Word of caution (first hand) about hunting Mexico now

[HankBuck]

In preface... I am not looking for a beef, or issues, or debates, with Mexican Outfitters or hunters. I am merely making this post as a heads-up cautionary tale for those considering Mexico as a hunting/fishing destination...from a guy who's been there and done that.

In full disclosure, I have hunted and fished widely throughout Mexico and Baja since about 1975.
All the usual spots...and then some. Gauymas, Culiacan, Guanauato, Loreto, La Paz, Rancho Leonaro, Cabo, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and on and on.
For 35 plus years I never had a single experience that left me feeling threatened or endangered...not...one.
Things are (sadly...and factually) a whole lot different now.
A five day '22 Duck hunt with 5 amigos in San Fernando had me seriously wondering if I would survive the adventure.
For 5 days, the 1 1/2 hr drive to and from our "hunting lodge"...ie. heavily fortified compound (see Scarface)... to the hunting ponds our driver never drove (not once) less than 100 mph, on 2 lane roads, passing anything in the way.
My best bud, after telling the driver to slow down 3 or 4 times finally came undone and screamed at the driver to
"SLOW THIS M***** F***** DOWN OR I'M GOING TO JERK THE F***** KEYS OUT AND THROW THEM OUT THE WINDOW".
To which the driver responded:
"We drive this fast because the boss told us to. It makes it harder for the Cartels to pull us over, kidnap you, get a ransom, and then burn you in a ditch"
Moral of the story:
There is not a fish to be caught... or an animal to be hunted...that can't be pursued elsewhere with 0 risk to your life and personal safety. Do NOT believe the Outfitters when they pooh pooh the actual dangers...they've still gotta try to make a living.
Best
Spike

PS... After swearing on 1000 bibles I'd never go back, I'm headed to Sonora in 3 weeks for a Couse Deer hunt...BUT..I've done my due diligence. My guy is connected... and I have a name to drop if intercepted enroute to the ranch from the airport.
Safety first.
Hunting repost to follow...God willing.

