Mexico hesitation

[recurveman]

To me it looks like 2 opinions.    The first group has went down to Mexico and had a good experience.    The second group is scared $hitless to go give it a try.   

[Guest akaspecials]

I have been going down since 2000. We always expected to get extorted for 20 to100 bucks by federales or the local policia then. Traveled once or twice a year then and it was no big deal. The fine could almost always be reduced to nothing if you spoke Spanish. 

We stopped having issues with their "LEOs" in 2010 or so and didn't have issues for 5 or 6 years. Traveled 3 or 4 times a year a this point. 

At the end of this time, around 2015, I spent some one month long stretches down there solo and had no issues, but was staying in modest accommodations with an old truck. That was the life until money ran out! There was cartel activity, but for the most part, it wasn't spilling over. I do remember 2 shootings that occurred in residential areas, but according to the locals, it was cartel on cartel violence (someone set up shop without permission) and the cartel protecting their tourist business by handling cartel members that were consistently harassing gringos and had been warned to stay away from the resorts/tourist business. I saw the bullet holes and blood, but wasn't really worried at that point. 

Around 2017 we got held up by what I assume was cartel on a highway near RP. There were multiple vehicles and 10-12 guys. They operated much like the federales just no uniforms and less beating around the bush about how much money they expected for safe passage. It was easier than dealing with police to be honest, because they didn't pull us out of the car and hold us for 10-15 minutes before giving the price of the bribe. They may have been looking for someone and we just got caught up in their checkpoint. It all happened so fast I really wasn't sure what was going on, but I left a 100 bucks short and the guns in my face shook me. 

Shortly after that my coworkers had cartel issues in Reynosa. They were trying to get back across the border before sunset, but the road had a few cones in it blocking it off. They didn't know another way back across the border so went around the cones; it looked like kids put them in the street anyways. Long story short, the cartel had blocked the road for their own business and no one was welcome to travel on it. No one was injured and they were just turned around in what they described as the scariest experience of their lives.  

Around the same time had an issue in 35b with a few truckloads of cartel guys near my camp at 3 am. This was a few miles north of the border. Again, no real issues came from the encounter, but trucks full of armed guys yelling get me on edge. 

I stopped traveling to Mexico or hunting near the border after these incidents. The cartel mostly wants to do their business in relative peace, but it's not worth the risk for me anymore.  

All travel was in Sonora. Mostly to RP or Hermosillo. None of my trips included hunting in Mexico. 

 

[eddielasvegas]

Exactly the point akaspecials. What is so dang fine south of the border that it's worth the risk, even if you get fleeced 1 time in 20?

I have lived in the good ole' USA for 60+ years and not once been part of a shakedown....at least not illegally.

Taxes and some of our politicians (maybe all of them) and all the latter encompasses is another story, but not once I have feared for my life and knew our constitution was right behind me.

I'll stick to G8 countries, thank you.

YMMV.

Eddie 

[trphyhntr]

36 minutes ago, eddielasvegas said:

What is so dang fine south of the border that it’s worth the risk

The fishing is better, the hunting is better, the drinks are better there, the resorts and service are better, food is better, in general the people are friendlier, your money goes farther, and on top of that the red pill that nobody wants to accept.....other than not owning guns you have much more freedom down there 

[wildwoody]

Not a problem , until there's a problem. Oh chit..

[trphyhntr]

1 minute ago, wildwoody said:

Not a problem , until there's a problem. Oh chit..

Right, just like the USA 

[wildwoody]

Yup, but alittle easier for your family to visit. I'd do it again..

[twistzz]

Just fly...

[Flatlander]

I’m not sure why the dudes who love Mexico are trying so hard to convince all the chickens that it’s safe. heck, I think I might start posting about how dangerous Wyoming is. Would love it if half the people who hunt there got scared and chickened out.

[trphyhntr]

6 minutes ago, Flatlander said:

I’m not sure why the dudes who love Mexico are trying so hard to convince all the chickens that it’s safe. heck, I think I might start posting about how dangerous Wyoming is. Would love it if half the people who hunt there got scared and chickened out.

