Well first thing I’ll try to do is make a long story short and as accurate as possible. It was a regular mid-
season hunt just North of Rio Grande City. My brother and my nephew picked me up at 4:00am, my son
was supposed to go with me, but decided not to at the last minute. He was not feeling very well and so I
let him stay home. Luckily it was a hunt that I am glad he never had to experience. We had to meet my
brother-in-law at his lease in San Isidro to pick up a few bags of corn. After rushing back and forth we
arrived at the gate of our lease around 5:45am and decided to go ahead and get set up in our blinds.
The weekend before the ranch-hand had been seeing two large bucks engaging in a little pre-rut
scuffle near the blind up from my brothers set up. I usually hunt in my blind, which is set up on the other
side of the ranch and is much larger to accommodate me and my son, but decided to stay near my
brother and nephew since we were running a little late and the prior sighting of those bucks. He
dropped me off and headed south down the road to his blind which is probably about 2000 yards away.
I could barely see his taillights at this point and had just finished setting up my rifle, uncapping my
binoculars and setting up my two-way radio to be in contact with my brother. We have this rule, or really
an agreement to one another, that we will let each other know the status of any movement. Usually what
is too far for me to shoot will be heading his way and vice versa.
Now the spooky stuff started to happen. I opened the window that faces my brother’s direction to let
some air in and noticed a light in the distance. I figured my brother was spreading some more corn
down the road west of his location. After about probably 3-5 minutes I called him up on the two way to
rush him. The sun was about to go up and he needed to kill the engine so that way he wouldn’t spook
any potential bucks. A few minutes later I tried him on the two-way, which we use with ear pieces to
avoid any additional noise in the blinds. Luckily he was already set up in his blind and answered back. I
told him he left the lights on to the truck and that he needed to shut them off. He quickly said that that
was impossible, because his truck was just parked 25 yards from him in an opening to the thick brush
that we had cut-out specifically for hiding the truck. I told him I saw a light clear as day and that it had to
be coming from the truck. He told me his son was watching a movie on is PSP (Play Station Portable),
and that was the light I was seeing and quickly told his son to shut it off. The light I saw was coming
about 100 yards west of his location, and was not the light from the PSP. He quickly said what I probably
saw was the reflection of the hunters that were setting up next to the lease that runs parallel to the
ranch.
A few minutes later I saw a red blinking light flashing right in the middle of the road that faces my brother’
s blind. This time I knew what I was seeing was coming from the ranch and not a reflection of light. I
called him up again on the two-way and told him what I was seeing and if he was seeing anything down
that road that he was facing. The light went out and I kept telling him that I think someone was walking
through the ranch and that it looks like they were headed his way and to be careful. We have heard
stories of the ranch and surrounding ranches being a route that smugglers and illegal aliens would use
to head up north. Another few minutes later I saw a red blinking light only 200 yards from my blind and it
looked like it was moving fast. Now I was thinking my eyes were playing tricks on me or what I am seeing
is unbelievable, could there be a person brave, or really dumb enough to be walking down a shooting
lane. At this point the sun has still not gone up and it seems that it is pitch black outside. I call him on
his cell phone, because the two-way is catching too much static and he can’t hear me that well. While I
am talking to him the light begins to flash again, now around just 100 yards from me.
I usually take a side arm with me for protection from the javelinas during our mid-day setups of the
feeders and hog traps. I removed it from my bag and chambered it just in case this person or thing was
going to get any closer. My brother was on the phone telling me to yell out to the guy to get out of the
ranch. Now at this point you have to figure if someone is in the ranch, they are already trespassing and
obviously don’t care whether or not they break the law. I got out my LED Browning flashlight, that lights
up like if it was a handheld spotlight, and it seemed like I did a count down in my head to the pressing of
the on button and some where between 6-5-4-3-2-1 the guy walking towards me made a phone call with
his cell phone. I yelled out to him that he was trespassing and needed to leave because I was hunting
here. He quickly ran behind a tree and hid. I yelled out to him again this time in Spanish, and still no
response. My brother was still on the phone and wanted to come and help me, but I told him not to
because my nephew was with him and it would be too risky. I yelled out to him again and to my surprise
two guys popped out from the brush wearing all black with ski masks and each one having on full
backpacks, also black. They slowly walked into the middle of the road and paused, I yelled out to them
again that they needed to go the other way and jump the fence, because they were heading deeper
into the ranch. One of them slowly lifted his arms like a school yard bully taunting me to do something
about his trespassing.
