Adventure Files: Did Someone Say Chupacabra?

Bergheim Pet Hospital & Clinic
Built By Chris Carson Contracting Co.
Photo: JM Photos

In what now almost seems like a previous life, I was a builder and remodeler.  I still dabble in that business from time to time, but nevertheless, it is safe to say that my career path has taken a detour.  In June of 2007, after a wet Spring, as I was in the process of building a vet clinic.  We were getting it “dried in” and my bricklayers were on site.  I had been discussing hunting with my masonry contractor, John, and he mentioned that he had never hunted hogs before.  He was born and raised in Midland, TX and lived in Central and South Texas for quite awhile.  How this man reached the age of 50 years old in Texas without ever hunting a hog was baffling, and I quickly decided that I would change that.

When I wrote him his check for the final payment of an outstanding job, I asked him if he was free the next weekend for a hog hunt and he was eager to go! We planned to go the following Friday evening.  We met at what was then the Super S Food Store in Castroville to pick up some snacks and drinks.  He was now working on some modifications on a tamale plant in San Antonio and brought some of the most delicious tamales I think I have ever had.

Suzuki Samurai Outfitted For Hunting
Photo: Chris Carson

We headed for my lease near Hondo, TX.  At the time, I had a Suzuki Samurai modeled outfitted much like the one in the photo.  The plan was pretty simple.  Corn the roads in specific places where I
knew hogs crossed and wait for them.  We also used some hog attractant and a pig call. 

After a few hours of prep work and showing John the lease, we headed over to one of the sites we corned, which was around a protein feeder that we had seen pictures of hogs trying to reach the feeder tubes.  We set up on the road about 50-60 yards downwind from the feeder.  We were slightly down hill and the weeds were very tall from all the rain we had been having.  I was a little concerned that a shot on a hog might be kind of tough because of the weed growth (even with the elevated rear seat), but we decided to stick it out and see what happened.

We settled into eating tamales and trading hunting stories.  If we weren’t fast friends yet, we were on our way.  He told me about bird hunting oil leases in West Texas and I told him about hunting hogs in East Texas.  Our whispered conversation was almost continuous.  About the time I thought that we didn’t have anything else to talk about, we would find another topic.

As sundown approached, we had a few deer come in to the protein feeder.  We watched as they milled around.  Most ate the corn.  I used this opportunity to judge where we did and didn’t have clear shots through the weeds. Surprisingly there were more clear shots than I thought, but they were doing a number on the corn.  I was glad to see them at the protein feeder though, because I could see a few inches of antler growth on every deer in this little bachelor group.

Corned Road Somewhere In South Texas
Photo: Chris Carson

As I was watching intently and looking at the antler growth on what seemed to be the dominant buck, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.  I looked up unable to refocus quickly enough with the difference in light from my binoculars to actual daylight, but something crossed the road about 15 yards in front of us.  John leaned in and whispered “what was that?”.  About the time I leaned back to say “I think it was a deer.” All the deer at the feeder disappeared.

I sat back up tall and began to replay what I had seen in my head while listening and scanning the brush line.  This animal bounded in from the right.  Then it smoothly eased across the road and back into the brush.  It dawned on me that the color I saw looked like a lighter toned deer, but it didn’t move like a deer and there seemed to be something moving behind it.  I leaned back in toward John and whispered “I don’t think that was a deer.” He whispered back “me either.” 

By this time, the hair on the back of my neck was standing at attention! John leaned over and asked “What do you think it was?”  I knew what I thought it was, but I didn’t want to say it for fear of being that guy. You know, the one that always has an outlandish tale that doesn’t seem plausible.  Honestly, I didn’t REALLY see it, so I just shrugged him off.  Being from South Texas, I had to make the obligatory Chupacabra joke to lighten the mood.

Then I began thinking about the fact that just a few months prior, I hunted this property on foot because in our hasty move from our lease in Grapeland, TX, I didn’t have a chance to get everything set up because I was so busy trying to clear my backlog of jobs so I could start the vet clinic on time.  I made makeshift ground blinds out of whatever twigs and fencing were laying around.  Fallen trees, small bushes and just plain old laying on my belly had been my preferred method of hunting and quite honestly it was one of the best hunting seasons I had ever experienced. 

