a ram was in the herd. I quickly glassed him (a good reason to always wear binoculars on the ranch) and realized he was a good trophy.

My buggy was on a steep slope and thanks to a previous (and last) use of it by Bill, the parking brake was broken. I placed my right foot on the brake and stood up and reached back for my rifle. While I was chambering a round, the herd starting running. I brought the rifle up just in time to see the ram pause for a second or so to look back before he went into the brush - BANG! He was on the ground. From when I saw them until now, about 7 seconds.

Brad gets his buck

This past weekend proved to be a good hunting. We got to camp on Friday evening, too late to get to the blinds. Instead we had a nice evening talking with Brian and Amanda. Brad White and Mike Stauffacher came as guests of me. Saturday morning began with a doe taken by Brian at the Photo Blind. He saw a few bucks, but could not get the right one at the right spot for a shot.

I got busted in Aoudad Canyon after seeing a herd of them approaching but never getting to the feeder. I had heard that Bill and Ron set up a ground blind, but when I got there, the blind was turned over on its roof so I snuck in a hole in the trees next to it. After I got busted, I managed to get the blind into the natural hole in the trees. You'll see the blind if you walk up the road to the feeder. It's 35 yards from the feeder.

Brad saw an 8pt at #3 that morning chasing a doe. The rut is on.

On Saturday evening, I sat in the wood blind (the ground blind) and didn't see anything. Brad and Mike hunted together at the double feeder and saw a spike and a couple of does. Brian hunted the far north feeder and ended up shooting a mature 8 pt that we estimated to be 6 years old.

The fog rolled on Sunday morning. I didn't see a thing in Aoudad canyon. A couple of axis does were feeding at Darryl's feeder halfway back in Aoudad canyon. Brad on the other hand had all the action at #3. He ended up shooting this nice 3x3 Sika. It came in early, fed, and actually bedded down for a while. Once he moved, Brad dropped him on the spot with his 243.

I'll be beack next weekend still on the hunt for that elusive Aoudad.

Brett got his buck

After the frustrating hunt for the seven point at the photo blind, Brett finally got to bring home a buck from Hackberry. It was an evening hunt. Brett's first venture was down to the spring blind. When he got there, however, he was disappointed with the double bull location. Not only was it a little close to the action, it is set up on a downslope and was very uncomfortable to sit in for a long time. Instead of putting up with that situation, he left and headed back to the bunkhouse with the truck. It was after the feeders went off when he snuck into the photo blind, hoping to see the eight pointer he had seen earlier that morning.

There were deer already feeding in front of the blind when he got there. In a addition to the small bucks, the doe, and the axis doe, he saw a nice axis buck come in. Brett hasn't seen enough axis to make a call as to whether or not to take it. He was just about to give up on the hunt when the wide eight came in. The buck eventually ventured towards the blind and ended up giving Brett a 25 yard broad side shot. Brett pulled back on his Bowtech Allegiance. He steadied and released. He knew he'd hit it.

Having had a bad experience a week before, see comments, he knew not to push the deer. He exited the blind and went back to camp to wait for me and for more time before we tracked. We had a great dinner of axis rump steak and wild pig loin. Thank you Darryl. It occupied about an hour and a half. Time to track. We found the blood trail and started following it towards the dump. He wandered through the cedars. We were nervous about stirring him up if he was not dead yet. On our right, we heard a deer trot off. Now we were very worried. I recommended to go back to camp to wait for morning. We followed the blood about 20 feet further when Brett turned around and saw his buck dead and laying under a cedar.

He's now at Game Tracks in Oak Hill waiting for Terry to mount. 19 inches inside spread. Way to go Brett.

Here's the 7 point that got away from us.