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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.