gregholland

good luck and have a blast.

DaveC

The 4x8x8 makes more sense now that you put it that way. I guess it was rather late last night when I asked [8D]. They build them in that fashion so you can sit 2,3&4 if need be side by side in the box blind.
I think they look like concession stands in that layout[&:].

A BB would be cool, but a free range AXIS would make my decade.

Davoh

I've only seen a few Rattlers out at our place, but I hear about 'em alot. Mostly in summer and spring though. I've never worried about 'em and have spend a many a day in the field in just plain sneakers. Again, look out for the prickly pear, they'll ruin your day and your sneakers too.

We've seen a few blackbuck but not in the last several years. Never any Axis though. Hogs are everywhere on our place. Between my cousins and the guy that runs livestock on our place, they killed over 200 of the buggers and they're still everywhere.

Cams are good, but there's no substitute for getting out there and walking the property. Cams will tell you what's out there, but you gotta find the places to set up yourself.

Martindale ranch sounds really familiar but It's not near ours...

I'm off 249 south of Tomball. Have you been to Wood'n'Feather archery. I think it's closer to you than me, at 2920 and Muschke Rd. Between waller and Tomball. I went there a few wks ago and it was a pretty nice shop.

ddeblance

I don't mind the rattlers as long as they don't mind me.... Now the prickly pear sounds more like something I need to worry about..lol.. I hate getting stuck by a cactus. Takes forever to work its self out.

The ranch manager won't let us take any black bucks for the next two years since they are so young. He said maybe in two years we can each have one between the three of us it should make a difference. They said there is axis out there but nothing coming up to the feeders yet. We will see...
Let me know if you need some more hogs taken off the property. I wouldn't mind taking one or two to the freezer. I have a cooking team that competes about six times a year and I think I'm going to donate some meat to the wild game cook off next year. We do the cook off at the HLS&R eavery year and this last one we had just about everything you could think of on the pit.

I'm south of 290 and Waller down 362 out in the country. I sat on my back porch yesterday afternoon and watched the sky turn dark from all the dove. I've been on that peice of land for ten years and I've never seen that many dove around there. And mostly white wing.... It's going to sound like WW3 come 9/1.....

I was driving down 2920last month andnoticedthat Wood'n'Feathers place. I had just put my wifes bow in the shop at Gander there on 290 before I new that place was there. I've been wanting to get back over there and check it out, but haven't had the chance. It's a nice place huh. Nice range?? 20yrd? more? I shoot mostly in my back yard, but it's been so darn hot I can hardly stand it. I don't have much shade in my yard, but I have the yard to pull it off. I need to make some more permanent targets, but right now I have it marked off from 20 on up to 60 yards.... I think I start a thread on homemade targets......

Davoh

Sounds like a great place! You'll have a blast!

oh yeah... rocks are a **badword** on tires. 4x4 and good tires are nearly a must, especially if you have to cross any draws. Be very careful on the black gumbo if it's wet. If you're sliding around alot or spinning tires, don't stop, you'll sink.

Temps will be scorchin early season. Should cool off by end of October though with some cold snaps through November. Cold snaps are when your deer will be moving. Typically the rut is Late November to mid December. Younger bucks may start chasing sooner with the cold fronts.

W'n'F ispretty nice inside. They just got moved over there in May I think. If you've got a place to shoot at home it's probably notworth the drive unless you need work done. I don't know about there techs. I looked at a PSE Bruin that was set too short and the tech couldnt get it set long enough for me... But he was just a part time kid and the owner was in africa. Indoor range is nice. 20 yds typically, but 30 is available if it's not crowded. Gotta shoot thru the snackbar table area... kinda reminds me of the old nike commercials... over the table, through the chair-legs.... nothing but bullseye... lol... it's a clear shot but you have to make arrangments for it.

Sounds like your set up pretty nice with that much room. I'm in a typical suburban neighborhood and can get 25 yds from one corner of the yard to the other. But I'm a little nervous about shooting that way with nothing but a little bag target. One of these days I'll get a suitable backstop made. Bales of hay or a giant block of styrofoam. Bag target in front of that. Foam could work for broadheads too. Compressed cardboard works too for fieldpoints but ya gotta keep 'em covered or the rain will decentigrate 'em.

ddeblance

For your back stop there at home you can do what my father-in-law did. Get some old carpet. Double up on it if you like. Get a long 2x4, treated so you don't have to haul it in everytime you use it. Nail one end of the carpet to the board and have it so you can set the board up on the fence in the corner of the yard. It stops them pretty much if you miss the target. Atleast saves the fence and the neighbors pets. You can take it down and roll it up when not in use. Just an inexpensive idea for small yard shooters.

TxStarr

Shake out your shoes before you put them on in the morning ... even in the camp house.

Take an extra pair of shoes that you can slip on and off easily so you can take your hunting boots off at the door. The first year I went to West Texas I did not take an extra pair so I ended up walking around in socks a lot because there was no way to get the black mud off of my boots and the mess was awful!!!!

Take short sleeves and shorts just in case -- this is Texas and you never know when it will turn off hot! Last year there was record highs in December and we hunted in t-shirts and bummed around in shorts and flip flops.

Thermacell.

Have fun!

Shannon

DaveC

Txstar, is the thermocell for the gnats?

I have a thermocell for my East Texas lease but didn't think I was going to need it for southwest texas.

While out there last week those little flying buggers were driving me batty until I sprayed someOff on my face- awww, peace at last.

Pigs, the ones we have on film are smaller 60-100# meat pigs. Only a few large pig tracks have been sighted.

TxStarr

Gnats, Mosquitos. If it flies I am a firm believer in Thermacell!!!! haha!! Seriously, we used one last year and it helped with the gnats and the other flying creatures that I hate because you hear them buzzing around your head all the stinking time!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!! Did I mention I am not a fan of any bug that can fly?

DaveC

Gotcha & I'm with ya on that. The few skeeters that did bug me were FASSST! I don't think I ever connected with any of them; they land & bite in one motion.