February, although the shortest month of the year, can seem like the longest, especially for those who call the northern-most tier of the United States home. In the mid-winter, February’s rationed sunlight, accumulating snowfall and below zero temperatures can turn an outdoorsman’s days into a miserable sentence of hard time if there are no adventures to look forward to in his immediate future. My personal remedy for curing February’s doldrums is making the annual trip to the Rio Bonito Ranch in the Texas Hill Country for the ACF Winter Rendezvous. Six days atop the Edwards Plateau traipsing across its ruggedly handsome landscape while chasing the Rio’s plentiful and varied big game population is all that is necessary to break up the winter and rejuvenate one’s ebbing spirits. It also provides an opportunity to add some delectable cuisine to the family larder.
The Rio Bonito Ranch is twenty-six square miles of brawny real estate comprised of rocky cliffs, rolling hills, cedar forests; and anemic meadows covered with sparse grasses, prickly cacti and enough stones to build several small castles. This tough and unforgiving land that most farmers would call worthless is good for one purpose, raising wild animals and providing the natural cover that keeps them there. Keeping them there’s important since the Rio Bonito is not a high-fenced ranch. The countless animals that call the Rio home remain there because they are protected by some of the wildest terrain the state of Texas has to offer. The two biggest dangers to the denizens of the Edwards plateau are the cougars that reside there because of the plentiful and varied menu of wild game and the two-legged hunters that come to the Rio from all over the world for that very same game.
My first visit to the Rio was in February of 1995 and from the very first day, my heart was ensnared and held captive by this feral land that holds so many dark mysteries and glowing adventures within its sprawling expanse. From that very first exposure, all previous misconceptions about Texas Ranches were dashed to smithereens by the reality of what I discovered on the Rio Bonito Ranch; and each new visit serves only to unlock more of the magic and beauty that can only be found deep within the Hill Country of central Texas.
In 2010, the best moon phase for a successful Rio hunt was prior to Valentine’s Day so we descended upon the Rio a couple of weeks earlier than usual. No hunter in his right mind should ever schedule a hunt that would cause him to be gone over Valentine’s Day. Trust me, I know this to be the absolutely truth! Good planning and a great game management program instituted by the Rio Bonito’s manager, Gwen Hughes paid great dividends to our hunters this year as animals went down on a daily basis during our all too short of a stay. Since my first visit to the Rio, the hunting has gotten better and better thanks to an intelligent management program implemented and carefully monitored by Miss Gwen. Dense deer and hog populations field are grandly complemented by generous servings of hearty food and warm, homey accommodations that provide a comfortable in the reprieve in the Rio’s Hacienda.
This year’s cast of ACF members included 7-year Rio hunter, Claude Davenport from Alabama. Jackie Seale is also from Alabama, is a 5-year Rio hunter and was accompanied by her husband Gordon. The third member of our party was first time Rio hunter Neil Koopman who drove all the way from Pennsylvania with his lovely wife, Aileen. Our guide for this year’s celebration of the hunt was NY native, Marty Novak, a construction worker that spends a great deal of his winter layoff each year on the Rio Bonito Ranch both helping out and bowhunting. He is very knowledgeable about the ranch and animals, as well as being just plain good company.
The daytime temperatures during our stay never rose above the 70’s and nighttime temps were downright cool with several frost covered mornings, but that only improved critter traffic and made our hunt more pleasant. Nothing will shut down animal movement like temps in or above the 80’s, so this year’s weather was perfect. It rained hard the last day, but that never makes hunting worse as the Rio has plenty of shooting shacks that keep both hunter and equipment high and dry.
Uncle Claude drew first blood by taking his first Fallow buck ever and he was a very happy camper to do so. He has been hunting for one the past five years and was very pleased to at long last bring one down. Claude is one of the luckiest hunters I know and he is also an excellent marksman. When lady luck brings a critter in, his keen aim usually brings it down. This year he took the Fallow buck, two Sika bucks and a nice hog. At 72, Claude is making the most of his remaining field time, while he is still able.
