Dudleys Diary

down in the Texas Hill Country. We know we are getting close to the Hill Country when we cross the Colorado River and drive over the Pecan Orchards below the long metal bridge. Just north of Comanche, we saw a whitetail doe running across an open field toward the highway, she jumped the fence followed by a big whitetail buck running right behind her. Dudley's truck was right upon her so she turned and jumped the fence and ran across the open pasture the way she had come followed by the buck. It was quite a sight and all the proof we needed that the Whitetail Rut was on! We stopped in Eckert and got some beef jerky at Rabkes then went and drove around the Willow City Loop. We went through Fredricksburg and on into Kerrville and checked into the YO Resort. We drove out to the ranch Saturday morning and met with our guide and hunted hard all day. We had seen a lot of whitetails and some exotics but had not yet seen a shooter buck. Right before dark, a big ten point buck came slowly down the hill from behind the stand. It got out in front of the stand about fifteen yards and was heading toward the feeder. Dudley motioned for Frank to put the rifle up and out the window and Dudley reached for his shooting stick. The buck either heard a sound or saw some movement and stopped, turned and ran back the way he had come. A short time later we saw a shooter eight point buck run out chasing a doe but he was a long way off and by then it was just about dark. Dudley did not feel comfortable taking a shot. The guide came and picked us up and said we could come back in the morning and hunt in that same stand and hopefully get another chance. Dudley had not slept well the night before and by that time was exhausted. Dudley decided to let Frank go back the next morning alone and try to get a buck and doe. Dudley slept in and woke up and checked his cell phone. He saw a text from Frank stating that he had shot a buck with a photo of the big ten point rack on the ground. Dudley called Frank and heard the story of the hunt and that he had also taken a doe. Frank was excited to say the least, he had just taken his best buck ever. The buck that Frank shot was the same buck from the night before. We went by the deer processor and picked up the meat from the doe hunt Frank went on earlier in the season. Dudley got to see Franks big buck hanging in the cooler. Frank is getting a shoulder mount of the ten point to hang in his room. What a great hunt in the Texas Hill Country!