Nine Bar Bucks and Boars a Great Start to 2021!
by Ed H. Edwards, SCI Lansing Chapter Member, and avid hunter
A Facebook post results in new Friends, Time with Family, and a Successful Texas hunt!
Perfect shot! The most welcome words a guide can say. The buck tucked tail and sprinted head down across the field, spun around, and was down. I’m not sure who was more relieved, me or Jim Bob my guide.
I have a personal philosophy of “one and done” for most big game animals. However, I hunt hogs and whitetail deer at every possible opportunity. A Facebook post by Andrew Rockwell of Wild Wildebeest Safaris detailing a group hog hunt at the Nine Bar Ranch in Decatur, Texas with the option of adding a whitetail deer got my attention.
A few instant messages, a phone conversation, and I was all in. Spending time in Texas during February rather than Michigan is a no-brainer. To sweeten the pot, my son Clinton lives in Houston and was able to schedule some vacation and join the group.
A few days before my February 7th departure the weather started to deteriorate across the entire country. I immediately started to rethink what clothing I was going to take and ended up packing much warmer layers than normally needed for that part of the country.
The low-ceiling gray skies, sub-freezing temperatures, 15 MPH + winds, and frequent drizzle that persisted the entire trip made me thankful I packed the same clothes normally used for winter Michigan weather. The enclosed box blinds also helped out a great deal in coping with the cold, windy, wet, weather.
The change in weather pretty much shut down game movement and on day one I did not see a single animal. Day two morning was the same and the afternoon was not looking good until a small buck stepped out of the cedar ridge to the left. Within a minute two more bucks came out and one of them was a shooter for sure.
I closed the bolt on a round, set the safety, and got the barrel out the window without alerting the deer which were milling around in the nervous fashion the species is known for. Once my chosen buck was broadside and clear I carefully placed the duplex crosshairs a little low and behind his shoulder and ever so carefully squeezed the trigger.
It did not take long for the 130 grain Federal Premium Sierra Game King from my .270 to find purchase and leave a 3” exit hole through the rib cage after destroying the heart and lungs. The buck still managed to run approximately 80 yards in a few seconds before going down for the count.
After a short walk, we found the beautiful dark coated 8-point and I was no longer cold. Funny how you can feel better and brighter after having success under marginal conditions. But the action for the day was not quite over.
On the drive back to the lodge a sounder of hogs was spotted and I wasted no time putting the crosshairs on a big hog as black as night and dropped it in its tracks!
More good news greeted me when arriving back at the lodge. My son had shot a hog and was as happy as a seagull with a curly fry!
The Nine Bar Ranch has over 10,000 acres of unfenced land for whitetail and feral hog hunting with 42 blinds. Additional property is high fenced and contains Scimitar Oryx, Red stag, Fallow deer, Blackbuck, and Aoudad. A beautiful Fallow deer was shot by Josh Royce of our group.
The property and game animals were great. However, the management and staff of the ranch made the trip enjoyable regardless of the weather mother nature dished out.
Jim Bob Little is the ranch manager, head guide, and an authentic Texan. Like many things, only God can make one of those. His vibrant wife Christie takes care of all aspects of the lodge which is kept in excellent shape and spotless. She also plans and prepares the meals which were excellent. Guides Lance and Delmas were always helpful, knowledgeable, and made sure all hunters were placed where they had a fair opportunity of sighting game.
Hog hunters are dropped off at blinds and are on their own to shot any size and as many hogs as they want. Coyotes and bobcats are also a fair game without any additional cost. Hunters after whitetail and any of the introduced species are 100% guided.
For information contact:
Andrew Rockwell: andy@wildwbsafaris.com
Join SCI TODAY!
Safari Club International is the leading voice in the fight to protect the freedom to hunt, both in the United States and internationally. The SCI Departments of Legal Advocacy Resources and International Affairs and Government Relations is headquartered in Washington, D.C., advocating on behalf of SCI members and non-members alike. From staff dedicated to legislation and policy to a team of litigators, SCI hunter advocacy is at the forefront of protecting the hunting heritage. SCI and the SCI Foundation provide the voice of the hunter in treaties that affect hunting and wildlife conservation worldwide. This is where SCI and SCI Foundation go beyond what other hunter organizations do and why their work in this arena is critical to preserving the right to hunt. Plus, we have lots of fun and events like this one!
To find out more information about SCI and joining our chapter, click below:
