Foiled by warm weather and high winds, our annual November trip to central Texas left us wanting more...so in mid-December, plans were made to return to my friend's family ranch outside of Abilene to sit by the fire some more, listen to the coyotes howl, reflect on the year, and oh yeah, hunt like crazy.

After a straight through 17 hour drive from Charlotte NC, we pulled into the ranch. Exhausted, but excited, we began to prep for the week. Unloading, readying vehicles, grocery shopping, and a short nap that left my face stuck to the pillow...

The weather looked to be perfect all week long - cold temperatures would prove to have the deer on the wheat fields. The moon was waning, and would be overhead through most if not all of our morning hunts. Like most of these trips, I wanted to stay off the trigger early in the hunt - surveying game, trying to get a feel for buck activity, and biding my time. Earlier in the year, we had seen some marginal deer that would need a pass for at least another year, plenty of does, and indications were that the hogs had finished off most of the acorns in the bayous and flats, and would be on the food sources strong

First off, those that know me well know that I overpack for local day trips, much less a week-long trip out-of-state. Combine that with the fact we had a Suburban to haul all the gear out there...I was "armed to the gills". High on the priority list for the week was to get the Apache Machine XP broken in properly. Shooting under a half-inch at 100 yards, the XP needed some targets of opportunity. Another gun that needed action was my DMR-styled 6.5 Grendel...with all the talk of gun bans and sporting rifles, it needed a good workout as well. And there just happened to be another 7 guns along for the ride just in case...

The first evening had two hogs in the 50-60 pound range at 12 yards...hardly a test for the XP, so I let them walk. Maybe it was the first night reservation, maybe it was the the fact we had some first time hunters coming in (my friends' 7-year old would be along for the trip shortly, as well as another friends' wife that wanted to take her first game animal), or maybe I was going to be nice to the hogs this trip...nah. Alas, no trigger time, no blood drawn...but I did notice that ducks were pouring into the bayou right at dark. Hmmm, perhaps a little all sports day?

The next day proved to be game rich - I saw plenty of deer in the AM, including a couple of small bucks. But no big fellas. The evening had me posted on a field that has been my "white whale" over the past several years...the first year had me hammer-back on a giant 8 that got spooked out of the field by a neighboring farmer (perhaps not accidentally). Last year I had a bruiser of a deer stand up on his hind legs to make a scrape off property, walk to the fenceline to follow the does (Come on, come on, come on already) and then walk down the fenceline only to jump in at 463 yards. High winds made it a no-go...would this year be different? As dusk came on and deer poured into the field, once again, I saw a good deer from this stand - and once again, he was off-property and chasing does in the mesquite flat. Next time.

The next morning broke cold and clear, with a strong wind out of the North. Stalking into the wind in the pre-dawn, I though I heard hogs up the bayou...hmmm. My morning sit consisted of two coyotes that crossed the field without a pause, and watching ducks wing their way back and forth to the water sources. Mid-morning, my friend and I decided to stalk up the brushy draw that bordered the creek to see where the hogs and deer were crossing. Pistols were abandoned, and Grendel in hand, we eased North into the wind. About 300 yards up the draw, we had the "covey rise". The sounder of approximately 20 pigs was bedded down in the high, cold wind...they scattered at about 75 yards and stopped to pause, and the biggest I could find took a 123 gr A-Max in the "night-night spot" just below the ear. The rest of the sounder broke out into the 50 acre open wheat field...big mistake. At 200 yards, once the sounder had cleared the cows and farm equipment (Know your background), my buddy rolled the biggest sow in the bunch with his Aimpoint-topped Bushmaster. The two biggest sows down - and with "modern sporting rifles", no less!

Pardon the gore, but she was a bleeder.



After dressing the hogs and cleaning up back at the ranch, we decided to do a little "jump shooting" ducks off the cattle tanks. A couple of drive-by's had located several tanks that were holding a variety of ducks midday...this one tank was particularly successful, with 7 ducks coming off one stalk. 1 drake widgeon, 5 gadwalls and a scaup rounded out this bag...



The afternoon hunt was not nearly as active - no deer within range, but a BUNCH of deer seen hitting the wheat fields at distance through the spotting scope.

