Jess and the Outdoors

Bow Hunting Part 1: Lessons Learned

I took a deep breath after stepping out into the early morning air; the cold front had cooled an otherwise warm October. A perfect morning for a hunt.

Court’s eyes were bright as he handed me a stool to carry to the blind.

“Are you ready?” he whispered. I could only nod in response.

It would be my first bow hurt, and I was going after a monster buck known as Big Boy. After hunting him last year and failing, I had already decided I wouldn’t wait on him forever.

This year, though, he was regularly appearing on camera at the same time and same place every morning. After flipping through the pictures the night before, there was a very real possibility that he could be there today.

Large buck and small buck underneath the feeder — Obviously, Big Boy is the big one. This the trail cam picture that haunted my dreams.

We settled into the stand and it was all I could do to keep my breathing steady.

Looking out of the ground blind at the deer feeder with mesquite trees around us — The view from the ground blind; I’d never hunted that close to the feeder before!

After 6 years, I was archery hunting for the first time. I had watched so many professional hunters bow hunt on their shows, and it was astounding just how much could go wrong.

I tried to swallow my intimidation while adjusting the crossbow in front of me. Though I had only gotten a few shots once, I felt okay about it all. Without sounding like I’m bragging, I’m a pretty accurate shot. But lack of experience breeds doubt, and I was starting to doubt myself.

As the sun rose, we practiced ranging some raccoons that had come out underneath the feeder. A strange feeling solidified in my gut the longer we were there; I couldn’t tell if it was frustration or even relief that Big Boy hadn’t shown up yet.

Just when I had given up on seeing the old buck, there was a ruckus in the trees behind the stand and we both perked up. Moments later, no less than ten turkey hens came running to the corn, clucking their delight at such a feast.

I couldn’t help the smile that came to my face as we watched them. Unexpected turkeys have become one of my favorite things about deer hunting.

We watched them demolish the corn on the ground until their presumed leader lifted her head high, observing the sendero for the first time. With a couple of clucks, she started marching down the sendero, her fellow hens falling into line behind her like some kind of turkey militia moving on to the next feeder.

It’s hard to see because of tree limbs and the netting, but those turkeys didn’t care at all that we were sitting right there.

As they passed just feet from us, I knew in my heart that bow hunting might just be one of the most amazing experiences.

Still smiling after such a close encounter, we decided to call it. There were camera cards to gather and plenty of time for some extra shooting practice.

The camera cards yielded some interesting information about our target deer, and after looking through them, I had three target bucks on my mind.

Of course, Big Boy was hope number one, but his appearances were sporadic at best. Court and I didn’t feel optimistic about seeing him.

My second and more realistic large buck target was one that I had named Bent Bow. To my delight, the nice eight pointer that I let go at the end of last season had returned this year as a wide, mature eight pointer that was easily the second largest deer on the property.

But the deer that really made my heart skip a beat was a little spike. Looking back, I know in my heart that he was the deer I had hoped to see most because the idea of taking my first archery shot at a monster buck was terrifying.

Every year, my control and poise improved, but you just never know what’s going to happen when a monster buck walks out in front of you. I remembered my intimidation and the effort it took to stay in control when I took aim on my largest deer, the BFE. Every part of me shook and it was all I could to control my breathing; but with a rifle, I was able to make an accurate shot.

With a rifle.

Again, after watching so many episodes of bow hunting online and talking to so many more experienced hunters about their experiences during bow season, I was very well aware of the challenges and pitfalls.

I remember when it came to my first deer ever, my husband had been adamant that it was a doe. With a doe, you don’t get the same buck fever and you can focus on making a great shot.

With limited doe tags for the ranch, my best option was a spike. The antlers wouldn’t intimidate me, the meat would be amazing, and it would be a great cull deer for the herd.

With new intel for the rest of our hunts, it was time to get some work done. While Court sawed up the larger pieces of wood for firewood, I stacked them along the fence at the edge lawn around the cabin.

Out of the quiet, windy morning, a gobble rang out and we froze. Before I could process how close it was, clucks erupted from the trees on the other side of the fence where we stacked the wood. We dropped to the ground as 10 turkey hens swarmed the little feeder in the trees with militaristic precision.

We were putting away the firewood when they just came out of nowhere! I crawled as close to the fence as I could.

Again, their presumed leader kept watch as they demolished the corn there, too. I crawled towards the fence, maybe 10 yards from the turkey frenzy.

Just as quickly as it started, the turkeys fell back into line and disappeared back into the trees. I have to say, the more time I get to spend around them, the more I love turkeys. They know what they want, and they don’t mess around; I can respect that.

Once the work was done, we decided to get in a little more crossbow practice. The wind whipped around us, and timing in between gusts became everything as we practiced at 20, then 30, then 40 yards.

A crossbow is a strange thing to shoot. Many people think of it as a rifle that shoots bolts, but it’s just not that simple. Sure, the mechanics of it are more like a rifle, but the range and the way you have to aim it are just like a compound bow.

Having shot rifles a lot and compound bows enough, it was very comforting to have the extra practice. Now we only had to wait until the late afternoon.

One lunch at the Empresario and a good nap later, we found ourselves heading back out down range from the cabin. Even armed with the knowledge that all of our target deer had appeared at our new hunting spot multiple times, nothing was guaranteed.

Jessica eating chicken fried steak and fruit for brunch at the Empresario — Chicken fried steak and fruit for brunch. It’s called balance.

While our morning hunt had been in a blind 35 yards from the feeder, we were hunting in a stand 65 yards from the feeder with a trail of corn leading to a massive pile right at about 20 yards. If I’m being honest, I was skeptical. Why would a deer leave all the corn at the feeder for a pile 30 yards away?

