LIVE EXOTIC HUNT AT BAR-E-RANCH, HONDO, TX

(SUNDAY-DAY ONE – 26^th of May 2002)  -- With Victor C. Scarinzi Anacoco La,

 My first day I arrived about 11am exhausted from drive by myself and work done prior week preparing to come on this trip. After settling in I met with Mr. James Elkin, the owner, to ride around the ranch to check hunting situation out, and within minutes we saw a couple of groups of Aoudads with 5 of them being very good ones which woke me up and got my blood pumping. Aoudad is what I wanted the most and since they were moving well, Mr. Elkin said to go ahead and hunt the remainder of the day with no extra charge if I want. Came back to camp house around 1 p.m., changed clothes, got my bow around. During the trip I was using a postal service type jeep that ranch provided for transportation.

            It done got to be about 90 degrees plus and was gonna be full moon that night still slightly on increase so I suspected about half of the animals would be laid up, and I was right. First thing right off the bat I found Aoudad feeding along side a sonora so I circled around to get ahead of them and nestled up under a couple of live oaks on my knees waiting for them to appear. And they did, but it was more than I saw feeding first time. I got a shot but clearly under the shot animal, I think because I was down on my knees and it made it harder to judge the distance. Here’s where a range finder would have been nice to have to range a few spots prior to their being there. After a couple short stalks I spotted a few good Fallow deer but no luck getting close enough before I was spotted. Later again I spotted 3 more animals cut off road ahead of me but were walking away from me so I got ahead of where I estimated they might come out. They came out, alright, too close - about 5 yards away - and one was a good Mouflon Ram. I took a shot but did not aim low enough for the close shot with arrow going over his back. After a few more encounters and not getting a shot I dragged myself back to cabin where I realized that with a bath and some fresh clothes would I make it back out for late hunt.

That night I climbed on a tripod stand that I moved back into brush, then trimmed few limbs back with my machete. About 30 minutes passed before I was wrapped up with Whitetail deer. Another half an hour 2 young Black Buck Antelopes came out and stayed almost an hour before I let the arrow fly making a clean kill at about 35 yards. This I regretted later having the chance to take a few much bigger. Usually it’s not like me try to kill right off the bat on trip. After coming down I found my kill and moved out to the road with still enough time to hunt awhile, about 15 minutes, 5 White Texas Dahl Sheep came out. So after about 20 more minutes watching all those eyes watching me so I could get shot, finally biggest one broke away from pack coming about 10 yards giving me a hit. He managed to run 60 are so yards till his death.

Also this evening I Saw about a 6 foot snake chase a mouse down the road though it was not a Rattle snake. Then a big Tarantula spider right behind him. Then right at last moment of daylight I had an Axis and white tail deer come right under my stand. I had to run them off to leave.

(DAY-TWO)

Started out about 5:30 am spreading corn in all directions of my stand that is provided by ranch with electric feeder mounted on front jeep. First thing showed up was Armadillo, then bird that looks a lot like an eagle thou I don’t remember what you call them. Then 10 or so humming birds fluttering about on flowers near my stand. Moment later Turkeys started gobbling in three directions back and fourth. A young yearling deer appeared. By now 40 minutes had passed when I heard something eating corn by other tree near me.  Looking through open spots in tree limbs I was hoping it was Aoudads - sure enough it was about 9 or so.  I picked one with best cape and biggest horns to match and at 20 yards let the arrow fly hitting him all the way through shoulder.  I could see arrow lying on ground soaked with blood. All other Aoudads left out with hooves pounding ground up road sounding like horses in a parade. I was happy cause this animal I had hoped for most on trip, and after about 30 minutes I found him lying under some cactus and cedar mixed. Trailing him was fairly difficult due to several red flowers. That afternoon I got a shot at a monster Axis buck but made a clean miss cause I found arrow with not a speck of blood or hair on it. Thought he killed himself while running away and hitting tree hard enough, it sounded like someone hit a peace tin with a sledgehammer. Then I headed off a big trophy Blackbuck at about 20 yards but let him walk. By now it was 1 P.M. so I went to soak up some  AC and camp with a clean cold shower for about 1 hour.  Then about 5 PM I got back on stand and saw 6 Aoudads, one small Black buck and a lot of small game. Did not get dark till around 8:45 P.M.

(DAY-THREE)

 Awoke 5 am, had some coffee and a poptart realizing I need to set more today cause my legs was starting to ache from walking and stalking. There were very high winds today with storm clouds trying to move in. Lightning was beautiful in background. So far haven’t gotten one tick on me nor had the animals had any as well. Morning hunt was good. As soon as I could see I saw everything it seemed like. Then I saw good horns and it was an Axis and I could have taken him ‘but just seen to many bigger ones and plenty of time left.’ While I was thinking for a moment that I might regret not trying to take this one knowing I had seen so many bigger ones, he moved away. Then I took it back cause soon a bigger one was moving through trees feeding, but never got close enough for shot with my bow.