As if all of this weren’t unnerving enough, I realized that we were in the one area on that side of the lease
where there were large mesquite trees with horizontal limbs that were about a foot or more in diameter.  Yep, now I was pretty sure what I had seen was a Mountain Lion.  I could tell John was a little sketchy about this situation too.  His eyes were darting around and it was pretty much completely dark by this time.  I leaned in a told John “I think that was a cat.”  To which he replied “I think that was a BIG CAT!” I breathed a sigh of relief for a moment knowing that he had seen what I thought I had seen.

John's Hog
Photo: Chris Carson

We sat there for a few minutes squirming around and I pointed out the fact that the trees over our heads and behind us were large enough to support a Mountain Lion. so we mutually agreed that it was in our best interests that we move on.

We checked a few other spots and I finally put John on some hogs, but he missed.  I took him several times that summer and if memory serves, he missed a couple times.  We finally got him his hog one night in August.  We had a heck of an experience together.  One I will never forget.  I kept the Mountain Lion sighting to myself for a few months not wanting to be that guy.  I hoped that somebody would get a pic of it on a trail cam, but nothing definitive.  Lots of blurry images, and maybes.  You can see just about anything you think you want to in those photos sometimes.  Then one day, talking to the ranch owner, he told me that a neighbor had seen a Mountain Lion.  I sighed in relief again knowing I wasn’t crazy!  It was finally time to let the cat out of the bag so to speak.  

About seven years later, I was deer hunting from a blind on the other side of the lease with my son Cole.  When it got to be prime time (that 20-30 minutes of gaslight when the sun goes down and the woods come alive), I thought I had seen something out the side window about 15-20 yards from the blind.  I had no idea what it was, but I was certain that a deer must have busted me took off in the brush.  Several minutes later, I shot a Bobcat.  We gave it the usual 10-15 minutes or so to let the nerves settle before we approached it.  I told Cole to open the door and start crawling down and as soon as he opened the door, he said "What's that?" I was still packing up and wasn't in a position to see what he was talking about. He said "Is that another Bobcat? It's huge!"  I said "Where?" and moved over to look out the window and Cole said "It's gone." I said which way did it go?" and he pointed north.  We quickly hopped in the truck and tried to follow, but what ever it was, was gone.

Bobcat From The Deer Blind

On the way home that night, I quizzed him about what he saw.  He was certain it was not a deer, and it was "way bigger than a bobcat".  When I got home, I showed him a picture of a Mountain Lion and he said "That's it!" He was 7 or 8 then.  I don't think he even knew what a Mountain Lion was until I explained it to him.  He has never been one to tell tall tales, so I tend to believe that (at the very least) he thinks he saw a Mountain Lion.  Chupacabra maybe?  Who knows?!?

Have you had any “hair raising” experiences outdoors?  Comment below or on the 46 Outdoors Facebook page and share them.  

Hunting or Fishing? Happy I Can't Decide!

Cole's First Fish
Photo: Mike Carden

I don’t remember catching my first fish, but thanks to a photo of the occasion, I can tell you who was there, about how old I was, and what I was wearing.  The species of fish was a little cloudy to me until recently when a friend and I found ourselves bored and the topic was raised. Thank goodness for Google.  I don’t think I have ever caught another fish that looked as ugly as that one! It is safe to say I have been fishing as long as I can remember.  If I am not mistaken, my first real hunting trip took place about age 12.

I owe my love of the outdoors to my older brother, Chuck.  In a recent trip taking my 10 year old son, Cole fishing, Chuck told him “your dad and I just drove around the state of Texas figuring it out”. Chuck was in high school and college and I was in elementary and middle school when that was happening.  I think it was more like he figured it out and showed me how to do it.  However, I did appreciate his including me in the credits there.

When I was a kid, I remember my grandpa referring to fishing as “drowning worms”, yet I'm told that he did enjoy hunting.  Unfortunately I never knew that side of him.  I have also known people who love to fish, but can’t stand to hunt.  I find humor in the fact that they complain about the same thing.  Drowning worms implies that fishing is boring.  People who aren’t excited about hunting are complaining that sitting in a deer blind for hours on end is boring.

