As this hunting season winds down this month, it has become more of a reality of the possiblity that I might just have got skunked this season with no animals harvested.  With the exception of the nice doe my son shot in November, me, my brother in law and others in our hunting group have harvested absolutely nothing this season.  This is strange for us because we have had some great hunting seasons where we harvest plenty of animals and have lots of ooportunity to view wildlife.  But, unfortunately even when you hunt on multiple ranches, prepare for the season well and follow proper hunting procedures it is still tough to bring the meat home.  I guess that's why they call it "hunting" because you have to work at it to harvest an animal.  I put more time in the field and in the blind this year then I have ever needed to and still the only wildlife that I witnessed has been some young does, small spikes and one large black pig that never stopped.

     One thing I can say about this hunting season is that I have spent some good quality time in the beautiful brush country with some great people.  On the last trip that I made to "La Mota" ranch in Benavides TX I had the opportunity to hunt with a group of Tejano musicians who enjoy the outdoors.  After the hunt back at the lodge, the musicians would let loose with some old school music that you just can't find anymore.  Meeting nice and interesting people who share a passion for the outdoors and conservation is always a bonus.

      Back at Rancho "Sueno Mio" I spent most of my hunting days hunting with my brother in law Domingo Lopez who has a never ending desire to be in the brush or out wadefishing a shallow bay.  We have had some close calls where we could have harvested some good eating young deer for the pit, but we believe in conservation and letting the animals grow to their true potential.  We have tried everything from putting apples out, grain, stink bait, scent attractants, cotton seed, hay, sweet feed, you name we have tried it to bring in the wildlife.  This hunting location has tremendous potential and is surronded by a paradise of south texas srcub brush so we know the wildlife is there, just not showing up under neath our feeders

       There is still our new location in Atascosa where we have a hanging feeder and a hog pipe, but there is the problem of hunting pressure on both sides of the ranch.  One neighbor hunts year round and is sometimes at night to harvest game even if it is illegal.  We have even suspected him of poaching on our hunting property and utilizing the feeders we have set up to harvest animals for his taking. We have not given up hope and plan to hunt during doe / spike season to put some meat in the freezer and the opportunity to harvest wild pigs will be there also at "La Mota" and Atascosa.  Unfortunately we have not been able to attract wild pigs to Rancho "Sueno Mio" but are not giving up hope on that either.

     In conclusion, this hunting season has not been a complete failure, my son did harvest his first deer ever and my dad has harvested two pigs.  There was two racoons harvested by Domingo to help keep the deer feeding from the feeders.  Plus, it's always a good say at the ranch even if you don't shoot something, anything beats sitting at a desk at work!!!

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