Venado Loco's Great West Texas Bowhunt By email I received an invitation for myself and one friend to bowhunt with Venado Loco at his 6,300 acre deer lease in the desert near Del Rio, Texas. This is as far West as Whitetails go in the Southwest and Venado said that this bowhunt would be different from other deer hunts I was familiar with ... he wasn't kidding.  These are the logs for the Venado Loco hunt.  So far: Arrival Day, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

Deer Season 1999: The most recent posts are at the top of this column. Sunday, Oct 31, the 30th & last day of Bow Season '99:  (Afternoon) John Askew bowhunted in the Back 200 and got his first deer of the year, a doe. Doug W followed suit in the Strip and also got a doe. (Morning) It was raining but Robbie hunted the Gate area anyway. I woke up at 8:30 and looked out. Cows were all over my yard and the Gate area is closeby so I ran them all off. At that moment Robbie was at full draw on a doe. She spooked when the cows spooked. Oh well, what are friends for if not to add excitement to your hunt. Saturday, Oct 30, the 29th day of Bow Season 1999:  Rain ... it was pouring at 6:00am and it's been going strong for 4 hours. This is the first rain here in 4 months. The Leon River stopped flowing 2 months ago and there are no farm crops growing anywhere --  so we really need rain. Robbie and Dickie are down to hunt. If the rain stops we'll all go out for the afternoon bowhunt. Wednesday, Oct 27, the 26th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Afternoon Hunt) At the Pocket: Through the thick cedar limbs I spotted a large bodied deer coming toward me from the bedding area 100 yards away. It was a buck and a good one. It walked to the fence crossing near the clump of cedars, where I sat in my ladder stand, and studied the area for a long while. He was definitely "lookin' good". Soon he hopped the fence, but it took him eons to reach my shooting window. I slowly leaned forward to use the limbs for cover as I drew. At full draw I inched back into the window and carefully aimed at the bucks vitals, he was now 12 yards away. I touched my release trigger and the arrow popped through the buck. I have 3 stands at the Pocket set in a triangle and he ran behind the one I was facing and I heard him go down. I got down right away, picked up my arrow and walked behind my other stand. I could see his antlers sticking up out of the broom weeds. Then I waited impatiently for dark and drove down to pick up the Duck at the Canyon. He had seen several bucks and does. "I shot a buck and I need your help," I said. He got his flashlights and trail marking tape out of his pack while we drove to the Pocket. I turned the truck as I parked and I said, "I need your help, I couldn't get him up to the tail gate by myself," as the headlights shown on the buck. And here is a pic of the buck. (Morning Hunt) At the Mound: nothing moved where I was. The Duck saw 2 does and 2 young bucks. Tuesday, Oct 26, the 25th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Afternoon Hunt) At the Point and for 2 hours nothing showed, then a 15 inch 8-point walked up and watched the area for 20 minutes -- most of the time within 20 yards of my stand -- he was cool: blocky shoulders and butt, erect head, a fine buck. But I'm still watching too. The Point is a crossroads for deer, it connects 3 fence lines and a deer funnel of woods and it always has regular deer traffic. This buck was clearly alone, definitely separated from his buddy group and looking for does. It's a good sign, and if past experience is right some does will actually go into rut this week. The next 6 days are our best chance to harvest a trophy buck (for our area) before the rifle hunters sturr it all up on November 9. The Duck hunted the Dry Up Pond and no deer were seen.(Morning Hunt) I hunted the Rolled Wire and saw a lot of deer but they were all uphill, closer to my 3rd Wire stand. The Duck hunted Myron's corner and also saw over a dozen deer. He took his video camera and videoed them.  Monday, Oct 25, the 24th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Morning Hunt) I hunted the rolled wire and saw a lot of deer but they were all uphill closer to my 3rd Wire stand. The Duck hunted Myron's corner and also saw over a dozen deer.  (Afternoon Hunt) At the Point it looked like nothing was going to show when a 16 inch 8-point walked up and watched the area for 20 minutes -- most of the time within 20 yards of my stand. Blocky shoulders and butt, erect head, a fine buck. The Point is a crossroads for deer, it connects 3 fence lines and a deer funnel of woods and it gets regular deer traffic. This buck was clearly alone, separated from his buddy group and looking for does. It's a good sign, and if past experience is right some does will actually go into rut this week. Sunday, Oct 25, the 24th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Morning Hunt) I saw big antlers on the deer coming my way through the thick brush, apparently he intended on approaching a doe that was near me. Something about the buck didn't look just right. I slowly inched my binoculars to my eyes and when he walked clear of the brush I saw a wide, well past the ears left main beam with 4 long points. The right beam went past his ears but was broken. The Duck hunted the Canyon and saw a humongous buck with a non typical, high rack that was loaded with points. He got drawn on him, thinking he would get a chance to shoot, but no luck. (Afternoon Hunt) I went to the Turkey Farm fence line but only saw one doe. The Duck hunted the Canyon and 3 different bucks showed, but no sign of the non typical. Oct 16-22: Sun-Fri:This Week the Duck (Don Beckwith) and I are the guests of Venado Loco (here is a link to his exceptional deer hunting web site) and are bowhunting whitetials on a 6,300 acre ranch near Del Rio, Texas. Our quarters does not have telephone service but I will update from an area ISP as possible. Saturday, Oct 15, the 14th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Morning Hunt) Yes! It happened again. John Askew watched a large black wild boar come out of the brush. He drew and aimed. The shot looked right on and the boar dashed into the bush. Both of us had parked at the same place in the Back 200 and he met me there. "Lets go look for my wild boar," He said. We took my truck and drove as close as we could get to his stand. John saw the fletching of his arrow a mere 15 yards away in the brush. Here's a pic of John & his Boar & a group pic.The Duck (Don) saw a bomber 10 point, I saw 2 does, Robbie came down last night and he saw a 6-point close in and 4 does too far off to shoot.  Friday, Oct 15, the 14th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Afternoon Hunt) Chrissy watched as a lead doe bullied another doe out of the way. Like a pro instead of a rookie, Chrissy took advantage of the distraction and drew her bow and held it at full draw, hoping the doe would take the few steps left to put it a shooting lane. It stepped ... and here is a picture of Chrissy's first deer, taken tonight. And Here is the story in her words. John Askew saw two deer and a Wild Hog. Brian and I and the Duck zipped. (Morning Hunt) John Askew came down and he saw a sixer and a doe in the Back 200. Chrissy saw a buck and a doe at the Point but cows spooked them before they were in a shooting window. The Duck was watching several deer when they looked into the brush and ran away. A monster Wild Boar walked out. Don shot hit but his arrow hit the shoulder plate and actually bounced out. The hog was not even concerned about it and stayed in the area for a while, but Don couldn't get another shot at it. I saw nothing in the Pocket. But Brian was the one with the lions share of today's action. Here it is. And I took some pics of Chrissy in her treestand at the Point. #1, #2 & lowering her bow #3. Thursday, Oct 14, the 13th day of Bow Season 1999: (Afternoon Hunt) Every time the action is real good, like this morning, you always think, "The next time out will be even better." Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. This afternoon it wasn't. Chrissy and I didn't see anything and they got to Brian too late for shooting light. The Duck came down this afternoon and he saw a young buck and two does. (11:16am) At 8:05 (at the Pocket -- in the cedar strip stand) a 5-point slipped through the fence and into the area. A forky was next. Then a young doe with a large bus doe. While they were still in the area I heard loud talking and horns honking, modern cowboys working cattle on the adjacent property. The deer listened and the bus doe moved off into the brush. The others followed. In minutes a mature doe waled right into my shooting window and stopped quartering away broadside, looking into the more open area ahead. I drew, aimed carefully and released. As the arrow popped through its vitals the does head turned and looked at me. She stood still an instant before running. In 60 yards she stopped. I grabbed my binoculars and focused on her. She dropped. I got down to recover the doe. Brian hunted Myson's corner. Ten deer came through and he got a shot at a doe, and missed.  