Debbie And Dawn Do Texas

“Dawn, I have a proposition for you.,” My father tells me. See at this moment my parents, husband and I were on a hunt in New Zealand. Dad pulled me aside to talk to me; “What’s up?” I asked. “Your mother has always been so incredibly supportive of me and my hobbies. She never really pursues anything on her own. So I am asking you to take her deer hunting in Texas, just the two of you, mother daughter bonding. Help her shoot her first big deer. Only one thing. It has to be YOUR idea. She won’t do it if it’s my idea.”

Well you didn’t have to ask me twice! “Of course I will Dad!” Wasting no time whatsoever, I immediately found my mom at camp and asked her, saying since Dad shot everything here, let’s go, you and I to Texas and get you a nice deer! Bigger than Dad’s! With a true mama smile, especially with that last addition, she agreed on our first, and sadly last, mother-daughter hunt together.

I got right to work researching hunting ranches. Texas doesn’t have public land like we do in Idaho, so I wanted to find a nice one that was as fair chase you can get with a lot of acres, but nice accommodations. Finally one stood out. The Ox Ranch out of Uvalde, Texas. Mom was definitely on board. We booked our hunt end of November 2020. We decided to drive there as we then can bring all the meat home and extend our adventure. The only obstacle was going to be the Covid restrictions as we went along but we agreed, we could handle it!

Time passed so slow. Every other day I was on the Ox Ranch site, checking out their cameras and showing mom all the animals. I even asked if she was cool with me bringing my bow to attempt to bow hunt too! She said of course! In addition to our hunt I booked with their sister company Drive Tanks for us to drive and shoot a British Scorpion tank! I know during all these months, Dad was teaching Mom how to shoot, kill zones and whatnot. Just before we went, Mom was able to harvest a doe with me by her side and Dad and my husband John not far off, which I think gave her the confidence she needed.

Finally we got in my truck and we were off! I was beyond excited to spend all this time with just Mama and I. We drove through Idaho, down into Utah and New Mexico. Mom, with an obsession for ice cream, especially Dairy Queen, broke our driving silence in the middle of nowhere New Mexico, saying “Dairy Queen could make a killing if they build one out here.” I laughed my ass off. So as soon as we rolled in Roswell New Mexico, I pulled into the Dairy Queen and Mom was happier than a kid in a candy store. Even with the Covid restrictions and being careful, we were able to make it to Uvalde pretty easy in two days.

I’ll never forget pulling into the ranch. Mom and I were both awestruck at the entrance. I had the key code to open the double gate and I felt like the richest fanciest person! As we slowly drove down the road following the signs that pointed to the lodge, we noticed an abundance of all kinds of animals around us. Blackbuck does, red stag, impala, and even a white buffalo to name a few! Upon arriving to the grand yet rustic check-in lodge, a fallow buck greeted us along with a kangaroo! The staff was so nice. They immediately introduced us to our guide, Larry, who may I add is one hell of an awesome person, let alone guide. He’s about moms age but sadly just lost his wife to breast cancer. We had some formalities, and he promptly showed us our cabin and all it’s amenities, including our own in-house bar! Larry told us to get settled and dressed in our hunting clothes and that he would be back with the jeep! I said hunting already? I like this place! Mama was excited but quiet as she was taking in all these new surroundings.

We quickly put away our things and got geared up for the hunt. Larry pulled around in the most badass jeep I’ve ever seen. Fold down windshield, hood-mounted gun holder, game cart mounted to the front, gun rests all over, and safari type seating in back. We took off toward the range to make sure our weapons were sighted in. Mom made one shot, and dead center at 100 yards. She smiled so proud! And said, “Daddy taught me, he said I needed a box of ammo and I told him I only need two shells!” Haha cocky good shooter she was. I shot my rifle and my bow and all was well. Larry looked at mom and said, “Let’s go get your deer!” Off we went over hills and valleys, taking in all the animals we saw along the way.

