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LeGrand Headwaters Ranch
LeGrand Headwaters Ranch since opening it's commercial hunting program in 2008 is proud of it's 100% shot opportunity for all types of deer. The success rate is 95% with a 5% failure due to "buck fever". What a problem to have!
LEGRAND HEADWATERS RANCH
LHR ADVENTURES LLC
Mailing Address:
7669 South Hwy 277
San Angelo, Texas 76904
Contact by phone
(325) 234-4155 Ernie
(432) 296-0166 Jamon
Contact by e-mail
ernie@wcc.net
legrand@wcc.net
LEGRAND HEADWATERS RANCH
LHR ADVENTURES LLC
THE BUCKS STOP HERE
This is a west Texas whitetail trophy MONSTER and the story is too great to place last in the 2015 Hunt Report as this was the last buck of the season!
Tom Sega-Duluth Pack-Minnesota
It all started 21 years ago, in 1994, with the purchase of this beautiful Sutton County, Texas low-fenced ranch. Bob enjoyed the outdoors and hunting. For years prior to the purchase, this ranch had been over-hunted by many hunters through an outfitter, and as a result no large-antlered bucks were left on the ranch. It was decided not to lease the lands to outside hunters. The family decided to implement a self-imposed management program. Harvest restrictions were placed on our family of hunters. Eventually, antlers grew past the basket 8’s typically seen during the first years. Although Bob continued to hunt, a big buck did not appear.
Jamon was the first to harvest a big buck in 2002, eight years after the initial purchase of the 3,500 acre ranch. This deer had never been seen before. In fact, we did not believe Jamon when he said it looked like one from a hunting magazine. It scored a 160 4/8BC gross and was a total surprise. With a low-fenced ranch, you never know when some big animal will cross your path. Bob was excited for Jamon. Then the drought came, and in 2005 the ranch only had five inches of rain. The deer antler growth suffered. It was two years later before another nice buck appeared. He was captured on camera in 2007, and it was decided to allow him to age one more year. Bob decided that Jean Ann, his wife, should have the opportunity to harvest that buck. After hunting for days, then sitting in a tree stand in freezing 28 degree weather, she finally killed the deer. That buck scored a 160BC gross.
In that same year, and in subsequent years, additional ranch land was purchased to make the totals over 22 sections or over 14,200 acres of contiguous land.
With the help of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Managed Lands Deer Permit program, our antlered deer saw an increase in size and mass. We had hired a ranch manager, started a genuine year-round feeding program, implemented range management practices, provided water every one-half mile, and started using trail cameras to document the improvement of deer on the ranch.
We were determined to maintain a great deer habitat. The phrase, “build it and they shall come” became our motto. In 2009 another son, Jared harvested a huge 8 point buck at 152BC gross. Another son Clay harvested a beautiful 150BC gross on January 1, 2011, and on the same day, Ernie, the ranch manager, harvested a 148BC gross buck with bow and arrow.
Bob was happy for all of them. What a vast difference from the mid 1990’s. Things were looking up.
In 2009 a large antlered buck was spotted on our trail cameras. He was named “Cinco”. Being a low-fenced ranch this buck was seen on two ranches. In 2010, he was captured on camera in velvet on our ranch eating protein. During the hunting season, unfortunately for us, he jumped the fence, was not on our ranch and was killed by another hunter. Cinco was a great trophy. We were told he scored a whopping 166BC gross! That is good genetics for all the ranches around.
Now, four years later, it is 2014 and another big buck appears. He looked similar to Cinco with a wide spread. He was certainly one of the offspring of Cinco. It was decided to allow him to age another year. Secretly, Bob hoped he might have a chance at this buck. In 2015 the buck was seen again in velvet and was 5 ½ years old and named “Le Grande” by one of our sons. He was spotted only a couple of times and had not been seen on our cameras since October 15 of this year. The season began, the rut started and is now almost over…and still no buck. Bob was very patient and had gone to the blind several times without seeing this buck. He just wanted a glimpse of this roaming monster. However, on a Saturday morning in December 2015 “Le Grande” was spotted or so Bob thought. Bob had only seen pictures of the buck in velvet, so he was not totally sure if this was “Le Grande.” He knew this monster buck was old enough to harvest, the prime rut was almost over, and the question lingered, would this buck survive another year. All of these circumstances aided Bob and Jamon in the decision that if it was a great buck, now was the time.
