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RANCHES, ANTLERS,
OUTFITTERS AND GUIDES
I
really don't think I am giving away any secrets when I say anyone in the
Outfitting business needs to always be on the hunt for new hunting property.
In the "off-season" that's what RSO is doing, a constant search looking
to improve on ranch quality, not to mention deer quality. It is obvious
that every ranch is different in many aspects, one thing of utmost importance
is genetics. Deer densities are not that important, when compared to exceptional
genetics, and most ranches either have it or not. There are many past examples
of the opportunity these new ranches have offered our hunters. If we feel
a ranch offers the basic needs in addition to having Boone and Crockett
buck potential, well that's what it takes and is what we look for in a
ranch. In some cases we lease previously un-hunted ranches, however
that's not always the case, and just because a ranch has been hunted, doesn't
mean there isn't a chance of taking a whooper off it. It usually doesn't
come easy, as many hours scouting is required on any ranch, but the rewards
can be impressive and satisfying!
Many hunters, like myself,
like to see examples of the country they are considering hunting and appreciate
photos of a ranch and especially examples of the antler quality from them.
There are ranches however, that have never really shown me a whole lot
in exceptional buck quality, and in some cases we have taken deer of much
better quality than represented from the sheds or lion kills from a ranch.
On our new un-hunted ranches, these are our best and often only indicators
of what to expect in antler quality prior to our fall scouting.
Below are photos from ranches
we have hunted as well as new ranches we have added for the upcoming season.
Many of the antlers are well over 100" and some over 110" representing
the quality we are looking for in a ranch and the type of bucks RSO want
our hunters to take during a hunt.
Ranch cowboys are extremely
resourceful as many have a lifetime of knowledge of a ranch and the deer
on it. Our cowboys are given binoculars and are quickly instructed to look
for, find, and watch bucks of interest as they develop antlers and patterns
as the hunting season approaches. Our scouting season begins in early
fall and we concentrate on finding bucks the cowboys have told us about
and areas of high deer activity.
| These photos are from newly
leased property totaling 63,000 acres of high density whitetail country.
These properties will offer a great hunting opportunity for our clients
beginning in 2009. RSO has scouted both properties and between the two,
we have not only seen very impressive deer numbers, but great genetics
and high scoring deer. We feel both of these ranches are the best we have
been on regarding densities and quality and we cannot wait for the fall
scouting season to begin! |

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Bucks still on and taken
from current Ranches
Some ranches have acquired
a bad reputation due to many years of past hunting pressure and in some
cases, extreme over-hunting/harvest. This of course can ruin a ranch almost
overnight as bad new travels quick in this business. One of the most
important aspects of the business is maintaining a conservative approach
to harvest for any species. If you are shooting young deer on a regular
basis, your overall harvest will consist of very few older age-class bucks.
The main reason hunters travel across the border each year is to hunt a
ranch with the opportunity of taking a high scoring, older age-classed
buck without having to compete with other hunters setting on every glassing
point.
We age every deer taken and
if the buck is less than 5 years old, I feel we have robbed the cradle!
Most bucks we take are 6-8 years old, and that is what it takes to grow
big deer on a ranch with good genetics. I have a couple of sayings, "you
need old deer to have big deer" and "you can't shoot a big deer, if you
shoot a small one'! These rules go hand in hand and are honored by
true trophy hunters. Our goal is to maintain this type of harvest long-term
to manage a ranch for the annual production of trophy quality bucks.
There are exceptions to every rule, the buck on the left was 5 years old
when we took him, a shock to us all. Can you imagine his potential when
he hit the 6-8 age-class! As is, he grossed 151"+ and was taken from a
ranch that had significant hunting pressure for years and years. The bucks
to the right are still alive and are represent the types of bucks we will
want to take is found as their age may be approaching their limits. Picture,
bottom right, is a 125" 4x4 lion kill from a ranch we hunt with low deer
numbers. At this time, we haven't taken a buck off the ranch of this quality,
but we saw a 3x3 with double drop-tines a year ago that would score near
130". Once again, deer densities are important to most hunters, but
that is not always the case as some low density ranches have some sleeper
bucks on them, they pose a bigger challenge to hunt and you go home without
more often than you go home holding a set of trophy antlers!
