Tecomate Bucks of La Perla 2012 – Part 1

On December 13th I arrived at the Laredo Texas airport to meet Tecomate`s David Morris for another brush country adventure with host Dr. Gary Schwarz at his Tecomate La Perla Ranch. La Perla Ranch is another brush country jewel being cut and polished into a shining gem of whitetail lore much like its predecessors, El Tecomate Ranch and El Cazador Ranch. The 2012 season at La Perla is living proof of the power of the Tecomate year round food plot system and management strategy. September 2012 Reconyx trail cam photos were prima fascia evidence of the features and benefits of the intense and proper application of the Tecomate Whitetail Management system.

Expert Tecomate videographer Matt Carman and I greeted Mr. Larry Potterfield of Midway USA at his jet at the Laredo Airport around noon. After welcoming Larry and catching up with David Morris the four of us drove thirty minutes south to Zapata County, our home for the week. David Morris and Larry would hunt together. My assignment was to hunt for one of La Perla`s spectacular trophy eight pointers with experience whitetail hunter Frankie Johnson from Cartersville, Georgia. Frankie was waiting with expected and justifiable anticipation when we arrived at Gary`s spectacular La Perla Ranch lodge. It was Frankie`s first South Texas brush country experience. We could not and would not wait long to get started. Let me tell you, if there is anything as satisfying to a whitetail fanatic as hunting the brush country in December, it may be watching a sincere fellow sportsman relish the same “kid in a candy store” euphoria that I still feel after 26 straight deer seasons in South Texas. Frankie and I clicked, we hunted well together. Loads of laughter and success was in store. And the big Tecomate whitetail bucks of La Perla would be involved!

During our first afternoon out we encountered a fantastic trophy eight that was following three does through the thorny brush and prickly pear en route to a vast forage laden Tecomate Ag field. The rut was in full swing. This wide big eight with a kicker off of his right G2 was definite first afternoon shooter. Near sunset and only seconds from taking the shot a ranch worker drove by in his pickup and ended all hope for Frankie that day. The buck quickly vanished upon hearing the pickup, leaving only the does behind. But on the second afternoon Frankie and I caught up with the same great buck standing belly deep in the same lush green Tecomate fall/winter buffet. Frankie braced on the Bog Pod and executed a perfect 130 yard shot as I watched and filmed, shaking as if I was the hunter. What a thrill just to be there to watch and celebrate! Frankie had a great trophy whitetail. Next it was on to javelina. On the last afternoon of Frankie`s hunt he took a great javelina boar with another precision placed single shot from his .270 bolt action rifle topped with a Leupold Gold Ring Scope, this time at 230 yards.

With Frankie`s buck and javelina in the bag it was now my turn. I would hunt with videographer Matt McCullah for a super wide flaring trophy buck that Gary had recently observed near the La Perla Ranch headquarters. This old bruiser buck was also seen by several others recently near the main La Perla Ranch entrance and along the mile long driveway to the lodge. The simple brief description of the buck we were hunting was “Heart- Attack-like”, wide, flaring. On our third afternoon of hunting Matt and I watched upwind along a narrow sendero that was lined with tracks and fresh scrapes. A big impressive eight was the first to arrive. Next a remarkable 160-class 5-year-old nine pointer with great brows, tall G-2`s, and major mass in beams and tines strolled past. The action was continuous, lots of bucks milling around. We were in the right place. Minutes later a wide flaring buck appeared, twelve points!
The short story is as follows: I took the shot. The bucked dropped in his tracks. There is more. The rest of the story is coming soon!

Posted by David Shashy