Hondo Sunset & Hartcraft Broadheads
Photo: Chris Carson

Aquatic life or land loving mammals... It makes no difference to me.  I will stalk a redfish on the flats or deer in the woods. Also, as I have mentioned plenty of times before, there is something peaceful about sitting in a deer blind with no cell phone ringing or walking down a path with a pail of worms much like Opie on the way to a favorite fishing hole.  These are times to connect with our Maker and appreciate the abundance of beauty there is in this world whether it’s a beautiful green sea with a thin line of blue water on the horizon or a fiery sunset from the blind.  

I really don’t understand why some hunters don’t like to fish and some fishermen don’t like to hunt. Stalking and sight casting to a redfish in skinny water or a bass on the bed is no different than stalking a land animal.  Many hunters enjoy a good spot and stalk, and many fishermen enjoy sitting on a pier for hours on end.

I suppose the difference is that more often than not, when a hunter pulls the trigger or releases an arrow, the projectile finds it’s mark.  Many times a fisherman casts his bait into what seems like nothingness. Sometimes fish are finicky and don’t want the bait, color, or size you are throwing.  Fish can also be difficult to find if you don't have a boat with electronics.  "95% of the fish are in 5% of the water" is how I think the saying goes.  I would say that probably applies to wildlife and land too, but I guess it's easier to see them.  I do appreciate the challenge of "looking" (or HUNTING) for fish when you can't see them, but it can also be frustrating at times.  Sometimes you just have to grind it out.

Chris Castro of Next Level Fishing TV
Photo: Chris Castro

There will always be varying degrees of craziness associated with these endeavors.  Call it extreme if you will, but I must confess being somewhat drawn to them myself.  I have recently made friends with a group of guys, one of which is Chris Castro from Next Level Fishing TV.  Check out their YouTube channel in the link.  These guys go offshore kayak fishing for species one can find in the open waters and depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

Then you have folks like Cameron Hanes who puts it all on the line in the mountains of Alaska and other WILD places.  Check out his video here.  Whether close enough for a bow shot on a bear, or hanging on to a dall sheep that is mortally wounded and about to go over a ledge in the mountains of Alaska, he puts his life at risk in extreme conditions to to get the kill.

I too have dabbled in the extreme side of hunting. I can say that I have been swimming in the Trinity River with a hog while hunting with dogs trained to hunt hogs in some of the thickest briars and brambles East Texas has to offer.  A very strenuous and thrilling endeavor indeed.  I only wish I had a video of that!

Truth be told, I would take it any way it comes, fishing, hunting, or their extreme versions, it’s all the same to me.  I would like to be in much better shape than I currently find myself.  I’m not getting any younger, but then again… That’s a good reason to get myself back in shape.  My bucket list isn’t getting any shorter!

Have you had any extreme hunting or fishing experiences? Do you like one and not the other?  Share you comments with us here or on our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/46outdoors/

Deer Season Recap & A Plan For 2016/2017

A nice 8 point Jan. 2009

Several years ago, when my youngest son was born, I came to the conclusion that it was time to get off my deer lease.  After several successful seasons of management and letting deer walk in hopes of shooting a mature buck one day, I was now going to let someone else shoot those deer.  However, I knew that with a baby on the way, mounting bills, and the lack of time I would have to hunt, it was the best thing I could do for my family. Over the course of the next several years, I saw my friends taking bigger more mature deer than I ever have. Nothing like pouring salt in the wound!Fast forward a couple more years and now I am back on the lease.

Back in September, just before bow season opened, we invited Don Bell, creator of Top Secret Deer Scents to Twisted Oak to give a seminar on hunting the rut.  It was a very interesting, and very entertaining seminar that covered the pre, peak, and post-rut activities of the Whitetail Deer, and the use of scents and calls.  The information shared, made me think about the way we hunt in Texas (over baited areas) versus the way many other states hunt (where it is against the law to bait).  

The difference in my mind being that basically, here in Texas, we alter the deer's natural travel corridors by placing feeders to draw them to a specific spot.  We also open up wide shooting lanes along their trail which also has to have an effect on their travels.  Now, don't get me wrong, most hunters are smart enough to place their feeder and stand locations along travel routes to begin with, but not necessarily in areas where a deer would normally stop to browse.  Other times, these feeders placed in oat fields, where deer come to graze.