I would find out.

Moments after the feeder went off, a doe peeked out from the tree line, examining the scene for anything suspicious. My heart beat faster as she crossed the sendero and was followed by another doe. They repeated this crisscross pattern until they reached the feeder.

We watched them wander around for almost 30 minutes, and I tried to ignore my flaring frustration. There they were, standing broadside within easy rifle range, and here I was trying to get them with a bow.

No wonder people eventually ditched bows and arrows for rifles long ago.

Just when I was considering how I could sneak up on them across an open road, another deer stepped into the sendero; a young buck. As he started mozying towards the feeder, I dared to hope that he might bump them closer to our trail of corn.

The young buck took one look at the little does and leapt towards them, standing over his corn like a dragon over its treasure. The does scattered into the trees, but I didn’t give up hope.

Moments passed and they wandered back into the open, but they were much closer this time. They had found the trail of corn and were slowly working their way down the sendero towards the stand. Somehow, it had worked!

Court started ranging them as I set up the crossbow. I had to raise the chair as high as it would go, and now I could only see by watching through the scope.

“55 yards” Court whispered, as we watched them come closer.

I studied them, imagining the moment when they would step broadside and I could make a safe shot. All in good time.

“50 yards.”

My heart started beating as they inched closer, and it was all I could do to stop shaking. I drew on all of my ballet training to keep my body calm despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“45 yards.”

Almost within range… A shape moved into the scope behind the does; the buck. He was following them down the sendero, greedily chomping on the corn. This was okay, though, we only needed him to push them about 10 yards closer.

Court and I had agreed that 40 yards would be the absolute limit on taking a shot, but we were hoping for 30-35. I watched as they inched ever closer…

The buck leapt forward and scattered them to the right. This time, they didn’t reemerge.

I lowered the seat and looked at Court as the buck kept wandering closer. Even though we were disappointed that the hunt was over, I couldn’t help but feel a little breathless after being so close.

As the sun slowly sank behind the trees, we watched the little buck wander to about 25 yards from the stand. I jokingly called him Lucky as he chomped on the corn and we studied him for distance and ideal shot placement. Goliad County is an antler restricted county, so he wouldn’t be a legal deer for a few years anyway.

As we slowly walked back to the cabin in the dark, though, I wasn’t discouraged. There’s something about walking back in the quiet twilight that stirs deeper reflections after a hunt. The more I thought about how things had played out on this first day, I realized it was all for the best.

If Big Boy or Bent Bow had walked out this morning, I don’t think I would’ve been ready, and that would’ve been worse than not seeing them at all. By the time I felt ready and confident, I had to experience another bow hunting reality; sometimes, they just don’t give you a chance.

My first day of bow hunting had proved to be pretty eventful and educational, and I was ready to see what our last morning hunt would bring.

Danielle Prewett’s Tequila Turkey Tacos

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you’ll know that my husband and I are big-time MeatEater fans! Like watch every episode and try every recipe fans.

In fact, just about every weekend over the summer, we’ve made a point to make one special wild game meal or try a new recipe with the meat we have.

Danielle Prewett’s Tequila Turkey Tacos have been on the docket for a long time, and this weekend, we decided to give them a try.

Wild Turkey Leg Taco with Queso Fresca, Cilantro, Pico de Gallo in a Flour Tortilla — Tequila Turkey Tacos

I’ll tell you this; you will never leave Turkey legs in the woods ever again after trying this recipe. The recipe is for 4-6 people, but the two of us devoured these moist, flavorful carnitas until there was nothing left!

Here’s just a few reasons why we loved this meal;

1. It’s super easy!

Yep. Mix up the sauce and seasoning, brown the meat, and let the crockpot do the work!

We got it started around 10:30 in morning and let it cook while we did some chores/ran some errands throughout the day. It was ready by 6:30.

It’s really as simple as cutting up the vegetables, mixing up the spices, browning/caramelizing, mixing them together, and then adding them to the crock pot! And yes, we cooked with Patron. Not sorry.

2. It can serve a lot of people and be customized very easily to their tastes.

Besides the turkey itself, you could put anything on this and enjoy it. The recipe called for cilantro and queso Fresca, but we added some pico de Gallo (being from South Texas and all) and already have plans to caramelize onions the next time.

This is something that could easily please a crowd, and we foresee more of this meal at family gatherings. (Once we have a chance to go turkey hunting again!)

Buffet of shredded turkey meat, vegetables, cilantro, Queso Fresca, and Pico de Gallo

3. It’s one more way to utilize the meat from the animal

Turkey legs are typically tough; when you think of turkey leg recipes, you might imagine something that resembles what they serve at Renaissance fairs…

This is just one more way to enjoy the food that you harvest and a great way to share it with others.

Danielle is an amazing outdoorswoman and has incredible wild game recipes, so go get this one at here.

And if you don’t already, follow her online! She hunts, fishes, forages, and then turns the harvest into beautiful, delicious creations.

We certainly look forward to seeing more of her recipes on MeatEater!

Venison Shank Osso Buco

Another highlight of hosting my sister and her boyfriend over Labor Day weekend was introducing them to venison with one of our favorite recipes; venison shank osso buco!

It looks and sounds like complicated, fancy fare, but it’s actually a very simple recipe that turns one of the toughest cuts of meat into a delicate, light meal.

This deer season, keep those shanks and treat yourself to an Italian classic!

