NM Mule Deer Season Complete

I made 2 trips to NM this past month for muley's and am headed back tomorrow to try and fill my cow elk tag.

The midget only had a day and a morning before he had to get back to Texas for school. We found this buck Sunday monring right before they had to leave. After a 1 shot kill, we had the buck gutted, skinned and quartered and they were on the road again. I saw a ton of aoudad but mostly small muley bucks.



Went back for the second season with my cousin's group from Exxon. 4 out of the 7 guys killed but nothing of any size. Here we are celebrating after picking up a couple of the deer.



That's all I have for now, hope to have some pictures next week of a dead elk. After that it will be time to try and find a good whitetail buck.

More Hogs Hit The Dirt

Went out to the ranch last weekend and the hog killing continued. Snuck up to the feeder now called the Hog Hotel. You know............... they check in but don't check out. Anyway, when I got about a 100 yards out I could see the big boar pictured below eating by himself. Got to break in my new 7 mag in a big way. One 180 grain in the shoulder and he dropped instantly.





That evening I was sitting in a lawn chair behind a bush overlooking a food plot. I had heard the hogs quite a ways behind me for an hour or two and they finally decided to come in - right on top of me!! I could hear them so I got out of my chair and a couple came out where I could see them. I shot the hog below in the head at 7 steps. He was torched instantly.



While I was getting attacked by the hogs Zane put the smack on this 8 point.



Heading out to NM on Friday for mule deer season. Stay tuned........

TEXAS MASSACRE

I went to the ranch this weekend with the rest of our hunting posse for opening week of deer season but it actually turned into a hog slaughter. I busted three boars on Saturday and Brian put the hurt on another boar Sunday morning. All from the same feeder! Here are the money shots:

2010 Bull Elk - Back from the taxidermist

We went to the ranch this weekend and did some fishing/goofing off. On Saturday, I ran into town and picked up my bull elk from last year. Here is what he looks like:



I had to let my jackals chew on the kill a little:

Our new kitty cat.......sort of

I picked up my bobcat from the taxidermist a few weeks ago and as you can see the twins loved it. They are ready to go shoot one of their own now! As usual, Sam at Cedar Creek Taxidermy did the work for me. http://www.cedarcreektaxidermy.com/

My elk from last year should be ready in a week or two so check back soon for pics.

Cow Tag Drawn

The NM elk lotto was posted today and for the third year in a row I have drawn an elk tag. This time I drew a late season cow tag for the same unit I have killed a bull in the last two years. I am still waiting to see if my dad got anything or not, should know later today.

The Off Season

Not too much has been happening as it is the off season for hunting right now, which really sucks. I am put in for the NM elk draw and will find out the results in early June. My 2010 bull elk should be back from the taxidermist in the next month or two. I will post pictures when I get it. My rifle is off at the gunsmith being customized with a new barrel turning it from a 300 Win Mag into a 7 Mag. I am hoping that will be done in the next month or two as well. There might be a few ranch trips for some fishing/hog killing this summer but not much else. That's all I have got for now.

Turkey Season Is Here

Turkey season opens on Saturday so myself and the rest of the gang are headed to the ranch on Friday. Turkey hunting in the morning, fishing after that followed by hog hunting in the evening - Can't wait!!

More Marranos Muertos

Went deer hunting on Saturday. Doug and I walked up to the stand we were going to sit in for the evening hunt called "Squat Shot Canyon" and at the bottom of the hill under the feeder there were already seven hogs eating - at that point is when we brought hell to their doorstep. I dumped the big sow seen below and Doug whacked the other big one standing next to her.

2nd Rifle Season for Mule Deer in NM - updated

Here are a few pictures I took while guiding at our place in NM this past week.

One Trophy And One Tard

This weekend I went to the ranch with Brian, Bryce and Zane. Brian shot this tard Saturday morning. He gave it a 180 grain pill to the neck with his 7 mag. The next buck to bite the dust was at the hands of Bryce on Sunday evening. Another 180 grain meat missle out of his 7 made for the second buck on the ground in as many days.

I am leaving on Friday to go to New Mexico to guide our group from Exxon Mobile coming to the ranch. We have 9 hunters so it should be a busy five days. Should have some pictures around Thanksgiving.

Big 6X6 Bull Down!!!

Well, I just got back a few days ago from last weeks elk hunt in NM. I have been fortunate enough to draw and fill a bull tag for the last two years in a row. I had been in the area where I killed my bull for the three days before the season began and we were covered up in bulls every morning and evening. It was a fantastic hunt.

Here is what went down:

The first morning, when we got to the top of the trail about 4 miles in, we heard a bull bugling and immediately went after him a few hills away. When we got to where we heard him, we spotted a bunch of cows going up into the timber with the bull trailing them. I got down on the shooting sticks and got ready, the bull was at 202 yards. At first I thought he was a small 5 point because I could only see the tops of his antlers. Then he came into an opening where I could see he was a heavy 6X6 and I knew I was going to kill this bull. The first bullet him right behind the shoulder and he ran about 5 yards, stopped and BOOM one more in the shoulder. He went about 25 yards and tipped over. After I shot twice, we still had bulls bugling around us and had 4 more spotted when we got up to my bull. The rest of the day was spent quartering and caping the bull and giving high five's. He is going to score right at 310 inches.

Here I am with Daisy, Little Joe and Casper, got them loaded up with elk and about to head down the mountain.

ranch trip

I got to escape to the ranch this weekend. Saw a few hogs but couldn't get a shot on them because they were in a dead sprint. I also practiced shooting for my upcoming elk hunt in a few weeks. Below is a picture I took in Runaway Bay on the way to the ranch. Pretty redneck.

