This season has been one of the slowest I can remember, but also one of the best! We hunted a little bit here in Fannin County, but Pops provided the trip to remember. Pops has a good friend that has just acquired a lease in Zavala County Texas. To deer hunters, this is the best of the best places in Texas to hunt. Often called the golden triangle of Texas deer hunting. The infamous Las Casadores is about 25 miles form the camp. This place hosts the biggest buck contest in Texas. Brad Guartney was kind enough to invite Pops, Brock, Bryson and myself down for a weekend of hunting. He allowed a management buck and a trophy buck and unlimited doe, varmints, pigs and javelinas. Brock and Bryson had much success.

We left out on the long road trip on Wednesday Dec 14th at about 6pm. With the boys and all the gear packed in Pop's truck, we struck out for San Antonio. The boys were armed with iPads, books, music, etc, This was unexpectedly a pretty un-eventful trip. The boys are getting to the age where I don't hate to drive 8 hrs with them.  Our destination was a camp just south of a little town called Batesville. We stopped in Waco that night and stayed in a hotel. This was Pops idea and I'm kind of glad he did this. It was raining all the way to Waco, so a stop was readily accepted.

The next day we got up and enjoyed a continental breakfast, loaded up and headed south. I was behind the wheel this time and I made compete use of the speed limit. After about another 3 hours we were at the infamous Las Casadores taxidermy and outdoors store. These guys had everything a hunter could dream about. I actually found a copy of the Texasbowhunter Journal here. I grabbed one on the way out and we headed to camp. The camp was about 25 miles from the interstate. We arrived and got settled in, Brad was more than hospitable. After a couple hours of just checking out camp we geared up for the first hunt.

This place is 5000 acres split into two 2500 acre pastures. The usual hunting situation was no where to be found here in deep south Texas. There were no hard woods, no open pastures, just the thickest brush I have ever seen. Brad explained to us that the brush is called black brush. The summer drought took a toll on this place and had the vegetation confused to say the least. Brad said that before, there was no green to be found. In October they got a few good rains that made everything believe it was spring....everything was green as a gourd. The deer could literally eat while on beds. The main hunting technique was corning roads called senderos with truck bumper feeders. The deer would usually file out and feed by the herd. This weekend the deer didn't cooperate quite like usual. That was cool with us, we just like a good weekend hunting trip.


Bryson drew first blood on his first deer with a 100 yard shot from his .223 Rossi. He was super excite as was I.

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning Brock sat with me and Bryson went with Pops. The deer were not moving much so Brock wanted to try to call something in. I let him do it all and he called in a nice bobcat. He did the job with my .270. He was more excited about this kill than his first deer.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday night Brock took his first ever javelina...those things are nasty!

 

 

 

 

Bryson was upset that Brock has killed more animals tan he so I told him to shoot a rabbit...They are everywhere. He took his 223 and made a perfect head shot on a cottontail rabbit at 120 yrds. I was extremely impressed!!

 

After a long drive home, we will all agree that the drive was worth it. Thanks Brad!