We had an Absolutely AWESOME Hunt with Rusty [TheRancher] and Family of Big Iron Ranch!

(Rusty, please forgive the lateness of my review. We had a WONDERFUL time. It is only my failing health that has prevented me from completing a more timely review. I recall a text from you during a time when I was pretty much bed ridden and covered in calls/texts. My apologies for not getting back with you sooner.)

REVIEW:
After jumping on an offer for a VERY reasonably priced deer hunt with Rusty at Big Iron Ranch, I sprung the idea on Rusty of taking my 10 year old daughter along with me on the trip. He immediately responded to bring her along and come on down!

SHORT VERSION:
I dropped the most beautiful, symmetrical, and perfectly ideal 8 point on the second evening of the hunting trip. Rusty had the deer caped, and and broken down and the meat put into my coolers in short order via the on-site taxidermist who also handled the trophy for me!

So, if it's a short to-the-point 5-Star Review you prefer, then I'd have to give Rusty 10-Stars.
If you want to know how I would score it from 0-to-100, then I'd give him a thousand.
I give this man, his family, and his ranch my highest reccomendation, without hesitation or equivocation.

THE LONGER VERSION for those interested:

Rusty's entire operation is VERY ACCOMODATING. Rusty played down the lodging/accommodations when I booked, but he was clearly being modest. The cabins are new and very CLEAN. I really didnt have to bring anything but a gun. He asked me in detail about what my daughter and I wanted to eat and to drink, how we wanted to go about hunting the deer, and Rusty was very detail oriented in gettng all of the information from us to ensure we were well cared for (and we were VERY, VERY WELL CARED FOR!). Rusty was also very compassionate and considerate toward my health, which has been quite poor since suffering a minor stroke, offering me many options in which we could go about the hunt depending upon how much strength I had.

I also had the pleasure of hanging out with Rusty's family and friends. They are so incredibly nice, easy to get along with, and willing to help you in any and every way. They are truly wonderful people to be around, and the kind of people I would be comfortable having as guests in my own home.

The first day we sighted in a new rifle/scope, and set out to hunt. The deer I wanted wasnt around, but we had a blast. Hanging out with Rusty in the blind is its own entertainment! When you add his family/friends and neighbors into the mix, it is somewhere in-between the baldknobbers and Duck Dynasty (and I mean this in a GOOD way!).

The second day was pretty much a full-court press on the hunt. I was feeling pretty strong health-wise, and we chased the deer across what seemed like an endless frontier of some of the most beautiful texas hill country I have ever seen. I stopped several times to photograph panoramic views of scenic overlooks, and numerous exotics. We chased them Safari-style, we spot-and-stalked, we hiked a little bit, we laid-in-wait, and by the end of the day I was pretty certain the deer I wanted was not going to show up at the blind...Especially after my ten-year old daughters sneezing fit drove away every whitetail, exotic, rabbit, or bird within a 10 mile radius! However, at the last minute here came this big, beautiful and perfectly symetrical 8 point...the epitomy of an 8 point...the deer I have always imagined in my minds-eye.

I pulled up the 30.06, and had him dead to rights. Rusty mentioned the buck positioned behind the Big-8, and I confirmed that I saw the other Buck, and that I would not fire until Rusty gave the okay. After about 5 long minutes of serious hilarity between us in the blind, I fired one shot. As per my habit, I immediately cycled the bolt action .06 in case a follow up shot was needed in break neck speed [Justin w/ Predator Patrol would be proud! =)]. But, the initial round had found it's mark, and no follow up shot would be needed for this Buck!

Rusty and his son made sure many photos were taken with me, my daughter, and Rusty. I had planned on driving out to cross plains to the taxidermist I use, but Rusty mentioned an award winning taxidermist, Troy Hall of Artistic Impressions, was already on site and had a relationship with the ranch and the neighboring ranches, so it seemed appropriate to use Troy, and in fact it was the taxidermist who was actually going to cape the deer anyway, and Troy also broke down the meat before taking the trophy for mounting!

The follwing day, Rusty made it a point to take my daughter and I on a photo-safari through his endless properties. He had my daughter handfeeding exotic animals from Llama to Pere Davids. He even set up a shooting/plinking course and produced a small PINK .22 rifle for my daughter to use, and Rusty patiently helped my little girl her hone her shooting skills!

