We spent the evening launching arrows and chatting. We harrassed some of the local small game but didn't connect with anything...until Curtis spied a large coon at the top of a tree.

He made a good target and after a barrage of arrows decided he had enough and jumped down for his escape. Curtis and I took off like hunting dogs after the coon. It was quite apparent that our arrows had slowed him down because Curtis caught up to the coon and attempted to deliver a steel toe coup de grace but the racoon ducked the blow and kept going.

It ran through the brush and ended up in front of me on the trail. I was running full speed next to the coon and even managed to get another blunt at him. That didn't stop him so I rolled him with the tip of my longbow. I went for my knife but the coon found his feet and was off again, this time for good.

Between laughing and running at full speed, we were both nearly in need of transportation back to the house. We semi caught our breath and started making our way back to the house since it was getting dark.

Curtis made a mesquite fire in the off set cooker and soon marinated shrimp were on the bbq. Debbie made a wonderful pot of sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob. What a delicious meal we had that night.

We had a few hour drive to Laredo in the morning and it wasn't long before we turned in for the night.

Gotta LOVE the part about the  FOOD    

KEEP IT COMMIN   :D

Egads....I would go there for the food alone....Mac~    MORE............

Thorns and stickers?        

Yeah, I still get an occaisionaly sticker out of some of my gear from my trip down there last June!!!

Nothing like a little reminder of your Texas visit.

OK, OK off to Laredo we go the next morning. The landscape gets more and more interesting and at times we are the only vehicle in sight on these long, straight, desolate roads. We stopped at a rest area for a break and some pictures.

 

 

We made a few more pit stops for gas and groceries. We grabbed some Jacala salsa which turned out to be some of the best salsa I ever tasted.

3 hours later we were at the ranch near Laredo. As you saw from the first picture, I immediately plopped down in the sun for a while. What a great camp. Somehow I managed to forget to snap a picture of the place. Bunks with matresses, air conditioning, hot water for the shower and sink, stove, couches and even sattelite TV. Yes, roughing it for sure    :D

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

Curtis tried to control his predatory instinct while I lounged in the sun and before you know it, he talked me out of that chair for a scouting trip.

   

Check out this hunting rig!

   

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

Before long we decided where we would be hunting and returned shortly after to settle in for the evening hunt.

As we pulled up to my area, we saw 4 javelinas in the brush. We corned the road and Curtis dropped me off to head to his spot. I didn't even have a few steps from the truck when the javies walked out 30 yards in front of me onto the road. The closest one looked at me but kept eating. I stayed still until I was able to get close to the brush for background cover.

They were feeding away from me and moving faster than I realized. I was able to stay within 30 yards of them but the shot never felt right for me so I held off. I won't shoot deer at that distance and I didn't want to try on a smaller target.

There was a ladder stand in the area and a feeder which was set to go off just before dark. (For those of you who don't know, corning roads and feeders are legal hunting methods in Texas. It's not a slam dunk like some people think either, I'll explain later) I decided to climb up in the stand to get a birds eye view of the landscape.

The javies came back out shortly afterwards but only one was within bow range and well protected by tree limbs. There were only 2 shooting lanes from this stand and he never walked through either.

 

You can see the other 3 at the top of this picture further up the road:

 

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

aFTER kATRINA , those pics look inviting ...thats got to be a blast!!!!!!!!marco#78

The javies worked their way up the road. There were deer passing by all evening, putting on a show along with all  of the beautiful birds of south Texas. I especially liked the road runners and the green jays (like blue jays but with tropical greens and yellows). At one point, some critter started screaming as a howling chorus of coyotes harmonized along. I heard one bark right behind me and turned to see it crossing the road in the direction of the howls to see what his friends had caught. Man this place is cool.

Just before dark, the feeder went off and about 10 minutes later I spied a huge wild pig heading for the feeder. There was a 20 yard shooting lane to the feeder but the big pig came in from the far side straight on, watching the stand the whole time and never turning for a shot. He left the same way he came.

Yep these Texas pigs are stupid and easy to kill with corn    :rolleyes:  

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

Green jay:

 

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

I was pretty much just observing and taking it all in that first evening, probably being a little too conservative but I wanted to get familiar with the animals, their environment and their behavior.

More to come...

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

Curtis was his usual "killer" self though and not conservative as he did a spot and stalk to get in front of a group of pigs in his area.

 

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com

Great pics Brian! I didn't realize you had all those. Oooohhhhh the hot sauce is still grenade bombing my guts. I can do without any of that stuff for awhile. Good but long-term-deadly!!!! I'll chime in for the morning hunt. CK

Brian,  

Pretty cool with the Javies.  I didn't see any when I was there and that is what I wanted to see most of all.

As far as pigs being stupid.  I only saw one like that while I was there, and I succeeded in educating her.  

That place is just crawling with wildlife, and I suspect you and I may have had a visit from the same long, skinny visitor.

I had a blast down there!!!

Super thread guys !!            

Manny

I'm liking everything in this story so far, except that little something about that blue thing that was eight feet long.....I think I could do without that one thank you very much    


David

It must be a special place, ta have tree's big enough to put a ladder stand in.
good story, keepitcomen'

Please understand that Brian was baiting for snakes.  :D   He was thwacking rabbits and chasing them into the bushes. That draws out the brush monsters!    

The one Marvin saw on his trip was in excess of 10'... The one Brian saw was just a baby. LOL! ck

The day I see something like that Curtis is the day you will see this.....   !   I'm afraid I might be the bait!


David(Snake free in New Hampshire)