Nick and Alex Hayes, a father and son team from the soggy “Garden State”, headed south this past July to dry out in the Lone Star State! This was to be their very first hunt together and what better place than south west Texas chasing nighttime predators and varmints! The first night of the hunt was spent driving around safari style while running a “Light Force” spotlight. The brilliant light penetrated the night revealing a number of yellow eyes lurking in the darkness. With guns blazing, the duo quickly racked up a respectable body count of; raccoons, porcupines, skunks, jackrabbits and ringtail cats. The second day was spent at a local Gun Club where Nick & Alex tried their hand at several rounds of skeet followed by sporting clays. After a couple hundred shots it was time for another night of fun. This time they wanted to focus on predator calling. With that the “Fox Pro” electric caller was fired up, letting lose a barrage of appetizing calls sure to make any carnivore drool. It didn’t take long for several hungry grey foxes to come streaking in with reckless abandon. Both Nick and Alex demonstrated their shooting prowess time and time again as their guns belched tongues of orange flame at the would be predators. Their guide, veteran predator hunter Jim Roche was truly impressed with how quick these two northerners caught on with this fast paced nighttime action! Practice indeed pays off!

Dennis Duke, (CA) had one goal in mind, to spend quality time with his son whom he had not seen in a year. Nick, who now lives in Texas, had but one goal also, to go hunting with his dad. After a few back and forth phone calls the pair decided on a “father and son” predator hunt! Dates were booked around September’s “New Moon” to help insure a chance for a bobcat. The first night they flung shot after shot from their short barreled .223’s at several fox, raccoon, ringtail cat, and a smelly number of skunks. The second night guide Ryan McDonald called in a nice Texas bobcat at the very first set. The big cat hung up at 50 yds. The hunters decided to stretch the barrel of the .12ga but the cat managed to escape unscathed. The next set produced a grey fox that dropped to Dennis’ AR-15. The following “call” produced a “grey” for Nick. The load of #2’s from the Benelli .12 ga smoked the fox at 25 yds. “Set up” after set up resulted in either a fox or raccoon running in to investigate the tantalizing call. Some “rested in piece” on the parched Texas soil and some didn’t. About midnight the team set up to call near an old squeaky windmill. After a few minutes a pair of yellow eyes was spotted sneaking in from one side. Ryan lit up the night with the blinding spotlight as Nick cut loose with the Benelli. When the mushroom like cloud of dust settled, there lay one beautiful bobcat!