|
|
In the spring of 2000, Dad
came to me and said "I've found us a great lease". It was
in Coleman County, and consisted of 2600 acres of mesquite and canyons
with several hundred yards of a major stream frontage. There were
lots of rubs and other deer sign. We jumped at the opportunity to
hunt there.
The summer of 2000 was very dry, and
nutrition for deer was sub-par, but we had a great year.
|
|
Opening weekend, I saw several nice
young bucks. I took off Thursday and Friday of the second weekend to
hunt - we had been drawn on a doe/spike hunt at San Angelo State Park for
Friday-Sunday, and I wanted to hunt some at the deer lease first.
Wednesday afternoon, I had a mature buck come in directly downwind at last
light, which spooked on me. The next morning, I rattled in a nice,
wide 9 point buck (the one I ended up shooting) and saw a nice young 8
point. At San Angelo, I shot a spike Saturday morning (my brother
shot a spike and a doe, my cousin shot a doe), and we came back to the
lease.
|
 |
|
The third weekend, I took off Friday
again. Friday afternoon, I was driving to go out and hunt, when I
spotted several good bucks standing under the mesquite. I got out of
the truck, and two of them ran off . . . the bigger of the two turned to
go back to where I had spotted him. I watched him harass a huge
spike for about 10 minutes. There was apparently a hot doe in the
area. After watching the buck stand broadside for about 10-15
minutes, I took the shot without actually "deciding"
to. At the shot, the doe, a huge 6 point I hadn't seen, and
the spike got up and ran off. The big 9 point dropped.
He was 18" wide (green) and scores 113 2/8 gross total points (105
2/8 net). As it turns out, he was the biggest buck I saw all season
- Marla & I did see one about the same size Thanksgiving weekend.
|
 |
|
The Wednesday before Thankgiving, my
cousin shot a huge 6 point that was over 6 1/2 years old as my Dad's cull
buck. He actually watched it breed a doe while standing downwind of
him. I told him he should have also shot the doe to keep its genes
out of the gene pool.
I also shot 3 turkey at the lease - 1
tom and 2 jakes. The jakes I shot with one shot. I was driving
back to camp from hunting, and one of the big flocks of birds on the lease
ran across the road. I jumped out and picked out a big jake and
shot. I was shocked when I got over there and found 2 birds flopping
around. The second one had only a scratch on the back of its neck -
I think the flailing of the first bird's wings knocked it unconscious and
that I killed it when I wrang its neck.
Marla also shot our doe for the year,
with a really nice 225 yard shot.
|
 |