Venison Shank Osso Buco

Ingredients:

2 venison shanks (depending on how hungry you are, this is enough for 2-4 people)
Flour
1 cup of finely diced carrots
1 cup of finely diced celery
1/2 Onion
Tomato Sauce (28oz)
1 187ml/6.5oz bottle of white wine (we used Sutter Home Chardonnay, but use your preference!)
1tbsp of minced garlic
Beef Stock
Thyme
Rosemary

Method

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cut the venison shanks into discs (you can get 4 from each shank); we thaw ours, cut the meat with a knife, and then carefully saw through the bone. Tie them with butcher twine so they don’t fall apart.

Court demonstrating how he cuts the discs and then them up with twine

3. Dredge them in flour before browning on all sides in olive oil using a dutch oven. (If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use any skillet.) Set aside.

4. Add the onion and garlic; cook until aromatic.

5. Add the carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, and half of the white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook all the way through (until they’re browned).

From left to right: browning the shanks, setting them aside, and browning the vegetables

6. Pat vegetables down to completely cover the bottom of the pan and create a flat surface for the shanks. Put the meat back in the dutch oven, but make sure that none of the discs are touching.

7. Add 28-29oz of tomato sauce; add beef stock until the meat is covered.

8. Put the cover on the dutch oven for 4 hours at 300 degrees.

Adding the meat back in, covering with tomato sauce and stock, and then placing in the oven!

9. Remove from the oven, remove the twine around the discs and enjoy!

Venison shank osso buco resting on fried polenta shanks — The final product! We rested them on a bed of fried polenta discs, but have also served them a vegetable medley!

Recommended sides: polenta discs (this is our favorite!), orzo, rice, asparagus, zucchini/squash vegetable medley, and any other hearty vegetable sides.

Pin or save the recipe card below so you can try it!

Ranch to Table: Leopold’s Venison Biscuits and Gravy

It never fails as we’re watching an episode of MeatEater; I’ll look my husband in the eye and say, “let’s try that sometime!”

One such recipe that came up pretty frequently was an episode where they made a variation of Aldo Leopold’s recipe for Venison Biscuits and Gravy.

Easily made in a campfire or modern kitchen, this rustic dish hits all the notes for a hearty comfort-food breakfast or brunch.

The best part? It’s super easy!

Check out our recipe down below!

Venison with Biscuits and Gravy — Definitely one of my new favorites!

Venison Biscuits and Gravy

Ingredients:

Venison steaks (we used two for two of us)
Olive oil (you could substitute with any cooking oil you prefer)
Flour
Biscuits (you could do homemade, we used some Pilsbury Grands!)

Method:

Make/bake biscuits as directed
While biscuits are baking, heat oil on a skillet for frying the venison
Pound flat and cut the venison steaks into smaller pieces (we made it so we had 1-2 small strips per biscuit)
Lightly coat the steak strips in flour and fry to the desired doneness; move to the oven to stay warm once done
Make a simple gravy by adding flour and water a little bit at a time to the remaining oil in the pan; season with salt and pepper to taste. (We added a little milk to ours, too!)
Plate the biscuit with the venison on top and cover with gravy.

Simple and delicious. Couldn’t ask for better.

This makes a great stand alone breakfast, or you can add other traditional breakfast sides such as fresh fruit, eggs, hash browns, etc.

Get the full recipe card below!

Recipe card for venison biscuits and gravy

Rainbow Trout, Traeger Grills, and a Deeper Confidence

When you meet an accomplished outdoorswoman, there’s almost always one attribute that they all share.

It has nothing to do with their looks, their career, their gear, or even the animals they have on display on the wall. She might be outgoing; she might be an introvert. She might be funny; she might be intense.

But she will always carry this air of quiet confidence that goes deeper than her appearance. Deeper than her career. Deeper than her passion. Something that you can’t quite put your finger on…

I wasn’t sure what that was until this past Sunday night, when I used a Traeger grill (for the first time) to smoke rainbow trout (also for the first time!).

smoked trout with couscous and asparagus — This is probably one of my favorite fish meals of all time now. Just sayin’.

To understand the gravity of this moment, you have to understand that my husband is the Traeger and Wild Game King of our household. Everything he makes on that grill comes out to perfection. Every. Single. Time.

Some weekends, we make plans for a more elaborate meal since we have more time; this particular weekend, we were going to smoke rainbow trout from our New Mexico trip for the first time ever. Armed with a Meateater recipe, we got to work.

By Sunday morning, the trout had rested in the brine overnight and Court had his plans to get it on the grill in between some other tasks that day; we parted ways for the morning.

rainbow trout in a sweet and salty brine — Moments before taking this picture, I spilled brine all over my feet. Not the most graceful cook, I’ll admit it!

I returned from the grocery store, and Court told me he would need a little more time, but I needed to get them out of the brine. No problem; after reading the directions a couple of times, I carefully took the fish out of the brine, patted them until they were tacky, and then stuck them in the refrigerator.

Without a second thought, I went back to my plans for the day.

At about 2:45PM, my alarm went off to remind us to put the fish on the grill. It was then that I realized, Court wasn’t home… and I’ve never even turned the dang thing on!

This was the true test. I could wait until he got home, delay dinner, and hope we both wouldn’t be too hangry by then.

But some inner voice that I hadn’t really noticed before said, you got this.

I took a deep breath, remembered the instructions he had told me before leaving that morning, and got the grill going. When it was going, and I confirmed that the temperature was okay, I carefully placed the trout on the grill and set an alarm for 3 hours. And now, we would wait.

rainbow trout arranged on a grill — On the grill, fingers crossed!

He ended up getting home around 5:00PM, and we finished up the sides and butter sauce just as the trout hit the three hour mark.

