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C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! #5742251 05/13/15 05:34 PM
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BigSpud Offline OP
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It seems we always bring rain to Texas. I think I’ll place an ad for a rainmaker. Back in November, we were in the company of Cody Giles and literally were washed out of a large ranch near the Mexican border. Fortune smiled on that first evening with a break in the rain and Rita took a nice low fence 8 pointer. Four days and a couple hundred miles further northeast Lady Luck blessed my wife again with a very good 8 pointer with 10” eye guards. Fast forward to the present, last week specifically.
Rain, rain, thundershowers (Texas speak for you better bring your scuba gear!) and variable winds strong enough to take Dorothy back to Oz. Oh well, the hunt for a free range trophy Axis was still on. Many of you may not know of Guadalupe Outfitters, and that hard working, almost perfect son of Texas, Cody Giles. This is a very good thing! It means Cody always can fit a hunt or two in for my wife and I when we come down to visit family. Cody is a rare “guide” that cuts to the chase when describing his hunting operations across Texas. He tells it like it is, good or bad. What you hear is what you will find. Our most recent hunt was an interesting adventure to boot.
Evening one we set up over a great looking chunk of bottom land in search of a group of six big axis bucks. The wind changed directions under the worst possible conditions and the deer came out just at last legal light, but they were behind us! No shot opportunity was offered. Saw dozens of whitetail, and some great tom turkeys, and about fifteen axis in total.
Next day was a copy of the evening before with several differences. Cody never mentioned to bring a dangerous game gun, and in all honesty I would have not needed one, except for peace of mind. Sitting in the pop up blind, counting spiders of different species, some as large as my hand made time pass quickly. We had turkeys approach the blind within arms reach, whitetails does by the dozen, and finally heard some axis does making their peculiar noises. Not long after we were hearing some gurgling, scratching, growling and fighting. It grew in volume as it came closer and closer until the ripping sounds of claws blocked out all other sound. Bodies bounced off the fabric of the blind with hissing, and snuffling noises, claws digging up the edge of the blind. Three armadillos were fighting over something and intent in getting under the blind wall. Quite a show and education!



The sun had just dropped below the horizon when Cody said let’s check the upper field before we quit. So off we went in a mad dash. His instincts were spot on. About two hundred yards from the tree line that concealed us, a herd of 63 axis with eight eye popping bucks of trophy size and about ten more that needed another year or two of growth. Some were still in velvet, others were hard horned. Rita worked into position on an old post still ten feet back in the trees and had a limited field of view. We looked the group over and found a giant of a deer. Tall, wide, and with good mass. The problem was he was surrounded by does and fawns, with 7 horses less than a hundred yards behind all this, plus it was getting seriously dark so we left them to feed undisturbed. No legitimate shot opportunity had been found. The wife was definitely NOT happy about this monster axis getting a free pass!
Day three we drove onto the ranch once again and were only a half-mile in when Cody stopped the truck as he pointed out the herd was in the same area as the night before. We took off on foot for the mile hike and made our way to the tree line again. Rita set up in the same place. A different big buck was making its way to our left and three other trophies were also moving with the herd. Minutes to go and the hunt would be all up to the hunter. A hundred yards to our right from the tree line come a pair of whitetail does snorting and frolicking into the axis herd. Poof! Like the Pink Panther in his cartoons – “Exit stage right!” Boy can axis disappear fast! Like now you see them, now you don’t!
I know, I know, I can hear all the armchair hunters out there saying they heard you, they saw you move, they smelled you, on and on. Nope. We had a strong wind blowing directly in our faces, from the deer to us. We were totally covered up in brush and trees on our approach. You could have watched an NBA game with good volume and the deer could NOT have heard you. It was the damn whitetail does. What spooked them was repeatedly discussed for a long two and half hours. Well, hunting is hunting! About three hours and a severe thundershower later, Cody and his two clients, still counting spiders, were surprised to see axis begin to return from a very brushy corner two hundred yards distant. In short order about thirty-five deer made their way onto the edge of the field. There were three good bucks, one in velvet, one tall horned heavy buck and a third with a dark coat and the trophy quality that Rita wanted. It was “déjà vue all over again,” as Yogi Berra famously said. The same dance repeated from the evening before occurred, this time minus the horses. We waited almost a half hour for the rest of the herd to make an appearance but they never showed. Finally the target axis buck cleared at one hundred and ninety yards, Rita fired and all hell broke loose. We had deer race to within five feet of our blind and stand stock still for minutes. The target buck was down where he stood and we waited until the deer left the field to claim Rita’s trophy!


A big thanks to Guadalupe Outfitters and Cody Giles (C3 Guide here on THF)! If you are into inches, the buck was a perfectly matched 33.75” with 6.5” bases. I can promise you there is an axis still there that is 38” plus by Cody’s estimate (All I know is that he was way bigger than all the rest) and probably 31” wide with great tine length to boot! Someone better drop the hammer on that toad of an axis soon. Too bad it wasn’t us! Now it’s all up to you guys!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742279 05/13/15 05:54 PM
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Elkhunter49 Offline
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Congrats to your wife on a beautiful buck! Thanks for the awesome report and photos!!! clap


A true friend reaches for your hand but touches your heart.
Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742324 05/13/15 06:30 PM
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kdkane1971 Offline
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up texas

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742330 05/13/15 06:37 PM
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cheers


Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742372 05/13/15 07:15 PM
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Congrats. food

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742473 05/13/15 08:15 PM
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don k Offline
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A really good looking Buck.