Larry pointed out the ones we didn’t see or didn’t know what it was! Finally we got to the spot where the blind was. Larry parked the jeep and we had to walk a couple hundred yards to the ladder blind. We got all cozy in the chairs up there and mom found her comfortable spot with her .243. Larry said this a popular water hole and crossing on the ranch so let’s hope a big one shows up. Mom couldn’t hear Larry and I was in the middle so I was the communicator as Larry has to give us the go ahead for what we could harvest. Slowly, a few little deer came out to at least help us with the boredom. A giant axis deer came out, but he had no eye guards. Then there was a humongous deer but mom wanted a normal looking buck and sometimes those ranch-raised deer can get crazy looking not to mention expensive. We sat for a long while, when a buck that we could harvest came out. Mom checked him out in the binos and scope many times before deciding she wasn’t liking this particular one. Now there was a few deer out there and out of nowhere this beauty shows up. Very symmetrical, handsome Texas buck. The only thing it was hard to keep eye on just him and he kept moving around his friends. Larry kept telling me to tell mom where exactly he was and when she could shoot. I had my .270 up and ready as mom asked me to follow up for her just in case. Truth be told, just like she asked me to do the same with her first doe, I could not see it in my sights like she could. So I kinda lied saying I got her back, knowing she can and will do this. She took her time honing in on the right deer. Seeing her focus and quiet for the shot was amazing. She whispered, “I’m gonna shoot,” and CRAAACK! The buck dropped. She reloaded immediately and I was on it with my crosshairs. Larry said “I think he’s down!” But we slowly got out of the stand and Larry said I’m gonna go get the jeep, Dawn, keep your rifle on him, and Mom and I walked over to his body. He was slowly leaving us, and Mom said, “Go home, its ok, just go home.” And I cried. We made sure he was gone and mom just stood there in disbelief. You can see that in her photos! I was like, “Mom, dad’s gonna be mad cuz this thing is giant.” And she beamed so proud. “See, all I needed was two bullets I told your Daddy.” Ok, Annie Oakley!

We took a lot of pictures and loaded the deer on the front game cart to clean him up. Larry said I’ll take care of it and meet you ladies for dinner! We asked to watch him clean it up and put it in the cooler which in a place like that, was fascinating.

That evening we dined on zebra burgers! We cheered to mamas first huge deer and got ready to sit in the blind tomorrow to hopefully get an an axis deer!

Now Larry informed us that hunting axis this time of year is very hard with a bow. That we would try but we may end up using a rifle. So we woke before daylight and headed to the blind. As we sat in the dark, we could hear the snorting of quite a few feral hogs surrounding us!

As daylight broke, slowly a few fallow does came to water, along with a few young whitetail bucks. Mom had a harder time sitting there as her knee was cramping up, and Lord love my mom, but she was starting to not hear so well and she was breathing so hard and rubbing her knee so loud, the animals kept freaking out! Haha!!! How can you tell your own mama, “Quit breathing so loud?” And, “Stop rubbing your pants so loud!” But man I laughed over that and so did Larry. He decided let’s go get lunch and gun-hunt axis in the afternoon.

Now, see on this trip, we didn’t do a ton of walking and they fed us over-the-top every meal, which will lead up to the final hunt story. After lunch we got in the jeep and away we went. Larry showed us the breeding animals, white rhinos, Cape buffalo, ostrich, warthogs, camels again to name a few. Then we spotted a huge axis buck waaay off in the distance. Trying to gain ground on that one was proven impossible. Mom was in the back seat pointing out animals as she saw them, but the most hilarious part was when she said, “Oh look! They’re having a family gathering down there!” I looked and it was a huge herd of axis deer! I was like “Mom! That’s the creature we are looking for!”

Larry laughed and laughed and told me he thought mom was hilarious! She was like a little kid in the back seat the whole way! I finally was able to harvest a beautiful axis that afternoon at 175 yards. And the meat is amazing!

Whew! We were on a roll and back at camp, we dined on wildebeest tacos. Thinking I didn’t want this to be done, I counted my money and had enough to try and bow hunt a black buck. So I brought this up to mom, and Larry and both agreed was could try in the morning, as check-out was around noon and our tank appointment was at one. One more hunting adventure! That evening, moms knee was acting up and everyone was asleep, so we couldn’t find ice. We ended up using a frozen hot pocket!

“Whatever works.” She said.

The next morning came really fast and out at dawn we went. This time Larry said, “Your mom and I are going to wait over there in the Jeep, and if a shooter comes I’ll flash my lights at you. They usually don’t come here but we can try.” So I went into the blind. I saw so many females of different varieties as well as a small fallow buck. I was so close to them all it was amazing. They were just doing what they do- not having a clue I was there. Peacefully mingling... until this cocky full black, male blackbuck sauntered in. He horned the fallow, shoved the ladies around and made his presence. Hey! We were all peaceful until you came, I thought, so I looked over at the jeep and got the blinking lights.

