[thomasartbutler]

Gents, ladies-

Tomorrow evening marks a return to the promised land, Texas, for me. I'll be on the ranch west of San Angelo, taking in some deer and quail. Some evening varmit calling, too. The gun stable is there in Angelo already, all I have to do is show up...bags are packed, license is ready, and I'm not back until Monday night. God I love this time of the year...

...and the best part, taking two of my compadres from up here, to learn and do some deer hunting, their first time.

TAB

 

[ductman]

HAVE FUN TAB AND BE SAFE !!!!!! IM SURE YOU CANT WAIT TO HIT THE ROAD BUDDY {CR8 {RO

 

[txlefty]

Hey TAB, I'll be heading to S. Il. Monday to my farm for shotgun opener. If you see a Chevy 2500 towing a Polaris 700 give me a honk. We'll stop for coffee. (and braggin' ) ...tx

 

[EyeMissum]

Have fun, tell us all about it when you get back.

No bragging now, just the facts. :shock:

I know everything is bigger an better in Texas, but just try to keep it believeable. :lol: :lol:

 

[mapanggulo]

TAB,

Sounds like your going to have a Blast. Some day I'll be doing the same thing...but probably will be going to Oregon or New Mexico for my first hunt. Be sure to give us the skinny on how it went when ya get back.

Map

 

[Casual Shooter]

Hey, someday you gotta teach this old dog new tricks (how to hunt). Good luck, have fun, and be safe!

 

[huntswithdogs]

How about stop off here when ya come down I81? I don't take up much room,don't eat much,and am house broke!

Ya'll have fun Thomas. Be careful and God Bless.

HWD

 

[mapanggulo]

Hey, someday you gotta teach this old dog new tricks (how to hunt). Good luck, have fun, and be safe!

Glad I aint the only one around that hasnt ever gone hunting, I want to...but havent found anyone around here to buddy up too

 

[thomasartbutler]

Gents-

It'd be something else to get a SGW hunt together! We must look into this. I really don't have many VA connections, so I don't hunt a lot in this state. THere is a wonderful consortum of WMA areas in which to ply our trade, and I do take advantage of that from time to time. But Texas, I was fortunate enough to grow up with my father's love of hunting, on leases and eventually, a place of our own. I am now trying to make a new tradition on veteran's day weekend of bringing new hunters into the sport.

It's bad right now, I can't hardly concentrate on work, drool is forming in the corner of my mouth as I dream of a classic covey of Bobwhite flushing at about a 3/4 angle away, almost pretty enough not to shoot. I like the deer hunt, boys, but one of my true loves is bird hunting.

Eye, believe it or no, deer in Texas are typically smaller than many of the other states. Ever see a deer from Iowa or those nothern states? I'll keep the stories to a maxi..err...minimum :shock:

CS, teach me skeet I'll try to teach you hunting.

Map, get r' done!

HWD- I'll try to fit you in, good buddy! We could use a cook...

Duct- Has Aaron got his first? It's the best time of the year, y'all.

Txlefty- I'll honk from the air, we'll see how much bigger your deer are than ours...

Folks, I love this site. A chance to share, and get good luck from all. And the same to ya'll as you go.

TAB

 

[txlefty]

Sorry TAB, didn't think about you flying down. Wish I could fly up for my trip but it would take a C-23 Turboprop to haul all our stuff.

 

[TexasTon]

I dream of a classic covey of Bobwhite flushing at about a 3/4 angle away, almost pretty enough not to shoot. TAB

Where are you going to be from Mertzon?

Can't say I've hunted quail near there but I would sure tend to believe you are going to chasing Blues, maybe not? If blues, you need X-full and 7 1/2's at about 4000 fps, if they have been hunted. If you get into blues and bobs, and some bobs have been raised with blues---a blue can't keep up with them---they are a breed of their own :roll: :wink: and wilder than an acre of snakes :lol:

Which brings up another item, if you have snake chaps---wear them, for the mesquite and the rattlebugs. Everything growing down there will stick ya :wink:

 

[thomasartbutler]

TT-

We'll be 7 miles NE of Mertzon, as the crow flies. We've had both blues and bobs on the place since we've had it in the family. I've had blues outrun the dog! :shock: Rest assured, we'll be armed with 6 shot, if it's a covey of blues. I have seen them shot with 7.5, 8, fall to the ground, and keep running. They're tough lil fellas. Yes, wilder than an acre of snakes is a very very accurate description, and indeed, they're plenty of those out there, too. Leggins are the order of the day, as they're moving with the current temps. My brother has killed three in the last week, on the ranch roads alone.

Everything does stick you, no doubt. Wsih I could bring you.

TAB

 

[mapanggulo]

It'd be something else to get a SGW hunt together! We must look into this.

That sounds like an excellent Idea!! I know there have been a few different regional SGW shoots and/or get-togethers of SGW members...though with the exception of one down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area...most have been out of my range (mainly because I couldnt get away).

 

[thomasartbutler]

Folks,

I'm out. See you Monday night, with a full report and hopefully full bag.

TAB

Gents, made it back. For the 3 of us, over three days, we did well. Two deer were taken a 2 yr old spike (cull type) and an over the hill 6 yr old buck, with a small rack, all of 5 pts. My friends took those. I let walk several 8's with about 18 in spreads, and one 10 that pushed 20 plus inches, rather let him breed up does, as he was a great looking deer. All of them with thick thick horn mass! Over 10 years, we've been actively mangaging our place, getting better and better deer. My brother has reported seeing even bigger bucks than my views. Back I go at turkey day, to take another cull, or an old doe.

Beyond that, I got to witness the joy across a first time hunters face for killing a deer, and both guys have never killed quail or rabbits in the numbedr we did. Much wild game was consumed. And...best part, is 2 more hooked on this great sport.

 

[thomasartbutler]