nike defense on the border

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tomaz45

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S.E. Arizona
During this season's deer hunt, I had to use the "Nike Defense" (feet, don't fail me now) when, along with my daughter-in-law, we encountered a band of "undocumented aliens" in a canyon some 50 plus mile from the border. I knew what we had for fire-power but I didn't know what they had or how many they had. In conversations over the past 2 weeks I found two other friends that had had similar situations. I had not told them of my experience, but was simply talking about this season's hunts. All three encounters were duly reported, but the jest of it was that collectively we had seen more dope than deer. Three seprate hunts, three seperate areas covering 60 plus miles, over a period of 2 months. Homeland Defense says the border has never been more secure. I can say that after more than 50 years on the border, while we have never had as much enforcement, I have never felt more insecure. My question to my fellow hunters, who have hunted the border regions, is "is this just happening in my little corner" or is it as wide spread as I believe it may be.
 
or is it as wide spread as I believe it may be.
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I live in eastern Kansas, not far from the exact center of the United States.

Last night I ask the bus boy we had seen for years at the restaurant we were in, how long he had been here?
(Meaning how long had he worked at the restaurant?)

He glanced at my SIG-SAUER cap, turned an interesting shade of grey/green, growled something in Spanish at me that sounded dirty, and disappeared out the back door!

I guess I made a cultural Faux Pas? :eek:

Seems to me he has "been here" long enough (10 years maybe?) to learn basic English, but I guess not?

As an aside, east Topeka KS, less then 20 blocks from the state capitol, looks like downtown Tijuana, without an English language business sign in sight.
It changed from a getho to Little Tijuana in just the last few years.

rc
 
For what it's worth, it's not just Mexicans coming into this country illegally. Jamaicans, Cubans, and Haitians are commonly found in my area (there are frequently arrests, but very very few deportations.)
 
Some friends of mine hunt a couple times a year in Del Rio, TX. It went from just watch out and if you see illegals avoid them. Then it went to bring a pistol along with your bow. Last year it was if you have a assult rifle and pistol bring it along.

my friends showed me pictures of them bow hunting with ar-15's strapped to the side of their packs and a pistol on their hip. I have been invited along but no thanks.
 
In AZ I would never hunt south of PHX, Unless U are ready for a WAR! Life is different near the border, some people have hunted west of us and had no sightings or problems and others have seen too much.
 
I stay armed at all times, especially since fed.gov ceded them that corridor right up through my county. I wouldn't ever go out into the desert without friends with rifles. It's an incredible shame that law abiding residents have to flee from armed invaders and fed.gov not only refuses to admit the issue, but actively works against border states trying to stem the tide.
 
I've heard a first hand account of someone that went along with the tx border guard << not sure if thats the correct name. They watch things and call them in. He had nite goggles on and saw countless illegals and at one point people with packs and someone looking back at him with goggles.

This is one man, three nights, in three spots. The border is completely sealed........ with velcro.
 
For what it's worth, it's not just Mexicans coming into this country illegally. Jamaicans, Cubans, and Haitians are commonly found in my area (there are frequently arrests, but very very few deportations.)
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This is very true. We have a lot of Mexican immigrants here in N. Georgia as well. I have know many. FWIW, the Mexicans living here are for the most part legal, hard working, honest folks wanting a better life for themselves and are willing to help make this a better country. It is the illegals from farther south in Central America that migrate up through Mexico into this country that are causing most of the problems here. My law enforcement friends tell me they rarely have problems with the Mexicans, but the gangs from Columbia, Honduras, etc. are another story.
 
My Brother's Father-in-Law has a 6,000 acre ranch near Del Rio, Texas (heavily managed for whitetail) and they have had to padlock all the Deer Stands to keep illegals from sleeping in them.

Usually, they would be up and be gone before daylight...but the guides and clients were running into the "late sleepers"...so padlocks were installed. There have been no violent confrontations.

This has become a common problem for ranchers/landowners near the border.

Please don't try to tell any of THEM how "sealed" the border is...or "how much better it is".
 
You can judge the true worth of any country by how many people are trying to get in vs. how many people are trying to get out.
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While I have no idea why we seem so disinterested and/or incapable of enforcing immigration law. I guess we can all take some (small) satisfaction in the fact that we're citizens of the country that people still will risk any/everything to get to.
 
I hike and hunt in S.E. Arizona year-round, usually within sight and sometimes spitting distance of the border.

I've not encountered drug mules, per se, but I have seen lots of Spanish-labeled trash, and non-English speaking hikers who seemed a bit lost, and lost, injured non-English speaking hikers who needed help.

I usually arrange for the lost to be found. As I am always armed when out and about in this country, and usually have at least one dog with me, I have yet to have any serious personal trouble with them. So far, they have been very polite and respectful.