@BGGMKLR - regarding Duck Hunts in Mexico, it use to be “the place to go” if you wanted to shoot 100-200 ducks a Day…1990s to early 2000s….unbelievable number of ducks and No limits enforced, No laws, No rules —- everything was illegal but hunting laws never enforced. From the time you reached your lodge you realized there are “No Rules”.
Steel Shot is required by Law BUT you can’t even get “steel shot” at the lodge…#4 & #6 LEAD was all they had. Once you reached your blind and the sun came up the ducks poured in — wave after wave—-redheads & pintails, and WHY NOT as shallow water was BAITED with CORN. Hunters I knew returned with photos that looked like the days of Market Hunting in the US back in the 1890s, one pair shot 125 redheads in the morning and 78 more in the afternoon. I was invited to go on this hunt but declined because of the “safety concerns”. One other detail, they don’t use dogs to retrieve your ducks - “Bird Boys” make every retrieve even if they need to wade deep water or swim —- during this trip hunters accidentally “shot” two Bird Boys, minor injuries as each took 1-2 pellets, guide suggested “tip them $20”….. It seemed like everything in the Mexico was done illegally and a few $$ covers all sins.. While the hunting was spectacular and what duck hunter wouldn’t like “One Day” where he could shoot 100-200 ducks? It just was Not for me and the safety concerns were a big part —- but Not the only part of my decision Not to go.
15 years later - I did go, was semi convinced safety was “better” even though the lodge that those hunters went to years earlier had Closed due to high crime and cartel activity. We had a decent hunt (Gulf side, 200 miles South of Texas border) but few birds were down that Winter and the large numbers of ducks were not there. Still, we took daily limits of 15 or so ducks each during morning hunts and dove hunted afternoons with 15 or so doves & pigeons taken on each. One morning quail hunt flushed 4 covies (without use of dogs), fun for a change-up. Also that week - two bird boys were “shot” while dove hunting - on two different days by other hunters. One kid took a pellet in the arm the other took 12-14 pellets into his forehead & body, none penetrated deeply and both were ok…No action was taken, No reports filed, and both bird boys were very matter-of-fact about it “happens all the time, no big deal etc..”. The bird boys seemed more concerned that they would Not be hired back if they complained - I assumed it was an important source of income for them. The next day we gave some bird boys Safety Glasses for them to keep, also had an argument with one of the Hunters that shot one of these boys because of his “so what” attitude and the $5. Tip he gave the kid (we gave same kid another $50 that day and was all the cash we had on us in the field.
Finally, after the hunt ended and On the drive back to the airport we were in two trucks: the Owner drove us in a Van followed by a Pick up truck with Guide driving 3 other hunters. As we got within 10 miles of Texas border and stopped at a red light - the pickup truck was Car Jacked,,,pinned in by two cars and having an AK47 pointed at driver window, ALL were ordered to “Get Out” and truck stolen - No one was hurt. Police there within minutes, truck later recovered because owner called “On Star” and they shut off engine. Still reminded me of “why” I never hunted Mexico before and WHY I will Not hunt there again. I will say the lodge & Owner were great, the accommodations and service great, food great, people very nice (except the hunter that shot bird boy). I enjoyed everything about the Country except the safety issues and obvious corruption. We hunted the largest marshland I’d ever seen and no other hunters or Lodges nearby - had it All to ourselves, a very UNDER Hunted area.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@BGGMKLR - regarding Duck Hunts in Mexico, it use to be “the place to go” if you wanted to shoot 100-200 ducks a Day…1990s to early 2000s….unbelievable number of ducks and No limits enforced, No laws, No rules —- everything was illegal but hunting laws never enforced. From the time you reached your lodge you realized there are “No Rules”.
Steel Shot is required by Law BUT you can’t even get “steel shot” at the lodge…#4 & #6 LEAD was all they had. Once you reached your blind and the sun came up the ducks poured in — wave after wave—-redheads & pintails, and WHY NOT as shallow water was BAITED with CORN. Hunters I knew returned with photos that looked like the days of Market Hunting in the US back in the 1890s, one pair shot 125 redheads in the morning and 78 more in the afternoon. I was invited to go on this hunt but declined because of the “safety concerns”. One other detail, they don’t use dogs to retrieve your ducks - “Bird Boys” make every retrieve even if they need to wade deep water or swim —- during this trip hunters accidentally “shot” two Bird Boys, minor injuries as each took 1-2 pellets, guide suggested “tip them $20”….. It seemed like everything in the Mexico was done illegally and a few $$ covers all sins.. While the hunting was spectacular and what duck hunter wouldn’t like “One Day” where he could shoot 100-200 ducks? It just was Not for me and the safety concerns were a big part —- but Not the only part of my decision Not to go.
15 years later - I did go, was semi convinced safety was “better” even though the lodge that those hunters went to years earlier had Closed due to high crime and cartel activity. We had a decent hunt (Gulf side, 200 miles South of Texas border) but few birds were down that Winter and the large numbers of ducks were not there. Still, we took daily limits of 15 or so ducks each during morning hunts and dove hunted afternoons with 15 or so doves & pigeons taken on each. One morning quail hunt flushed 4 covies (without use of dogs), fun for a change-up. Also that week - two bird boys were “shot” while dove hunting - on two different days by other hunters. One kid took a pellet in the arm the other took 12-14 pellets into his forehead & body, none penetrated deeply and both were ok…No action was taken, No reports filed, and both bird boys were very matter-of-fact about it “happens all the time, no big deal etc..”. The bird boys seemed more concerned that they would Not be hired back if they complained - I assumed it was an important source of income for them. The next day we gave some bird boys Safety Glasses for them to keep, also had an argument with one of the Hunters that shot one of these boys because of his “so what” attitude and the $5. Tip he gave the kid (we gave same kid another $50 that day and was all the cash we had on us in the field.
Finally, after the hunt ended and On the drive back to the airport we were in two trucks: the Owner drove us in a Van followed by a Pick up truck with Guide driving 3 other hunters. As we got within 10 miles of Texas border and stopped at a red light - the pickup truck was Car Jacked,,,pinned in by two cars and having an AK47 pointed at driver window, ALL were ordered to “Get Out” and truck stolen - No one was hurt. Police there within minutes, truck later recovered because owner called “On Star” and they shut off engine. Still reminded me of “why” I never hunted Mexico before and WHY I will Not hunt there again. I will say the lodge & Owner were great, the accommodations and service great, food great, people very nice (except the hunter that shot bird boy). I enjoyed everything about the Country except the safety issues and obvious corruption. We hunted the largest marshland I’d ever seen and no other hunters or Lodges nearby - had it All to ourselves, a very UNDER Hunted area.

I'm assuming the booze flowed freely. How could any sober person shoot a bird boy in the face accidentally when dove hunting? Maybe quail hunting (a la Dick "Trigger" Cheney). But dove hunting? That's pass shooting stuff. Was the bird boy flying overhead? That asshole MUST have been drunk. "Okay, you guys can have the truck ... if you take HIM with you."

 

[HankBuck]

I'm assuming the booze flowed freely. How could any sober person shoot a bird boy in the face accidentally when dove hunting? Maybe quail hunting (a la Dick "Trigger" Cheney). But dove hunting? That's pass shooting stuff. Was the bird boy flying overhead? That asshole MUST have been drunk. "Okay, you guys can have the truck ... if you take HIM with you."