The following morning had me playing guide for my friends' 7-year old son. His father had come down with a stomach virus (that quite literally ripped through the camp - yuck), so I agreed to take him hunting that AM. We had nearly non-stop action that morning, including a sounder of 25 pigs that crossed a fenceline down below us in the canyon and almost escaped without a shot being fired. No blood drawn, but it was a great learning experience for him and would prove to be detrimental for that sounder soon enough

For the evening hunt, I had the privilege of taking my friends' wife out for her first harvest. My buddy stayed back at the ranch with the 3-year old, while their 5-year old son accompanied us. Fortunately, he was pre-occupied with fruit snacks and the iPad while his Mom and I watched deer pass by at close range. At first she didn't want to shoot, then she wanted them to come back! Finally, just before dark we had a doe with a broken back leg come into range. With the coyote population on the ranch, it was an easy decision for both of us - she harvested her first deer! When asked about the best part of the hunt, it was fruit snack first (they are delicious), iPad second, and oh yeah, Mommy is the best hunter ever! I was honored to be able to introduce her to the part of the hunt that distinguishes the hunter from the observer, and a passion that she will be able to enjoy with her family for years to come.

BTW - In addition to the deer taken that evening, a giant boar was taken with an integrally suppressed 308 - with nearly 18" of baffle and sound suppression, it makes my Canned Whisper sound like a cannon! 175 gr subsonic load. Bullet entered behind the shoulder and broke the offside shoulder. Pop, thwack, boar ran 40 yards, stood up on his back legs and tipped over. Unbelievable how quiet it is...

The next morning had me back in the blind where I had guided the morning before. I had 2 small hogs come in early, and was watching a group of does feeding in a mesquite flat approximately 300 yards out. The XP pistol was calling to me, when I noticed a MUCH larger shape come in where the smaller pigs had been. A big sow...only one problem. My Walker Game Ears had been loaned out the night before when my Grendel was used to take her first deer, and I couldn't find my spare plugs anywhere (turns out they were in my other hunting pack - did I mention I carry too much stuff?). One thing was for sure, I was not going to shoot the Holland-braked 6.5 without ear pro...shooting out of those metal towers with a braked gun is like setting off small ordinance. AH HA - toilet paper! I quickly fashioned some ear plugs out of the tp, stuffed them in, and got on the pig...safety off, but wait...do I want to take this pig as my first game animal with the XP, or a doe at distance? And indecision came to bite me in the rear. As I went back and forth, the pig worked her way behind some brush - she'll come back out right? Safety back on. Nope, disappeared in a draw and gone. So I spend the next 5 minutes on the binos trying to find her...how does a 200 pound sow vanish? Then my attention turns back out the other window to the does - still there...and then back to the sow...still not there. And then back to the does - and catch movement in the draw below me. The sounder of 25 pigs was back! Crossing from R to L - the XP out that window, find a big beautiful spotted boar in the scope, safety off, squeeze the trigger, PIG DOWN. The 130 gr Accubond took him through both shoulders and dropped him on the spot at 94 yards. Shooting out of the towers with the brake, it sounds like you have taken a Louisville Slugger to the side of an aluminum barn - needless to say, everything on my side of the county took off. Except this boar

The evening hunt was exciting for the group as my friend recovered from his virus and was able to take his son afield for his first deer - a big healthy doe with his Santa-delivered Remington 243! While dressing deer and cleaning up that evening, the weather forecast revealed a potential surprise for central Texas...a snow hunt the next morning

For all you guys out West or up North, I'm sure this is commonplace. But for us hunters growing up in the Carolinas, snow during deer season is a rare occurrence. And waking up to 3 inches of fresh snow in central Texas...a real treat.

That morning, I decided to hunt a stand that we had rarely hunted. The rear of the stand looked out over a large flat with canyons running parallel to the stand, while the front looked over a draw that terminated in a cattle tank. Most of the morning deer had been seen coming off nightly feeding in the wheat fields, so I figured this would be a good transitional stand to catch deer on their way back to the mesquite flats. The hike into the stand was beautiful that morning - quiet, the way a snowy morning can be be, save for the sound of my footfalls. The snow on the ground casting an eerie glow and illuminating everything before dawn...and the coyotes. Normally invisible slipping through the tall grass, they were mousing and bounding everywhere. I counted 4 different 'yotes on the walk in, and had to show great restraint to unleash the XP. You see, my host loves to predator hunt, and this morning could shape up to be special...