Now with my flashlight in my left hand and my handgun in my right hand all I could do was stand my
ground and see what there next move was going to be. Which now that I think about it was extremely
stupid on my part. I can barely see them and they most definitely know my location. If they were armed,
all they had to do was aim for the 4X4 silhouette, which was the blind. I was beyond scared, and not
because my life or well being was threatened. I was scared because I actually thought for the first time
in my life I was going to have to use my handgun for protection. Protection not from a charging hog or
stalking coyote, but protection from a person who may or may not try to harm me or possibly kill me. At
this point I was shaking so much that my flashlight and gun were banging against one another. I told
them I was armed and was there to hunt deer, but if I had to I would use my gun on them if the moved
any closer.
They disregarded my threats and walked into the heavy brush, still inside the ranch. My brother quickly
got into his truck with his son and rushed over to my blind. I quickly got out and we headed toward the
ranch house and decided not to stay. We made our way back to the ranch entrance and noticed a
reflection coming from the brush. We slowly moved down the dirt road and saw a pickup truck parked
inside the brush with a guy looking towards our direction. I told my brother to shut the lights and rush
pass him so that he wouldn’t get our license plates. These guys were obviously smuggling something
and the last thing we wanted was for them to identify us if something went wrong with there attempts.
When we made it to the entrance gate, two fairly new model pickup trucks were parked on either end of
the gate entrance with several men just sitting there smoking. I told my brother once we opened the
gate to kill the lights again and rush out the gate. The ranch has a rule that all gates must be locked at
all times, but the last thing we were going to do was stop and talk to these guys. Once we hit the main
road we called the owner of the ranch and told him about what had happened. He wanted us to go back
and talk to those guys at the gate. YEAH RIGHT! I consider myself a brave man, but definitely wise
also. In know way was I going to confront potential smugglers and tell them not to be trespassing. Deer
hunting is supposed to be exciting, not scenes out of the latest hero movie were the good guy always
wins.
With out a doubt I will not be returning to this ranch this year and remind all hunters, sometimes hunting
does not turn out to be you hunting, but possibly someone hunting you!
season hunt just North of Rio Grande City. My brother and my nephew picked me up at 4:00am, my son
was supposed to go with me, but decided not to at the last minute. He was not feeling very well and so I
let him stay home. Luckily it was a hunt that I am glad he never had to experience. We had to meet my
brother-in-law at his lease in San Isidro to pick up a few bags of corn. After rushing back and forth we
arrived at the gate of our lease around 5:45am and decided to go ahead and get set up in our blinds.
The weekend before the ranch-hand had been seeing two large bucks engaging in a little pre-rut
scuffle near the blind up from my brothers set up. I usually hunt in my blind, which is set up on the other
side of the ranch and is much larger to accommodate me and my son, but decided to stay near my
brother and nephew since we were running a little late and the prior sighting of those bucks. He
dropped me off and headed south down the road to his blind which is probably about 2000 yards away.
I could barely see his taillights at this point and had just finished setting up my rifle, uncapping my
binoculars and setting up my two-way radio to be in contact with my brother. We have this rule, or really
an agreement to one another, that we will let each other know the status of any movement. Usually what
is too far for me to shoot will be heading his way and vice versa.
Now the spooky stuff started to happen. I opened the window that faces my brother’s direction to let
some air in and noticed a light in the distance. I figured my brother was spreading some more corn
down the road west of his location. After about probably 3-5 minutes I called him up on the two way to
rush him. The sun was about to go up and he needed to kill the engine so that way he wouldn’t spook
any potential bucks. A few minutes later I tried him on the two-way, which we use with ear pieces to
avoid any additional noise in the blinds. Luckily he was already set up in his blind and answered back. I
told him he left the lights on to the truck and that he needed to shut them off. He quickly said that that
was impossible, because his truck was just parked 25 yards from him in an opening to the thick brush
that we had cut-out specifically for hiding the truck. I told him I saw a light clear as day and that it had to
be coming from the truck. He told me his son was watching a movie on is PSP (Play Station Portable),
and that was the light I was seeing and quickly told his son to shut it off. The light I saw was coming
about 100 yards west of his location, and was not the light from the PSP. He quickly said what I probably
saw was the reflection of the hunters that were setting up next to the lease that runs parallel to the
ranch.
