Texas!   The names San Antonio, Comanchee Springs, and Hondo conjure up images in the mind of great battles, of ranches stretching as far as the eye can see, and of cowboys and Indians. Even though I must admit all of my cowboys look like John Wayne. However, this Texas trip was to have more of an African flavor than old west. Some even describe the 777 Ranch as "Africa in Texas". I had a hunting trip booked at the 777 Ranch in Hondo and for several weeks prior to the hunt I was getting gear together, making frequent trips to the range, and making lists of things to take. I can only imagine what the first settlers must have gone through preparing for life on a wagon train. I was only going to be gone four days.

Getting to Hondo from Virginia via Dallas wasn't exactly fraught with Indian attacks, or famine on the trail, unless eating airplane food counts, but it was an adventure none the less. Weather delays made us an hour late getting into Dallas and when we arrived we discovered the computers were down because of a cut phone line. Yep, that's always the bad guys first move, cut all lines of communication. We discovered this just after our connection departed from the gate, without us. I had only moments to contemplate forming a posse to find the guns and get them on the right airplane. Fortunately, American Airlines employee Sharon Warren was up to the task of leading the posse. Just before we departed for San Antonio she boarded our aircraft and told us she had made sure our guns were on the flight. If you've never seen the Dallas airport without computers believe me, that's pretty good tracking. Way to go Sharon! I should have taken her with me for the rest of the trip but I'll get to that part of the story later.

We were about three hours late getting to the 777 on Thursday afternoon and after a brief session at the range to make sure our guns were still zeroed in we began our adventure. The 777 is about 40 miles Southwest of San Antonio and has over 50 different species of game from Europe, Asia, India, and Africa in addition to the indigenous species. As I write this the fire ant also comes to mind but I'm not exactly sure where they hail from.

Sprawling across 15,000 acres, the 777 is comprised of a number of adjoining fenced areas where different species exist with out fear of cross breeding. Each hunting area has been assigned a name to prevent confusion as to where different parties are hunting. The guides are in frequent communication with each other via radio when entering or leaving an area which maintains a very safe hunting environment and is no doubt one of the reasons they have a perfect safety record.

I was traveling with my good friend and next door neighbor Ron Horton. Ron and I each had our own guide; we didn't request that arrangement, it just worked out that way. Normally two hunters would hunt safari style with one guide. I would be hunting with Floyd Henry and Ron had been assigned to Charlie Martin. Both men are experienced guides having many years to their credit. I consider myself to have a pretty sharp eye for game but it isn't until you hunt with someone who spots animals for a living that you can really appreciate the skill. On several occasions Floyd spotted a basketball size patch of hair way out in the brush and exclaimed, "there's your Aoudad". I was glad I had good binoculars and some transportation. Just in case you aren't familiar with the conversion; 15,000 acres covers over 23 square miles.

It seemed the guides glanced around at each other and chuckled at the dinner table on Thursday evening when we said we had seen Aoudad on our sight seeing tour that afternoon but we didn't want to shoot one yet. The general consensus is they can be tough to get a shot at and they are definitely tough to bring down.

Friday morning, the first serious day of hunting, welcomed us with overcast skies and moderate temperatures; quite comfortable for May in South Texas. Ron and I decided we really didn't want to shoot that first afternoon; we were content to have a look around the ranch and get a feel for our quarry (a decision that could have easily come back to haunt us). Our primary goal was to take an Aoudad, which is an elusive goat-like animal from North Africa. I also wanted to do a little coyote hunting if time permitted. Ron was hunting with his Knight black powder rifle (I haven't converted him yet) and I was using a Thompson Contender in 375 JDJ with a 3x9 Burris handgun scope. We came to realize fairly quickly that Aoudad have eyesight rivaling the Pronghorn Antelope, prefer the security of a large herd, and inhabit thick brush. Also like the Pronghorn, Aoudad will stand still for about ten seconds after they see you. Quick as a flash they're a mile away and you're left looking at the dust cloud.

