The Mexican Bandit
My friend and hunting buddy, Bob Shaw, bought a bird hunt at the Alamo Chapter Safari Club International (SCI) annual dinner. This Mourning Dove hunt was with Rancho Caracol.
This magnificent lodge is located on a mesa known as, Mesa La Alazanas, in the Tamaulipas region of Mexico. It is an easy three and a half hour drive from Harlingen, Texas. Or should one want to go by air there are hard surfaced runways to accommodate small aircraft. Amigo Aviation also services Rancho Caracol. So getting in and out of there is no problem.
When Bob bought this hunt and later asked me to join him the first thing that I thought of was the drug related stories, border town problems, and high crime rates that are reported by our newspapers daily. Living here in Texas I have always felt very comfortable in traveling throughout Mexico until the events of the past few years.
Accordingly, I had to do a little investigation work to determine for my own peace of mind whether or not a trip to this part of Mexico would be a wise one to make. I did just that and while I dug up a lot of Mexican dirt about the drug trade and related incidents in other parts of Mexico, I could not find any reason not to take this particular trip to Rancho Caracol.
First, I was assured that we would be met at the Harlington Airport and transported to the ranch via a comfortable Mercedes van. Second, I was also assure that there was no reason to go through the hassle of bring my own shotguns because they had plenty many high quality guns for our use and Third, I was welcomed to bring my own dog and use her to compliment their professionally trained and well conditioned dogs. They have excellent facilities and staff to accommodate dogs. That sealed the deal for me. This hunting facility was safe, convenient, reasonable and most accommodating.
Most members of SCI enjoy traveling and hunting. That is why they join and participate in the various SCI events. I think that most have had the same experiences that I have had in transporting firearms to foreign countries for the purpose of hunting. I bet each can tell some harrowing experience they have had. These experiences range from loosing their guns through theft or misplacement, having guns and or optics damaged because of mishandling, or even having guns confiscated for one reason or another. There are some foreign airports that you just don't want to go through with your valuable rifles or shotguns. So having a fine line up of quality guns available upon arrival is a big plus.
Now that I stop to think about it, all of this research has already been done by professional organizations like Orvis, SCI, and the Dallas and Houston Safari Clubs. They and others have each placed their seal of approval on Rancho Caracol. These endorsements don't come easy. In fact, Orvis selected Rancho Caracol the 2005-2006 Wingshooting Lodge of the Year. That pretty much says it all.
Whitewing Dove season (August thru October), Bobwhite Quail season (November thru February), and Mourning Dove season (November thru February)
are the three primary hunting packages. Of course, they can and do combination hunts and tailor them to fit the desires of each hunter or group. Each package has its seasoned guides, an array of support staff, and first class equipment to ensure an enjoyable hunt.
The facilities like the food are first class and second to none. The meals are prepared in a mouth watering fashion and presented in a manner that challenges a five star restaurant. Each is served with a very fine selection of wines. Cocktails of your choice await you upon your arrival and each time you and return to the lodge, you are greeted in the same manner. This extra touch demonstrates the level of detail they address to ensure the clients are well pampered.
This donated hunt was a three night four hunt package. It was a 100 percent donation, which meant that the Alamo Chapter got the keep all the proceeds from the sale of the hunt. So whatever the hunt sold for at auction, those monies went directly into the club's cash account and none was refunded or split with Rancho Caracol or anyone else.
Enough about the outstanding facilities, guns, equipment, and personnel – lets get on with the hunt. Bob and I elected to go in early February after the big game season in Texas had ended. One disadvantages of selecting dates so late in the season is that while these doves do migrate if you wait until the end of the season to pursue them, you can bet that they have gotten this far south by their wit and that they have been shot at more than once. Should they pick up a tail wind you will have a very fast moving target that will be a challenge to any wing shooter. This is not your every day skeet shoot at your local gun club. These birds fly like bandits trying to out run a heavily armed posse. Hence, the title “Hunt the Mexican Bandit.”
