By Eric Boley
“You should come back next fall and hunt Carmen Mountain whitetails.” That’s what Steve Jones, my outfitter and owner of Back Country Hunts, told me as I finished my successful aoudad hunt. I’d heard of the Carmen Mountain whitetail from reading stories published in Texas Trophy Hunters’ magazine. During my aoudad hunt I’d seen a few of the diminutive gray ghosts.
I told Steve it was a deal, and in late November I drove from my home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Marfa, Texas, and then to the ranch. Driving into the Chinati Mountains is incredible. When I got to camp, Steve and my trusty guide Dave Callaway greeted me.
Dave told me about a huge Carmen Mountain whitetail typical with two long kickers that had been seen twice in the same general area, with the most recent sighting being the night before. We decided he’d be one of our target Carmen Mountain whitetail bucks, and nicknamed him “Crazy Horns.”
The generator kicked on well before daylight and getting out of bed was easy. After a quick and hearty breakfast, we all piled into our hunting rigs and headed out for the hunt.
We drove several miles and decided to glass some oak mottes in the bottom of a canyon. Dave told me the whitetails like to hang close to the oaks, which provide food and shelter from the hot sun. From that first vantage point Dave glassed up the first whitetails of the hunt: a couple of does and two different bucks.
Both bucks were quite far away, but we could tell they both were shooters. After a lengthy discussion, Dave convinced me we needed to look for Crazy Horns. I took one last look at the two bucks, and got back in the truck.
We drove several more miles through the ranch before Dave whispered he saw a small group of Carmen Mountain whitetail bucks. They were a long way off and were right on the skyline on the opposite hill. Dave thought he’d spotted Crazy Horns, but wasn’t sure as the bucks moved up and through the small saddle in the hill. They were headed for the shady side of the hill, where we figured they would bed for the day.
Dave knew a dim road that would get us to where we could glass the backside of the hill. We hoped we might spot the deer as they bedded and then figure out a stalk that would get us within range for a shot. We started glassing at the saddle where we’d last seen the deer. We looked for quite some time, when I caught a strange, bright reflection in my optics. I focused on that spot and eventually realized it was sunlight glinting off one of the buck’s antlers.
We focused our attention in that general area and eventually located three Carmen Mountain whitetail bucks. The first buck we got a look at was a small forked-horn. Eventually, the second buck worked his way into the open and we could tell he was a younger eight-point. We were just about to get into the truck when Dave spotted another buck moving behind the cedars. We were ecstatic when Crazy Horns stepped into view.
He was a tall, main frame eight-point with matching non-typical points coming off both his G2s. There was no doubt we’d made the right choice passing the first bucks. Now we had to figure out how to get him on the ground.
We decided to get aggressive and I would make a stalk while Dave stayed put and kept an eye on the deer. We took time to pick out some landmarks I could use to get me close. Dave wished me luck and I took off on a long stalk. I made quick time along the sandy bottom of the creek and located the steep edge of rim rock above me that served as my landmark.
I knew I needed to come out on the south side of the rim rock from which I hoped to see into the small bowl where the deer were bedded. As I made the climb out of the creek and gained elevation I could finally see Dave. Through the binoculars, I could see him give me the thumbs up sign the deer were still in place. I slowly and quietly worked my way around the rocks only to discover the bowl in which the deer were bedded was deeper than it appeared from our original glassing spot, so I slowly crawled towards the lip of the bedding area. I wove my way through lava rock and cactus, keeping brush and cover between me and the deer. The wind was perfect, blowing straight into my face.
Dave gave me hand signals and helped direct me to a spot where I should have been able to see the deer. After 30 minutes of careful glassing I finally noticed the ear of a deer twitching as the bedded buck tried to ward off a pesky fly. It was one of the small bucks, but I was energized knowing Crazy Horns had to be close. I decided to crawl around the other side of the cedar I was behind and change the angle, hopefully allowing me to spot Crazy Horns.
I knew I’d be more exposed, as I would be out in the sun. I slowly and carefully crawled around the tree and settled in behind an old blowdown. The move paid off when within a couple of minutes, I saw Crazy Horns’ antlers sticking out above the tall grass. He was only about 75 yards from me, but I had no shot.
I knew where the buck was, so all I had to do was wait. Just then, all heck broke loose. One of the smaller bucks spotted me and jumped up stomping his feet and snorting. Crazy Horns sprang from his bed looking around frantically to spot the danger. He was standing facing directly towards me, and I was still looking directly into the sun. I tried to get ready for a shot, but I couldn’t hold my rifle steady. I finally got a knee up in front of me and got a solid rest.
As the crosshairs settled on the buck’s vitals, I squeezed the trigger of my Ruger .243. As the gun went off I lost sight of Crazy Horns. I told myself the shot felt good but I wasn’t sure.
I quickly gathered my gear and dropped down into the bottom of the draw and made my way towards the cedar the deer had been standing under.
Each step I took got me closer, yet I still couldn’t see my deer. I was becoming convinced I had missed when I almost tripped over Crazy Horns. He was lying in a little depression, his bed for the day. My shot had found its mark and I had my Carmen Mountain whitetail.
