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My friend Mike and I left for Mexico to hunt at La Tinaja Ranch the Saturday after Christmas. We drove down separate because I needed to come back to Phoenix for New Years if not successful and return after New Years, while Mike would stay until the 4th. I took my Polaris Ranger down as our hunt vehicle, so we'd be able to get around the ranch much easier. Looking into Mexico at the crossing Nice tile mural at the border crossing. Sasabe has been a border crossing since 1916. The first morning we glassed up several bucks, one of which really got me going-it was a cool looking 3x4 with crab claws at the end of the main beams-lots of character. Mike and Juan Pablo said it'd only go about 103" due to it being so narrow. I really thought about killing him, but I had made my goal to try for a buck sized between the two I got on my last hunt two years ago, somewhere in the 105-120" range. So I passed on the crab claw buck as we came to call him. After all, it was only the first morning, but he would come to haunt me for most of the hunt. At times we were just yards away from the border We saw a lot of smaller bucks in the coming days, mostly in the mornings. In the afternoon hunts we didn't see much activity for some reason. The bucks were rutting the does somewhat, but the rut wasn't in full swing yet. One afternoon Mike saw a nice buck soliuetted on a distant ridge that he estimated to be around 120". It went over the ridge as we were checking him out. Mike decided to go after him, the plan being to get on a ridge East of there, which circled around the one the buck was on. He took his radio so we could guide/update him. Unfortunately the buck couldnt be found. So was the first leg of the hunt, small bucks in the morning and nothing in the evening. I packed a few things up and headed back to Phoenix on New Years Eve day, thinking about that crab claw buck all the while. I returned on Jan 2nd early enough for the afternoon hunt, but we didn't turn anything up. Saturday morning wasn't any different than previous mornings, small bucks and does. As we drove to our 3rd area, a new one to me, we even made our own road at times. It was getting late, and we hadn't been seeing much in the late mornings. So there we were, all glasing the area, when Chino, one of the ranch cowboys, spots some deer and a small buck. We're looking at them when he says "macho", which means a mature buck. We study that buck with spotting scopes and see he's a good buck, a heavy 3x3 that'll go around 105". Chino and I take off to get closer for a better look. I liked this buck and I ranged him at 250 yds, so I laid down to get my rifle setup on the Harris bipod, but couldn't get lined up due to the terrain and angle. About that time the deer busted out of there off to the right and out of sight. I grabbed all the stuff I had peeled off and we headed around to our right. There was a big, long rocky ridge, so we climbed on up and saw some of the deer, luckily they hadn't gone far. We only saw some does and the smaller buck at first. We kept glassing and then we spotted the big 3 point under some mesquite trees. I love being setup high in a sniper position and that's what it was up in these large boulders. I was in a big crevice between the boulders and was able to get comfortable and more importantly get the rifle setup on the Harris. I ranged him at 150 yds, dialed the Swarovski scope to 16x and watched him as he walked around under the trees, waiting for a clear shot. Next thing I know, he sits down at the base of a mesquite tree-and I realize he's going to bed down-but then I realize I have a clear shot at his shoulder, so I aimed and fired. Deer put to bed for good! Wow, high 5's with Chino! We made our way over to my buck, he was even bigger than I thought, plus he had a cool split eyeguard on one side which we hadn't seen. He was a big symmetrical 3x3! Then we saw something weird on his neck, an old wound with something stuck on it. I still don't know what it is as of this writing. At first we thought it to be coagulated blood, but it's shaped like the bottom of a plastic bottle. I'll report on it later. Something stuck on a wound under it's jaw So my "team" drove the Rangers in as far as they could and hiked the rest of the way. We field dressed him and then took some pictures. After we got back to the Ranch and skinned and quartered him, Mike tapped him at 109 and 6/8ths! I was thrilled with that because it nailed my goal! Sunday morning we went out to help Mike find a buck. We found many, but not the caliber Mike was looking for. We went back to the Ranch, Mike packed up and left because he had to go back to work on Monday. He said he was going back down the 17th to hunt some more. After lunch, the other cowboy, Guiermo, went with me to look for some javelina. The plan was to get two with my bow, one for me and one for the cowboys. We drove out and up on a high ridge until Guiermo said stop. We got out to glass the far ridges. I actually was the one to find a herd first, so I set out for the other side of the canyon. I strapped my rifle to my backpack just in case that plan 'A' didn't work out. I intended to get some javelina regardless. So I finally got across the canyon and was slowly making my way up the down-wind side of the ridge they were on. I get up to the center of the ridge, trying to be quiet, listening and looking for them, when of course I get busted! I heard some grunting and woofing as they ran off, but it was too thick to see them. I stand still for quite a few minutes, listening and looking, because sometimes they all don't run away. I decide to take a couple of quiet steps for a better view, when of course I get busted again! Another one grunts and runs off. So now I decide to try calling them back with a varmint call, which I've never tried, even though I've been a member of Phoenix Varmint Callers for 11 years. Hopefully no one from the Club will read this. I had an Orion open reed call on a lanard around my neck. So I get it out and let out some squeals. They must not have ran far, because I heard them start grunting and running back. I drew my bow and got ready, and three ran up in front of me. I aimed at the biggest one, a boar I thought becsuse it was big! That arrow found it's mark. I nocked another arrow, aimed at another sizeable one and when I released it, I thought it went right over it's back as it ran off. I nocked another arrow, turned around and shot at another one, that arrow finding it's mark. Wow, what a rush! I just killed 2 javelina from the same spot. I had 1 arrow left (better carry more next hunt ) so I stuck it vertically in a dead cactus trunk as a marker. I went over to the first one and took off my pack. I yelled across the canyon to Guiermo to drive the Ranger down the road off the ridge to the wash between us. What was I thinking, he doesnt speak any english, so here he comes, walking down the steep hill. Oh well. As I'm getting the javelinas together, I hear one down in the ravine making not so normal noises. I go down there for a look, and find a mortality wounded one. I didn't miss the second shot afterall, but it was a bad shot. Hate seeing anything suffering, so I went back up the ridge and retrieved my rifle and put it down for good. Guiermo showed up and we gathered everything and went to the ravine to get out of the sun. After field dressing all 3 javelinas, we hog-tied their legs, Guiermo carried 2 and I carried the other along with my pack, rifle and bow. We hiked down to the main wash and followed it until we saw vehicle tracks. At that point I was pretty beat, so when Guiermo motioned he was going to go get the Ranger, that was just fine with me. It was almost dark when he picked me up. We skinned all three javi's when we got back to the ranch and let them hang to cool for the night. I went and grabbed a couple of beers and handed one to my friend Guiermo. Man that cold beer tasted great! What a fun hunt it was down there, can't wait until next year! View of La Tinaja Ranch