He’s mine, I said to myself. I drew back my Hoyt, and thwack! Harpooned him right to the ground. Everything scattered but not far. Didn’t know what just happened to poor billy. I debated putting another arrow in him as he was still moving but didn’t have a proper angle. Larry slowly drove the jeep over. I met him outside and we walked over to the animal. Mom stayed by the Jeep 50 yards away or so. Larry and I chatted about how it’s going die, but no arrow shot, so let’s finish him quickly with the handgun, and just then we heard mom let out quite a toot. Larry asked, “Was that your mom?” and then fell to the ground laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe, rolling around in animal turds! I laughed so hard I couldn’t talk! Mom slowly walked over and whispered, “What’s so funny?”

I responded between catching my breath, “You, mama! We heard you! And you about killed Larry with hilariousness!” Mom laughed a little and said, “I didn’t think you heard! I had a little tummyache from those tacos!” Mom, I will always remember the farty blackbuck. Thanks for that. I’m sure Larry will, too!

We packed up all of our meat, antlers, horns and capes in our freezer for the drive home. We checked out and paid, and as I’m counting a wad of cash, my mother so professionally pulls out beautifully wrapped hundreds. Typical ex banker, I thought! We thanked the ranch for the best time ever and headed over to the Drive Tanks portion.

When we showed up, there was no one around I could find. So we went in and looked at all the full-auto weapons, tanks, cannons, and military stuff...I didn’t even know what it was. Mama exclaimed, “Your father would go nuts in here!” Then a young man showed up who in my opinion looked more like a super nerd than a weapon guru. However he knew his weapons! He took us over to the tank we were going to drive and gave us a run down. “Mom, you gonna drive this thing?”

“Nawww,” as she stuck out her tongue spitting a little, “You drive it, boss.” So down in the hatch I went and mom sat up top, surveying the obstacle course. Now, the tank was so loud I had to wear a headset to be able to communicate to the teacher as to how to make it go forward and how fast. Of course I had the tendency to hot rod the damn thing. Over steep hills, through deep water I went- anywhere my heart desired! Finally we arrived at this huuuge pit several hundred yards out. I parked the Scorpion Tank and walked around to see a carpet of brass shells inches deep all around the shooting area. There was a nice couple that was there to watch, and from behind the tank a gentleman came out with the projectile that he was going to put in the tank so we could shoot it. It was massive... probably a foot long and I believe weighed 12 pounds. Insurance says we couldn’t be in the tank to shoot it so they had a rope to pull the trigger from the outside.

I offered it to mama but she said she wanted me to do it. So I counted down, “Three, two, one, FIRE IN THE HOLE!” and pulled, and holy crap the tank lurched backward as it hurled that projectile into an old car down range. “Oh my God, that was awesome!” I yelled! Just then a herd of aoudad ran on the rim of the backdrop. “Ok gimme another round!”

Upon returning the tank back to the garage, I asked mom, “Do you think they have a flame thrower?” “I’m sure, you should ask!” she replied.

And sure enough, they not only had a flame thrower, they had a napalm one at that, and I had enough money for one full tank. They strapped heavy gas tanks to my back and a leather glove for my left hand and showed me the igniter. He said he would turn the gas on and tell me to hit the switch on and to brace myself. I instructed mom to video this as this will be the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. She didn’t know if she was doing it right so she asked the guy to make sure she was and he agreed she was. He turned the gas on an it was a loud powerful hissing and I hit the igniter. And let. Me. Tell. You! The flames that came out were absolutely insane!! Gosh, maybe 75 feet or more and about 20 feet wide. My eyebrow and lashes were toast. It was so incredibly hot. I felt so much power controlling flames of this magnitude! Sadly it lasted maybe a minute and the flames died. That’s it, sent my fun meter over the edge and now I am just a pile of buzzing mush. I went over to mom and she handed me the phone and I was sooooo excited to see the video! As I looked down I realize mom had it on selfie mode. And now I have the most epic video ever. My mother’s reaction to me shooting a military style flame thrower. She was so so sorry, and I’m like no this is gold. You could never recreate this! How funny is my mom even!

So we sat in the truck after, just taking in all the awesome that just happened over the last three days. I said, “Mom I am funned the **** out,” and she gave me an Aaamen. We sat there for awhile trying to function again to make the long drive back to Idaho. Mom called dad very often. And on our way home I watched as she talked with him on the phone. How happy and in love she is with him still. So I snapped a picture and she didn’t know it. I sit here in my tree stand, writing this article, reminiscing about that time, remembering my mom and how much I miss her, a black bear came. Not having the time to get my bow out from under my iPad, I let it go. You see, a little while ago that would have made me crazy. But having these experiences with my mom and dad and then experiencing the loss of my beloved mom, I see life a lot different. I GOT that experience. I am blessed with these times. I am honored that my father asked me to have that experience with my mama. Thank you for all you’ve taught me, mama. I miss and love you with all my heart.