Texas Hunting Forum

Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator

Posted By: SapperTitan

Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 04:02 PM

Man let me tell you we seen it all this weekend.

As soon as I pulled up to the gate to unlock it as I approach I see some out of the norm through the weeds. As I got closer and a better angle I see it's a Rattle snake coiled up on the cattle guard but almost completely concealed, so I go back to the truth grab a shovel and whacked him. If I hadn't seen him it could have been really bad due to the fact I would have been standing less than a ft from him to unlock the gate. Oh and he never rattled haha.
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Once I got to camp I downloaded my gear and went and put out some soured corn at a few feeders and came back to camp to take a break on the way back I popped a couple jack rabbits I think 6 for the weekend. Started getting cloudy around 2 pm but nothing significant so at 530 I went to sit on a hill overlooking a feeder hoping for some hogs. About an hour later sky started turning black and lots of thunder and lightning but I thought what the heck I'll tough it out till the last minute. Everything escalated very quickly winds were howling but it was such an awesome view to watch I just sat there and enjoyed it. Here are a couple pics and a video.
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About half way back to camp all hell broke loose. It was raining sideways must have been 50 mph winds and I mean sustained not gusts. Got back to camp changed into clean closed and watched the storm from under some shelter. It was amazing to watch, I couldn't see more than about 50 yds it was raining so hard. Once the storm passed it was an early calm and everything almost immediately began to dry by the next afternoon all that was left were some mud puddles in low areas. The animals must have been happy once the storm passed as well bc everything came to life and there were tracks everywhere in the roads. Deer, hog, turkey, coyote, bobcat we seen every track you can imagine haha and then we came across a sight I never would have imagined. We were riding in the ranger on a fairly dry road when I spotted a craw dad on dry land just walking down the road. We were over a mile from a river but there were a couple areas close by that hold some water. It was a first for me and Marc to see one on dry land haha.
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Once we checked some feeders and ate lunch we decided to hit the 1000 yard range. We shot out to I think 800 and I was pleasantly surprised when I was consistently hitting steel at 500 with my 16 inch 6.8 with a SWFA 1-4 scope on it. Mark was reaching out a little further with him Wilson combat 308 but we were having issues seeing where the bullets were missing at that range bc the dirt was wet. All in all the range was awesome and it's a blast to shoot at. Once we left there we went cruising and snuck up on one of his sets. As we created the hill I got a glimpse of the feeder but there was nothing there, we walk behind a couple cedars and bam a pig walks up and I let the 6.8 eat. Also killed another rattler on the way to the range.
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Can't think of a better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than in West Texas with good friends, good food, and plenty of action to keep us on our toes.


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Posted By: westtexaswatkins

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 04:07 PM

Sounds like a great trip. At least he didn't get you stuck in the mud clap I don't have a very good track record out there grin
Posted By: dkershen

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 04:37 PM

Looks like you guys had a blast up
Posted By: NMGW

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 04:44 PM

cool pix, like the HDR shots. up
Posted By: Stub

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 05:08 PM

Looks like you guys had fun up Scott did you get some scrub brush stuck on your face laugh
Posted By: Son of a Blitch

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 05:18 PM

up
Posted By: kdkane1971

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 06:20 PM

Nice pics, sir. Looks like a great trip.
texas
Posted By: SniperRAB

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 06:36 PM

Originally Posted By: westtexaswatkins
Sounds like a great trip. At least he didn't get you stuck in the mud clap I don't have a very good track record out there grin



Great Trip Amigo and I credit most of the great success to the recent accumulation of the Beard roflmao

That is some Beautiful Country and Mark is one hellva Host and a Prince of a Gentleman cheers
Posted By: SnakeWrangler

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 06:43 PM

cheers
Posted By: MikeC

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 07:03 PM

Gotta love west Texas. Such a wide variety of wildlife in places you wouldn't think could keep a lizard alive. Those winds and pop up storms seem to be the norm out there. 30 mph winds from there up through the panhandle are considered a light breeze.
Thanks for sharing Scott.
Posted By: tdecker22

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 07:20 PM

Looks like an awesome time. cheers
Posted By: Pitchfork Predator

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 07:33 PM

Originally Posted By: westtexaswatkins
Sounds like a great trip. At least he didn't get you stuck in the mud clap I don't have a very good track record out there grin


I promise to never make you walk 6 miles in the middle of the day in 95 degrees for a 3rd time again! Now I understand why you decided you would be better off buying your own ranch!

It's safe to come back out Mark. I've already accepted you will never ride with me in the Ranger again. rofl
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 07:38 PM

Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator
Originally Posted By: westtexaswatkins
Sounds like a great trip. At least he didn't get you stuck in the mud clap I don't have a very good track record out there grin


I promise to never make you walk 6 miles in the middle of the day in 95 degrees for a 3rd time again! Now I understand why you decided you would be better off buying your own ranch!

It's safe to come back out Mark. I've already accepted you will never ride with me in the Ranger again. rofl
when we pulled up to that river crossing I had a flashback haha. It's crazy how fast it drys up out there once the sun comes out and the wind is blowing.
Posted By: dgilbert

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 07:45 PM

Great country, looks like fun!
Posted By: Wburke2010

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 09:37 PM

Looks like y'all had a great time. cheers

Walter
Posted By: breadman

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 05/31/16 10:03 PM

rifle up
Posted By: Michael W.