A few minutes later I saw a red blinking light flashing right in the middle of the road that faces my brother’
s blind. This time I knew what I was seeing was coming from the ranch and not a reflection of light. I
called him up again on the two-way and told him what I was seeing and if he was seeing anything down
that road that he was facing. The light went out and I kept telling him that I think someone was walking
through the ranch and that it looks like they were headed his way and to be careful. We have heard
stories of the ranch and surrounding ranches being a route that smugglers and illegal aliens would use
to head up north. Another few minutes later I saw a red blinking light only 200 yards from my blind and it
looked like it was moving fast. Now I was thinking my eyes were playing tricks on me or what I am seeing
is unbelievable, could there be a person brave, or really dumb enough to be walking down a shooting
lane. At this point the sun has still not gone up and it seems that it is pitch black outside. I call him on
his cell phone, because the two-way is catching too much static and he can’t hear me that well. While I
am talking to him the light begins to flash again, now around just 100 yards from me.
I usually take a side arm with me for protection from the javelinas during our mid-day setups of the
feeders and hog traps. I removed it from my bag and chambered it just in case this person or thing was
going to get any closer. My brother was on the phone telling me to yell out to the guy to get out of the
ranch. Now at this point you have to figure if someone is in the ranch, they are already trespassing and
obviously don’t care whether or not they break the law. I got out my LED Browning flashlight, that lights
up like if it was a handheld spotlight, and it seemed like I did a count down in my head to the pressing of
the on button and some where between 6-5-4-3-2-1 the guy walking towards me made a phone call with
his cell phone. I yelled out to him that he was trespassing and needed to leave because I was hunting
here. He quickly ran behind a tree and hid. I yelled out to him again this time in Spanish, and still no
response. My brother was still on the phone and wanted to come and help me, but I told him not to
because my nephew was with him and it would be too risky. I yelled out to him again and to my surprise
two guys popped out from the brush wearing all black with ski masks and each one having on full
backpacks, also black. They slowly walked into the middle of the road and paused, I yelled out to them
again that they needed to go the other way and jump the fence, because they were heading deeper
into the ranch. One of them slowly lifted his arms like a school yard bully taunting me to do something
about his trespassing.
Now with my flashlight in my left hand and my handgun in my right hand all I could do was stand my
ground and see what there next move was going to be. Which now that I think about it was extremely
stupid on my part. I can barely see them and they most definitely know my location. If they were armed,
all they had to do was aim for the 4X4 silhouette, which was the blind. I was beyond scared, and not
because my life or well being was threatened. I was scared because I actually thought for the first time
in my life I was going to have to use my handgun for protection. Protection not from a charging hog or
stalking coyote, but protection from a person who may or may not try to harm me or possibly kill me. At
this point I was shaking so much that my flashlight and gun were banging against one another. I told
them I was armed and was there to hunt deer, but if I had to I would use my gun on them if the moved
any closer.
They disregarded my threats and walked into the heavy brush, still inside the ranch. My brother quickly
got into his truck with his son and rushed over to my blind. I quickly got out and we headed toward the
ranch house and decided not to stay. We made our way back to the ranch entrance and noticed a
reflection coming from the brush. We slowly moved down the dirt road and saw a pickup truck parked
inside the brush with a guy looking towards our direction. I told my brother to shut the lights and rush
pass him so that he wouldn’t get our license plates. These guys were obviously smuggling something
and the last thing we wanted was for them to identify us if something went wrong with there attempts.
When we made it to the entrance gate, two fairly new model pickup trucks were parked on either end of
the gate entrance with several men just sitting there smoking. I told my brother once we opened the
gate to kill the lights again and rush out the gate. The ranch has a rule that all gates must be locked at
all times, but the last thing we were going to do was stop and talk to these guys. Once we hit the main
road we called the owner of the ranch and told him about what had happened. He wanted us to go back
and talk to those guys at the gate. YEAH RIGHT! I consider myself a brave man, but definitely wise
also. In know way was I going to confront potential smugglers and tell them not to be trespassing. Deer
hunting is supposed to be exciting, not scenes out of the latest hero movie were the good guy always
wins.
With out a doubt I will not be returning to this ranch this year and remind all hunters, sometimes hunting
does not turn out to be you hunting, but possibly someone hunting you!
| Story Of The Month |
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"Hunter Almost Became The Hunted"
| "The Cowboy" Last Months Story |