After carefully removing it from the grill, we finished removing the skin and skeleton before plating and sitting down to eat.

Court was braver; he took a bite and then stared at me, his eyes wide with delight. I quickly took a bite… of some of the most delicious fish I’ve ever tasted.

I was shocked; how could it have turned out so perfectly?

Looking back, it was that moment when I stood before the grill, considering my options. Jessica from a few years ago would’ve shrunk away, intimidated and defeated. But that day, I knew what I had to do and I made it happen. Something deep inside me knew that I could do it, and that everything would be okay.

It was that same thing deep inside that calmed my racing heart as I placed the crosshairs behind the shoulder on a huge buck and allowed me to calmly pull the trigger.

The same thing that calmed my frantic thoughts as the dorado’s lime green scales flashed above the sapphire waters and allowed me to focus on landing the fish.

It’s now the same sense of satisfaction that I feel remembering how Court’s face lit up when he ate the rainbow trout that I caught and cooked for him.

I think that when you have the opportunity to live out one of our most primal instincts, to feed ourselves and our families, you also gain an extremely deep, primal confidence. It’s not that you believe you are capable; you know that you are capable and can do whatever it takes to accomplish that task.

I owe so much of my personal growth as a human being to days on the water and in the deer stand, the challenges of hunting and fishing, and the amazing gratitude for anything you are able to harvest from Mother Nature.

To some people, it’s just a meal. It’s fish on a plate with couscous and asparagus.

To me, it’s proof that I am capable of anything.

me proudly holding my smoked trout all cooked!

Spinning Reels Vs Baitcasters: Which One?

In most sports, when you reach a certain level of dedication and skill, you find yourself trading our your equipment for something new and considerably more difficult to use that also reaps greater rewards.

For example, in ballet, after reaching a certain skill level, many dedicated dancers trade out their slippers for pointe shoes. In archery, they might trade out their compound bow for a recurve bow.

For inshore fishing, that is undoubtedly the difference between fishing with a spinning reel and a baitcaster. And this weekend, I finally joined the ranks of baitcaster users everywhere!

Is fishing with a baitcaster the end-all, be-all of inshore fishing? Nope. But it can be a major game-changer when it comes to hooking and landing bigger fish.

Spinning Reel Vs. Baitcaster

Let’s run down the main differences between a spinning reel and baitcaster before we start diving into the benefits!

The spinning reel consists of a spool of line that is guided by a piece called the bail up along the rod. As you start reeling, the spool spins and starts pulling the line in. In order to allow the line to move freely, you have to “flip” the bail (this is an integral part of casting the spin caster, too). You can tighten the drag using a knob on top of the spool to make it easier or harder for fish to pull out line while the bail is closed.

Short little video showing the mechanics of a spinning reel; very easy and quick to learn!

The bait caster is a bit more complicated. At the bottom of the spool, there is a thumb bar that you can press to allow the line to move freely out of the spool and up along the guides on the rod. In order to reengage the thumb bar, just start reeling! This reel also includes magnets that allow the spool to spin faster or slower when the thumb bar is disengaged, which is extremely important when casting. There are two knobs to adjust these magnets (one for major adjustments and another to “fine-tune”).

The baitcaster is a little more complicated and has a bit of a learning curve.

So which one is better? Well, this is typically a personal preference, but there are definitely some key advantages to a baitcaster, especially for a more skilled angler.

Casting – Advantage: Baitcaster

When it comes to casting, the baitcaster is far superior. In my experience, it takes a lot of effort to fling that bait with a spinning reel, especially when you have a longer liter for things like top-water rigs. And if you’re like me, by the time you’ve gotten enough momentum to sling that bait as far as you can, the accuracy is completely gone.

With the baitcaster, it doesn’t take nearly as much force to get the bait moving in the air and because you can control how fast the line unspools in the air, you have the ability to sling it much farther. Within an hour of working with a baitcaster, I was casting almost twice as far as I can with a spinning reel. With a little more practice, I was actually able to cast more accurately, too.

The other thing I love about casting with a bait caster is that you don’t need as much room to cast. This is especially helpful if you’re casting in a busy or crowded area. We are lucky to have a long, wide boat and when there are more than three people, it becomes tricky (and if you’re around me, hazardous!) to cast a spinning reel.

Windy Weather – Advantage: Spinning Reel

I know I just made a big deal about how much better the baitcaster is with casting, but there is one instance where that just won’t be the case. Windy weather.

When you cast a baitcaster, you control the speed with the pressure of your thumb on the spool as it unspools in the air. If spool starts rotating faster than the line, the line can start to tangle on the spool. This can happen with any cast, and you’ll often find yourself quickly smoothing out a tiny one or adjusting your thumb on the spool to fix one, and that’s completely normal. Every once in awhile, though, you’ll get one bad enough that you’ll either spend a lot of time fixing it on the boat, or, *gulps* you’ll have to cut it off when you get home…

When the wind is at your back, though, you can cast like a dream without any issues (and most captains on a boat will situate it so you get to cast this way). If you’re on a dock or stuck casting into a cross wind or wind at your face, this will make baitcasters much easier to tangle and potentially more frustrating than helpful in the end.

The spinning reel, though, is much harder to tangle no matter what direction the wind is coming from. Since it relies on the bait flying through the air to pull the line out of the spool, it’s extremely difficult to birdnest a spinning reel. (I didn’t say it was impossible, though!)

At the end of the day, I would say that this is the major downfall of a baitcaster, but it’s still usable in windy weather if you can get the wind at your back.

Landing Fish – Advantage: Baitcaster

Long before I ever got the chance to learn to cast with them, I have actually landed several fish on a baitcaster. Usually on my husband’s rig while he was fixing mine up!

