Exotic Doe Hunt

There have been several times in recent years that some of my hunting adventures have made me question my “hobby” and if I was truly being very wise with how I spent my money. As in all things in life though, when you least expect it, the turn around happens and reaffirms all those questionable decisions you had before.

Such was the case this past weekend when Doc and I made a spur of the moment trip out to Ingram to hunt some exotic doe and hopefully put some meat in the freezer. I met up with Doc on the south side of Austin and we headed out in the wee hours of the morning to meet our guide in Kerrville. We met up with David Lee from Mountain Home Hunting Service and I had the feeling this trip would be different. A very personable and easy to talk to guy, David made us feel right at home from the start.

We followed David out to the 141-D Ranch west of Ingram and what a gorgeous place. Daylight was just breaking and already we saw several nice axis bucks on the drive in. Very well maintained roads made the trip easy and we left my truck on the old airstrip to ride with David to our blinds. When he dropped me off at the blind there were already several whitetail and a couple Sika bucks milling around at the feeding area. David got me settled in a nice blind that would easily accommodate 2 people. Told me he would be back around after dropping Doc off to put some feed out and make sure I was settled ok.

Sitting in the pre-dawn light and watching a dozen whitetail and several exotics, my heart was racing. David returned and scattered everything in sight. He saw a Sika spike running away from the feeder called me on the radio and told me to take him if I had a chance. I was pumped!!!! As David drove away, he gave me the thumbs up and I was ready. After what seemed like thousands of extremely long minutes later, the animals started making their way back in. The whitetails first, mostly bucks still in velvet, showing signs that the management program was definitely working. Then the exotics came. I was ready, first a young axis buck followed by a Formosa Sika that was still in velvet as well. Wow, great to see but not the plan for this hunt. I watched intently for signs of a doe or even the spike buck but to no avail. Then the spike buck made his way behind an old cattle hay feeder. I got ready, felt comfortable and relaxed, and he walked straight back into the woods!!! I put the gun down and watched several more bucks and a very nice blackbuck come in and take their turns feeding.

I heard the radio bark asking what it was, David was heading to Doc and from what I could hear he had one on the ground. We decided to move me to another stand after he cleaned the doe and try there. More blackbuck and a very nice axis buck pushing 32” but still no doe. With the weather warming quickly, David called and said lets get the one in the cooler and grab some lunch and try them again that afternoon. We headed back to Kerrville and got the doe in the cooler and David treated us to a very filling and tasty lunch.

That afternoon David and I agreed to try for the Sika spike again. I watched and watched as the whitetails and axis came in time and time again but no spike. I heard Doc’s rifle sound again and everything left the country. David called and said he was on his way to move me again and we set up near a waterhole. After taking care of Doc’s second doe we got set up again and waited and watched. A nice young Sika buck, couple whitetail doe, and blackbuck doe but nothing else. It was getting later, almost 7pm, and David said lets move again. We went to another stand, surrounded by thick tall green grass. The truck had no sooner drove off when the blackbuck came running in. Very nice blackbuck!! Then the axis doe came blasting in. I thought, here we go, now I’m set. Got the rifle ready and felt like I was watching a video game. Those axis doe ran from one corner of the field to the other never standing still for more than 2 seconds. I took a deep breath and relaxed and noticed a black shape coming in from the left. A very dark chocolate Fallow doe made her way in to the field. She mingled amongst the axis then moved off by herself and turned broadside. The 8MM sounded and she took off back the way she came. I waited a few minutes and called David on the radio to come get me. I couldn’t see where she went after she got to the left of the stand but we found blood and shortly thereafter found her in a pile of cactus. We got her loaded up and headed back to town for the cleaning. On the way out, as you would expect, there stood the Sika spike broadside in the opening. We all chuckled that he knew exactly what he was doing earlier that day.

David made short work of skinning and quartering our doe and getting us loaded up for the trip home. I can’t say enough about the way he took care of us on this hunt. Always checking and making sure we were ok and where we needed to be was just one part. He worked very hard for us and I would recommend David to anyone who wants a quality hunting experience and definitely wants to go where they will see some game.

Thanks again David for all your hard work and for a great day of hunting. Already looking forward to hunting with you again in the future. For those of you interested in a good quality hunt with excellent service please give David a call. You wont be disappointed!!!
David Lee
Mountain Home Hunting Service
830-367-2568

Now I guess the planning begins again, I’m already feeling the need to be out there in the wild.