Slipping up to the stand at the head of the draw, I see another coyote standing at attention in the bottom of the draw. I thought at first that he had me spotted, but I quickly saw what had his attention...backpack off, muffs on, ranged at 202, XP rested, and sent the second Accubond of the trip at a nice boar! At the shot, he went down, got up, spun around, ran a short ways and disappeared. In retrospect, down...



The Accubond performed very well, punching through both shoulders and exiting, anchoring the big fella within yards. This isn't the biggest pig we've taken out here, but he has some of the best hardware. I don't know if it's the rocky terrain, but the cutters tend to not be too spectacular on average. After the stalk in, the rest of the sit was rather anti-climactic. Saw more coyotes, no deer seen, watched the snow start to melt, my host had to go back to to the ranch for Daddy duty (trip to the Urgent care, so no varmint hunting), I had to load that beast on the trailer by myself (not as young and strong as I used to be)...here's a pic that better shows his size in perspective.



With cooler loaded down with hog meat, it was time to focus on the deer population. To keep it brief, the evil black (actually green) gun accounted for two more deer, shooting the 123 gr A-max out of the Grendel. One deer was high-shouldered with no exit (DRT) at 190 yards with the other taken just over 200 through the lungs and a 65 yard sprint before cartwheeling. Very soft bullet...Might transition to the 129 gr SST, 120 gr BT or go lighter with the Barnes out of the brass chucker.



The last evening of the trip had me carrying one of my favorites, my FA M97 .41 Mag, topped with a 4X Leupold in the Lovell mount for the short range work, along with the XP. My dilemma between a long range shot with the XP and a wheelgun deer was solved by the local cow population just at prime time, as they pushed every deer on my wheat field out of the field...and then left themselves. Stupid bovines. Fortunately a couple deer showed up just before quitting time, and one made the cooler ride back to the Carolinas.

80 yards with the .41 - high shoulder with 210 gr Speer GDHP. Dropped on the spot and required a finisher.





All in all a great trip - great hunts, great friends, a couple of firsts, and wonderful memories...

I am overwhelmed with ENVY right now. Good job!!!!!!

Very very noce hunt and write up. Glad ya got to hunt during our lil snow out here. Great shooting and congrats

Dur, it looks like yall had a great trip!! I hope your next hunt will be as much fun as your last.

Great trip and write-up, it's nice to read about the trip in chronological order. It helped me sort all the texts/pictures out! Congratulations SCH!

Nice work. How did the Gold dot work out for ya?

GS

Thanks guys!

David - I'll have trouble beating this one.

DH - As you can see, it woulda been tough texting all those details. With end of year workload, I stayed on the iPhone enough as it was!

Glenn - the Gold Dot worked perfectly! In fact, the bang-clang I heard after I squeezed the trigger made me think that the nanny had armor-plating...in retrospect, it was the bullet sailing through and hitting the cattle gate 10 yards beyond the doe!

HA, that's funny, bet it was a funny sound to hear after the shot. Good thing she didn't run off, you'd have thought you missed at first

I really like the gold dot. The 270 in the 44 always worked well. Still have a small supply of them......pulled some out just a few days ago to load up for the ol' 10" 44

Good shooting bud! Still think its cool you found a pig to match your XP!

Great trip, and lots of good eats.

Dur, have I EVER told you how much I love that XP of yours? By the way, should have stopped by on your way back thru--we had one helluva RollTide party going on!
Congrats on your hunt and Happy New Year!

Is that a scarf you are wearing???

Ha Ha! Guess I need to find a green pig!

Yes Dan - it's a death scarf

After catching the mid-Texas-itis after multiple trips out there, ingesting 7 lbs of dust per trip in the ever-present wind, I adopted the US troops use of the shemagh. Warmer than a facemask and keeps the dust of the lungs. And terribly fashionable.

KF - we came through Western Alabama around 8 PM on Sunday...rolled into Charlotte just before 4AM Monday. Did I mention how amped I am to fly out next time? But I did stay up to watch the Tide display the dominance Monday evening...

Tuesday was a rough day. I'm gettting too old for these championships (VBG).

Dur, Your the best dressed handgun hunter I know....Give `em HELL

Those scarves quickly become like Linus' blanket was to him once you get used to wearing one. I won't head out without one. I have like 5 of 'em.

Called 'shemaghs'.

EDIT- Muh bad, see where SC already addressed the name. Anyway, you guys get one and you'll never leave home without it . Scarf and dust mask, keeps the sun from scorching your melon , field expedient face cover...highly recommend 'em.