The ability to let the fish run with line makes for a more flexible approach to landing a fish, especially a big one. When we fish with croaker, I used to miss several large fish because they would start running with the bait before I could flip the bail and give them some space, which inevitably ended with them coming loose.

With a baitcaster, that control is as simple as pressing your thumb down to disengage the thumb bar. And when you want to start reeling, you just start reeling instead of fumbling with a bail. There’s nothing quite as disappointing as getting a huge hit, only to lose a monster because there was no room for it to run.

So… Which one?

If have the time to really learn it, I absolutely recommend a baitcaster to anyone serious about fishing! All of the pros really outweigh the cons. It’s easy to handle, makes casting a breeze, and gives you and that monster fish a little more room to fight.

My only caveat to this is that if you’re newer to fishing or haven’t mastered the spinning reel, start there. I know people who have fished most of their lives with a spinning reel and caught monster fish; using a baitcaster is not a requirement for success. The spinning reel teaches you all of the fundamentals and delivers high performance in almost all conditions.

My Finnore spinning reel has been my trusty companion now for a couple of years, and I’m excited for more fishing adventures with my Abu Garcia baitcaster! That’s the beauty of reels; they have one that works for everyone, so you just have to find the one that’s best for you.

El Chupacabra de Goliad

The late summer afternoon heat is sizzling over the senderos and mesquite trees on a property just outside of Goliad, Texas. Even the birds have gone into hiding for some relief from the oppressive sun. Silence falls over the trees, and even the wind seems to have taken a siesta.

Something moves at the base of the trees, a shadow that rarely steps into the light of day. Waiting until there is nothing to see but the trees and grass.

The creature finally steps out of the trees, the sun warm on its skin. It will not risk exposure for long, so it quickly moves past the feeder, across the sendero, and back into the cover of the thick brush.

What it didn’t consider was the small green box on a tree facing the feeder. Nor did it hear the quiet “click” of a photo being taken.

trail camera picture of a chupacabra — Very strange critter on our trail camera…

Imagine our surprise when this strange picture popped up on the trail camera on our next trip to the family ranch! That’s just not something you see every day.

I know, you’re thinking, really? You actually think this is a chupacabra?

I don’t know… Maybe!

This picture came up on our trail cams almost exactly 3 years ago along with a few other sightings over time that made us start to question what we were seeing.

Naturally, the camera didn’t capture its face, but the body is strange enough to look at with it’s almost rounded ears and the stripes on its tail underneath its sparse fur. It also looks to be moving pretty quick in the picture.

With the unusual markings and shape of the ears, it made us wonder; could it be a chupacabra?

After some serious discussion, we came up with two theories on our chupacabra’s identity.

1. Exotic Hybrid

Here’s the thing about Texas; there are a lot of exotic animals here. Between hunting ranches and people that buy them as pets, there are some unusual animals in South Texas, and a lot of them actually thrive in the climate along the coast. What if a hyena had escaped from captivity and started breeding with coyotes or other canines in the area?

Before you call me crazy, there’s an entire species, the Nilgai, that is considered an honorary native species in Texas after escaping from big game ranches and thriving on its own in the wild. If antelope the size of a horse are able to escape, why not a hyena or other exotic canine species being kept as a pet?

Goliad is a large hunting area with many exotic ranches in the area, so it’s definitely possible that a creature could’ve escaped. There have been a lot of sightings of this chupacabra in that particular region, too, so it lends a little credibility to the theory.

2. Coyote with Mange

Well, of course, this is a high probability. Most of the “chupacabras” that have been killed and studied have actually been confirmed as coyotes with mange.

Mange is a highly contagious condition caused by mites that are typically encountered and carried by wildlife that inflames the skin and causes severe hair loss in animals. According to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic, it’s also usually more pronounced around the legs, tail, and face of an afflicted animal. If you look back at our picture, you can see that its hair loss matches that pattern.

And as for the ears? Coyotes have pointed ears, while this one almost seems a little bit rounded. After looking a little more closely, you could say that the ears are drooping a little bit, giving them the appearance of being rounded, when they’re actually pointed.

Conclusion?

Over the course of a couple of months, we got a few more pictures of the creature that pretty much affirmed for us that it was just a coyote with mange. No chupacabras here.

These pictures are a few weeks apart, and it’s pretty obvious now that our chupacabra is a coyote with mange.

Though the mystery was easily solved, there’s something fun about living in the “what if” for just a moment. What if chupacabras are real? What if there’s an unusual creature prowling about the ranch when it thinks no one is looking?

It’s one of my favorite things about nature; the mystery. Just when we think we’ve learned her secrets, she reveals something new to us. There are still forests we haven’t hiked. Depths of the ocean we haven’t seen. Corners of space we haven’t considered. While we’ve learned so much about our world, there’s also so much that we don’t know yet.

I had never really appreciated the wonder and mysteries that were still out there until I started hunting and fishing. We’ll never truly understand nature unless we take the time to get to know her; and even then, we’ll never know everything.

In the meantime, I can say without a doubt that there are no chupacabras in Goliad.

6 Tips for a More Successful Fishing Trip

The weather is warming up, the wind is dying down, and the water is beckoning; time to fish! If it’s been awhile since your last fishing trip, you might feel a little rusty as you start preparing for that first day back on the water.

After our first fishing outing of the year, we came up with a few tips to make your next fishing trip a little more successful.

1. Get a good night’s sleep

That bite starts early, so make sure to go to bed early! The further you have to go to your fishing spot, the earlier you should get up. I like to grab an energy drink on the way to the marina to help me wake up!