Deer Pics

Bryce got these first two off of one of the trail cams set up at a feeder at the ranch.

John Begnaud(aka Yolanda), that hunts at our ranch in NM, sent me this one a few days ago. He is a monster!


Bow season starts in two weeks and then I will be heading to NM two weeks after that to chase some elk around the mountains. It's official, hunting season is finally here!

Bull What?

Yes, I have pulled off the impossible! I drew myself another bull tag for this upcoming elk season in the same unit I killed my bull last year. Also, I will be going for the first rifle season just like last year. My dad, unfortunately, didn't even draw a cow tag. This is his fourth year in a row to come up empty.

5 days until the elk drawing

I will know next Wednesday if I drew an elk tag for the upcoming season. You get three choices and mine were for: the first rifle season bull, second rifle season bull and first rifle season cow all in the unit I hunted last year. My dad and I both put in for the same thing so hopefully one of us will get lucky and draw out.

Ranch Trip

Brian, Bryce, Zane and myself all went to the ranch this weekend. There is not a whole lot to report, we shot atthe range a little bit and mainly just kicked back and took it easy. Here are a few pics from shooting.

Scouting for Elk

I was in NM this past weekend scouting and shed hunting. I saw over 20 elk the first morning with several of them being bulls and found two new places to hunt elk in the unit. I snapped this picture right before it started snowing on me.

Marranos Muertos Part II

I went to the ranch this weekend with Bryce, Zane and Brian. I got there before those guys on Friday about an hour before dark. Since I had a little time to kill to I went to my favorite blind we call "squat shot canyon." I parked my truck about a 150 yards away and snuck up to the top of the canyon overlooking the feeder and to my surprise the porker in the picture below was right under the feeder eating corn. I got a good rest and let him have it. The bullet whacked him right behind the shoulder and he took off running. He went about 150 yards and tipped over.

The next morning we got after the turkeys pretty good but just couldn't get one to come into range. The were gobbling all around us but that's how it goes. We did do some fishing in the afternoon catching well over 20 and then went to the river a shot some turtles and aligator gar for a few hours.

BBD!! Big Bobcat Down And Some Helicopter Hunting

We all had an awesome time at the ranch this weekend. I shot a monster bobcat! Brian, Bryce and myself all took turns in the helicopter shooting pigs and we killed a BUNCH of them too. We also did a little bit of spotlighting, shooting some rabbits and a skunk.

Marranos Muertos

It's time to break out the shotgun and hop in the copter. This coming weekend we are taking up the helicopter for a deer count and mainly to thin the hog population out. Between myself and Bryce, we are going to unleash a firestorm of gunpowder and lead on those porkers, coyotes ect. Check back next week, I should have some pictures of everything.

No Aoudad This Year

I hunted for two and a half days seeing 25 aoudad at our place in New Mexico this past week. I had some really good stalks on a few groups but could not find one that was big enough to shoot. I had several shooting opportunities on 20 - 23 inch rams but was looking for 26+. I guess they are safe for another year.

Brian and Amy are moving back from Mexico in a few weeks so we will probably have a ranch trip to shoot some coyotes and catch some fish.

Doe Hunt

Our doe hunt was a success! We took 6 does in two days. I shot one in the neck with my Sako at 100 yards. She was dead before she hit the ground. It was a good way to close out deer season for another year. I am heading back to NM next month to go chase Aoudads around our place and maybe put a bullet or two in one of them. Stay tuned.

The Midget Strikes Again

A few of us went whitetail hunting this past weekend. Zane put the smack down on this eight point Friday evening when he came out to feed. After a short tracking job it was time to celebrate. I saw a REALLY nice nine point both Saturday morning and Saturday evening but he was just too young to feed some lead to. Next year he is toast! I also saw a really heavy eight pointer that came out Saturday morning but he had his G3 point busted off at the base so I let him walk.

2nd Rifle Season for Mule Deer in NM

We did pretty good on the 2nd rifle season with my cousin's group in NM. We had six hunters with three of them taking bucks. Out of the other three, one hunters missed a REALLY nice ten point, another missed two shooter bucks and the last passed up a really nice nine point the first night only to go home eating tag soup.

The first two pictures below are of Bob's really nice buck. He was super heavy and required and grand total of nine shots to put him down. He started running from Bob and my cousin C2 about 325 yards away down a canyon and that's when WWIII started. When all the smoke cleared Bob had his buck. The very bottom picture is of Paul's nice eight point. Paul is on the right with his brother John(Buster) pictured on the left. Paul shot it in the very back corner of our steepest pasture. Paul and I had a hell of a time getting it out of there on a four-wheeler but it was well worth it.

Back to NM this Friday

I am headed back to NM on Friday to help guide the Exxon guys at our place. I should have some pics up around Thanksgiving so check back then. Also, we went hunting this week here in TX at the ranch for whitetail but we all pretty much just saw some nice eight's and nine's(nothing special). Not much was coming out to feed except right before dark. Next time out it should be a lot colder and we will probably put a few on the ground.

Muley Hunting in NM

This past weeks mule deer hunt in New Mexico was a success!! Bryce's son, Zane and my dad both had deer tags for our ranch and they made good use of them. Zane shot his buck the first evening at 550 yards. He dropped the buck with one shot. Pretty dang good for a seven year old! The next evening my dad dusted this nice ten point a little over 300 hundred yards away. Yes, it's true........when it comes to mule deer hunting we don't mess around. I am leaving today to go whitetail hunting at Bryce's for the weekend and then back to NM next Friday to help guide my cousins crew from Houston.