This ended my morning hunt so I went on a little stalk and within about 5 yards from me a bore tore out his bed scaring the hell out me.  Glad he was running away from me and not at me – I’d had to clip him. But he cut a new trail through woods knowing that he’s the bad ass. Ha! Soon spotted some big Axis with several does and young bucks. Realizing this many eyes watching for danger I knew getting close in such an open area wound be slim to none. I got 50 yards when they spooked tearing out like a cat throwed in a pan full of pitbull dogs. It’s a real deal hunting exotics - here you have to hunt. Went back to cabin where AC knocked my eyes out as soon as I came in. Then I got up, went caped heads out I already got. Decided to go into town for famous Dairy Queen burger and Ice Cream.

Washed my clothes and went back to hunt with them half-dry, could not wait.

Evening hunt looked as if it was gonna be good. On my way down 2 Black bucks were trotting up the road towards me so I hid behind some bushes and when one of them with a lot of black came into range, I slung an arrow making a bad shot trying to make a moving shot. When he ran by I could see fletching sticking out his gut. Was feeling sick and pissed at myself.  Finding very little blood and the red flowers again and  a hundred game trails in area, I spent few more hours trying to find him with no avail .  Had given up with severe depression set in.

(DAY-4)

Decided to get on stand a little later this morning hoping it will make me stay on the stand longer. Had decided not to be so picky, thou had to be a decent animal, and after the hunt I would go look for the Black Buck I wounded. Hunt was not so good for a kill thou I did see an Aoudad with two ewes, then 8 White Tail bucks and one doe. I got a picture of a deer. Then went look for Black Buck and after 4 more hours I found him, once buzzards had first. Thou cape was bad I still got my horns to skull mount and Mr. Elkin got his money for the animal. If you’re sure you wounded an animal bad enough to have killed it you should put yourself in rancher’s shoes and let him know and pay him. Some times you don’t know but often you do. Evening was bad - animals were not moving so good, ’think it was cause temp rose up 10+ degrees and moon was on decrease.

(DAY-5)

Left cabin at 4 AM to try night hunt hogs before daylight. Right off the bat seen one in the road and tried to stalk him, “But no luck”.  Moved around for awhile longer till I spotted 4 more and moved up to about twenty yards trying to align my flashing on my stabilizer, my lighted sight on bow, peep sight and of course my eyes so I could make a shot. I made shot but could not find my arrow or no blood and no animal. Thought I hit him, but maybe not since it was very thick in area. By now it was close to daylight so I went and got on a stand and not long things started to happen. Seen everything under god’s sun but nothing I wanted to shot at time. After morning hunt on my way back to jeep I run a hog off its bed and this was 2^nd time doing it in the same place and I thought it was odd, so after looking into it, found where it looked as if one hog had a nice hole dug into ground in underbrush. I thought it would be a boar since most time they travel and stay by themselves. Was thinking on trying to hunt him at night.

That evening hunt was slow going. Only saw few turkeys and some small Black bucks so decided to get off stand about 45 min earlier to try to find some hogs in a tall grass I had specked them to be in. Right at dark I spotted 3 boars about 200+ pounds feeding to me so I hid well into bushes and grass for the wait and anticipate an easy shot. Road forked where I stood and then to my left a small sow and pigs came out little too close. Now I was thinking these were going to see or smell me and they all gonna run off. I never shot sow with babies. Moments later a small Boar came out with pigs and at about 20 yards stared dead at me. I knew if he’s spooked then they all would so he left me no choice but to stick him, and as soon as he dropped his head for a second and when it came back up a wasp mechanical broad head hit him between the eyes, and he flipped over backwards rolling and squalling. I figured him down so I went after my second hog but no luck. I came back and all was there was my arrow with no broadhead to be found. I took head shot cause I killed them there before and it’s thick there and I did not want to hunt him up.  I looked wildly but lost the boar.

Came to camp, then made a little coffee and went back to look for boar short time thinking I might see his eyes at night, then rode around and tried to shine few and had luck few times but all very small  to shoot and I really did not need meat that bad.  Plus next day I left going home to Anacoco, La.

ENDING TO THIS STORY IS…

           I HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME HUNTING SOME ANIMALS THAT LEFT ME WITH A CHALLENGE ON A HIGH DOLLAR RANCH WITH HIGH DOLLAR FACILITIES AND A GOOD OWNER WHO’S WILLING TO WORK WITH ME TO SEE MY HUNT. WAS A GOOD ONE FOR A WORKING MAN PRICE. If you’re looking to make a exotic game hunt consider BAR-E-RANCH ”. Don’t knock exotic hunting till you tried it, can be challenging especially with a bow and sure beats some hunts you been on where you seen nothing and spent more money. A lot of the animals are good to eat so don’t be afraid to bring some home to try it. So good luck if your lucky enough to put life’s challenges behind you to experience a different kind of adventure hunting in GOD’S GREAT OUTDOORS THAT HE GAVE US ALL TO ENJOY. A WISE INDIAN MAN ONCE SAID THAT THE EARTH DOES NOT BELONG TO MAN, MAN BELONGS TO THE EARTH. ALL THINGS ARE CONNECTED LIKE THE BLOOD OF LIFE THAT UNITES US ALL. MAN DID NOT WEAVE THE WEB OF LIFE, HE IS BUT A STRAND IN IT; WHATEVER HE DOES TO EARTH HE DOES TO HIMSELF AND TO THOSE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND.

THANKS FOR SHARING MY HUNT.

VICTOR C.H. SCARINZI