If you’re a heavy sleeper, try setting a few alarms and setting your alarm across the room; this forces you to get out of bed to turn it off and helps you start waking up.

For whatever reason, this particular morning, I was exhausted. Like, don’t-hear-all-ten-of-your-alarms exhausted. Needless to say, I put our morning schedule behind by about 30 minutes by the time I did get up. (Sorry, Court!)

Sitting with my foot on the boat console and a bang energy drink in my hand — It wouldn’t be a fishing with my Peach Mango Bang, Xtra Tuff fishing booties, and Mojo mahi-print sweatshirt.

2. Make sure to have all licenses ready to go before leaving to fish

You’ll need your fishing license, boater’s ed. if it’s required in your state, licenses related to your trailer, boat, or other vehicles involved in getting you out there. Sorting this out the day before is much easier than the morning of your trip.

After putting the boat in the water, it was Court that noticed our trailer license plate was missing, after we had driven it across the island to the marina! We figured out where it had gone after our trip, but we were both sweating bullets while driving it back on the trailer.

court standing on our boat — We LOVE our boat! Court takes amazing care of it, and we plan on running this thing as long as possible!

3. Make sure all valuables are stowed safely before leaving

This sounds obvious, but sometimes, we get in a hurry trying to get out on the water and end up forgetting to lock up a phone, a wallet, etc. Most boats have waterproof hatches that are great for stowing valuables or they make smaller containers that can be left out on the deck.

As $35 in cash fluttered by us at full speed up on plane, we realized pretty quickly there had been an error. We were minding our own business when a flash of white fluttered between us and then swooshed through the air behind us into the water.

We both looked around, not sure what could have flown around us when Court spotted it underneath the captain’s chairs; his wallet laying open with all the cash missing. Thankfully, all the licenses and cards were still there!

We went back just to see if we could find it and the bills had floated away or sunken down to Davy Jones locker. That’s one way to make sure your monetary donation goes straight to the laguna…

4. Cast carefully in windy conditions

Casting in the wind can be tricky, even a headache. In windy conditions, spinning reels tend to be a little more forgiving than a bait caster, which can quickly bird nest if the reel spins faster than the line is unspooling.

With the great intention of croaker soaking, Court brought his bait caster. The wind was blowing at an odd angle and on a particularly strong cast, the croaker sailed through the air… no longer attached to the hook.

By the time we realized what had happened, Court’s bait caster had already bird nested to a point beyond fixing on the boat. Luckily for him, the fish weren’t interested in croaker anyway.

5. Always keep an eye on the weather in your fishing area, no matter what the forecast says

Weather can change quickly on the water, especially as you travel further away from your launching point. For example, we launch at a marina just off the highway leaving Corpus Christi for Padre Island, but we often fish much further south, sometimes as far as Port Mansfield.

As with anywhere else, forecasts aren’t always accurate, either. It’s important to periodically check the weather forecast or just keep an eye on your surroundings.

When we left to fish that morning, the weather was supposed to be overcast without rain until the afternoon. As we fished far south, the wind started to pick up and rain sprinkled over us. The overcast clouds morphed into dark, angry storm clouds. We were ready to wait it out until lighting crackled a little close to us and thunder started grumbling in the background.

As we raced to beat the storm back to the marina, we encountered choppy water and wild wind ripping across the waves. The closer we got to Corpus Christi, the more boats we saw baling on the fishing for safer waters. We never got caught in any dangerous weather, but it definitely came close!

cloudy skies over the water — It got dark and stormy FAST. You just have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.

7. Sometimes, you have bad luck, and you just have to make the best of it!

A big part of fishing is simply luck! No matter how skilled and prepared you are, there’s always an element of luck. On this trip, we managed to catch a few trout that would’ve been legal before the temporary limit, but just couldn’t find one over 17 inches. We also managed to go out on a day that was forecasted to be somewhat nice and ended up having storms blow in hours earlier than they were supposed to.

That being said, we were both thrilled to have that time on the boat. Even on the worst fishing day, you can find peace and relax to the gentle rocking rhythm of the water. You can take a deep breath of salty air after a long week when you’re running full speed on plane and the wind is tousling your hair.

Getting to be out on the boat with my fishing buddy (sorry, CAPTAIN fishing buddy) is always the best part!

As we unpacked our gear after a very unlucky day of fishing, we couldn’t help but laugh at our misfortunes and smile while reflecting on the day. Sometimes, you just have to make the best of it!

Hopefully, we’ve gotten the bad luck out of our system for the season and will start getting on the bite!

Turkey Chuckles Part 2

In the previous post, we had just finished relaxing on a rainy afternoon with some domino devastation and Oysters Rockefeller to tide us over until dinner. Right about the time finally let up, we were ready to embark on our second hunt of the weekend…

Second Hunt

The rain held us up until about 5:15, and we made a beeline for the brush and the decoys. Once we were settled, Court started calling again. Crickets. (Literally, crickets, it was actually very loud.)

As the quiet stretched on outside the bush, so did our conversations. I’ll probably say it every blogpost, because it’s the truth. There is something very special about spending time with loved ones in nature, and some of the best conversations are those had during an uneventful hunt in the blind, or an uneventful fishing trip on the boat. As if opening our senses to natures opens our hearts and minds to each other at the same time.

Suddenly, at around 6:15, the sky opened up and just poured on us. There was no need to be quiet as I cracked up and slung the shotgun across my lap again. No need to be quiet as Court taught me how to make calls with the little wooden contraption he’d been using all day.

Eventually, the rain let up and we packed up the decoys. There was plenty of fenceline to wander on the way back, so we resumed the shed hunt and slowly made our way back to the cabin.

