I was guided by "Junior" Feild, a 27-year-old trained wildlife biologist, who proved to be extremely capable and competent. In fact, he was one of the most professional guides I have encountered in a lifetime of hunting. The ground blind, made of huisache brush and mesquite, was ready the day prior to our hunt, replete with two stools for shooting from the sitting position. It included a large, v-shaped shooting opening in front, and proper clearance for both ends of my longbow. I was pleasantly surprised at the setup, as often it is necessary to make major modifications to blinds. This one was perfect. Junior also displayed finely honed tracking skills, reminiscent of those possessed by black African trackers, as he followed the faint, bloodless trail left by my buck after the hit. Walking through high grass, with little more than instinct to go on, Junior walked right up on the downed buck.
The King Ranch is an incredible place to hunt with a traditional bow, or with any weapon for that matter. I am particularly referring to the close-up shot opportunities provided by hunting from ground blinds. Scattering corn in front of these blinds, which is legal in Texas, brings the game within shooting range. I had seven bucks in front of my blind during that first hour of daylight, and not one of them was over 25 yards away. There are no game fences, which are prevalent in many other areas of Texas, and there are no pen-raised deer, as are found in most preserves. All the game is free-ranging. The division I hunted reminds one of the southern African bushvelt, and boasts a buck-to-doe ratio of one-to-one.
To be sure, the King Ranch is legendary........(continued)
