Here are some e-mails from a 2009 "No-Frills" hunter,
william foerster [william.foerster@gmail.com]
Skipper,
Just returned from the hunt on Bill Black's ranch and wanted to thank you again for a great time. The deer on Bill's ranch are big and fat - very heavy (so unlike the Hill Country small bucks).
I did not get that big buck that I was looking for; but, I did see quality deer and did have at least three chances to duplicate last year's buck (which was a nice one). I decided to hold out for a bigger buck, and did actually have a chance at a slightly larger buck than last year's. The buck showed up at 3:30pm and was a big bodied nine point with good mass and high tines; but, I hesitated a few seconds and you know what happens when one hesitates! He was gone in a flash!
Anyway, I enjoyed the hunt very much and knowing that one is hunting a ranch that actually has some big bucks is very exciting. One just has to be patient and have some luck in being at the right place at the right time, etc.... Last year a buck with a B&C score over 150 was taken on Bill Black's ranch.
Once again thanks for making this hunt available and please pass on my thanks to Bill Black; hopefully, I'll be able to hunt his ranch again in the future.
Bill
Skipper,
Please feel free to post my letter to your website. Best Regards, Bill
ps: I may have time for one more hunt before the season ends and I know Bill Black only permits 6 hunters per season; however, please let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas.
Skipper,
I finished my "No Frills Hunt" on the Bill Black Ranch and had a great time; I saw some nice bucks (eight points, dark heavy horns with high tines, 16"-17" spreads - on the outside); but, I was determined to wait for that illusive "big one" - which I knew was there (and, Bill Black confirmed that a huge 12 point had been seen in the pasture).
I hunted Thursday afternoon the 10th, and hunted 10 hrs Friday and 10 hrs Saturday (changing stands after every 3-4 hrs), and saw a lot of deer with some nice bucks - as mentioned above. On Sunday morning, I pretty much knew the "lay of the land" and figured that the bucks would show up at either the 1st stand or the 3rd (there's 4 stands total). I picked the 1st stand (closest to the water) and sure enough they appeared about 8:30am (some smaller bucks were at the feeders when the sun rose, etc...) - two nice eights - as described above - and a nine point with dark, high tines and an 18"+ spread.
Just as I was taking a bead on the nine point I saw movement in the brush behind the feeder and a massive, heavy and wide horned eight pointer with tines 12" - 14" high stuck his head out of the brush. To make a long story short, I switched bucks and shot - even though this big buck would not come out of the brush - and made a clean miss :-( This all happened within about 10 seconds! Well, my girl friend said I was being too picky, but I didn't need venison this year and I had a great time hunting - looking for those hard to find big bucks. I never saw the 12 pointer, but knowing quality bucks exist on Bill Black's Ranch is very exciting - something one does not see too often in the Hill Country.
Thanks again and I plan to send in a deposit for next year - once I get my work schedule figured out, etc... Best Regards, Bill
ps: That's the first time in 20 years that I've missed a buck - but, I guess if one rushes a shot, a miss will happen.
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