At 0500 hours there is a knock on the door with a greeting of the new day. On the waiters tray there is coffee, orange juice or any other drink that you had previously ordered. Upon entering the dinning room the aroma of an elegant breakfast quickly catches your attention. The menu has a variety of items, but most “Gringos” select that item, which is the traditional eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits. You are loading into the van 0700 hours and heading out to the fields for the hunt.
After a twenty or thirty minute ride, you arrive at the fields that are to be hunted that morning. Here you are off loaded with the Beretta shotgun you selected to hunt with, a stool, water and soft drinks and plenty of ammo. You are then introduced to your Bird Boy or “Palomero.” Once set up and the action starts. You will be challenged while you collect these bandits. With each bandit down, you will witness the tireless effort of your Palomero as he dashes directly to the spot where the bird hit and retrieves it with a smile on his face. He not only does the retrieving, but he keeps you supplied in ammo, and refreshments and most importantly he is another set of eyes – spotting for you and calling out the location of incoming bandits.
During the heat of the flights and shooting you loose count of the number of times you shoot and or the number of birds you collect. At times you are literally covered up with bandits and it is hard to make up your mind which one to focus on. They just keep coming for the next couple of hours.
If you do take a retriever with you, it can become a backup for your Palomero. With so many birds falling there will be times that the Palomero is heading in one direction and you put down a bird in another direction. Your dog can assist the Palomero when he does not have the opportunity to mark the second or third down bird down. The two can work together and form an unbeatable retrieving team.
After the hunt you return to the lodge. Again, A neatly dressed waiter holding the drink that the driver had order for you on your way back to the lodge is standing there to greet you. You now have some free time before lunch. There are many options as to how you spend this time. Some like to relax in the pool and or hot tub. While others like to catch up with their e-mail traffic or watch TV, shoot pool, shoot additional targets on the challenging Clay Flurry Range, visit the professionally-staffed massage complex, do some shopping in the well stocked pro shop or just relax on the porch while enjoying a refreshing drink and some tasty snacks while visiting with the other hunters and making new friends.
Lunch is a very tasty meal consisting of a salad, main course of fish, quail, or other delightful dish, vegetables, and a desirable dessert. A variety of drinks are always available for your selection. After lunch, there are a couple of hours of free time to use as you wish. This is a perfect time for a “siesta”, a nap before again challenging those bandits.
The afternoon hunt is done at another location. The areas to hunt are recommended by the scouts operating under the supervision of Enrique Zuniga, Head Dove Scout. They have over 500,000 acres to cover either by light truck or plane to determine where the bird concentrations are best for that hunt. Hunters will burn ammo as rapidly as they can fire and reload their guns. Again, the Palomeros stay busy retrieving, keeping the shell bags supplied with ammo, and tending to the various needs of the clients. These are very pleasant young men who appreciate the opportunity to work these hunts.
After the hunt it is back to the lodge. You will have a few minutes to prepare for the evening meal that will be another savory treat. The main course could be almost anything – from steak to birds or fish, all prepared by the expert hands of a competent chef and crew. Chacho, the Head Waiter, is charged with the responsibilities of making each meal a delight. Not just food on the table.
After dinner, you again have time to relax and enjoy one or more of the available activities. On cool evenings, they build a large outdoor fire. This provides a great place to sit around and recount the events of the day. Here one has a chance to recall the good shots and explain away those not so good. Recalling those incidents while relaxing and enjoying the warmth of the fire is most enjoyable.
On the second day, a knock on the door at 0500 hours woke me from a very deep sleep. The hot coffee and orange juice was placed by my bed. After quickly getting dressed I went to the dinning room for a “Gringo” breakfast. Soon there were another 10 to 15 hunters at the table. There was much talk about the previous hunts, the weather, flight conditions, and our ability to connect or not connect with these flying bandits. Each seemed to enjoy not only the food but also the trading of hunting stories.
