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Hunting
Stories
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Butler's
Deep Creek Ranch Aoudad Hunt
| By Jim Autrey
An Aoudad Ram 22 yards from your ground blind is a heart throbbing experience. Mark and Greg Denman had invited me to Butler's Deep Creek Ranch for an Aoudad Sheep hunt. This would be a memorable hunt regardless of what happened because it was going to be the first hunt filmed for our new TV series (Jim Autrey's Texas Deer Hunter Television) to air starting in July, 2001on The Outdoor Channel. Butler's Deep Creek Ranch is located in NE Coryell County just west of Waco, Texas. It is a hunters dream come true, offering hunts for Whitetail, Elk, Aoudad Sheep, Axis Deer, Fallow Deer, Black Buck Antelope, Turkey and more, this 2700 acre Ranch is 1st class all the way. The terrain is unlike any you would expect to find in Central Texas with a feeling of being in Colorado when you drop off the plains into the draws and canyons of this wildlife paradise. So, you can understand why I jumped at the opportunity to hunt on such a beautiful place. I arrived about 2:30pm and found Mark and Greg getting all camoed up for the hunt. After getting ourselves and all of the gear ready, we started toward the area that the guys had pre-scouted. When we arrived at the hunting area, we were joined by Tom Jarecki who helped us build a blind for the camera and the hunters. It was an area that would give us an opportunity to catch the sheep coming out of a deep cool canyon where they spend their days, prior to coming out into the more open areas to feed in the evenings. After completion of the blinds, we left for a while to let the area settle down and returned by sneaking back from where we had left the truck about a 1/2 a mile away. We settled into our blinds and the minutes turned to hours. It seems that the waiting is always the tough part for me since patience has never been a long suit. I have never been in a blind as a cameraman and really didn't know what to expect. Would the sudden rush of adrenaline be there, would you feel your heart in your throat? It was beginning to seem that the answer was going to be, No! I filmed woodpeckers, crows, buck rubs, prickly pears and the guys setting under a tree. There were suppose to be 30-40 head of sheep using this area, but where were they, had I picked the wrong day? Mark and Greg were set up to my right and the thought was that the Aoudad would come from their right and allow the camera a shot of the sheep coming into view with them in the foreground. The best laid plans of mice and men don't always turn out as expected. I was watching the area, we were expecting to see the game when a movement caught my eye off to the left. It was an Aoudad Ram. Would he come in or stay in the brush? Would Mark and Greg, be able to see it? Would, what, if , heck the guys are looking the wrong way and the Ram is looking at me. Desperately, I tried to get their attention without scaring the Ram, but they must have been a sleep, it seemed that way, but they were looking the other direction trying to see something. When they realized, I was trying to let them know something was there, their view was blocked and they stared to no avail. Then all of a sudden the Ram starting moving toward us and eventhough he proceeded with caution he was coming straight to our blind. This created another problem. How is Mark going to be able to move into position for a shot with the Ram headed straight for us. Please understand, I am running the camera and can not see what is happening to my right. Time passed beyond reason and the Ram is right here. What is happening? The 300 Remington Ultra-Mag suddenly reported and the sheep ran off. Trying to follow the sheep with the camera, I wasn't sure if the bullet had hit its mark or not. A quick glance at Mark and he assured me he had made a good shot, but where is the Ram? A few minutes to catch our breath and we went to check for evidence of a hit. We had only gone 22 steps when there was the first sign of a lung shot. Following the trail for about 100 yards the Ram had dissappeared into the large canyon. Only 10 yards into the brush line we found the ram. An excellent lung shot and the ram was ours. He wasn't the largest of his type, but a successful hunt should not be judged on the size of the trophy alone. This ram will always be a trophy to me. So, give the taxidermist a little time and on your next trip through Gatesville, Texas stop by and see the 22 yard Ram. A special thanks to Bobby & Francie Butler owners of Butler's Deep Creek Ranch, plus Mark & Greg Denman for an excellent hunt. For Information about hunting on Butler's
Deep Creek Ranch: Call Mark Denman @ 254-494-0107 or contact me through
E-Mail or Phone.
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