We took pictures of us with the doe and here are Brian, me, and Chrissy. Wednesday, Oct 13, the 12th day of Bow Season 1999:  (9:45am) Chrissy (back at the Point) watched a forky and a sixer approach, circle her area, and then walk in front of her from the right. Surprise! Two does already there! She waited for a shot opportunity. It came and she slowly drew her bow without alarming the deer below her. Then something unexpected happened and hunting ethics came into play. A choice! Yes or no! And what Chrissy did makes me proud to know a bowhunter of her caliber. By the way neither Brian or I saw any deer. Before I hunted I put a ladder stand in a cedar strip in the pocket. That gives me 3 stands in that area.) (9:45am) Chrissy (at the Point) saw her first deer up close, 5 does and 3 bucks. Here's what happened. Brian saw 4 unidentified deer in the Pocket. When I lowered my bow to get down a big doe walked right out of the brush to see what the disturbance was (15 yards in from of me). That's the first deer that knows where I am in the Hammer Hole. Deer are regularly walking behind me so I moved one of my tripods there so I can get in that game. Tuesday, Oct 12, the 11th day of Bow Season 1999:  (7:52pm) A big bodied 8-point basket rack walked the edge of the small clearing I can see at the Hammer Hole tripod stand. I also saw 1 doe and a doe family of 3. Brian was watching the 6-point at the Pocket when he heard deer coming. It was the 7 deer he saw yesterday, to his surprise the entire group was bucks -- and in the lead was the white horned buck, Brian counted 9 points, they were easy to count because the buck was only 10 yards away. And ... well, let Brian tell you in his own words. (4:02pm) The afternoon lineup is: Brian @ the Pocket, Chrissy @ the Gate, me @ the Hammer Hole. (9:05am) One word sums up this mornings hunt. Cows! They are part of the toll over the hunting bridge when you hunt in cattle country, but they can sure run the deer out of your hunting area.  (5:45am) A couple of pop tarts, some baked apple oatmeal, a little java and some V8. A great deerhunting breakfast. Today we hunt my place, Chrissy hunts the Mound, I am going to the Gate and Brian will be in Alex's Road. Monday, Oct 11, the 10th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Afternoon hunt) Rick, Check This Out: Brian was watching a 6-point at the Pocket when 7 deer fiiled by 50 yards in front of him -- one was the bomber white horned buck. That sounds like the Deer City huge 10 point (he had white antlers) that has been  traveling with a group of deer. Chrissy saw a doe in the  thick brush. An unidentified deer came by behind me. (10:31am) Brian had a 6-point right in front of him but our game management plan dosen't allow them to be harvested. Turtle had a shot opportuity when 2 does came within 7 yards of him, but his arrowrest made a noise and they heard it and left. When he came in from hunting he saw an 8-point and a doe near my house. Both Chrissy & I zipped. (5:01am) We're all up and getting ready. This morning everyone is hunting the same stands they did last night. Sunday, Oct 10, the 9th day of Bow Season 1999:  (8:07pm) Brian saw 1 deer. Chrissy didn't see any deer at the Point but she got introduced to Texas fire ants. Turtle saw several deer passing through the brush but none where he could get a shot. I saw two bucks, a spike and a sixer and 3 separate groups of does. (3:15pm) Brian & Chrissy's bows and hunting clothes finally arrived and we picked them up and are not getting ready to deerhunt. I'm putting Chrissy at the Point and Brian at the Pocket. Turtle is hunting in a stand we put up for him that is down from the 3rd Wire area behind my house. Saturday, Oct 9, the 8th day of Bow Season 1999:  (6:05pm) Rats! Greyhound Bus lines still haven't found Brian & Chrissy's bows and hunting clothes. We were waiting at the terminal when when the Bus arrived sans the hunting stuff. Now we are back at my place but it is too late to enter the hunting areas. (11:45am) The Duck was the only one who hunted this morning and he saw 8 does and 2 bucks at Myron's Corner. At present, we are waiting to hear if the bus brought the luggage for Brian and Chrissy.  