The way I understand it, (which is from watching TV, and I could be totally wrong here) in other states where baiting is illegal, stands are placed in locations where deer funnel into pastures to graze and browse.  Some states don't even allow hunting over standing crops, so stand locations are forced further back into wooded areas on natural travel routes; and hunters are left to hunt over scrapes and other areas deer are known to travel.  

So, my question became... Do scents and calls work with the way we hunt in Texas?  I believe it's a topic worth researching.  So, I began looking for rubs and scrapes more actively.  I have seen them before, but never really paid much attention to them.  They merely reinforced in my mind that I had placed my feeder in a location where deer were known to travel. Good info to have, but what do you do with that info?  Well, Don answered that question with some great knowledge like when to use which scent, how to apply it, where to apply it and how to change a nockturnal buck's pattern.  I would not do it justice by trying to explain it here, so check out this video.  It's over an hour in length, but as I said, he is pretty entertaining.

Sunset from the bow stand. Near Hondo, TX

The lease I am on, is small and split by a Farm to Market road.  We all have our even smaller areas that we hunt. So, the idea of hunting a specific deer or a scrape/rub line doesn't seem to be very plausable unless it just happens to be in the perfect place. A place where there are no safety concerns with shot direction, I have the right wind direction, can access the spot without spooking everything in the area, and the right buck is traveling that scrape/rub line.  

Since I am now new to the lease again, my area is one that is near the front gate, which has been hunted before, but with marginal results.  I am not sure why things have been so marginal as there is a pond nearby and many, many trails leading out of some of the best cover on the property and our neighbor's property.  This summer, you can bet there will be many scouting trips to figure out the pattern on all this and find the 2x4 walls (as Don likes to put it). 

My season this year was a tough one. Going on what little I knew from my history on the lease 5 years prior, I set things up in a manner similar to the way it had been set up before.  Why would I expect different results?  Storm damage to my blind early in the season and abundant rain keeping things growing and limiting my vision didn't help much either.  

I harvested 2 hogs in my spot on the lease and never saw a deer from my primary blind, except on camera. All of which looked to be pretty young.  I did see what looked like a pretty mature 6 point that made the hit list, but I never saw him in person. It was a pretty poor year.  Toward the end of the year, I set up a secondary bow stand where I began to see what I thought might be a pattern.  If it is then I may have been parking in an area that cut off the deer headed my way. Most of the deer I saw from the bow stand were 150 yds away or more.  I did have some young bucks come into the bow stand on the trail I set with estrus during the peak of the rut.

I was a little disappointed in the way the season turned out, but it was good time spent with my kids. In the next month, I will make a trip or two out to do some shed hunting and begin my scouting for next season.  I like a challenge and look forward to a season full of trials and tribulations next year.  With any luck, I might learn something or even better, harvest the buck of a lifetime!    

3 Reasons NOT To Walk To Your Stand & How To Pattern That Buck By Driving

In Texas, we have some very large properties to hunt.  To date, I have hunted properties from 200 acres to 12,000 acres.  Some high fenced, most low fenced and I have come to the conclusion, that hunting these properties, of course, requires different strategies,  Strategies change from year to year and from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. But the one thing that stays constant for me is driving to my stand.  Call me lazy or scared of the dark or whatever you want, but a little experience tells me that getting there efficiently without spooking the deer yields better results.

About 10 years ago, I hunted a property that was about 1200 acres.  There were 10 hunters on the lease and it was frowned upon to drive to your stands.  Especially if you had to pass close by another stand to get there.  So, in the interest of going along and not getting booted off the lease, I walked.  Most of the time, I had somebody drop me off at a gate and walked about 1/2 a mile mostly down a sendero to my stand (thanks to Google Earth, I know this is not an exaggeration).

Here are a few reasons Not to walk to your stand.

Noisy... I stumbled over rocks, tripped on stumps, & sweated (BUCKETS... remember we are in TX).   If there was a deer (much less a buck) bedded down within a mile of that sendero, I guarantee you he slipped out and went the opposite direction once I passed.

