We left Oregon the 8th of December, taking three days to reach the Mexican boarder. The wind blew the Toy Hauler all over the road for these three days. Our first hunt was at the remote ranches starting December 28th, this left us plenty of time to get the high rack trucks ready, get groceries and pick everybody up at the airport and do some scouting. It is 4 1/2 hours one way to the remote ranches. All four of our hunters took very nice mule deer, including Carl, a longtime client who actually took three. The weather did cooperate with several freezing mornings. On our next hunt we had four hunters from Texas. We moved to our west ranches and the weather turned quite a bit warmer, three of the four took nice bucks with the fourth hunter, a really nice guy, who had the misfortune of missing two big bucks. The smaller buck was a 29 1/2 inch 4x4 grossing in the mid 180's, we know this because after a couple of misses his partner shot the buck and then he had the misfortune of missing an even bigger buck a couple of days later. For the third hunt we only had two hunters, my taxidermist and the nicest Texas lawyer you will ever meet. Both killed decent mule deer with my taxidermist also taking about a 90 inch coues deer. Coues deer can be taken for a $2500 trophy fee as targets of opportunity or after you have taken a mule deer go and hunt specifically for coues deer. Our last group of four hunters took four deer with the largest of this bunch grossing 198. Janet and I stayed over a few days looking for indian artifacts and more ranches for next year and concentrating on coues deer. We took a couple of decent ones, each scoring just under 100 inches. All in all it was a very good season with the weather cooperating most of the time. We had fine weather for the trip home, arriving at home on February 18th. The weather gave us one day to unload the trailer and get things sorted out and the next day we had nine inches of snow at the house. There are a few changes for next year. With the success we have had the last five years on these ranches, last year three other guides offered our landowners considerably more money per deer and more rent for the haciendas. All we had to do was match the prices, which of course forces us to raise our prices. All mule deer hunts are $7400 a second buck can be taken for $4500 if there is another tag available. And coues for $2500 on a trophy fee. A javelina is $250. One of the guides that tried to get our ranches, we talked to, a hunt on these ranches under his guide ship would be $11,000. Also, and we hated to have to do this, but I can understand it from our landowners point of view, as we had one fellow two years ago who wounded three 30 inch plus bucks. If you wound a deer there are two options open to you, if there is any blood and we can't find the buck the hunt is either over or you can continue to hunt another buck for $4500 the same would apply to a coues deer, if you wound it you would pay the $2500. And more good news from the Mexican government, the tag prices increased last year by $125 and they are talking about raising it more for this coming year. The guides association have hired lawyers and are fighting it, we won't know how much the tags are until late May. The Mexican game department has encouraged us to charge at least $500 for a gun permit, saying the reason is that Mexico can always raise the price, what we prefer to do is settle up with the hunter at the end of the hunt for exactly what the gun permit and tags cost us. For example, last year for a gun permit, a mule deer tag and a coues deer tag the total cost was less than $500 instead of charging $500 just for the rifle permit with the tags being extra. Just trying to keep everyone informed on what is going on, not trying to discourage anyone from coming to Mexico and having the time of their life. In summary, it was a very good year. With fourteen hunters taking sixteen mule deer and also taking three nice coues deer. Our best two deer grossed 194 and 198, unfortunately we had misses on two bucks in the 200 class. One 5x6, well into the 200 class. But as we have noticed in the past, sometimes really big antlers can save a deers life. Maybe we will see them again next year. As things stand right now we should have three more ranches for next year for sure and possibly even one more if they can get out of the last year of a contract with another guide.

Click on Pictures below for More Detail

December 2005 through February 2006

We arrived in Mexico on December 14. It was hot, dry and dusty and hadn’t rained since the end of the August rainy season, nearly all the ponds were dry. We were very worried about our hunters that were coming in for the December hunt but we are very pleased with everyone taking mid 180 to 190 class bucks with two bucks over 30 inches. We moved to our January ranches where we conduct our full blown rut hunts, things got worse. It was even hotter the only water on the ranches was from wells being pumped for the cattle, fortunately these ranches have a lot of Cholla. This is the cactus the deer and cattle eat to supplement their water intake. We had seven hunters on two different hunts on these five ranches, five nice mulie bucks taken and three coues deer. We don’t sell coues deer hunts but all the ranches have coues deer on them and can be taken as a target of opportunity for a trophy fee. The other two mule deer hunters both shot at and hit 30 inch bucks, one only slightly and we are sure this buck is ok, the other was hit harder, we looked for days for this buck. The next day we even sent the cowboys out on horses, we can only hope this buck survived. It never rained in December or January and a few of the mornings were in the high 50’s and low 60’s, this is at least 30 degrees higher temperatures than normal and talking to our landowners, they say this happens every eight or ten years. So we hope we have this out of the way for the next ten years. Even our Mexican crew was complaining about the heat but as it turned out it was a good year, much better than we expected when we arrived. Hope you enjoy the pictures, click on the pictures for individual information.

Click on Pictures below for More Detail

Wade's Mule		Steve's Buck		Merle's Mule		Pat's Buck
December Hunters		Steve and Wade		Gus' Buck		Gerry's Buck
Dougs Buck		Carl's Mule		Carl and Doug		Alaska Pete
Abe's Coues		Janet's Coues		Pete's Coues		Cougar Kill
Antlers		Olivia

December 2004 through January 2005

Sean's Buck		Sean's Buck		Neil and Comico		Carl's Buck
Fred's Buck		Abe's 1st Mule		Abe's 2nd Mule		Jim Baichtal's Coues
Jim's Buck		Massive Coues		Coues Drop

Janet/Doug: Just wanted to take a moment and say thanks again for showing Randy and I a great time in Mexico. I really appreciate the extra mile you guys go to make sure your hunters are happy. The varmint man let you down a little on the advertisement side, but he had a terrific time. Janet, I hope you survived my motor mouth on the way to Hermosillo. Anyway, I'm always happy to make new friends and your entire group was terrific. I would still like to make your advertisement file so keep me in mind for future hunts. I'm still dreaming 30" Happy hunting! Bill Moe

December 2003 through January 2004

Wade's Buck		Jumped Buck		Jim's Buck		Alan's Buck
Doug's Buck		Doug's Coues		Luis		Luis Again
Forgotten Boot!		Doug's Mexican Mule		Janet's Mule

Mule deer hunts: All December and January Hunts: $8500 Prices in Mexico next year have gone up to $8500 for all of the hunts, the reason being we have done well enough that three other guides tried a land grab on our ranches offering more money for each deer and for renting the haciendas. This increase in price does not cover the overall increase, sorry but we had no choice. Also starting in 07 and 08 years or next years hunts if you wound one you bought it. It will cost $4500 if you wound a deer, your options are, your hunt is over or pay for the wounded deer and keep on hunting. Also if you wound a mule deer for a trophy fee of $2500 you could continue to hunt Coues deer. This is becoming more and more common in Mexico, while we don’t necessarily like it we can also see the landowners point. All three of the other guides offered the wounding fee. Coues deer can be taken as a target of opportunity for an additional $2500 Javelina can be taken for an additional $250 Prices include food, accommodations, airport pickup. Does not include tags, gun permit, export fees or a consolate letter.

Home | Lodging | Prices | High Mountain Tours | 2002 Review | 2002 Review Photos | 2003 Hunting Report

Photo Book | Blacktail Heaven | Pacific Ghost | Pacific Ghost 2002 | Mexican Mule Deer | New in 2003 | New for 2005