Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Black Hog Down
On Monday (12/22/08) evening, Phillip wanted to bag his first hog, so the LG2 Crew suggested the hunter try the "sniper stand" -- a 15-foot, single-seat lookout (pictured left) near the river. Sensing he'd be alone with his thoughts for a while, he brought along his iPod, hoping to serenade the hogs to death. With a 15 mph wind blowing out of the southeast, it was showtime less than five minutes after Phillip got into the stand. As soon as the feeder went off, a group of 12 pigs entered from the west. The hunter picked a large clean boar to make his own. Phillip put the crosshairs behind the left ear of the 100-pound boar and made a clean kill.
With some time on his hands, Phillip busted out his music player and had his own personal jam session in the hunting stand until his ride arrived. The naive hunter assumed he wouldn't see anything else with a dead pig under his stand, but as the sun began to set, a large black boar -- nearly triple the first one's size -- came rumbling in for a late snack. Phillip quickly resets his equipment and takes a rushed shot at the large boar's broadside. After the shot, the injured boar ran back into the brush, never to be seen again.
With some time on his hands, Phillip busted out his music player and had his own personal jam session in the hunting stand until his ride arrived. The naive hunter assumed he wouldn't see anything else with a dead pig under his stand, but as the sun began to set, a large black boar -- nearly triple the first one's size -- came rumbling in for a late snack. Phillip quickly resets his equipment and takes a rushed shot at the large boar's broadside. After the shot, the injured boar ran back into the brush, never to be seen again.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Blind-sided by Lack of Ducks
For their Monday (12/22/08) morning hunt, Sam, Phillip, Paul and Matt had the grassy blind, decoys, thick camo, noisy calls, four loaded shotguns and several boxes of shells for the big duck party. The problem: who forgot to invite the waterfowl? Sitting on Proffitt Lake in 20 degree weather (with a wind chill in the teens), the four had a single teal zoom by at daybreak but that would be all the group would see. Phillip and Sam scoped out some other nearby ponds that had hundreds of ducks. Needless to say, the ducks lived to flight another day.
Heinrichs in Deer, Hog Heaven
The LG2 Crew played host to the H-town Heinrichs (Jeff, Patti, Sara and Paul) and Sara's fiance Matt H. on Dec. 21-23. Son Paul would strike first in the Sunday evening hunt, while father Jeff would have the last laugh.
LG2 guide Sam G. led Paul and Brynna on an ol' fashioned pig hunt in grandfather's stand. With a silent wind blowing out of the northwest, Paul described the action as "so quiet that you could hear a pin drop." Nearing sunset, a group of 20 pigs heard the dinner bell and came to feast on a ground filled with corn. Sam and Paul teamed up for a double shot about 2 minutes after the group arrived. Paul's 100-pound prize dropped immediately, while Sam's large armored creature scampered off into the darkness, never to be found again. It was Paul's first pig!
Jeff had similar luck with Sam's father, Mark, as his Sunday evening guide, seeing five bucks and a doe while hunting the pop-up blind on the wheat field; however, Jeff would hold his shot for a better opportunity the next morning. Jeff and Mark hunted the east stand with a calm 5 mph wind coming out of the northeast. At 7:55 a.m., two doe approached the feeder from Hog Creek and began grazing. The guide instructed Jeff to ready his rifle for the 82-yard shot. Instead, Jeff proceeded to knock over the binoculars, rattling horns and prove that deer, too, can be hard of hearing. After Jeff was instructed to take the bigger doe to the left, Jeff shot the 100-pound doe behind his left shoulder. It was Jeff's first doe in 25 years, and Mark said he witnessed no signs of "buck fever" from the hunter. The Heinrichs went back to Houston with plenty of meat to fill the fridge.
LG2 guide Sam G. led Paul and Brynna on an ol' fashioned pig hunt in grandfather's stand. With a silent wind blowing out of the northwest, Paul described the action as "so quiet that you could hear a pin drop." Nearing sunset, a group of 20 pigs heard the dinner bell and came to feast on a ground filled with corn. Sam and Paul teamed up for a double shot about 2 minutes after the group arrived. Paul's 100-pound prize dropped immediately, while Sam's large armored creature scampered off into the darkness, never to be found again. It was Paul's first pig!
Jeff had similar luck with Sam's father, Mark, as his Sunday evening guide, seeing five bucks and a doe while hunting the pop-up blind on the wheat field; however, Jeff would hold his shot for a better opportunity the next morning. Jeff and Mark hunted the east stand with a calm 5 mph wind coming out of the northeast. At 7:55 a.m., two doe approached the feeder from Hog Creek and began grazing. The guide instructed Jeff to ready his rifle for the 82-yard shot. Instead, Jeff proceeded to knock over the binoculars, rattling horns and prove that deer, too, can be hard of hearing. After Jeff was instructed to take the bigger doe to the left, Jeff shot the 100-pound doe behind his left shoulder. It was Jeff's first doe in 25 years, and Mark said he witnessed no signs of "buck fever" from the hunter. The Heinrichs went back to Houston with plenty of meat to fill the fridge.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Phillip's First Doe
Phillip took his first doe Sunday morning, Nov. 30, while hunting with Mark in the west stand. After seeing more than nine does on the wheat field late Saturday evening, the hunter and his fatherly guide saved their shot for the rarely visited west stand.
The action started early. At dawn, a deer in the distance picked up the hunters' scent carried by the easterly wind and decided not to head near the feeder, snorting its disgust. About 20 minutes later, a group of four doe approached the feeder from the north. After sizing up the deer, Mark helped Phillip select a well-sized doe for his first shot. At roughly 100 yards away, Phillip shot and hit the 3-year-old doe's broadside, just behind the left shoulder. The doe went down immediately.
The action started early. At dawn, a deer in the distance picked up the hunters' scent carried by the easterly wind and decided not to head near the feeder, snorting its disgust. About 20 minutes later, a group of four doe approached the feeder from the north. After sizing up the deer, Mark helped Phillip select a well-sized doe for his first shot. At roughly 100 yards away, Phillip shot and hit the 3-year-old doe's broadside, just behind the left shoulder. The doe went down immediately.
A Few Trophies Over the Years
Since I'd hate to go back and document every deer sighting, turkey spotting and armadillo sniping there's been at the Texas LG2 Ranch, I figured we would start with a new slate in '09. In case you've missed some of the action in the past decade, here's a few photos that will catch you back up.
There's always a few smiling faces hangin' around.
Sam and Trey show the bucks who the real big boys are!
Yep, it gets a little chilly out at the ranch. Bundle up!
You'll love dove season...long sleeves and holey jeans are optional!
There's always a few smiling faces hangin' around.
Sam and Trey show the bucks who the real big boys are!
Yep, it gets a little chilly out at the ranch. Bundle up!
You'll love dove season...long sleeves and holey jeans are optional!
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