We are unashamedly most at home on the water. Our list of favorite places is boat-heavy, but there is one place that draws us away from the water every now and again: South Texas. A few weeks ago, we packed the truck, put on the best of George Strait and saddled up for the long drive to the Lone Star State. There are a lot of things to love about a trip like this one; here are a few of our favorite things about South Texas.
We are still partial to our old Bronco, but a Land Cruiser ranch buggy is a kind of cool that would be hard to find anywhere but South Texas. Slowly cruising around 10,000 acres in a vehicle like this, sipping Mexican tequila and telling old stories with new friends is an experience any man could enjoy.
Quail hunting the South Texas scrub is a pursuit in which every sportsman should partake at least once in his lifetime. Watching a pair of well-trained pointing dogs work this landscape — their noses working overtime at full trot until the scent of a covey is found and they come to a steady and abrupt halt, tail toward the sky — is something like art in motion. The sound of the flush is as exhilarating as the screaming drag of any fly reel we’ve ever held.
The food and drink in South Texas are always a favorite. Cocktail hour is almost always around a fire pit, and there is something to be said about recapping the day amid friends and smoke … and we’ve already mentioned the Mexican tequila. Perhaps it is the tequila’s fault that Topo Chico also deserves mention. It’s just mineral water in a glass bottle, but there is something uniquely refreshing about this agua fría.
South Texas is a place that is quite distinct from our usual travels. Our minds are beginning to drift toward spring fishing in the Keys, but we hope to return again soon to the senderos of South Texas!
