kevin masters
AH fanatic
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2017
- Messages
- 744
- Reaction score
- 1,405
- Location
- richmond ky
- Media
- 28
- Hunted
- us mexico alaska south africa scotland
We started our journey early saterday around 3:30 heading to lexington to the airport.
from there we flew to miami. layover in miami then off to merida! we were picked up at the airport
by victor who took us and another hunter in our group to the holiday inn downtown.
we checked in and headed out to check out the city. Merida is a vibrant city very picturesque and
seemingly safe and friendly. But as evening came we saw lots of trucks marked state police with five
and six masked guys in the back with machine guns! reminding us where we were! I didnt sleep much
on this trip, just could'nt seem to turn off. And there was lot's of festive music lol.
We left Merida a little after four the next morning and headed for Carlos san crus. The three and a half hour
drive was interesting and we saw a lot of the mexican landscape. Very pretty and very very poor! it certainly
makes you understand why they come here.
Okay we settled into camp did some paper work and split up with our respective guides for the afternoon hunt.
My guide was george pronounced horhae,lol. Very nice gentleman and very knowledgeable. We were hunting
over milo fields in different states of harvest. George would look over the edge of the fields fo tracks and choose a spot to set up the blind. We crossed one set of puma tracks that day. quit afternoon with no birds seen but
interesting none the less. one genteman in our group of seven hunters killed that first afternoon.
The food was incredible and plentiful as were the cervases!
Early the next morning we left camp for another milo field. reset the blind and settled in for the wait. In the morning Goerge used a speaker and his phone to call. These birds dont gobble but they have a very distinct
sound they call a song. George would play this intermittanly and we waited. no birds came in that morning
or that afternoon for that matter. I believe two more hunters killed that first full day of hunting so we were
not too worried. The three guys who had killed went fishing the next day and thy seemed to have had a blast!
I had another long uneventful day on tuesday and I was starting to get a little anxious. My brother and I were the last to kill and We both took our birds on wednesday morning. George and I headed to a new field where he had set a blind the previous afternoon. George took me to the blind. it was very early as we were hunting closer to camp today. George got me to the blind and then walked up and down the edge of the field playing the recording.
When he came back to the blind it was still pitch black but I noticed he was visibly shaken. I asked him and although he spoke no english he clearly demonstrated that he had encountered a puma! the calling had attracted
the big cat and while I dont think it would attack a human it clearly scared the shit out of one,lol.
He kept telling me grande puma, grande puma then he would scowl and hiss. I could'nt help but chuckle under my breath. This would be the morning I saw a lot of birds! At first light they started flying into the milo. then they were
in the center of the field I couldnt see them as the milo had not been picked and it was taller than the birds.
just glimpses of heads bobing occassionally but that was enough to dramatically raise my blood pressure!
Then it happened, a tom came walking up the edge of the field. He would strut and then ease a little closer.
George kept telling me to wait but when he got to about twenty five yards I eased the shotgun out the side window, lined up the sights with the top of his neck and squeezed. I felt the firing pin jump but no boom,
oh shit what do I do,I know ther is a shell in the chamber but nothing happened. I sit still as the bird walks closer.
when he gets in a blind spot I ease the barrell back in the blind. Birds to close to rack another shell in so I just
worked the pump back and forth a little as quitley as possible. He continued walking to my left strutting and occasionally singing. When he got twenty yards out he fanned and couldnt se us so I stuck the gun out the front
window of the blind. His tail came down I lined up again and this time boom!!!
And just like that I had my world slam! we high fiveed and ran out of the blind to retrieve the bird. there were hugs
laughfter!!! I was thrilled to have gotten a bird! We took a few pictures and headed back to camp. When I got out of the jeep there were lots of congratulations, everyone is happy when someone gets a bird. I was the second to last to kill. My bother had not killed yet and as happy as I was I couldnt really celebrate till he got his bird!
An hour later he pulled in the drive with his bird and everything was right with the world.
Everyone in our party got their birds and everyone was great to share camp with.