I was serious about taking an animal on Friday but after four unsuccessful stalks before lunch I began to understand why everyone at the ranch had such guarded optimism about getting a shot at an Aoudad. After a quick lunch at headquarters we headed out again. We soon discovered a small band of Aoudad numbering about twenty lazing around a shady creek bottom. They spooked but the clouds had burned off and it was getting pretty warm so they were hesitant to move very far before they bedded down again. Up on the side of a hot brush-choked ridge we could see several animals milling about and slowly they began to bed down. There was a trophy male presenting an easy shot about 80 yards up the ridge but I couldn't convince Floyd that's the one I should shoot. I was on a "get acquainted hunt" at a price reduced from the usual trophy hunt fee and shooting that big male on this trip would surely exceed my budget so I had to wait. Finally, after about five tense minutes a "shooter" walked into view and I squeezed a shot off. The 270 grain Speer slammed the animal to the ground. Floyd congratulated me and we moved toward the downed animal. The large exit hole on the front of the shoulder and the immediate knockdown signaled to me that I had made a spine shot. Floyd suggested that we give it a few minutes to expire and I agreed.

We eased off back down the ridge and Floyd went to get the Jeep. He had returned and we both were about to enjoy a cool sip of water when Floyd noticed that her head was up. I knew that meant trouble and I went for my now unloaded handgun in the front seat of the Jeep. By the time I got to where Floyd was standing the Aoudad was on her feet and making tracks up the hill. I fired again and the animal reared up on its hind feet and crashed backwards onto the rocks. As I reloaded Floyd said, "well she's not going anywhere now". I think he jinxed it; a few fleeting seconds and she was on her feet again and disappeared around the ridge into the thick cover. Neither of us could understand how this was possible. We both had seen the silver dollar sized hole in the shoulder and there was a good bit of blood as well. I came to find out Aoudad characteristically do not bleed very much.

If you've hunted enough you know how I felt at that particular moment. To make matters worse the blood trail, in true Aoudad form, only lasted about fifty yards and then it dried up. Floyd and I looked intensely for some kind of clue as to what direction the animal might have taken but there just wasn't much to see. Floyd actually found a piece of copper jacket lying on the ground along the trail. After about two hours looking for a trail we were getting over heated and had to take a break and find some shade. We contemplated the situation, which seemed grim at best. We decided the animal had not crossed an open area at the bottom of the ridge like we initially thought but had probably continued around the ridge and down into a ravine. Floyd was over in the ravine bottom and I had found a very rugged trail that paralleled the edge of the ravine. I was checking every slide crossing the trail for fresh tracks or blood. I was hoping it would bleed a little when crossing the rocky trail I was working since the animal had a shoulder wound. About two thirds of the way up the trail I heard something that sounded out of place. As the faint noise crept into my consciousness I thought it was a bird fussing at me but I realized it was too regular. Could it be breathing? Yes. The sound of short labored breaths was coming from the extremely thick brush above me. I couldn't tell exactly how far but I knew the animal was close.

Slowly I crept into the thorn-covered bush taking one step and glassing for a hint of what I suspected was the Aoudad I had shot three and half hours earlier. After about 20 painstaking yards I spotted some hair in my binoculars. I expected to find the animal lying down barely alive but instead it was standing broadside watching its back trail. I don't know if the animal had detected me, but it was clear, I had to finish this now. It was difficult to tell exactly where the vitals were but through the binoculars I could see the dark hole in the shoulder I had made earlier. Placing the cross hairs a few inches lower and farther back I fired through the heavy cover. Again the animal took off running but I was fairly certain I had a hit. I could hear Floyd in the brush below and I waited for him to make his way up to me. I explained what happened and Floyd circled to higher ground where he could watch two crossing trails in case the chase was still on. I had taken only a few steps from where I had fired the last shot and I saw the Aoudad was down but still breathing. I wasn't taking any chances this time. One more shot lengthwise and the ordeal definitely was over. As it turned out the third hit was perfectly placed through both lungs making the last shot unnecessary but then I made the mistake of thinking that earlier and I wasn't about to let it happen again.

