MLD Doe Hunt

We all know that hunting is a passion more than anything else. We can sometimes call it a business and at other times call it a hobby but the fact remains that most of us are truly passionate about what we like to do.

As I’m sure my wife will tell you, I spend way too many hours either thinking, reading, watching or driving to a hunting place!!! So when the opportunity came around to go on a late season MLD hunt out in west Texas I jumped on it. Spent several weeks talking to different folks and arranging the group before we finally realized it was just gonna be 5 of us.

I had already talked to my buddy “calls” and we were on track to meet up with “westexhunter” in San Angelo for lunch then make what I think is now the only requirement we probably all have in common, THE TRIP TO WALMART!! Now not being one to dish it out without taking it sometime later, anyone who knows WTH knows he takes his time to go and do just about everything. So needless to say calls and I had a good time at his expense. After he and Huntress missed lunch with us and we had already checked out at the big W, we finally got rounded up and headed to the ranch. Steve, calls buddy, would be meeting us later.

We got to the ranch just outside San Angelo late that afternoon and met up with the owner to sign all the obligatory paperwork, and the checks too!! And proceeded down to the “Treehouse” where we would be roughing out the weekend.

Once settled we naturally began to think of food and set upon our plans for dinner. Steve made it to the ranch in time for dinner and we all talked about where to hunt the next morning and who was going to be in what stand.

The owner picked us up about 6:30am and we headed out to the blinds. We saw several doe on the drive out and had our hopes high for a successful morning. Since we were on a doe only MLD hunt, naturally we all saw some fine bucks early that first morning, and Steve and WTH were covered up in turkeys. About 7:30am I felt the breeze in my face, then about 7:30 I felt the hurricane!!! Now anyone who has hunted out west Texas knows how this wind can be and believe me, it showed us no mercy. After feeling the tripod lift a few times I hit the ground and waited for the truck! On the ride back there was no talk of success just groaning from wind burnt faces and cold feet. The wind blew all day Saturday, steady at 25-30mph with gusts even higher. Undaunted we tried again that afternoon only to find the wind not lay until dark and well after shooting time.

Sunday had more promise as the morning broke with no wind and a light frost on the ground. The radio chattered with more sightings of turkeys and some other nice bucks only to be silenced by gunfire. Finally someone was shooting!! WTH and calls both connected on nice doe that morning, Steve tried but found a mesquite tree instead.

Sunday evening would find us seeing more bucks and turkeys but nothing to put in the cooler to bring home. While the weather certainly didn’t cooperate with us very much, we still had a great time and shared a ton of laughs as usual.

I’m sure there are other stories and probably pictures that need not be posted anywhere but I guess that’s all part of the hunt and part of this passion we all share. We parted ways Monday morning already thinking about the next time and plotting and scheming our way outta work and other “duties” in hopes that we will be able to meet up again and try once more.

No truer words ever spoken than, “A bad day hunting is better than a good day working.”