We talked while we walked and I almost missed the dirty cream-colored jawbone complete with teeth as we walked by. Upon closer inspection, it was turned out to be a pig jaw, and since it was near the place we disposed of such remains, it didn’t take long to find the top of the skull just a little further down.

Not a shed, but an exciting prize nonetheless.

After depositing the pig skull in the garden back at the cabin, Court and his grandfather started working on dinner while I continued my shed hunt around the front of the property.

Despite coming here for several years now, I had never really explored much off the senderos. We pretty much walk straight out to our spots and come straight back. Even when doing some work around the property, we stick to the roads.

I walked past the feeder within view of the porch and just kept walking. Dove-grey clouds hung overhead as I let my feet lead me through large patches of wildflowers and past small clumps of blooming cacti. The fence line stretched out beside me as I slowly wandered along the property line.

It was a simple little hike, but I enjoyed views like these! Sometimes, it’s the simple things that make nature so beautiful.

It’s hard not to imagine what it must be like to be the animals that regularly pass through these little hidden pathways. I imagined the does with their fawns that must slowly meander through the small thickets of mesquite trees as they eventually pick their way to the feeder near the cabin. Or the hogs bustling along the fence line and startling the birds in brush as they rush by to get at the corn.

Around each little grove of trees, I hoped to spy some kind of critter, but they were still bedded down after all the rain.

Eventually, I came to the first gate on the property from when they used to have cattle. Beyond it stretched more of the same fence line and trees with wild flowers bursting along the open stretches of field. It beckoned to me, but I had already been gone for awhile and knew dinner would be ready soon. I slowly wandered back, frequently losing my way and enjoying the opportunity to explore just a little more before getting back to the cabin.

Just as we sat down to eat dinner, the clouds cleared to reveal a colorful sunset. We enjoyed a simple but delicious meal of jalapeno poppers, lamb chops, root vegetables, and peas. And as the stars began to rise, we each took a slice of coconut cream pie to enjoy by the fire. We enjoy good food and good times at the ranch every trip.

Full and sleepy from a lazy, rainy day, we climbed into bed for another morning hunt.

Third Hunt

We settled back into our chosen spot along the sendero just as the sun started to rise. Decoys set, rifle at the ready, we waited.

This morning began much like the morning before. As the sun began to rise higher, we heard faint, sleepy gobbles in the distance. Court immediately started calling back, encouraging them to come closer.

With each passing minute, the gobbles drifted closer. I couldn’t help checking my watch for the magic moment, 9:00AM, when they would come bobbing in front of us to get to the feeder. Surely, with the rain gone and some corn on the ground, we would get a chance at a tom.

The minutes ticked by, and the gobbles came closer. They came close enough that we heard a new sound; a hen clucking.

I immediately got excited and readjusted the rifle in my arms; Court wasn’t so sure, though. “If they’ve found a hen, they might just ignore us,” he whispered while testing a quick call.

8:45AM. The gobbles and clucks are getting closer and louder from two different directions. My head was on a swivel as the gobbles chuckled ahead of us and behind us.

9:00AM. The gobbles became less frequent, but remained close. I willed a turkey to walk out onto the road, to see our decoys and follow them right into range.

9:15AM. The gobbles continued, and became fainter. My body tensed with each gobble, as though those turkeys were chuckling at us. Chuckling, that we would think they were so gullible to walk into our trap. I began to understand why so many hunters find spring turkey hunts so frustrating; your quarry is smart and laughs at you.

9:30AM. Silence had settled over us for nearly 15 minutes. I resettled the rifle across my lap, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at myself. Everyone who had ever been turkey hunting had told me it was frustrating, and they were right!

turkey decoys in the sun — Turkey decoys in the sun

By 10:00AM, we were ready to call it. The turkeys had been silent for awhile, and we were ready to get back to the cabin to prepare for the short trek home. As we packed things up, I couldn’t help the little smile on my face. I had gotten a true turkey hunting experience, frustration and all!

There are some things when it comes to the outdoors that I think just require “doing your time”. I hear Court and his family talk about how it took so many years or so many times hunting to finally get a shot at an animal, or even with fishing how they fished for so many years before finally landing a fish.

Frankly, I haven’t done my time. But in the short time I’ve been hunting and fishing, I’ve learned a lot. One of the hardest lessons of nature is perseverance, and I feel that the past year in particular has really tested my perseverance. From difficulties deer hunting, duck hunting, and now turkey hunting, I’ve been reminded that success isn’t just bringing home your quarry. It’s getting out there at all. It’s going back when you didn’t even hear an animal. It’s taking the experience and learning so you have a better chance the next time. It’s one of the most incredible abilities of nature to be aggressively resilient, and one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned yet as an outdoorswoman.

We didn’t bring home meat, but I brought back so much more. A restful weekend at one of my favorite places. Memories of dominoes, oysters, and campfires under the stars with family. The thrills of an exchange with a turkey using a little wooden box. Lessons learned to make me even better on my next hunt.

Those turkeys can chuckle at me all they want. I’ll be ready for them this fall.

Turkey Chuckles Part 1

As we drove out to the ranch, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. How was spring turkey season so frustrating and difficult?

Yes, I know turkeys have incredible eyesight and can detect movements easily.

But we saw turkeys all throughout deer season, and they just trotted in to the feeder like little velociraptors heading to their restaurant reservation for a steak dinner.

That didn’t just didn’t seem that hard, to me.

Boy was I about to learn the hard way!

