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One of the most challenging tasks when planning out of state hunts is finding the right outfitter. After all, you’re spending your hard earned money with someone that you hope is trustworthy and will work hard to put you on the game you are pursuing.
I have been of the belief that when you find that person you STICK WITH THEM as long as you can. That’s why I have hunted with Keith Miller 14 times with his outfit in Livingston Montana. Keith and his people are as honest and hardworking a group of people as you will ever find . . . and when Keith told me that he was opening a place in Texas I knew, without hesitation, that he would apply those same principles to this new operation.
Having never hunted the Lone Star State I was chomping at the bit to pack up my PSE and head south in late April to chase exotics. I was blown away when I learned that an out of state hunter can pick up a 7 day exotic license for less than $50. No doubt, the bargain of the century for an out of state license.
I flew into San Antonio and made the short drive to Sonora and I was on sensory overload with the breathtaking scenery and the almost limitless amount of game encountered on the way to camp.
I learned early in the trip that there are literally critters from all over the planet in Texas. Axis Deer, Fallow Deer, Sika Deer, Rams, Sheep, Elk and a large selection of African Game all free ranging on the property I was hunting. AND . . I had four days to chase them. This part of Texas truly is a redneck paradise.
My main targets on this trip were Axis Deer and Black Buck Antelope. Both species are native to India but are thriving in this South Texas Climate.
First up was an Axis Buck. Having no knowledge of these cool looking (and tasty) critters I had to rely on Keith and his brother Steve’s knowledge. The one piece of advice they gave me was to be eternally vigilant with my movement. Axis deer are skittish and they won’t put up with anything . . . PERIOD!
With that knowledge in mind we climbed into an elevated blind overlooking a feeder well before daylight and got set up. The first to show up were some whitetail and sika does. Following close behind was a string of axis deer including a tall antlered buck that got my heart pounding.
True to the advice given these axis deer were on hi alert and the buck I wanted made sure that he was comfortable with everything before coming in and offering a quartering away shot at 20 yards. A compete pass through scattered the entire herd with the exception of one. This 33”+ axis buck was going home to New York with me.
Up next was the black buck antelope. A smaller critter, similar in size to our Western antelope, the black buck may very well be one of the coolest looking animals I have every chased.
Keith and I were set up in a ground blind and had encounters with, what seemed like, every critter that rode on the ark with the exception of a black buck.
As this morning hunt started to wind down we caught a glimpse of two bucks at well over a hundred yards. With thick vegetation it was hard for me to get a good look at them but Keith assured me that they were worth taking if a shot presented itself.
After 30 minutes of sitting on pins and needles waiting for them to show we got word from Steve that they were heading in the opposite direction. If we moved quickly we could put on a stalk if I was willing to put down my PSE and pick up a .270.
It didn’t take much convincing and we were on our feet.
After an hour we were able to cut them off and get a shot. To my amazement, this little critter took that .270 round like it was nothing and preceded to hi tale it before I was able to anchor him with a second shot.
As I knelt down to get a better look at my black buck it hit me hard. In just three days of hunting I had encountered critters that I had only seen online or in books and certainly never thought I would be able to hunt free range in the US. And now I was heading back to New York with two of them . . . I could not have been happier.
If you have any questions about hunting with Keith in Texas or Montana please feel free to call me at 585-808-8437.
Their lodging is clean and comfortable and meals will help you put weight on. There is a processor close by (Axis deer may be the best tasting venison I have ever eaten.) and taxidermist in San Antonio did a great job on my mounts and shipped them to me hassle free.
John Lenox, NY