Jackie Seale is one of the best lady hunters I have ever met. She is dedicated, determined and a deadly shot when she takes a bead. Her trip to the Rio netted her a nice Sika buck and a couple of hogs, one of which was a dandy boar. This was Jackie’s fifth trip to the Rio and she made the most of it by taking her hard-horned animal as well as filling a couple of coolers with fresh hog meat. Jackie has also joined us on the Canadian Bear hunt as well as the Ozark Mountain Deer and Turkey hunt proving to be a delightful companion and great sport regardless of what the challenges might be. And almost always she is accompanied by her faithful side-kick and husband Gordon who is also an asset to any campfire conversation as well as a vigorous cheerleader for all.
It was the first time hunting on the Rio for Neil Koopman, who was accompanied by his wife, Aileen. Neil had picked up some kid of a bug or virus on the way in that made him pretty sick the entire time he was at the Rio. Consequently he missed half of his hunting time, but dedicated crossbow hunter that he is, he ventured into the field even though he paid a heavy price each time he went out into the elements. Although a valiant trooper he proved to be, the end result of his first visit to the Rio was empty tags although he had a couple of misses that added excitement to the limited time he spent in the field.
Neil wasn’t the only one that went home with empty tags. Three misses at hogs and being caught with a camera in my hand when I should have been holding a bow were the secrets to my grand failure to hang game on the meat pole. I did take a Jack Rabbit for Claude to make a jack-a-lope mount, but that was it for my time spent in the field. Although I did not kill a hog, I did get plenty of photos of hogs as they dined just yards from where I sat hidden in a ground blind. Over 2000 photos were taken making it a complete success by my standards. You can’t eat photographs, but you can’t put pork chops in the magazine either. At hunt’s end, I was pleased with the digital trophies I brought home with me.
All too quickly our week came to an end and it was time to head back to the cold reality of the North. On the last morning as we quartered up carcasses, filled coolers and iced down the contents, we all shared a sadness that always settles in on the last day of the hunt. Part of the sadness is caused by the fact that it would be at least another year before we returned to the Rio’s secret places. Another part was caused by the fact that good friends were heading off in different directions after sharing a very special camaraderie. One that was warm and meaningful to each person there and that would hopefully be shared again. However, each of us knew that there are no such guarantees. We departed for home being thankful for the time we were able spend together in the wilderness of the Rio Bonito Ranch, hoping that God would allow us to return again next year.
If you would like to join us for our annual trek to the Rio Bonito Ranch in February of 2011, give us a call at the ACF main desk (320-634-3660) or email us (bowtwang@charter.net) and we will answer your questions and fill you in on the all of the particulars. It is a great way to break up your winter and to give some much needed relief to that itchy trigger finger of yours.
Photo Captions:
`DSC02403 – This is just one of many photos taken of hogs on this year’s adventure.
`DSC02540 – Miss Gwen congratulates Claude on his long-awaited Fallow buck
`DSC02533 –Guide Marty Novak with Claude and his Fallow Buck
`DSC02579 – With record rain falls, I had never seen the Rio’s lake as high as it was in 2010.
`DSC02728 – Jackie Seale with another dandy Sika Buck from the Rio Bonito Ranch.
`DSC02793 – Jackie and Dan have become good hunting buds over the years and on many a hunting trip together.
`DSC02859 – Cardinals fill the air with their distinctive song everywhere on the Rio.
`DSC03068 – Jack Rabbits are everywhere on the Rio.
`DSC03083 – Miss Gwen poses with Claude and his trophy Aoudad taken on the 2009 Rio Hunt.
`DSC03086 – Left to Right Back Row: Claude Davenport, Gordon Seale, Neil Koopman, Marty Novak. Front Row: Jackie Seale, Gwen Hughs and Aileen Koopman.
`DSC03096 – Neil and Aileen Koopman drove all the way from Pennsylvania.
`DSC03096 – Jackie with Marty and her Rio nice boar.