Blackbuck

As a youngster I attended summer camp at Y.O. ranch in Mountain Home , TX . If you’ve never heard of the Y.O. it’s one of the largest ranches in Texas some 60,000 acres, and is home to more exotic wildlife than I’ve ever seen before or since. When arriving at the Y.O. you drive down a five mile main road to the lodge, the whole way you can spot exotic animals. Y.O. Ranch is the model that many Texas ranchers follow when starting their own exotic hunting operations in Texas .

Out of all of the exotics, that we were so fortunate to see, the one that always caught my eye was the “Blackbuck Antelope”. Blackbucks are from Pakistan and Nepal , and they are one of the most common exotics found in Texas next to the Axis and Fallow deer. It’s a small animal not much larger than a yearling Whitetail deer. The Blackbuck has a black and white coat that in the summer time fades to brown. The horns spiral at a slight outward angle off the top of its head.

During my stay the Y.O. we would ride in the back of pick-up trucks spotting and watching different types of wildlife, that’s how I had my first glimpse at a Blackbuck; I was truly amazed by the sight of the animal. I can still recall that feeling today. Ever since the Blackbuck has been on my list of must have trophies.

I was lucky enough to have a chance at hunting blackbucks in 2005. We were hunting in a community just east of Burnet, TX known as “Japa”. There were several different species on this particular ranch but the only one I was interested in was the Blackbuck. That part of Central Texas is flat and very open, but I figured with my 7mm Browning A-bolt and my new leafy suit; I would be able to close the distance to make a good shot. The guide Brian and I hunted hard for three day spotting and stalking, but we could never get with in 400 yards of the blackbucks on this wide open grass land, it just seemed that one always had it head up keeping a eye out while the others heads were down. One wrong move and over the hill they ran and back to the truck we walked, with our tails between our legs.

Because I wasn’t able to close the deal on a Blackbuck back in ’05 doesn’t mean I have given up, the opportunity to try again just hasn’t presented itself. When the day comes that I get anther opportunity I’ll jump at it, but this time instead of spot and stalk with a rifle, I’m going to sit in a blind with my bow. I’m getting too “plump” for crawling hundreds of yards on my belly.