Thinking about deer season again

[Scott Tschirhart]

Texas deer season is coming up. This year, we have 3200 acres near Del Rio, Texas that is just plain rough. The deer numbers are outstanding and the deer are in good shape due to having plenty of browse and water.

There are two groups of Aoudad running on the place and one of the big ones is clearly a monster!

I think there is something else out there too. Something in the deer family. I have seen many mesquites simply shredded and in a way a Whitetail won't do and too high for whitetails. I have not seen what is doing it, but I am interested.

I hope that Rdneck will be able to join me again this year, maybe get him a real wallhanger.

The Shiloh just gets better all the time. Black powder and cast bullets, nothing better.

[buffalocannon]

Scott, could it be axis deer? Some of the bigger ones are almost the size of small elk. A relative shot five deer in the San Antonio area last year and says that he is seeing many axis deer, some of them right on the roads. Good luck on your hunt. A brother-in-law from Sinton liked to hunt that Del Rio area. Took some REALLY big ones for several years before he died a few years back.

[decook2k]

Two possibilities Scott, Red or Axis deer. Hope you get him ...

PS - Enjoying the weather? Kinda gets you thinking about the season. You have a good area, I have gone a couple of times this year with my nextdoor neighbor, he owns a couple of hundred acres down near Rocksprings. Love that country regardless if I bring something home or not.


-Dave

[Scott Tschirhart]

Yeah, today was the first break in the opressive heat this year. Probably what has me thinking about it.

[bulldog]

Sounds like a bear to me - that thrashing of mesquite. Sounds like a sure sign of bear. I recall Davey Crockett finding em pretty far down south and del rio sounds south of Tennessee to me. I think he wrestled one down that way when he was just a teenager and got it with his Bowie knife before Bowie was even borned or maybe just after. I remember the song : Davey, Davey Crockett - Born on the wild frontier! Man, did I want a coonskin cap when I was a kid. Davey was one heck of a frontiersman! Hope you get one them thrashing critters!

[rdnck]

Scott--I'm READY. The Business Rifle in 45-110 is just shooting lights out with a 511 grain paper patched bullet and 109 grains of Goex 2f Express. It's going 1389 fps which may or may not be too much--We'll just have to see. I will bring my Number 3 Sporter in 45-70 in case someone needs an extra rifle. It is driving a 506 grain paper patched bullet at 1239 with 74 grains of 3f Express, and is shooting as well as the Business Rifle, maybe even better. One thing for sure, whatever that is down there, we will hit him hard with something.

Don't laugh, but our mystery animal just might be a camel. There is a whole herd of them on a ranch on the south side of Hwy. 82 between Gainsville and Wichita Falls. Those suckers are BIG. The U.S. Army used some as an experiment in desert warfare in the late 1800's and some no doubt escaped. THAT would be something to run across.

Camel, or Axis deer, or whatever, I'm bringing a good Bowie knife, just in case. Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie had it figured out. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I think there are still some Camels around Fort Clark, but this is not the work of camels. Definitely some horned beast scraping the antlers.

[powderburner]

Bill its a good thing you are takin that there Bowie. you need something to protect your tiny self when that ol 110 with them pp bullits fouls out ............. huh...............Dean

[Smokin]

A horned beast scraping antlers...

Well that would eliminate giraffes; however, a heavily tusked elephant might also be the culprit. Do you fellows have time enough for Kirk to make y'all up a couple of model 74's in .600 Nitro Express? You just never know when you may have to set that tree top agitator back on its hunkers.

Take care and for heaven's sake, bring enough gun.

[Clarence]

Smokin,

I think you're on to something there.

I've got to admit that, ever since I got my first Shiloh, I have not had a single buffalo in my garden! Of course, I don't have an elephant rifle; I'm beginning to get concerned about the fig tree, and one can't be too careful...

Clarence

[Orville]

Bill are you going to get Scott to shooting pp bullets?

[rdnck]

Smokin', Clarence--You are right. One can't be too careful. I think I will forego the 45-70 and carry my bull barreled 45-110 as a back up rifle.

In all seriousness, I truly believe that a 45-110 will take anything that walks, and I frankly think that a good blackpowder load in a 45-70 will kill an elephant.

These paper patch loads are the Real Deal. I shot 26 rounds today out of the 45-110 Business Rifle WITHOUT a blow tube and WITHOUT wiping. No way there will be a fouling issue in a hunting application. The Bowie knife is simply the frosting on the cake. I'm working on one in Damascus for the hunt. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[rdnck]

Orville--I talked to Scott the other day, and he wants to try them. I am bringing a cartridge belt full of them in 45-70 so he can give them a go. I think that he will very likely convert when he sees how well they work. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Oh, I saw you use them successfully last year!

However, I think I shall dance with the one that brought me and see what I can do with plain old cast lead bullets at 30-1.

What is nice about this place is that we can shoot one, and then go back for more. It is a five deer county and no limits on exotics.

Just depends on how much room you have in the freezer and how well you can shoot.

[Ken Hartlein]

Scott I saw some of the biggest mule deer I ever saw a couple of years ago in Black Gap WMA, maybe some of them got out your way!!