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Rio Sonora Outfitters
and Guides
Hi, I am Brad Fulk, the owner
of Rio Sonora Outfitters, LLC, which I established in 1999, after returning
from my first hunt in Sonora in 1998. The hunt was a do-it-yourself hunt
with assistance from the ranch cowboy. It was a great experience, one which
I learned many things about Mexico, and how a typical "Ranch Hunt" was
conducted. Well, I came away from that hunt inspired to begin Outfitting
hunts for Coues Whitetail, a species I really can't get a fill of.
After that hunt, I realized what hunters going to Mexico were looking for
in a hunt; from crossing the International Border safely, to good meals,
guides and an organized trophy deer hunt.
My background is in Wildlife
Biology, a career I have worked in for over 20 years of my life. After
moving to Arizona in 1992, I soon began hunting Coues in southeastern Arizona
and I quickly realized this was the most challenging, impressive species
of deer I had ever taken afield in pursuit of! I also soon became
aware of the fact that hunting Coues Whitetail also meshed well with my
favorite pastime, Rifles, Rifles, Rifles!! Reloading was always something
I enjoyed and was serious about. Making rifles shoot well, was something
that intrigued me and still does today. That along with hunting whitetail,
took me to another level, load development and long-range performance from
the .270 Winchester to numerous Custom Wildcats I own, one sport craves
the other! Above is the first rifle I built with the help of Bernie
Morrison, of Morrison Precision in Hereford, AZ. My apprenticeship
with Bernie is in progress as time permits, and the rifle turned out just
like I had planned and many trophy animals have been taken with it including
my friend and guide, Jason Greer’s 168" Desert Bighorn Sheep, and
client Trevor Gilluim neck-shot a 111" Coues buck bedded at 510 yards just
to mention a couple.
I am able to go on most hunts
each year, however, for the hunts I can't make, be assured you are in good
hands with any of my guides! This keeps me very busy and it is a lot of
work, but I enjoy climbing to a glassing point and setting up my Swarovski
15's with the anticipation of seeing my first buck of the day. I also enjoy
meeting new clients and seeing old friends return each year to do what
we enjoy most. I find it easy to work hard for good people, especially
when they enjoy hunting whitetail as much as I do.
Without my guides, it wouldn't
be possible to do what I enjoy so much. I don't know where to begin when
it comes to telling you how critical they are to the business! We have
had some great adventures and have seen and taken some great bucks over
the years, I guess that's what keeps us going.
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Jimmy
Vincent- Pictured on the right with a client in Chihuahua, Mexico
during a Gould's Hunt.
I
can't tell you how much Jimmy has done for RSO, he began in 2001, and has
been my right-hand man ever since. Together we have worked together and
made the business what it is today. Jimmy grew up in Douglas, Arizona and
spent much of his life on their family ranch in Northern Sonora, Mexico
and working as a cowboy on other ranches on both sides of the border. Jimmy
is a true liaison for me in Mexico, as he know most people we work with
or meet. His great personality is an asset to RSO and is appreciated by
both hunting clients, rancher, and cowboys.
Jimmy
has developed great glassing and hunting skills and his bi-lingual skills
is more than helpful when coordinating a hunt along with ranch cowboys
or with our cooks in the kitchen.
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Jason
Greer- Pictured with his 2007 Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep taken
in U39W. This hunt was self guided and the sheep grossed 168".
I
have know Jason from the time he was in Elementary School and just getting
started hunting.
Over
the years Jason and I have become close friends, enjoying much of the same
thing, HUNTING. Jason is a hard working, serious hunter that will do anything
for clients in order to get the job done. He is a likeable guide that gets
along with anyone, and enjoys the sport of trophy hunting as much as anyone
in camp. His hunting skills are sharp as his abilities behind his binoculars.
Jason is a great judge of trophy quality and has guided hunts for RSO for
over 5 years now.
