SOUTH TEXAS HUNTING LEASE

[45MAN]

YESTERDAY WAS THE LAST DAY OF THE HUNTING SEASON AT PDM. I WENT UP TO GET STUFF OUT OF MY TRAILER AND PREP THE TRAILER FOR REMOVAL NEXT WEEK. WE CANNOT LEAVE OUR TRAILERS ON THE LEASE SO WE TAKE 'em UP LATE OCTOBER/TAKE 'em OFF EARLY MARCH. I WAS NEVER EVER ABLE TO FILL MY 3rd SPIKE TAG AND FOR WEEKS IN FEBRUARY I LOOKED HARD BUT NO LUCK.

HAD A GOOD TIME USING MY MARLIN 35 REMINGTON WITH THE HORNADY 200gr FLEX TIP AMMO BUT AFTER USING IT ON A SPIKE, A BUCK, AN ADDAX AND SEVERAL LARGE HOGS I HAD CONCERNS THAT THE HORNADY WAS TOO FRANGIBLE. LAST WEEK, LATE AFTERNOON, I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE AT A COW NILGAI, BROADSIDE SHOT, MAYBE 100 YARDS AWAY, AND AT THE SHOT I HEARD A REASSURING "WHOP" AND DOWN SHE WENT. AS WE OFTEN DO ON SUCH A SHOT, I STARTED PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK AND COUNTING MY CHICKENS INSTEAD OF RELOADING AND BEING READY FOR A FOLLOW-UP SHOT. I SAW SOME MOVEMENT BUT THOUGHT IT WAS HER CALVES, LONG STORY SHORT, SHE GOT UP, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. I LOOKED FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR WITH NO LUCK. CIRLCLED THE AREA MANY TIMES THE NEXT DAY AND "no birds" MARKING ANY KILL SITE ANYWHERE. BEST GUESS: THE BULLET DID NOT PENETRATE THE SHOULDER. I KNEW I HIT IT SO I COUNTED IT AS A TAG FILLED AND QUIT COW NILGAI HUNTING. GONNA' CHANGE AMMO FOR NEXT SEASON.

HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THIS PDM 2023-2024 JOURNAL.

[kings6]

I followed this years Punta adventures every time a new post was made Rey. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole hunting lease thing though. Shoot this, not that, use this but not that type of weapon etc. It obviously works but just so different than what I know and frankly the biggest thing that I took TX off the board for me as a retirement possibility.

[seminolewind]

This was a fun thread to follow. Thanks for the effort. Hope you will do the same thing next season.

[Big Bore]

Fun thread to follow, Rey. Sorry about the Nilgai.

[45MAN]

I AM HOPING WE GET ACCESS DURING THE SUMMER, JUNE thru AUGUST, FOR HOGS, COYOTES AND AT LEAST 2 COW NILGAI, LIKE WE DID IN 2023, IF WE DO I MAY START THE "PDM 2024-2025" THREAD EARLY.

[sixshot]

Rey, well you can tell from 9 pages of replies that "Punta" has been one of the best reads on here for quite a while, I sure did enjoy it. Sometimes light weight bullets just don't get inside, and I've heard that Nilgai are pretty tough hombre's. Perhaps that plastic tip worked against you this time?

[bushog]

Thanks for sharing all the action...good and ...well not so good...