THIS DEER SEASON (2018-2019) I HAVE HAD ACCESS TO A 2,250 ACRE, HIGH FENCED, SOUTH TEXAS DEER LEASE. WITH SWEAT EQUITY (FILLING FEEDER/DOING CHORES) AND PITHCING IN ON THE HIGH PROTEIN AND CORN FEED BILLS, I WAS ENTITLED TO TAKE 1 CULL BUCK. THIS LEASE IS PART OF A LARGER ALMOST 7,000 ACRE RANCH CONSISTING OF THE LEASE (2,250 ACRES), THE MAIN RANCH OF 3,200 ACRES, AND THE RESERVE OF 1,500 ACRES. ALL 3 SECTIONS ARE CONTIGUOUS AND EACH ONE IS SEPARATELY HIGH FENCED. THE LEASE HAS BEEN BADLY OVERGRAZED BY THE GRAZING RIGHTS LESSEE AND THE OWNER IS TRYING TO GET RID OF HIM, BUT MEANWHILE THE LEASE'S DEER HERD HAS SUFFERED. TO MAKE UP THE OWNER GAVE ACCESS TO THE REST OF THE RANCH FOR A MATURE BUCK (PREFERABLY A CULL) AND A DOE. THEY DO NOT HAVE AS GOOD A CORN SPIN FEEDER PROGRAM GOING ON THE REST OF THE RANCH AS WE DO ON THE LEASE, SO HUNTING THE MAIN RANCH AND THE RESERVE CAN BE HIT AND MISS.
I HAVE BEEN SPLITTING BLIND TIME BETWEEN THE LEASE AND THE REST OF THE RANCH. ON THE LEASE I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REALLY NICE DEER, INCLUDING SOME REAL TROPHIES, BUT NOT ANY OF THE REMAINING 4 OF 6 DEER THAT ARE ON THE HIT LIST. AT THE MAIN RANCH ME AND MY BUDDY DIDN'T SEE MUCH SO WE STARTED WORKING ON THE RESERVE, WHERE SOME BRUISER OLD CULLS WERE ON THE HIT LIST. IT WAS SLOW AT THE RESERVE UNTIL LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON (2/9/19) WHEN AT AROUND 6 P.M. A 9 POINTER JOINED A YOUNG 8 AND A NUB SPIKE AT THE FEEDER. THIS GUY LOOKED MATURE, AND AS IT TURNED OUT HE WAS ON THE CULL LIST, AND I DECIDED TO TAKE HIM. I WAS USING A FA 12 INCH 454 LOADED WITH SWIFT 265gr AFRAMES AT AN ESTIMATED 2,000fps. I HAD MY SCOPE SET ON 4X, HAD A GOOD REST OFF OF SANDBAGS ON THE BLIND WINDOW, AND ONLY HAD A MODERATE CASE OF "BUCK FEVER". HE WAS BROADSIDE RIGHT AT 100 YARDS. AT THE SHOT THE BUCK WHEELBARROWED OFF INTO THE BRUSH. I FIGURED I HAD DRILLED HIM THRU THE SHOULDERS AND DID NOT EXPECT HIM TO GO FAR. SINCE THERE WAS ONLY 10 - 15 MINUTES OF LIGHT LEFT I DECIDED TO GET AFTER HIM ASAP, ONLY TAKING TIME TO TEXT MY BUDDY TO COME OVER AND TO CALL AND GET A COUPLE OF RANCH HANDS OVER TO HELP. IN THIS BRUSH COUNTRY YOU CANNOT LEAVE THEM LONG, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, AS BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOU WILL HAVE WELL FED COYOTES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I WENT OVER TO THE HIT SPOT AND FOUND A LOT OF HAIR BUT NO BLOOD. THE TRAIL WAS EASY TO PICK UP AND FOLLOW AS HE WAS BURROWING THRU THE TALL GRASS/SOFT SAND, BUT HE KEPT GOING AND GOING, I WUD PICK UP SOME BLOOD SIGN AND SOME LAY DOWN SIGN BUT NO DEER. THE RANCH HANDS SHOWED UP AND WHILE I KEPT ON THE TRAIL I HAD THEM GO IN FRONT OF ME AND 1 OF THEM JUMPED THE DEER AND THE CHASE WAS ON. YOU COULD SEE THAT HE WAS HURT BAD. I FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM AS HE STOOD IN A SMALL MOTT. ALL I HAD WAS A SHOT FROM THE REAR, AND AT LAST LIGHT I TOOK IT WITH MY RUGER BOWEN PERFECTED 45 COLT BISLEY, LOADED WITH 250gr OTBC FPRN BULLET AT 1,300fps + AND DOWN HE WENT MAKING A DEATH BELLOW. ANOTHER SHOT THRU THE NECK AND IT WAS RECOVERY TIME.
HE WAS A 6 1/2 YEAR OLD 9 POINTER, 16 INCH INSIDE SPREAD, LIVE WEIGHT 150lb, WITH NO FAT. BACK IN NOVEMBER HE WAS PROBABLY AT LEAST 180lbs. A GOOD BUCK TO TAKE OUT.
I THOUGHT I HAD HIT THE LEFT LEG GOING IN AND THAT THE BULLET HAD GONE THRU THE LOWER CHEST BEFORE BREAKING THE OFF LEG, BUT THE BODY CAVITY DAMAGE WAS FROM FLYING BONE FROM THE LEFT LEG. THE SWIFT HIT AND BROKE THE LEFT LEG AND THEN DEMOLISHED THE RIGHT LEG, WHERE IT WAS RECOVERED. THE RECOVERED WEIGHT WAS 273grs, AND IT WAS MUSHROOMED RIGHT DOWN TO THE AFRAME. EVEN AT 100 YARDS THAT BULLET MUST HAVE STILL BEEN HAULING ASS. THE NECK BULLET WENT THRU, WHILE THE FROM THE REAR BULLET TOOK OUT HIS NUTS AND BROKE BACKBONE JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TENDERS. TRY AS I COULD I WAS UNABLE TO FIND THAT LEAD BULLET.
DO NOT KNOW WHY I SHOT A LITTLE LOW, MAYBE I AM NOT PERFECTLY DIALED IN, LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, SHOOTER ERROR, WHO KNOWS, BUT ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL.