Has nothing to do with convincing people it’s safe, I don’t recall telling anyone itt that there’s not Any danger. There is some and that Is why it’s good and will stay good. 
 

I do get triggered cuz the place is amazing and you got people that have never seen the ocean trying to describe  the ocean 

[Roosevelt Mark]

15 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

The fishing is better, the hunting is better, the drinks are better there, the resorts and service are better, food is better, in general the people are friendlier, your money goes farther, and on top of that the red pill that nobody wants to accept.....other than not owning guns you have much more freedom down there 

Sounds like you should move there.  Why do you live here if everything is better in Mx.

[recurveman]

 

18 hours ago, akaspecials said:

I have been going down since 2000. We always expected to get extorted for 20 to100 bucks by federales or the local policia then. Traveled once or twice a year then and it was no big deal. The fine could almost always be reduced to nothing if you spoke Spanish. 

We stopped having issues with their "LEOs" in 2010 or so and didn't have issues for 5 or 6 years. Traveled 3 or 4 times a year a this point. 

At the end of this time, around 2015, I spent some one month long stretches down there solo and had no issues, but was staying in modest accommodations with an old truck. That was the life until money ran out! There was cartel activity, but for the most part, it wasn't spilling over. I do remember 2 shootings that occurred in residential areas, but according to the locals, it was cartel on cartel violence (someone set up shop without permission) and the cartel protecting their tourist business by handling cartel members that were consistently harassing gringos and had been warned to stay away from the resorts/tourist business. I saw the bullet holes and blood, but wasn't really worried at that point. 

Around 2017 we got held up by what I assume was cartel on a highway near RP. There were multiple vehicles and 10-12 guys. They operated much like the federales just no uniforms and less beating around the bush about how much money they expected for safe passage. It was easier than dealing with police to be honest, because they didn't pull us out of the car and hold us for 10-15 minutes before giving the price of the bribe. They may have been looking for someone and we just got caught up in their checkpoint. It all happened so fast I really wasn't sure what was going on, but I left a 100 bucks short and the guns in my face shook me. 

Shortly after that my coworkers had cartel issues in Reynosa. They were trying to get back across the border before sunset, but the road had a few cones in it blocking it off. They didn't know another way back across the border so went around the cones; it looked like kids put them in the street anyways. Long story short, the cartel had blocked the road for their own business and no one was welcome to travel on it. No one was injured and they were just turned around in what they described as the scariest experience of their lives.  

Around the same time had an issue in 35b with a few truckloads of cartel guys near my camp at 3 am. This was a few miles north of the border. Again, no real issues came from the encounter, but trucks full of armed guys yelling get me on edge. 

I stopped traveling to Mexico or hunting near the border after these incidents. The cartel mostly wants to do their business in relative peace, but it's not worth the risk for me anymore.  

All travel was in Sonora. Mostly to RP or Hermosillo. None of my trips included hunting in Mexico. 

 

Personally I think MX is a great time.   There is risk for sure.   For the record.   I've been hunting in the US and seen really bad guys from MX with black guns.  I was never harmed but being less than 100 yards from bad dudes with black guns multiple times will give you a rush far greater than hunting ever will.   Not in a good way either.   This doesn't mean that I don't hunt near the border but I do try and avoid the areas where there is thicker illegal activity.       

Danger can be anywhere and everywhere.    You need to be aware of your surroundings and keep your cool.   Bad things can happen in MX or Tucson or Gilbert.   

[trphyhntr]

2 hours ago, Roosevelt Mark said:

Sounds like you should move there.  Why do you live here if everything is better in Mx.

If I could afford it I would without a doubt. 

[cmille308]

11 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

If I could afford it I would without a doubt. 

If you ever do will you take me huntin?! I'd go in a heart beat!

[trphyhntr]

2 minutes ago, cmille308 said:

If you ever do will you take me huntin?! I'd go in a heart beat!

I’m gonna be in East Cape with a whore and a case of mescal.