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742786 05/13/15 11:02 PM
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2010bigdog Offline
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Which town were you hunting near?

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5742924 05/14/15 12:15 AM
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JRJ6 Offline
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cheers

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5743129 05/14/15 01:54 AM
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Redneck78 Offline
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up

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5743152 05/14/15 02:09 AM
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nsmike Offline
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It would help when giving reports on hunts with Cody to say approximately where you were. I believe he has hunts on something like 17000 acres on ranches spread from east of Brady to Del Rio. I have a fall hunt booked near Del Rio.


for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: 2010bigdog] #5743234 05/14/15 03:08 AM
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BigSpud Offline OP
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We started out near Waring, and ended up near Sisterdale. Really just a few miles apart on the river both times. Can't say enough good things about the operation from a hunting perspective. In November we were down by Devils River on a 3000+ acre place and then somewhere near Boerne to finish uo later that week of rain…

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5743303 05/14/15 06:50 AM
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John Humbert Offline
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Congrats! Fine looking axis!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5743312 05/14/15 09:29 AM
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texfork Offline
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Congrats on a great buck , You hunted with a good outfit .


Prayer is the "ultimate" wireless connection .
Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5743342 05/14/15 11:17 AM
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C3 guide Offline
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Thanks Big Spud! As always we always enjoy your company! Hope the flight home was ok. Thank you for the awesome right up! Take care my friend!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: C3 guide] #5744199 05/14/15 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: C3 guide
Thanks Big Spud! As always we always enjoy your company! Hope the flight home was ok. Thank you for the awesome right up! Take care my friend!


Great looking buck! Congrats to you and the hunter.

Now, make sure you are saving that monster with the eye guards for me!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5744464 05/15/15 01:14 AM
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We gotcha covered Roho!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5745191 05/15/15 04:35 PM
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SLR Offline
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Congrats! Nice axis he has a lot of character. I am going to have to go shoot a hard horned axis with Cody one day to put next to the one in velvet i got with him earlier this year.

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5745636 05/15/15 09:07 PM
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glasshole Offline
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Congrats to you and your wife Mr. Spud. Great review. Sounds like y'all had a good ole Texas Time. Hope it doesn't rain next weekend. I will be making the a short 5 hour drive down to see Cody in a couple of weeks. Hopefully Mr. Toad Axis will make an appearance

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5747364 05/17/15 03:29 AM
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tdecker22 Offline
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Congrats.nice looking rack!! bolt

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: SLR] #5747529 05/17/15 12:43 PM
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BigSpud Offline OP
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One thing that really makes Cody stand out, in my opinion, is his attitude of no worries. He keeps everyone positive all the time. Success for the target species is all but assured if you don't try to guide the guide. In dealing with wild critters knowing their patterns will always give you the edge. This edge is really one of a guides principle duties, along with being able to judge the animals maturity or size. Most hunters cannot know the animals routines well enough to make an educated "guess" on where they will show up this hunt period, or what area/ranch is better under the present weather conditions. Under the best of circumstances hunting free ranging animals is difficult. Long ago I used to laugh myself silly when clients of mine would expect to pass a recommended trophy animal, only to have them want it badly after a few days had passed. I constantly remember those individuals trying to guide the guide by saying let's go back to that escarpment where we saw the big (fill in the blank) and see if we can find him, or remember that giant (name your critter) we found near the river under that big tree? Let's go back there and go after him! All animals have patterns, but for some reason they don't have time schedules. They live by natures rhythms and a good guide will adapt your hunt to what he believes or knows to be what they will most likely do today. Most "guides" know only the property boundaries and when the feeders go off to assure your best chance of success. I have had a litany of really bad experiences with really bad "guides" in Texas, and I can personally vouch for Guadalupe Outfitters. They really produce good hunts, and some truly great trophies. To us a good hunt is equally important to the overall experience as the trophy harvested. So far, despite really horrible Texas weather in two seasons, Cody has been able to produce what we were looking for. Chime in with your experiences to give everyone a broader picture, or just read some of Cody's/Guadalupe Outfitters posts. Hope to meet some of you in the field, and thank you for the nice comments about Rita's Axis!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: BigSpud] #5753314 05/21/15 07:02 AM
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Dang big spud! I really appreciate those super kind words! Your a tough cookie to please on good animals. And I ask you advise on certain things.However I really am appreciative of the kind words!!

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: C3 guide] #5754145 05/21/15 08:36 PM
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Matpk Offline
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clap :
clap: clap
To C3 Guide and Big spud..
confused2

Re: C3 Guide and Guadalupe Outfitters do it again! [Re: Elkhunter49] #5755736 05/22/15 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: Elkhunter49
Congrats to your wife on a beautiful buck! Thanks for the awesome report and photos!!! clap
X2 up cheers up cheers

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