Planning and Preparation

Court had prepared me for what to expect as far as some major differences from deer hunting. Because of their incredible color eyesight, we would have to wear head-to-toe camouflage and sit extremely still when they eventually came into view.

He had loaded up his 12 gauge shotgun and instructed me to aim where the red of the head transitioned into feathers at the base of the neck. As soon as my target Tom stretched his neck up and out, I would pull the trigger and with proper aim, shouldn’t have any trouble hitting my target.

There was also the matter of where to sit, which we felt was pretty straight forward. The family ranch is a narrower strip of land between two larger ranches; in general, there just aren’t very many resident wild game animals on our side of the fences.

Turkeys used to be plentiful around the ranch until Hurricane Harvey took out some of their roosting trees back in 2017, making turkeys even more difficult to find on our side of the fence. Luckily, we feed almost year ’round, so they know where to find corn at odd times of the year.

We have one feeder in a field that happens to intersect with a sendero running towards the fence line; it’s this feeder that the turkeys will trot to after carefully hopping the fence from their roosting tree on the other side.

And on the way to the feeder, there is a small grove of trees and bushes that make for the perfect hiding place for a couple of turkey hunters. It was right across from this grove, out in the open sendero, that we set up some decoys visible from the fence to draw in our quarry.

Shotgun, cushion, and turkey call arranged under a tree. — Our little setup under a tree; not the most comfortable, but we were pretty well hidden!

Everything appeared to be going to plan except for one thing; the weather.

First Hunt

Immediately after the alarms went off that morning, the rain fell almost sideways against our little cabin. One thing I already love about turkey hunting is that these turkeys are a lot like me; they like to sleep in and don’t particularly care to get wet if they don’t have to.

When the rain finally let up enough for us to head down range, it was nearly 8:00AM. We rushed down to the senderos and got set up as quickly as possible before settling in under a hunched mesquite tree.

Court got out the call and started working the hen clucks and calls. According to the trail cams, the turkeys weren’t really active at the feeder until about 9:30AM, so we had plenty of time.

The tell-tale gobbles started echoing from behind us and to our left, towards the adjacent property. Court picked up calling and I settled the shotgun onto one knee in anticipation of a turkey sighting.

The sun started to rise higher and the gobbles sounded closer with each one. My heart pounded, my back ached, but it didn’t matter as long as those gobbles got closer. Eventually, the delicate clucks of hens even reached us from across the fence, as though they were arguing about whether or not to hop the fence. I hoped they would decide it was worth the trouble.

Around 9:15, the clouds suddenly swept back over the sky. As the sendero darkened, the gobbles were devoured by silence. My bunched muscles slowly relaxed until my legs were splayed out in front of me, the gun resting across my lap.

Turkey decoys in the clearing on a cloudy day — Disclaimer: those are our decoys, and this was right before the sky darkened. Not a bad view!

The sky darkened to an angry grey and we decided to pack it up for the morning. Although we came back empty-handed my first spring turkey hunt felt like a success.

After a quick breakfast and some chores around the cabin, Court’s grandfather suggested we take a little trip to town; the next move time wasn’t until 1:00pm, anyway.

Someday, I want to devote a blog post to Goliad, Texas. There’s something really special about this little town in the coastal plains shrouded in history and a deep Texan pride. Where trees have been left to stand tall in the middle of roads, complete with reflector signs to protect them from drivers in the night. Where the courthouse is in the middle of the downtown square, surrounded by historic buildings turned into restaurants, banks, a library, and eclectic little boutiques. Casting an ominous shadow on this square is the Hanging Tree, long-since retired of its former duty to the state. Out beyond the downtown square, you’ll find the Presidio La Bahia standing as if frozen in time. You’ll also find a glorious monument not unlike the one found at the Alamo to honor the Texans that lost their lives at the Goliad Massacre. And beyond all of that, you’ll find ranches with monster deer peering out from the shadows; droves of wild pigs snorting and digging their way through the brush; wild turkeys trotting and chuckling through the senderos; a single bobcat slinking silently from shadow to shadow; and occasionally, the unmistakable sound of a Chupacabra in the night.

But that’s a story for another post.

When we returned from our little excursion into town, the weather had taken a turn for the sprinkley. I was determined, though, to go another first hunt for me; shed hunting. Remember above, when I said there aren’t too many resident wild game animals on the ranch? It’s the same for deer, so finding sheds on the property isn’t too common. I still wandered around the fencelines, looking for an unusual-looking stick or something with a unique texture, only to end up getting caught in some rain and getting rescued by Court in his truck.
One of my favorite parts about being at the ranch this time of year is the wild flowers. They were beautiful.

To kill time, we settled down with Court’s grandfather for a few games of dominoes. Don’t let them tell you differently; when we played the first game, I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t understand the rules. And by the time I got a good grasp of them, it was too late to catch up. That’s the only reason I was able to destroy them both in the second game. They’ll try to tell you I hustled them, but that’s not how it went down!

The rain that was supposed to clear up around 1:00pm only came down harder, so we pushed back our next hunt to the next move time, around 4:30pm. If there’s one thing we do at the ranch, it’s eat well. We casually rustled up some Oysters Rockefeller and then settled down to relax for a little bit.

Oysters Rockefeller — We tend to rough it at the ranch… Just kidding!

One of the best parts of the ranch to me is simply hiding away for a weekend in a calmer, simpler place. Away from the hustle and bustle of life, all the noise, all the demands. The closer we find ourselves to Mother Nature, the closer we find ourselves to peace.

We didn’t do much hunting that rainy afternoon, but I wouldn’t have traded those moments playing dominoes, relaxing on the porch, and enjoying some fantastic oysters with family for anything else.

The hunt continues in part 2…