We were soon in the van and on our way to yet another hunting area. Upon arrival my Palomero, Paulino Zuniga, had the blind set up, a stool, ammo and cold drink boxes in place. He removed my Beretta 20 gauge automatic shotgun model 3091 from the case, loaded it and handed it to me. I had Birdie, the dog, at heel by my left side and by the time that I finally got settled here came the bandits. Paulino was back to retrieving the birds. Should he be out retrieving a bird and did not see the second or third bird hit the ground I would dispatch Birdie for the retrieve. They worked well together and complimented each other.
During the hunt, our driver and co-host, Doss Kornegay, used my camera and took several pictures of this group in action.
After the hunt and on our way back to the lodge, Doss again asked what we would like to drink upon our arrival and ordered it over the radio so it was again waiting for us upon as we stepped out of the van.
With drink in hand, I headed straight for the hot tub to relax and let the warm water work on the muscles that were beginning to acknowledge the effects of three very successful hunts. There were several others in the hot tub so we spent time getting to know one another and sharing our background, experiences, and expectations.
In addition to Bob and I, there were two corporate groups sharing the lodge. What a great place for a corporate get-a-way, a time to catch up on training, perhaps a time to recognize achievements, or to do some team building. This outing was a great moral booster if nothing else.
During lunch, Bob and I had the opportunity to visit with Dean Putegnat, General Manager, and Arturo Rocha, Lodge Manager. They shared with us the building process that they have enjoyed the past ten years. When the facilities necessary to clean and wash the trucks, vans and equipment are completed – their construction projects will then be finished. Again, it should be pointing out that everything on this compound was done in a first class manner – that includes the design, construction, furnishings, and decorations. This just didn't happen, there was a well thought out plan put in place to provide what is perhaps one of the best if not the best hunting facilities in the world. Those are not just loose words, they come from someone who has had the opportunity to travel throughout the world and experience many hunting operations and environments.
After another “siesta”, it was back in the van and off to yet another hunting area. We arrived there about 1530 hours and the bandits began to come into the field about 1600 hours. The shooting continued until 1815 hours.
On our last evening at the lodge, we again had an elegant dinner. We also had the opportunity to meet additional folks from all over the United States and Mexico. Then it was time to settle up our accounts Liz and Norma in the pro shop. They both were very helpful in picking out a nice gift for my wife who was kind enough to let me make yet another out of country hunting trip with an old hunting buddy and my dog Birdie.
The next morning after another hearty breakfast, Doss loaded us in the van for the trip back to Harlingen. This was another easy road trip on improved highways and we enjoyed no delays. We were passed through the various checkpoints very efficiently. I am sure that not having to travel with either guns or ammo help make this possible. Once at the Valley International Airport, we loaded Birdie and gear into Bob's pickup and four hours later we were home with a cooler full of doves that had been thoroughly cleaned, packaged ten per bag, vacuum packed and quick frozen for the return trip.
While I was at Rancho Caracol, I picked up some literature that contained some very profound quotes. Some are as follows:
“During my stay at Rancho Caracol, I missed more dove than most hunters see in a full season”, Mark McDonald, Texas Sporting Journal.
“Rancho Caracol is, without a doubt, the best lodge I've ever stayed in”, Larry Brunson, DDS Woodland, Texas.
“You can expect all world-class treatment from this world-class location…”, Safari Times.
And the one that I think really sums it up comes from James Hulbert. Longview, Washington – he said, “I've hunted...the world over, including Russia, Scotland, Argentina and more. Rancho Caracol offered the best hunt I've ever been on...”
I concur with the above comments and look forward to doing it again.
If you are interested in an outstanding experience without breaking the bank or having to travel great distances, I suggest you give Brandon Russell , Sales Coordinator, a call at (888) 246-3164 or visit the website www.RanchoCaracol.com. Book a hunt now, because their reservations fill up quickly, many are returning clients, both individual and corporate.
Dean, Arturo, Doss, Brandon, Alicia, Chrissy and others, we appreciate your support to SCI and particularly to the Alamo Chapter here in San Antonio, Texas. Good luck and great hunting.
Ray, Paulino & Birdie
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Rancho Caracol & the Mexican Bandit