@Ontario Hunter - there was NO Booze involved - the Hunter actually shot MY Bird boy when the young man ran out into a field to retrieve a Dove that I shot, as he was running back with the bird I saw he was holding his face and as he got closer blood trickled from his temple. I knew I hadn’t shot since he ran into the field and asked “what happened”? He pointed at another hunter 75 yrds South down the line, the older guy had no idea he shot the kid. As I was attending to the kid another hunter from North of me walked down to investigate and I told him what happened. He then walked down the line and told that Hunter that he had shot this kid. I thought “wow, that old guy’s gonna be really upset”….he never even walked up to see if the kid was ok and just kept “shooting” as we attended to the kid. I could feel the “pellet” just under the skin but was unable to “pop it out” - eventually in worked out. Then the kid lifted his Tee shirt and had another 8-10 pellet “marks” on his chest & belly — none penetrated. I guessed the range was 65-75 yrds from where the old guy stood when he shot the kid (20 ga 7 1/2s) likely shooting at a low crossing bird and failed to see the kid in the field. It was careless, the grass in the field was only ankle high but it was an accident. The old guy’s reaction was what set me off. And I said to him “you need to give that kid some money” and his response “I don’t have any” and I replied “You better find or borrow some fast”….he Dug in his pocket and handed the kid something (I later found out it was $5). By Luck or revenge - HE was one of the Hunters in the Highjacked truck 3 days later, he was also one of the hunters that gut stuck in deep mud duck hunting the next day and took two boats and 3 guides to rescue him (pull him out) he was in bad shape and close to passing out from exhaustion.. He was a real prick.

 

[Ridge Runner]

@Ontario Hunter - there was NO Booze involved - the Hunter actually shot MY Bird boy when the young man ran out into a field to retrieve a Dove that I shot, as he was running back with the bird I saw he was holding his face and as he got closer blood trickled from his temple. I knew I hadn’t shot since he ran into the field and asked “what happened”? He pointed at another hunter 75 yrds South down the line, the older guy had no idea he shot the kid. As I was attending to the kid another hunter from North of me walked down to investigate and I told him what happened. He then walked down the line and told that Hunter that he had shot this kid. I thought “wow, that old guy’s gonna be really upset”….he never even walked up to see if the kid was ok and just kept “shooting” as we attended to the kid. I could feel the “pellet” just under the skin but was unable to “pop it out” - eventually in worked out. Then the kid lifted his Tee shirt and had another 8-10 pellet “marks” on his chest & belly — none penetrated. I guessed the range was 65-75 yrds from where the old guy stood when he shot the kid (20 ga 7 1/2s) likely shooting at a low crossing bird and failed to see the kid in the field. It was careless, the grass in the field was only ankle high but it was an accident. The old guy’s reaction was what set me off. And I said to him “you need to give that kid some money” and his response “I don’t have any” and I replied “You better find or borrow some fast”….he Dug in his pocket and handed the kid something (I later found out it was $5). By Luck or revenge - HE was one of the Hunters in the Highjacked truck 3 days later, he was also one of the hunters that gut stuck in deep mud duck hunting the next day and took two boats and 3 guides to rescue him (pull him out) he was in bad shape and close to passing out from exhaustion.. He was a real prick.

Sometimes you gotta love (bad) Karma.

 

[RR 314]

Man, I used to go to Mexico all the time with little angst. Now I have guys that do some work for me around the house and ranch that won’t go back for funerals! Obviously there are different levels of risk in different regions, but I haven’t been back in a decade plus.

20+ years ago I had a friend who loved bass fishing . . . and happened to own a Gulfstream V. He would decide to go fishing on a whim. No planning, no worries, nothing except great bass fishing and rough re-entry at work on Monday. Oooooof. We didn’t worry about pinche Zetas, crooked Federales etc. This was before kids and real responsibility, but seriously never worried about anything. Well, except that one time we realized while grabbing our luggage that there was a HK-91 on board in a very obvious full size case. That did cause a pucker!

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Yep, things have changed for the worse. Even this side of the border between Freer and Laredo with all the LEO activity, will make you pay attention to what is around you, and they are not looking for folks speeding. On the lease we all lock our trucks and don’t leave the keys in the ranch ride at night anymore. I used to enjoy the walk to the blind in the early am dark but I do have thoughts of who I watching me sometimes. Had to put locks on some of the blinds to keep others out.

 

[deewayne2003]

Well apparently now we have reports of IEDs’ being planted by the Cartels at different ambush points.

Apparently these are not your average pressure plate bombs; rather they are linked to drones- so the cartels can have a recon drone observing and the transmitter is mounted on the drone.

Once the drone operator confirms the target/vehicle is within range they can detonated the bomb.