| This was my 2nd trip to El Indio Outfitters
(Dusty Davis). I used to live in California(now in Texas) and been hunting other parts of
Texas for 6 years without getting anything over 120 B&C . I was there in the fall of
1998 after doing an extreme amount of research, spoke to over 60 Outfitters, and put them
in my database (currently 95 Outfitters). My research all seemed to point to the Golden
Triangle of South Texas. The game management that is done there seems to be really paying
off. El Indio Outfitters ranches have been under game management for over 6 years. I did get a 149 6/8 that year and re-booked for the next fall but
due to my mother passing away couldn’t make it. Dusty was very understanding and all
he said was no problem just come in 2000..not like some other outfitters who would have
said you lost your deposit. That’s also why I picked El Indio, for when doing my
research I was not able to find a single person or Outfitter that had a bad word to say
about him. I even took the added step and had two of my friends call and ask Dusty the
same questions and they got back the same answers. El Indio is a family run outfit.
This hunt I hoped to break the 160 mark and this time I did
just that. This was also going to be a father and son hunt with my father, who is 89 years
young. We have been hunting together for over 40 years and there have been some very
memorable hunts. I told Dusty that he was coming and the way my father was treated was
excellent, they treated him like a king and even went that extra step and prepared his
type of food. The hunt was for 4 days and my dad I got there on Friday, November 10. The
season opened the next day, Saturday November 11. Dusty had done his homework and put in a
blind where they have been seeing a big deer. They thought it was the biggest deer on
their 2000 acre ranch and he wanted me to look at the deer and tell him if I wanted to go
after that one or not. We had made arrangements beforehand that if I didn’t see the
deer I wanted there would be no pressure from them to have me pull the trigger to get the
hunt over. I did see the deer that evening that they were talking about and it was the
biggest deer I had seen and gave him a score around 162-166 B&C.
Even though I had seen him on film before, it’s not
the same when he is only 100 yards in front of you. We talked about it over an excellent
dinner that night cooked by his wife Helen. I went to bed that night and you can only
imagine what I was dreaming about can’t you. Dad was almost excited as I was. He
wanted to be there if I brought back a huge deer.
Well, opening morning came, my guide Brandon..Dusty’s
son(told you family outfit) and I where there about 45 minutes before daylight. It was a
little cold in the blind but that is hunting and I was hoping the big deer would show up.
The deer did show up but never gave me a good clear shot. Well, I put my scope on him
about 3-4 times and never did get a good shot opportunity. He seemed to always be around
does or some bushes. Brandon and I quietly talked about the shot if he got near this
certain group of bushes and we both agreed that I could get a shot there. There was a nice
10 pointer that was traveling with the big deer that I wanted also. The deer was walking
toward that group of bushes my heart was pounding and as Brandon was saying stay calm here
they both come, the one you want is the 1st deer. Well about 5 feet before the point that
I felt I could get a clear shot the deer got spooked when some coyote’s barked and
all the deer left the area..now that was very disappointing. But that is hunting, even in
high fence..there is no guarantee.
We stayed another 60-90 minutes before we climbed out of
the stand and went back to camp. We came back that evening saw some very nice 8 and 10
pointers that will be great trophies in a few years but the deer that I wanted didn’t
show up at all. At dinner that night, Dusty said since he seems to like that area you
should try it again tomorrow.
The 2nd day. It started off very good with a very large 10
pointer my deer was traveling with yesterday. We keep looking and looking and nothing.
Well it was 11:00 a.m. and we both agreed he wasn’t going to show up so we went back
to camp. I was more excited as the hours past to the time that Brandon said lets go and
get him . We were in the stand about 4:00 p.m. and the wait started. We saw that big 10
pointer again a very good looking 8 pointer that would have done appx. 140 B&C, but
not the one I was looking for. Well, he did show up at 6:10 p.m. about 250 yards away in
thick brush and by the time he stepped out from the bushes I couldn’t find him in the
scope, it was DARK.. I was beginning to wonder if this deer had a charmed life.
That evening back at the lodge we all talked about it (Dad,
Dusty Helen and Brandon) and came to the conclusion that I shouldn’t give up on that
deer and try again tomorrow. Maybe the 3rd day would be the charm and he would show up.
Dad did get 2-100 lb. hogs that day which made him extremely happy and that made me very
happy also.
The 3rd day started off like the past two. The deer I was
looking for didn’t show in the morning, but that big 10 pointer was beginning to look
very good me. Brandon said don’t worry we have plenty of time. When we got back to
camp dad had gotten a 200 lb. hog and he was in 7th heaven. Went back out that afternoon
and well, yes you guessed right he didn’t show up again. I can remember Brandon
saying when we were driving back to his dad’s house that he had to go back to work
tomorrow (he is a fireman in San Antonio), but his dad would be my guide. He also felt
that since this deer hadn’t showed up today that it would show up early in the
morning. He knew that his father would have the opportunity to help me get the deer and
boy would he rub it in when it happen. Dad got a nice buck that evening and there was a
little joking at the dinner table that I hadn’t even shot yet.
The 4th and last morning was cold and luck had to change as
this was getting near the end. Brandon was right the deer showed up at about 6:15 a.m..too
dark to find him in my scope so Dusty and I had to wait till it got a little lighter. When
it got little lighter the deer had moved and was now around 150 yards out in the brush.
Dusty looked at me and said he is walking to that thick bunch of brush and if he get there
he will more than likely go over the ridge. Well I said I think I can get a shot in a few
feet. The deer was on the ground at 6:50 a.m. after making a 150 yard shot.
We scored him at above 163 B&C. Looks like I will get
one of those coveted jackets at the Los Cazadores Deer contest. Dusty also had him scored
and it will make the Texas state award of netting over 140 B&C. I finished the hunt
that afternoon by getting a doe and a 150 Lb. Hog. My 2nd hunt at El Indio with my dad had
ended and we had a lot to talk about on our drive home to Houston. Well, not only will I
be back next year but my 90 year old young father will be along also. To those hunters who
have hunted in other parts of Texas or other parts of this great country for whitetail: If
you are ever get the chance to hunt South Texas, TRY IT YOU WILL LIKE IT, and want to go
again. I do. Give Dusty a call.
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