Safety... Every Saturday morning for 3 weeks, I got in the stand 30 minutes or so before daylight and right at dawn, a coyote would run right down the same path I took to get to the blind. The first week, I fogged up my scope trying to get a bead on him because I was still sweating.  The second week, I couldn't stop him, and the third week he made his last trip down that trail.  I always wondered if he was trailing me or just happened to be on the same trail.  But even if he was just on the same trail, that is a little disconcerting in itself, because my scent had to be fresh.  He knew I was there somewhere, and he chose to follow the same trail... You do the math!

Photo Courtesy Twisted Oak

Scent Control... Back then, the whole scent control craze was in it's early stages with the new products and scent control technology on the market.  It was new to me anyway. My idea of scent control then was more cover scents or lures than elimination. Couple that with hunting the wind and the fact that my blind was 100+ yards away, I was not too concerned.  However, we as hunters and bowhunters have learned a thing or two about scent elimination and how to use these lures and scents more effectively.  If we minimize our footprints, we minimize our scent trail.

Several years later, after many of the original members of the lease left and my friends and I took over, we relaxed those rules and allowed people to drive to their stands.  My buddy Trae had an electric golf cart re-purposed as a hunting vehicle.   He once dropped me off at my blind (a different location), I hopped out and walked about 20-30 yards to my stand.  About two hours later, while I had deer at the feeder, a doe came wandering down that road.  We had corned the road too, so she had her head down sniffing and looking for more corn.  As soon as she got to the spot where I stepped out, she stopped, threw her tail in the air, looked at the blind, and started blowing and stomping.  I was busted.  She didn't see me, she didn't wind me, she winded my trail.  From that point forward I got dropped off at my ladder.

Think about it, even if you are very careful, walking down that sendero and a deer is bedded up just over the ridge (but you don't know that), you are headed into the wind, you are wearing soft pliable soled boots that don't make noise, your backpack is soft and quiet, you are doing everything right. You slip over that ridge and there is your dream buck.  He knows you're there now, but you don't. You walk up within 10 feet of him and he bolts.  He's not stopping until he is 2 counties away from there.

Now, same story, but now you are driving down that sendero.  The buck hears you coming.  His flight response kicks in as you get closer and he runs, but since the rancher drives through there everyday or few days (let's be honest, that IS WHY the road is there), you keep going and he only runs to the other side of the pasture or he jumps the closer fence and heads down into the creek bottom. Now, at least your buck is still in the same county and you might just see him chasing a doe or checking a scrape later in the day.

Also, consider this, you may have just reinforced to this deer that this is a good place to bed.  He heard you coming, his escape route worked, he is still alive, and HIS doe is still back in the area he just bolted from.  Chances are, he's coming back... and now YOU have him patterned.

www.twistedoakhuntfish.com

8 Tips For Walking To Your Deer Stand

For quite some time now I have hunted on properties where I could drive (or be driven) to my stand. In fact, my friends and I have spent many a dollar on golf carts, ATVs, UTVs, and compact 4x4s, to get us to our stands. However, this year I find myself in the position of walking into my stand locations and this has had me thinking about preparing for that walk to my stand. How do I get there without spooking that big buck?

Fortunately, I have experience to draw on here as about 10 years or so ago I was on a lease where we walked to our stands. In my opinion, I think walking in is way over rated for a number of reasons, but that is another story (literally) and like it or not, I will be doing my share of it this season.

Control your scent... Go through your normal scent control routine and wear your scent controlled clothing. Use a cover scent if that is what you do.  I have been known to step in cow manure to kill the scent of the road and no telling what other scents are on my boots. (again, this is a another story by itself). Make sure you use a scent control spray AFTER you get out of the truck.

Carry a good flashlight (or headlamp) with a red filter or bulb (and a spare pack of batteries)...  Studies have shown that deer don't see the color red that well, go ahead and turn on that light.  It is much better to shine a red light than to trip over a rock or walk into a thorny situation.

Clear your path... Walk to your stand once or twice before deer season.  Make sure you path is clear of obstacles. Remember that something as simple as brushing up against a limb can leave human odor. When clearing that path, don't be stingy cutting that path back, but don't clear cut the forest either.