Turtle and Kathy came down and we all ate breakfast at the Red Barn. Friday, Oct 8, the 7th day of Bow Season 1999: NOTE: Today, Brian Pullam and Chrissy of the Young Bowhunters Club arrive for a week of bowhunting deer. (10:15pm) The Duck and I went to meet Brian and Chrissy in Hamilton at the bus drop off point at 4:20. Two years ago when Brian came the crack professionals in charge of the bus luggage routing didn't get his luggage on his bus. Guess what, a repeat performance, plus the bus was almost 2 hours late. So none of us got to hunt tonight. We did walk around a little and saw 26 deer. (9:15am) No deer for me but I did have a lone cow come into my immediate vicinity. I don't have cows on my own place so I must have a gate open somewhere, I'll check later today.  (5:45am) It sure is sleepy out! I went to bed too late to hunt this morning but I'm going anyway. The temp is 58 and it is double dark. You guessed it, I'm hunting the Gate and looking for the Duo to show. The Duck went on another Parks & Wildlife deer  survey with our County Wildlife Biologist last night and he got in too late to hunt. Thursday, Oct 7, the 6th day of Bow Season 1999:  (Afternoon hunt) I had just sat down in my tripod seat when the two does showed up. As the afternoon progressed I saw 10 deer, either behind me in the brush or as movement where they crossed the Hammer Hole woods road. There could have been bucks but the brush is too thick to get a positive ID on some of them. The Duck saw 4 does and a young buck. (Morning hunt) This morning I am will hunting the Gate, which is where the 18-Inch Duo were yesterday. The Duck hunts Myron's Corner. (After the hunt) The Duck saw 2 Sixers and three does. Some does walked through my area but the Duo didn't show. Wednesday, Oct 6, the 5rd day of Bow Season 1999:  (8:01pm) Rick, Ricky and Doug went home at noon. Don hunted the Pocket and didn't see anything. I saw 5 does at the Hammer Hole. This afternoon I set up a stand where I can intercept the 18-Inch Duo this morning. (9:00am) Wow, we be rockin' this year. If you were with me last year you may recall that I passed several nice bucks on my own place. Well, that is paying off. This morning I saw two 18-inchers, an 8 and 9 point, that were traveling together. The 9 marked several limbs as he went along. The closest they got was 35 yards, which is too far to shoot. A basket rack 8 also came by. Ricky saw 2 Bomber bucks at the End of the Road stand in the Back 200. Elk saw some does.  Doug saw a few but got busted by the lead doe. (6:00am) This morning I'm headed to the Rolled Wire. Last night the Duck participated in a Texas Parks & Wildlife deer survey so he got in to late to hunt today. Rick, Ricky and Doug are hunting. Tuesday, Oct 5, the 4rd day of Bow Season 1999:  (9:00pm) At the Hammer Hole -- if you read my 8:00pm Saturday post you know why -- behind me, a total of 6 unidentified deer picked their way through the dry leaves. They were 10-15 yards away but it's just too thick to get a good ID on them. A large fawn with spots still on it's rump walked by in front of me. The Deer City 8-point did not show. Driving back to camp a Rick and I saw a coyote. Don saw a spike and a doe. Rick zipped. Ricky had 2 come up but they suddenly ran off. Doug was visited by a 7-point and 2 does. He tried for a doe but she spooked when he drew. (4:00pm) Don is hunting the "L" in the Back 200. I'm hunting the Hammer Hole and Rick is 150 yards away in the woods. Ricky returned to Rick's Hot Stand. Doug is hunting the Strip. (1:00pm) Rick and Ricky saw no deer this morning at Rick's Hot Stand. Don saw 3 does at Myron's Corner. Doug ran several out in t the dark as he went in to his stand in the Horse Pasture. (12:00am) Doug Whiteberry joined our group Monday night. Rick and Ricky are hunting the area we call Rick's Hot Stand. It's back in the woods behind my Alex's Road stands. Don will be at Myron's Corner. Doug is hunting the Horse Pasture. I have an 9:00 appointment at the Ford dealer to get my pickup's transmission fixed so I can't hunt.  