Aoudad have large muscular front shoulders and a reputation for being hard to bring down especially when compared to the whitetail I am used to hunting. My first shot was just too far forward. Their shoulder is a big tempting target but putting the cross hairs a little farther back will get a quicker kill on an Aoudad based on my experience. I'm not trying to make excuses. I made a bad hit given their slightly different anatomy and a bad decision not to put a second round in her when I was within ten feet after the first shot. A post mortem examination of the wounds showed the first slug hit close to the spine but didn't disrupt any vital organs. The 375 did produce enough shock to the nervous system to temporarily paralyze the animal twice. The second shot, angling sharply away, clipped the neck and barely missed the spine again. Perhaps they've achieved their reputation for being so tough to kill because they are.

Ultimately we found this animal because I was paying attention to all of my senses, neither Floyd nor I were willing to give up easily, and we had a bit of good luck after some bad. If you hunt, sooner or later you're likely to have something like this happen and the best advice I can give is don't quit until you absolutely can't search any longer, and if you're hunting Aoudad use enough gun. The staff at the 777 recommend a minimum of 300 Winchester Magnum for rifle hunters for that species; you wouldn't be over gunned with a 338 either, especially if you're after a big male which can weigh 250 to 300 pounds.

The rest of our three day hunting trip, while not quite as challenging as my experience with the Aoudad, was very successful and memorable as well. Ron didn't get a shot at an Aoudad at all on Friday but he did take this really good animal early Saturday morning with one shot from his 50 caliber muzzle loader. Also included in the price of our hunt were bobcat, coyote, and bass fishing.

Saturday morning Floyd easily called in two coyote using his new Foxpro caller. The first one saw us but I was able to cleanly kill the second one with my 309 JDJ at about 125 yards. After some predator calling in the morning Floyd suggested we try and catch a few fish before lunch. I was up for that after seeing some huge swirls in one of the 30 lakes on the 777 property. I've bass fished all over Virginia and a lot of Florida and I can tell you the 777 offers exceptional fishing. Within moments Ron and I were catching fish after fish. In only about 3 hours during mid-day Ron and I had probably caught and released 30 bass between us with his largest being over six pounds. I was using a top water bait and missed a huge fish just before I landed one about eight pounds.

Over a fine meal of chicken fried Watusi for lunch Ron and I decided we would both try for an Axis doe to round out our Saturday afternoon and hopefully take home some exceptional meat. The Axis herds had been heavily hunted by a group from Greensboro, North Carolina and spooky is an understatement for how the Axis were behaving. They wouldn't stand still for five seconds and they ran two miles when they bolted. Floyd and I chased a herd of about one hundred animals around and around until just before dark. We finally gave up on that plan and set up next to a water hole hoping that at least one would be thirsty after all that running; I know I was. At last light two Axis bucks and two does came down to the pond for a drink. I shot the big doe just behind the shoulder. The bullet angled back and lodged in the bone in the off side hind quarter. The recovered bullet retained 231 grains out of 270 and shows excellent expansion. Chronographing the load of 44.5 grains of H322 indicated the muzzle velocity to be roughly 1950 fps generating almost 2300 ft.lbs. of energy. Ron had a misfire on his black powder rifle and was unable to get another shot at an Axis deer on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning before we had to head back to Virginia. Like hunting anywhere else nothing is guaranteed.

Ron and I packed a lot of hard hunting and excitement into a three day package at the 777. I'm not going to quote prices because they are subject to change and depend greatly on the animal harvested but I'm sure the staff at the ranch will answer any questions you might have if you want to book a hunt with them. The hospitality of the folks at the 777 Ranch and the hunting opportunities are outstanding. If you would like to hunt an exotic animal, a trophy whitetail, or just get away for a few days and fish one of the 30 lakes on the 777 Ranch then contact them and set up a trip. I highly recommend it and I know I'll be going back and I feel certain Ron will also. Maybe next time I can talk him into taking a handgun.

Visit the 777 Ranch web site at http://www.777Ranch.com, click on the link below, or call them at 830-426-3476 to book your hunt. Joey is the Sales Manager and he will be happy to take your call.

Ron (center) poses with 777 guides, Brian, Olivia, Charlie, and Floyd. Thanks guys we had a great time.

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