Good Start to 2015

[nmtaxi]

After a pretty un-eventful 2014, my son got things started pretty quick in early January, 2015. He is a Marine stationed at the Marine Barracks in Washington D.C., and was able to find some decent hunting opportunities in the area. It's a whole different kind of hunting out in Maryland, mostly on properties less than 3 acres.
This buck he killed with a crossbow...

And the doe was his first archery kill...

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a friends ranch in the hill country of Texas for free-range axis deer and hogs. No luck on the hogs. Saw some big axis bucks that I could never quite get on. Finally got this young buck still in soft velvet. Not the biggest, butI was plenty happy with it. Hopefully I can go back for a bigger one in the future. But not bad for a $48 license and a few tanks of gas.

 

[crazeymaez]

Congrats there Mr.Danny

 

[junior]

nmtaxi,
Nice deer! Tell your son he needs to travel across the bay to Delmarva on the Maryland side.
A few guys from Illinois have said the area looks a lot like their state. The deer are a lot bigger, and he can hunt(Marsh Ghost) Sika in Dorchester County.. Also he might try fishing/crabbing the Delaware or Chesapeake Bay. If Marlin or Tuna season is inn, that's always a blast ocean side.

 

[nmtaxi]

Thanks guys.
Junior, I have him looking into the Sika deer hunting (I call them coues elk). Told him he'd be crazy to pass up an opportunity like that. He's getting back in fishing mode now. He did pretty good with the catfish in the middle of DC.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/nmtaxi/cf1a_zps19d0075a.jpeg

 

[junior]

Sika

Tell him not to miss the early stripe bass season. April early may is the best time to fish for big stripers on the Chesapeake

 

[mozey]

This is a very nice distraction from the agony of waiting out the draw. Much thanks; very nice animals/pics all around.

 

[nmtaxi]

Junior, I don't know much about sika deer, but those look like some nice stags. My son is hoping to get leave in early September to hunt those critters.

 

[junior]

They are very nocturnal! I don't know how many times I have drew my bow back on a stag only to realize I couldn't see through the peep.
Feel free to PM me if you guys need any info.

 

[NMPaul]

That is a pig of a catfish. Did he catch it in a pond in the middle of town? Awesome.

 

[nmtaxi]

Paul, he caught that fish right out of the Potomac within walking distance of the barracks.

 

[nmtaxi]

Here are some other photos I took in the hill country. I was really amazed how many of these animals are now free-ranging. Saw a lot of axis deer and blackbuck in low-fence areas. I thought those animals only lived behind high fences.

Another small critter that had made a home out an abandoned hunting blind..

Then, there are always these pets...