Bob was super excited, and on that afternoon, he decided to go to the blind early with Jamon. Four eyes would be better that two. The two crawled into the blind around 1:30PM. The strong wind was blowing from the south. They decided to rattle and maybe see what was out there. An hour passed and nothing. Off to their right at 270yds, down a long sendero, Jamon spotted a deer for a brief second before the buck walked back into some brush. "Bob, there is a huge buck down there, get your gun ready in case he walks out the other side of that brush!" Both of them kept a close eye on those bushes, but the deer did not return. It could be “Le Grande”. “Le Grande”, hopefully, had been spreading his genes for the last month. If it wasn’t "Le Grande", it was certainly old enough to harvest and this buck had whopper antlers. Another smaller buck appeared. It took about thirty minutes for him to leave. Disappointed, both hunters settled down and kept watching down that long sendero. Twenty minutes passed and Jamon spotted a smaller buck with a broken main beam in front of the blind at about fifty yards past the feeder. Thinking nothing of it, he continued the search down the sendero. Not two seconds later, movement in front of them caught his eye again "Holy Cow!! Bob, THERE HE IS!! He's right in front of us!!" There he was, one of the most massive deer either of them had ever seen. And getting a gun out of one window and into another with a buck like that staring you down is no easy task.
By the time Bob had the gun out the window "Le Grande" had moved into the brush. Both cursed themselves for missing that opportunity, knowing they might never see that massive rack again. Jamon grabbed the horns and rattled to try and peak the buck's interest but only the broken-antlered buck seemed intrigued and darted around the feeder. Their hearts sank again. Although it seemed that “Le Grande” wasn't interested, he didn't leave the area. This time, not two minutes later, they spotted him about sixty yards away to their left. He was making a loop around the blind! The dilemma was the same, wrong position for the hunter. This time Jamon was in the seat Bob needed. Bob seemed to always be in the wrong position. With no time to maneuver the gun, “Le Grande” gave them a short look and again walked back into the brush. Without a moment’s hesitation the two hunters switched places and Bob perched his rifle out the small window to the left. The two experienced hunters should have figured out by now “Le Grande's” tricks and guessed that he would have made a full circle to the rear of the blind, because that’s exactly where he popped up next.
Having gained speed and confidence from the previous musical windows charade, Bob eased his gun from the left window and settled it out the back. The massive antlered buck was standing straight on to the blind. This time, at only sixty yards, “Le Grande” stood his ground long enough for Bob to take the shot 21 years in the making. Bob was in position to shoot…Jamon with video, and in that moment, 3:06PM the decision was made…bang. As the boom was heard, “Le Grande” hit the dirt and never moved from that spot. Down went the buck. Bob was so excited that he actually started shaking, and had to put his head down to calm.
In that moment Bob and Jamon reverted to children as they laughed, shouted, and gave high-fives reflecting in disbelief the events that just took place. Jamon took a video of his own hand that was shaking also. Both came down with “Shaking buck fever”. Bob could not believe the size of the buck. He had waited patiently for 21 years! This had to be “Le Grande”. The buck unofficially scored a 165 4/8BC gross and had 17 points with two points being broken off as evidenced by game camera and visual of the harvested antlers.
Ernie, the ranch manager, was not at the ranch at the time. He was in San Angelo at his daughter’s birthday party. Bob and Jamon had set out on a mission that weekend…to find a big buck. And that they did!
One of the contributing factors in all of this is the cooperation of all the surrounding ranches. Other hunters have patiently waited on the harvesting of the aged deer in the area. This allows for the genetics to be passed on year after year. As stated in this story both ranches now have harvested a whopper of a trophy buck.
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Gabe Nassar -Intex Apparel Corporation -Georgia
Shawn Hasen -LaCrosse Footwear-Washington
Kim Norton -Flambeau Outdoors-Ohio
Please feel free to post a comment to our Guest Book. POST COMMENT
Ernie took me out mid-morning in a light rain, and we set up several times rattling as we walked through the oaks and cedar bushes. We came across a mature buck and tried to rattle him in closer. The rattling appeared to make him tear into an oak limb and scrape, then he started to leave. We backed out, and got out in front of him, sat up next to a tree and waited. He came into an opening between the trees at 140 yards and stopped long enough to get a shot at him off of the shooting sticks. I put him in the scope, squeezed the trigger and watched him buck, take off running leaning heavy until he disappeared behind the tall grass. Ernie started to celebrate, but I told him I would wait until I put my hands on him. When we crossed the creek bed and walked up on him he was a 10 point with a small kicker and Ernie aged him at 5 ½ years. Every deer on my wall has a story with it, this one may be the best story to date. Thank you all again for the hospitality.
I had a great time making memories hunting at the ranch, Mr. Bob and yourself are great host. I enjoy hunting with Ernie because he loves hunting. He kept asking me if I was up for walking and rattling after the morning hunts. I enjoyed every moment of it, but what made it even better was he was enjoying it as much as I did. Thanks to all of you again...
Wayne Cooper
Vice President
Brister-Stephens, Inc.
Jason Douglas -Gildan-South Carolina
Joey Dorris -Covert Scouting Cameras, Inc -Kentucky
Thanks to all our hunters this year. We sold out of trophy deer. We only sell a limited number of trophies each year to allow for a quality deer herd year after year. We respect the privacy of our clients when requested not to post their pictures to any social media. We value and respect our clients.