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 12:06 AM

Sounds like a really great day in the country. Watch out for them rattle bugs.
Posted By: Big_Ag

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 02:03 AM

That storm Saturday evening hit us in Knox County right before dark. It no doubt had sustained winds at 60 mph and the rain blowing sideways. We had a little hail as well. Our other place about 25 miles north got none of it. Sunday evening we got another big one without the strength, but a lot more rain. We got close to 3 inches Sunday.

Looks like a great weekend. That craw dad is cool. I have never seen one out there. If you did not have a photo, I wouldn't believe it.Oh, and damn those rattlesnakes.
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 02:07 AM

Originally Posted By: Big_Ag
That storm Saturday evening hit us in Knox County right before dark. It no doubt had sustained winds at 60 mph and the rain blowing sideways. We had a little hail as well. Our other place about 25 miles north got none of it. Sunday evening we got another big one without the strength, but a lot more rain. We got close to 3 inches Sunday.

Looks like a great weekend. That craw dad is cool. I have never seen one out there. If you did not have a photo, I wouldn't believe it.Oh, and damn those rattlesnakes.
we had planned to leave this morning but when we seen the storms building again we got out while we could and glad we did. I couldn't believe the craw dad either we almost ran him over he was right in the road where we were driving the ranger. I'm still kind of dumbfounded on that one haha.
Posted By: Western

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 02:51 AM

Looks like a good place to put the world out of your mind and just have fun up
Posted By: Lotto

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 02:58 AM

Sounds like the Predator showed you a good time in our back yard.................
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:07 AM

Originally Posted By: Lotto
Sounds like the Predator showed you a good time in our back yard.................
been out there quite a few times now. Nothing comes easy in that country.
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:08 AM

Originally Posted By: Western
Looks like a good place to put the world out of your mind and just have fun up
sitting on that hill watching the storm roll in was very peaceful.
Posted By: NDN98

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:21 AM

coolpics
Posted By: txshntr

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:44 AM

Great pics and looks like an awesome trip cheers
Posted By: dogcatcher

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 04:00 AM

cheers
Posted By: Hirogen

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 04:46 AM

Very nice. Gotta make it back to Texas one of these days.
Posted By: TX Hitman

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 02:43 PM

That gate looks familiar. Is that off the Gilpin road down from Red Hill Camp?
Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:39 PM


Did you all eat the Rattlesnakes?
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:42 PM

Originally Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Did you all eat the Rattlesnakes?
nope tossed them in the bushes for other animals to eat. We had too much deer sausage and backstrap to worry about snakes.
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 03:42 PM

Originally Posted By: TX Hitman
That gate looks familiar. Is that off the Gilpin road down from Red Hill Camp?
yep
Posted By: TX Hitman

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 05:39 PM

Small world. We were there Sunday afternoon. Beautiful country there!!
Posted By: Pitchfork Predator

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/01/16 09:24 PM

Were you there visiting the Ranch with Cory?
Posted By: TX Hitman

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:07 AM

No sir. My ranch is in girard and my neighbors good friend lives in the ranch house at red hills. We went over there to feed their animals and check the water tank for the horses while they were out of town this last weekend.

Btw. That storm Sunday night was wicked. Haven't seen lightening like that in years!
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:14 AM

Originally Posted By: TX Hitman
No sir. My ranch is in girard and my neighbors good friend lives in the ranch house at red hills. We went over there to feed their animals and check the water tank for the horses while they were out of town this last weekend.

Btw. That storm Sunday night was wicked. Haven't seen lightening like that in years!
I was sitting in a camper for the whole thing lol. I kind of enjoyed it.
Posted By: Tres

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:20 AM

Looks like a great trip cheers
Posted By: Chief Joe

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 10:43 AM

texas cheers texas
Posted By: chital_shikari

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 01:52 PM

up coolpics
Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:16 PM

Originally Posted By: SapperTitan
Originally Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Did you all eat the Rattlesnakes?
nope tossed them in the bushes for other animals to eat. We had too much deer sausage and backstrap to worry about snakes.


So why kill them?

A rattlesnake will kill approximately 7,000 rats / mice in its lifetime. So now you got to do the same. 2X since you killed two.

Afraid you will get bit? roflmao

Did you know that ~20% of bites involve NO venom injection.

And only 0.06% of bites result in a fatality.
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:30 PM

Originally Posted By: Wildphilhickup
Originally Posted By: SapperTitan
Originally Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Did you all eat the Rattlesnakes?
nope tossed them in the bushes for other animals to eat. We had too much deer sausage and backstrap to worry about snakes.


So why kill them?

A rattlesnake will kill approximately 7,000 rats / mice in its lifetime. So now you got to do the same. 2X since you killed two.

Afraid you will get bit? roflmao

Did you know that ~20% of bites involve NO venom injection.

And only 0.06% of bites result in a fatality.
Wasn't afraid to get bit. I killed them bc I can and I will continue to kill every venomous snake I see. Is it illegal? Do you have the right to make choices for me? I don't think so, so if you don't like it hit the back button and go look at some different pics.
Posted By: SapperTitan

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 03:31 PM

Oh and also killed a bunch of jack rabbits that I didn't eat and a hog, are you going to cry about them as well?
Posted By: bp3

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 04:06 PM

There's not any trees to hug in Allen. rifle
Posted By: Deerhunter61

Re: Eventful trip to the Pitchfork with PitchforkPredator - 06/02/16 06:46 PM

Originally Posted By: SnakeWrangler
cheers
Originally Posted By: breadman
rifle up


And a couple of pics of good snakes!
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