Mark your path... some landowners will frown upon the use of flagging tape and for good reason. I wouldn't want orange flags all over my property. If this is an issue, lay some tree branches down along the path at intervals and fashion them into arrows if necessary to point the way. Don't rely on landmarks. Even if you don't want others hunting your stands, you really don't want them wandering all over you area looking for your hidden stand. By the way, I have ended up lost headed to my own stand before, so don't think it won't happen to you.

Keep your backpack organized and quiet... Invest in a good QUIET backpack that will carry what you need to the stand.  When purchasing a backpack, rub it against itself or your clothes and think about what and how you will wear it. How much noise will in make? I once had a backpack that had so many pockets and crevices that I had to wad up a jacket and put it in the main pocket just to have something in there to give it some body.  I was glad I did though, because the jacket came in handy once when a cold front blew in while I was in the stand. Also, you are constantly handling that pack. It probably has snacks in it (or did at some point), or it rode in the truck with you, so don't forget to give it some attention during your scent routine. Stow all your gear and don't let items dangle.

Carry a deer call... If you stumble or crash into a bush, let out a bleat or grunt and pause for a few seconds.  Animals wander around at night too. Make them think you are just passing through.  Remember, you don't know if they are there or not, and they won't want to blow their cover if you aren't right on top of them. If you do stumble upon a deer bedded down, keep moving and don't make eye contact.  If you walk right on by, they might not run so far.

Photo by: Chuck Crowsey

Enter your stand early...  When heading out to your stand, think about getting there early.  Most of the time, a deer won't bolt out of a bedding area unless they are completely spooked. So, if you are detected and you can get there without completely spooking them, you might get a second chance if you can get settled quickly and wait them out.

Treat your daytime walk to the stand like a spot and stalk hunt... Always carry your bow or rifle as you would if you were going to stalk a deer to kill it, because you just might. Of course, gun and bow safety always comes first, but stop and glass every now and then; move slowly and methodically. I once had a hunting buddy tell me a story about jumping a buck on the way to his stand.  He was unprepared for the encounter. While he was in a stare down with this animal he was fumbling around for ammo and this big buck bolted before he could get a round chambered. While it made for a great story back at camp, it would have been better over fresh backstrap!

In general, the same rules apply.  You must fool the eyes, ears and nose to fool the deer.  This is not an easy task and can be tricky, but if you follow the simple guidelines above, you will minimize your chances of spooking that big buck.  It's not just the buck you have to worry about.  While that doe or little spike is blowing and stomping, and you are staring at each other trying not to move, that big buck is slipping off undetected.

So, what about you?  Feel free to comment and let me know... What do you do to slip into your stand undetected?

www.twistedoakhuntfish.com

Hunting The Rut

Don Bell, Founder of Code Blue Scents has spent more than 30 years researching deer behavior specifically in regards to scrapes and human scent management. In a FREE SEMINAR this Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 11:00 AM, Don will explain the rut and dispel our misconceptions at Twisted Oak Hunting & Outfitter Supply. If you want to hunt that buck of your dreams this season (not just anything that strolls out in front of your feeder) and feel confident in you strategy, be there on Saturday.  You won’t be disappointed.

When thinking about the rut, I (probably like you) have always had in my mind the images of bucks chasing does until they are both completely exhausted by the chase.  I know that this is part of the process, but I have learned that there is so much more to it.  If you are anything like me, you have had re-occurring dreams of that chase unfolding in front of your stand while you carefully blurted out a “meh” to stop this insanity while you took the shot.

I have since learned bits and pieces of other theories many of which probably hold an ounce of truth or without the correct context mean absolutely nothing.  I can’t tell you how many times I have tried mock scrapes, rubs, etc. How many times have you been winded by that big buck because you didn’t have sufficient scent control or more importantly and more likely you disturbed the habitat entering your stand?  The answer is that you probably don’t even know because you never saw or heard him. 

The truth is, we already have most of the answers, but if we can put the puzzle together in the right order, we will be much more successful hunters.  Don, who is the hunting industry’s foremost scent specialist will walk us through the process step by step in a fun, informative seminar that is sure to enlighten us.  Hope to see you there.  If you have any questions or would like to reserve a seat, comment below or call the store at 830-336-3364.