A rancher was killed last year by unknown persons after he called in reports of drug mules present on his land. I tend to be very careful where I go by myself as a result. I usually can't find people to hike or hunt with me, so ... I take Mr. Smith, Mr. Wesson, and my canine friend.

Maybe people with hunt with me if I showered more? IDK. Probably a topic for another thread. :D
 
About 25 years ago my dad and I used to camp out and fish on the Rio Grande on a private ranch about 60 miles west of Del Rio. We saw some folks trying to cross just down river of our camp. My dad was LEO at the time and we were with a Game Warden friend of ours. My dad and his friend put their .45's in their waistband, turned off the camp fires, grabbed their fishing poles and headed down to the river. The "immigrants" got the idea and turned around.

Last year we were talking about going back down there one more time before dad gets too old to do it ( he's 77). Thankfully we came to our senses. It's gonna turn into a war zone down there.

My dad always said that Mexico would take back Texas without firing a shot. Unfortunately there's some shots being fired.
 
Many have no interest in LIVING here at all - simply a necessity of accomplishing their goals. A decade of frugal living, making some modest bank here in the USA will set them for the rest of their lives back in Mexico.
 
Maple - I have no problem with that, so long as their travel and existence doesn't endanger me and mine who ARE living here.

The last guy I helped out wasn't a hazard to me. He popped out on a trail I was hiking up, no shoes, no food, just a sweatshirt, pants, socks, and a Gatorade bottle he'd been refilling from the stream.

His ankle was broken, and the group he was with took his shoes and all his money, and left him high and dry in the mountains. He'd have died if they'd done that where there wasn't any water. As it was, I'm sure he got giardia from that stupid creek. People are found dead every year out here, from exposure, dehydration, being shot in the head by the coyotes, etc, etc. It's a dangerous crossing.

That guy got half my hiking food, and got carried off the mountain on a litter by the BP and county sheriff deputies.
 
Why the hostility ART? The issue with the regions from where the illegals come from is not so much the issue for Americans as it is for the illegals. The different cartels will control labor forces in different regions of the country. Remember if you hire a guy from out in front of home depot that a cartel guy gets 2-4 bucks and hour off what he earns. I do not feel good that illegals risk everything to come here. Growing up in a heavily populated illegal area in Ca a fella gets to know that the ones from Mexico and their poorly raised childrenare just as dangerous as the rest. The biggest threat in socal is the drunk drivers they take out Americans everyday down there. I have some squirell hunting buddies that have run into Illegals east of san diego and got real nervous and left. They said that one of the 10 or so guys did not take a friendly or passive stance toward them.
 
Its not hostility, It is a desire to stay on topic. This thread is about encountering immigrants while hunting, not about the politics of illigal immigration.
 
I don't have any firsthand experience to add to this thread, but those of you who do hunt or hike in areas close to the border may want to add the US Border Patrol number for suspicious activity to your phones. 1-800-BE-AWARE (1-800-232-9273). Call it if you run into any suspected "hoppers."

Carrying quality GPS ought to be done any time you hunt or hike in the wilderness, but having one will also allow you to give accurate information for BORSTAR, should they need to be involved.

BORSTAR is the US Border Patrol Search, Trauma, & Rescue team. Basically very specialized search and rescue - their training is known to be simply outstanding. They actively recruit retired and honorably separated Air Force Pararescue, and other military special ops guys. Very interesting career for anyone interested in this side of LE, especially if you have the background. A PDF with more information can be found here.
 
Not hunting but similar topic. I was playing golf on vacation in McAllen Texas at a course that actually is right on the USA Mexico border. I was paired with a retired gentleman who I notice had a shot gun in his golf bag. I questioned him on it not knowing was I paired with a nut job. He explained that a couple of fine Mexican nationals came across the border and robbed him at gun point right on the golf course. He said that won't happen again and has carried the shot gun every time he plays this particular course. Interesting character.
 
2005 Vette said:
Not hunting but similar topic. I was playing golf on vacation in McAllen Texas at a course that actually is right on the USA Mexico border. I was paired with a retired gentleman who I notice had a shot gun in his golf bag. I questioned him on it not knowing was I paired with a nut job. He explained that a couple of fine Mexican nationals came across the border and robbed him at gun point right on the golf course. He said that won't happen again and has carried the shot gun every time he plays this particular course. Interesting character.
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His response sounds fairly mentally sound to me...?
 
My buddy's son is a game warden { proper name? } in AZ, is out every day doing wolf studies, sometimes on a mule, most times afoot. The warden has many times seen "mules" in his area of work, 10 - 20 at a time, found their stashes hidden in the brush when they've spotted him. The warden had carried just a sidearm previously, now carries a .308 rifle as well, when he leaves the pickup. The instances has increased 10 fold over the past 2 years, be safe!
 
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