We hunted with snook in who books through tall tines outfitters out of florida. cant say enough about Roberto
and his staff it was a great trip. We finished the week with trips to see myan ruins which was very cool! a trip to Campeche and lots of good food and cold cervases!!!
from there we flew to miami. layover in miami then off to merida! we were picked up at the airport
by victor who took us and another hunter in our group to the holiday inn downtown.
we checked in and headed out to check out the city. Merida is a vibrant city very picturesque and
seemingly safe and friendly. But as evening came we saw lots of trucks marked state police with five
and six masked guys in the back with machine guns! reminding us where we were! I didnt sleep much
on this trip, just could'nt seem to turn off. And there was lot's of festive music lol.
We left Merida a little after four the next morning and headed for Carlos san crus. The three and a half hour
drive was interesting and we saw a lot of the mexican landscape. Very pretty and very very poor! it certainly
makes you understand why they come here.
Okay we settled into camp did some paper work and split up with our respective guides for the afternoon hunt.
My guide was george pronounced horhae,lol. Very nice gentleman and very knowledgeable. We were hunting
over milo fields in different states of harvest. George would look over the edge of the fields fo tracks and choose a spot to set up the blind. We crossed one set of puma tracks that day. quit afternoon with no birds seen but
interesting none the less. one genteman in our group of seven hunters killed that first afternoon.
The food was incredible and plentiful as were the cervases!
Early the next morning we left camp for another milo field. reset the blind and settled in for the wait. In the morning Goerge used a speaker and his phone to call. These birds dont gobble but they have a very distinct
sound they call a song. George would play this intermittanly and we waited. no birds came in that morning
or that afternoon for that matter. I believe two more hunters killed that first full day of hunting so we were
not too worried. The three guys who had killed went fishing the next day and thy seemed to have had a blast!
I had another long uneventful day on tuesday and I was starting to get a little anxious. My brother and I were the last to kill and We both took our birds on wednesday morning. George and I headed to a new field where he had set a blind the previous afternoon. George took me to the blind. it was very early as we were hunting closer to camp today. George got me to the blind and then walked up and down the edge of the field playing the recording.
When he came back to the blind it was still pitch black but I noticed he was visibly shaken. I asked him and although he spoke no english he clearly demonstrated that he had encountered a puma! the calling had attracted
the big cat and while I dont think it would attack a human it clearly scared the shit out of one,lol.
He kept telling me grande puma, grande puma then he would scowl and hiss. I could'nt help but chuckle under my breath. This would be the morning I saw a lot of birds! At first light they started flying into the milo. then they were
in the center of the field I couldnt see them as the milo had not been picked and it was taller than the birds.
just glimpses of heads bobing occassionally but that was enough to dramatically raise my blood pressure!
Then it happened, a tom came walking up the edge of the field. He would strut and then ease a little closer.
George kept telling me to wait but when he got to about twenty five yards I eased the shotgun out the side window, lined up the sights with the top of his neck and squeezed. I felt the firing pin jump but no boom,
oh shit what do I do,I know ther is a shell in the chamber but nothing happened. I sit still as the bird walks closer.
when he gets in a blind spot I ease the barrell back in the blind. Birds to close to rack another shell in so I just
worked the pump back and forth a little as quitley as possible. He continued walking to my left strutting and occasionally singing. When he got twenty yards out he fanned and couldnt se us so I stuck the gun out the front
window of the blind. His tail came down I lined up again and this time boom!!!
And just like that I had my world slam! we high fiveed and ran out of the blind to retrieve the bird. there were hugs
laughfter!!! I was thrilled to have gotten a bird! We took a few pictures and headed back to camp. When I got out of the jeep there were lots of congratulations, everyone is happy when someone gets a bird. I was the second to last to kill. My bother had not killed yet and as happy as I was I couldnt really celebrate till he got his bird!
An hour later he pulled in the drive with his bird and everything was right with the world.
Everyone in our party got their birds and everyone was great to share camp with.
We hunted with snook in who books through tall tines outfitters out of florida. cant say enough about Roberto
and his staff it was a great trip. We finished the week with trips to see myan ruins which was very cool! a trip to Campeche and lots of good food and cold cervases!!!
