Hunt Dec 2008

Went to Harlingen deer hunting ll-29-08 to 12-05-08 Hunted with the Balli family members. They own a couple 10 acre deer tracts butting up against the refuge. I got there two days before the hunt so I could fish from the jetties on Port Isabel.

As you cross the causeway bridge entering Port Isabel, there is a monument statue of Padre Balli, the priest who went about doing good, whom the island is named for.

As it turned out the trout were chasing shrimp. Using a smaller type weighted cork, with a four foot leader, and a small treble hook, I was ready for action. No one else seemed to be catching anything but Mangrove Snapper which is a highly prized fish. They were running from about seven inches long to about eleven inches.

I had cast out about 30 yards and was watching the float when it settled and went under. Taking up the slack until you feel the fish and lightly setting the hook usually works. I reeled in a 14 inch speckled trout known as Weakfish. Next fish went well over the fifteen inch limit for the species. I borrowed a ruler and found that from the first guide down to the eyelet for holding your hook was fifteen inches, so now I could measure the fish. Most of my rods are already marked but I had missed marking this one. I had a newer model Mitchell 300 spinning reel with 10 lb test mono. And this set up worked very well...

A pirate ship came along the jetties and gave everyone a show. They were having a good time aboard.

Finished fishing at dusk and had six keepers the biggest approaching 18 inches and CPRd eight of ten more that barely missed being fifteen inches.

First day of the hunt came and went with nothing moving until very late when about 400 yards up the Resaca, I saw a black hog come out of the “motre” what is the name for brush by the locals. The pig went down close to the water’s edge to root for crabs and was in tall weeds. It was too far for me to go after, but then I saw a hunter coming fast down that side towards where the hog had disappeared. I was thinking that he would not be successful but then he slowed down, took off his pack and began to approach about fifteen yards at a time then crouch down for a while then come on again. When he became even with where I saw the hog disappear, he crouched for a bit then approached closer, crouched, then slowly rose up pulling his bow. I saw a flashing streak and after a few seconds the sound reached me of a hog squall, then saw a hog break out of the grass to the left of the hunter then a bigger one break to the right of the hunter running all out back to the motrie. I got the feeling that the one he shot was still there. My friends came about that time in a hurry to go so I quit watching.

Second day a second year forky buck came out 10 yards to my left and there I stood at the edge of the brush but he didn’t see me as danger though he looked directly at me. I was using my Breathe Out so none of my scent went back into the brush in the swirling wind where the deer had been bedded.

My first thought was I am not going to shoot that deer, I will wait for a bigger buck. After several opportunities for a shot, the deer wet back into the brush only to reappear about two minutes later and walked out to 26 yards and began to drink when I thought this deer is giving me too many opportunities and I began to think about sizzling steaks and chops on the grille, so decided to shoot. The arrow did its job very well. It may have been better if the arrow had hit where I was aiming instead of two inches lower but the end result was the same.

On Friday night as I was getting ready to leave, my comrades made a big presentation speech and awarded me the traveling trophy for the biggest buck! It is a plastic buck that sits on your trailer hitch ball and lights up and motions for the tailgater to slow down with its front feet. Pretty cute Huh? Well, I was almost home Saturday when I got a call saying I had to turn around and bring the trophy back because they had killed two deer that was bigger than my forky. I suppose they will have to wait until next time.

The Breathe Out mentioned above is a breath deodorizer. It has a snorkel that you breathe into and uses three inert compounds to eliminate odor, not allowing scent spores to form. The air you breathe out is loaded with toxins and IS the worst offender. To find out more about it check this link, BarrickSpecialties.com