I cannot speak highly enough of Rusty and his family, nor can I give a more positive reccomendation for any guide or ranch than Big Iron. These guys are "salt of the earth" people. I hope to bring my wife and our 6 kids down there to Big Iron Ranch next fall (Health Permitting) to spend more time hunting and hanging out with Rusty and his family. My daughter still speaks of Rusty as if we had just left the ranch yesterday and it has been 2 months already!

Rusty, thank you so much for being such a gracious host, such a hard working and accomodating outfitter, and for being a positive role model for my daughter to see during our trip. I hope you can forgive the tardiness of my review. I truly intended to have it completed much sooner and I am sorry for the delay.

I Highly Recommend this Man, His Family, and His Ranch, without hesitation or equivocation.

I'm not sure if this will come through, but here's a photo. Rusty, please feel free to post a better pic. If you can post the one with you in it that would be really great!

Awesome. Hope you get better soon.

Awesome story. Congrats on your buck. . You didn't mention where the ranch is located. Sounds like a great place.

Great review. Rusty sounds like a guy I would just like to hang around with hunting or not.

Nice Buck!! Congratulations to you and your daughter.

X2 .... it's a great deer and I suspect you also made some great memories

Great write up. Rusty's FB page has a pic and I believe that toad of an 8 scored 156

Congrats again bud, ill agree with you 110% about Rusty. Stand up guy, great animals and great to spend time with them out there. Hope you get better soon.

Great deer and great story.

We all had a ball. That deer was a miracle buck in a couple of ways.

First, I think it grew another 10 inches after I posted pics on here in August. Typically they are mostly done growing then.

The next miracle is that it showed up at a corn feeder. I was worried sick that it wouldn't. I had quit protein feed for the hunt and had cameras at corn feeders since July. He'd NEVER shown up at a corn feeder.

I was thinking we might get a glimpse of him stalking or sitting in a blind near water. But I wasn't optimistic at all about catching him on corn. Deer are unpredictable though.

And as far as a great time, it takes both the customer and the organization to pull that off. And all the nice stuff written in the opening post could be said about Justin and his sweet daughter Rose. Rose is 10 and the oldest of 6. Justin is a VERY busy man. And is raising some awesome kids. Families like theirs inspire hope for the future. Can't wait to get the rest of the family out.

Yes, I scored the deer on site at 153 and change. It was officially green scored at 156 and change. I'm not a very good scorer.

Here's some more pics.

Awesome deer, that thing def. Got. Bigger I remember the post

Awesome deer!

Rancher that has to be one of the largest and best looking 8 point WT bucks I have ever seen. And what makes it even better is there isn't a tag in his ear.

rancher. Like Don said, that is a great 8 point.....congrats to everyone.

Yep. The only deer on that ranch with tags are a few does. Everything else has been born there. That buck just got prettier as we got closer too.

And for a while I second guessed the price I let it go for. But, when you meet the man and his child, it made it all good. Everybody had goosebumps about that deer and the experience.

There's even a few stories we haven't shared. And they were funny!!

Rancher, are you going to have anymore like him next yr ?

Awesome 8 and great story!!! Congrats to you and your boy and great job Therancher

I agree 100% about the ranch and therancher...great place and great people!!!

Man I wish I could say I would. I have deer with his genetics but they all have kicker or extra points.

I'm pert near old as Don K and like him I've never seen an straight 8 that pretty OR that scored 156" (I know they get much bigger but I've never seen them live or dead).

I have 8's in the 140's every year. But I'd bet I'll be taking a dirt nap before another one like that one comes along on my places.

And, my apologies to Justin's sweet daughter HOPE!! I called her Rose. You'da thunk I would have got her name right when I said she "inspires Hope" in my picture post.

She is in fact a "Rose" that inspires Hope though. I know.. a lame attempt at recovery..

She was with us the entire time. No electronic games in the blind and she was involved in ALL aspects of the hunt. Truly inspiring to see youngsters like her.

Great story and great super 8!! Congrats to all and thanks for sharing the story... I'm smiling as I read this because it warms the heart! That smile on Hopes face tells the story of a memory with her Dad that will last a lifetime! Way to go Rusty!
Diane

I have been wondering if this deer had been killed. I was kinda bummed that I missed out on him but after reading the stories I couldn't be happier that jgilbert and his daughter got him. Congrats y'all on a heck of a deer!