Oregon Antelope hunt

[CJ1962]

We all eat some lunch and take a nap.  My dad wants to shoot his gun again.  This time we set up paper at a 100 yds.  His first two shots the windage is good, but he is about 6 inches high.  He is shooting a Howa rifle chambered in 25-06, with a Leupold scope and wants to be 4” high at 100.  So he brings it down a couple of inches and confirms it is where he wants.  I then make him take a shot of his sticks for practice.  We went to Africa last year and I watched him shot 3 animals with 3 shots off of sticks so I know he can still shoot.  My plan had always been to go home on Wednesday.  There is some crap going on at work that I needed to be back for.  My dad starts talking about it doesn’t look like he is going to get an antelope this time and he is thinking of going home tomorrow too.  As we drive out to have him sit at another water hole my brother and I are trying to give him some tough love about giving up.  My nephew sits with him again this evening and Steve and I drive to another spot to glass.  We spot a few antelope, but no bucks.  At about 7pm I txt my boss that I would like to stay another day.  At about 7:15 my brother spots a good buck.  He lines my up and I look at him with my 36 power spotting scope and confirm he is a shooter.  The buck is about a mile away and he is all alone with no roads that we can see.  But I think I remember seeing a road that had gone off in that direction.  I want to go for him, but Steve doesn’t think we can get dad there before the end of shooting tome around 8:20pm.  I radio my nephew and fill him in and see if my dad wants to go for it.  He reluctantly agrees.  I’m jacked and jump in the rig and drive to pick them up.  My brother stays where he is to keep eyes on him.  We drive over to where I think the road is that will get us closer and radio my brother.  The buck has moved behind a hill and he can no longer see him.  I’m like ok, we will drive down this road, and radio when you can see me.  After a short while he radios me and gives me a land mark for where he last saw the buck.  We slowly drive down the road scanning for the buck.  I want to see him, but at the same time I don’t.  In Oregon you have to be 50 yds from a vehicle to shot at an Antelope.  So I’m worried if I see him, he will spook before we can meet that requirement.  We keep easing down the road and my brother radios that he can no longer see us.  Looking across the desert I can’t see the antelope anywhere, so he has either run off somewhere or is hiding in a small fold in the land.  I tell my dad I think the buck is still out there and we should go for a walk.  The hill that blocked my brothers few is about a ½ mile away.  I convince him that we should walk at least to there.  He agrees, but I can tell he doesn’t think anything will come from it.  I mentioned in an earlier post that he seems to drift to the right when we walk across the desert.  He is doing it again so I make my nephew get on his right side to keep him close.  We work across the desert and stop and glass every 10yds or so.  We are getting close to the hill and still no buck.  I know he has to be out here somewhere, he had no reason to leave.  I know my dad doesn't believe we are just going to walk out here in the middle of the desert and shot buck.  He figures it will see us first and bolt.  All this is probably true.  But I tell him we have to try.  About 200 yds before we run out of ground and figure the buck has given us the slip.  I spot him!  I motion for my dad and nephew to get over to me and take my eyes of him while I do this.  When they get to me and we get the sticks set up I can't find him.  I'm in full on panic, but fortunately my nephew spots him.  The buck is standing there broad side at 150 yds staring at us.  We get my dad on the sticks but he can't see him, we finally get him to see him, but he can only see his head.  We move him 3 feet to the right and he can see his back.  We move him 3 feet forward and now he can see enough of his body for a shot.   The Antelope is just standing there staring at us.  My dad can't settle down enough to get steady, I'm stressing out because This buck can't stand there forever.  I get myself calmed down and put my hand on my dad's shoulder and start talking/calming him down.  He eventually says he is taking the shot.  Bam! Thwack! and the antelope disappears.  I yell you got him I heard it hit and he just disappeared.  I want to run across the desert to him, but make sure he cycles his bolt and put the gun back on safe and we slowly walk his direction.  We are probably 40yds away when I finally spot him.  His head is down and I can only see 1 horn.  We keep moving forward and finally my dad spots him and walks up and pokes him in the eye.  My nephew let's out a whoop that my brother hears a mile away.  I lift him out of the sage and give my dad a big hug and slap on the back.  I think he is in shock.  That's when we realize that none of us have brought our packs or a knife.  My dad has his tag in his wallet, but that's it.  I send my nephew to the jeep, while I take pictures while we still have light.  My brother and nephew get to us about the same and we field dress him and carry him to the jeep.  Back at camp we skin, cape, and bone him out.  I don't remember ever eating dinner, but I know I had several beers and my dad probably had more.  We stayed up past midnight retelling the hunt form all 4 of our perspectives.  It was a total team effort.  My brother spotted him initially and helped guide me into the spot.  I spotted him and got my dad in position, my nephew found him after I lost him, and my dad made the shot!  It will be a hunt I never hope I forget.

[Jpmiller]

 great memorable story. Congrats to your dad and the rest of you as well.

[Gringo31]

What a memory!


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[BGLEMIN]

Great story! Ah the highs and lows of chasing prongys. Congrats!!

[bowhunterforever]

Nice goat and great story

[Widgeondeke]

Great story.  I was excited for you, while reading. 
The winch part bites.

Congrats to all. 

[CJ1962]

Thanks all, stay tuned next month, my dad also drew a sheep tag in Oregon.  Season starts 9/6.  I plan to head down on Sunday the 4th.

[Jpmiller]

I hope your dad bought a lottery ticket too! Good luck on the sheep hunt, cant wait to hear about it.

[TheHunt]

Great story.  Thanks for sharing and congratulations.

[redi]

Great hunt and story.

[csaaphill]

  cool story and pics nice way to get er done.  I've always wanted to hunt Pronghorns. Oregon seems to have a good herd of them. 

[gunnarnewt]

congrats on a great hunt!