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Martin
Guerena- Pictured with a 110"+ 3x3 Coues taken in Arizona, during
a November hunt.
Martin
has many outstanding qualities and anyone that has met him will agree.
Martin, like myself is a Wildlife Biologists and is dedicated to the field
and enjoys the sport of hunting whitetail like no other, and it shows.
Martin
is a Arizona Native and lives in Tucson, AZ. Martin has a quiet, very polite
demeanor and has the patients in the field like no one I have seen. His
hunting abilities are complemented by his young age, sharp eyes and scoring
abilities. For his age, Martin is one of the most accomplished do-it-yourself
hunters I know and I am lucky to have him as a guide in Mexico. When he
gets behind his Swarovski's,he will find deer! All our clients appreciate
having Martin on the hunt. |
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Eric
Huddleston- Pictured with a Desert Mule Deer from one of our hunts.
Eric
is a native from Douglas, AZ and grew up hunting the southeaster corner
of the state for primarily whitetail. Eric is also an accomplished hunter
and with a polite, quiet demeanor. Clients appreciate Eric's glassing abilities
and hard work ethics while in the field, he pushes forward and hunts hard
even when things are slow. It's Eric's good nature and endless efforts
that hunters appreciate the most.
Eric
has guided hunts for RSO for 3 seasons and I am honored to have guides
like him on our team. |
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Victor
Almada- Pictured with a trophy Antelope he took in Southeastern Arizona.
Victor
was born and raised in Douglas, AZ and has hunting his entire life. He
began guiding for RSO in 2007, and quickly hit the ground running. At first
light on day one of Victor's debut, he glassed a 120" buck that our client
took later that evening.
Victor
has many beneficial qualities including a skilled mechanic, bi-lingual,
and an overall pleasant person to be around. Victor is always offering
a helping hand no matter how dirty the task. His loyalty, and hunting skills
is appreciated and any client would say the same. You are in good hands
with Victor, he is irreplaceable! |
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Mike
Murray- Pictured (L) with a Gould's Turkey taken by a client in Chihuahua,
Mexico.
One
word describes Mike, "Dedicated", and that means all aspects of the hunt.
Mike is a partner of RSO and has been Outfitting Gould's Turkey hunts for
4 years. He is a turkey hunting specialist and has had tremendous success
on our hunts.
Mike
lives in Hot Springs, AR and is retired. He dedicated 23 years to Wildlife
Enforcement in Louisiana before moving to Arkansas, where he spends his
spare time hunting and fishing with his family.
I
am lucky to have a partner like Mike, he takes a professional approach
to the business of hunting, Our clients immediately notice Mike's professionalism
and appreciate his skills and efforts in the field.
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Carlos
Mesa became a new member of Team RSO in 2010.
Like
the rest of us, Carlos developed a passion for Coues Deer hunting at the
early age of 8, and with many seasons under his belt, has become huge asset
to our operation.
With
young eyes, patience, and a great personality; Carlos not only can serve
you very well in the field, but speaks Spanish fluently allowing him the
ability communicate with the ranch guides very well. His hunting
and personal abilities result in great customer service and satisfaction!
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Javier
(Pachie) Moreno is yet another guide that has been a real asset to the
hunting business.
Pachie’s
great hunting skills are not his only asset, but his ability to foster
great relationships with our Mexico partners is critical.
He
is a well rounded, bi-lingual guide that works as hard for you during a
hunt as you will find!
Pachie
can get any job done when asked to do so, and our clients really do appreciate
his effort and talents in the field. |
HOME
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HUNTS
SONORAN
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OCELATED
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HUNTING PHOTO GALLERY
KEVIN'S
NON-TYPICAL COUES GALLERY
MISC.
HUNTING GALLERY
RANCHES,
ANTLERS & GUIDES
CONTACT
RIO SONORA OUTFITTERS
LINKS
REFERENCES
TESTIMONIALS
Brad Fulk
Rio Sonora Outfitters, LLC
Hunting in Sonora, Chihuahua
Mexico
Cell (520) 559-0642
Home (520) 803-9210
eMail
bradfulk@msn.com
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