Monday, Oct 4, the 3rd day of Bow Season 1999:  (9:30pm) On the way out I saw several does near Chrissy's stand. Don was visited by 2 young bucks and several does. Rick saw a spike and 3 does. Ricky saw the same spike and 6 does. I saw no deer. (11:50am) For some odd reason everyone is hunting in the Back 200 this afternoon. If you read my 8:00pm Saturday post you know why. (11:50am) As Rick got to his stand this morning he heard the wild hogs moving ahead of him in the brush. They moved on and as the morning passed he saw 6 does. Ricky had one doe come through at the Point. Don (the Duck) saw several deer and heard the wild turkeys at the entrance to the Canyon. (2:02am) Rick Philippi and his son Ricky came down to hunt. Rick is hunting in the Back 200, Ricky will be at the Point and the Duck will hunt the Canyon. It took me until now the get half my email read (for the last two days) and I'm too tired to wake up at 5:00 so I'll miss this mornings hunt. Sunday, Oct 3, the 2nd day of Bow Season 1999:  (9:01pm Sunday) I saw one lone doe during the afternoon hunt. The Duck saw 6 does.  (4:15pm Sunday) The Duck and I are the only ones here this afternoon. I'm returning to the Hammer Hole and he is hunting the Dry Up Pond. Sunday, Oct 3, the 1st of Bow Season 1999:  (3:00pm Sunday)Everybody saw deer this morning. They moved early. When you find a good buck and you're not quite in his game I think you have to move to him right away, set up fast and quiet, and to try not to leave any scent on the ground. That's what I did this afternoon. The trail the Deer City buck walked out of goes to our Back Fence so I hung a stand at the first major crossing on this trail. Next I moved my tripod 15 yards, which puts me at the corner of the Hammer Hole road and the Hammer Hole trail. Saturday, Oct 2, the 1st of Bow Season 1999:  (8:00pm Saturday) Rick, I saw the big Deer City 8-point. He came out of the brush onto the Hammer Hole woods road and took a right, just too many trees & limbs between us for me to get a shot. Woooeee, he has big antlers. Later on I saw some does. One was walking down the Hammer Hill road woods road and stopped and smelled the ground where the buck had walked. She cut to the left into the woods Saturday, Oct 2, the 1st of Bow Season 1999:  (4:00pm Saturday) At 7:15 this morning I saw a shape moving over by the rusty Roll of Wire that gave the rolled Wire stand it's name. It was a young buck and it was rubbing its face on the branches of a scrub live oak. He was in the area quite a while, face marking limbs. Later on I picked out a group of deer in the heavy cover moving towards the 3rd Wire crossing.  Back at camp we recapped and the Duck saw several does and a sixer, Robbie saw 4 does, RB saw 3 does. We had a little work to do around camp so I couldn't get back here to post until now. We are getting ready for the afternoon hunt. I'll drop Robbie off at the Point and I'm hunting the Hammer Hole area, right where I got the Buckshot35 pics earlier in the year. (6:00am Saturday) The adventure begins: oatmeal, a couple of pop tarts, half a cup of coffee and a shower. It's 58 degrees, a light wind, the sky is clear, there's a million stars and the moon is 1/2 size and almost overhead. The Duck is hunting the Dry Pond, RB is at Myron's Corner, Robbie is at the Rock Ledge, and I'm at the Roller Wire. Where ever you are headed to hunt this morning, good luck and shoot straight. (11:02pm Friday) Tonight we ate chicken fried bear steaks from the bear that the Duck got in Ontario 3 weeks ago. It was sure good. The Duck, his son R B and my bud Robbie are down to bowhunt deer.  The night before opening day is the toughest night of the year to get a good nights rest. I toss and turn all night long. Oh well, it's the "toll over the bridge." I'm turning in.

the Beginning (Scouting)
The most recent posts are at the top of this column.
Looking around after the season is over always helps me put a few more of the pieces in the deerhunting puzzle. It's as much a part of the hunt as the hunting season. I started scouting the first weekend in February.

Here Are My Scouting Logs For 1999

Back To Where You Were At Bowhunting.Net

1. Scouting the Rolled Wire
2. Setting Up To Bowhunt at the Rolled Wire & the 3rd Fence
3. Get A Map of your hunting place 

Scouting With Your Map (we scout the Rolled Wire)

1998Deerhunt Index
1998 October Logs
1998 November Logs
1998 December Logs

Map Of Where I Hunt

1998 Brown County Bowhunt at Hunting Unlimited

Bowhunting.Net

Deerhunting.Net