My FIL, my wife's cousin and I got drawn for a Unit 52A-1 hunt in Southern Idaho this year. I live in Spokane, FIL lives in Potlatch, ID but the wife's cousin lives in the unit down in Dietrich. He had done a fair amount of scouting to the South of Dietrich and told us he would be surprised if we didn't see any animals in the first half hour of our first hunting morning. We woke up Monday morning Oct 3rd and the wind was howling. We made the ride in then snuck into a position he had been using. Sure enough there were 3 bucks out in a hay field. The wind was blowing hard enough we had to keep a hand on his spotting scope or it would blow over, made it difficult to get a good view of how big they were. They were grazing away from us and doing what we came to refer as some "crazy antelope s**t" Out of the blue 2 of them would start fighting and the 3rd would join in as well. Then just go back to grazing. I decided to try to put a stalk on them and headed back to the 4 wheeler to get ready. A good pair of gloves and kneepads are pretty much essential items for trying to sneak up on these critters!
I was about to head back when FIL came and told me they had just gone across a little ridge that they had been near. I made my way around the lookout position to get in the bottom of a draw when I realized there was now a single animal heading back our way. I could see it was a buck but again wasn't sure how big but decided to go for it and I could not shoot if I wasn't happy when I got closer. When the antelope dropped out of sight I was able to move quickly to the corner of the field he was in. If I can't see them they can't see me. I was only 60 yds away but was at a bad angle. I was just able to see his head as he was walking but no body. He had turned and was making his way away from my position. After he crossed a small ridge I hustled that way and was sneaking and peaking hoping I would catch up with him and that he hadn't spooked. I was about ready to turn back thinking he was gone but 2 more steps and there he was bedded down in a little pocket just over the ridge starting to get up. I fired off hand and hit further back than I wanted. He was still walking but I had hit his back leg. I have seen some deer move pretty fast dragging a rear leg and didn't want to lose him. By now I was all amped up and my next 2 shots missed. He stopped walking but was facing directly away from me, giving me a shot I didn't want to try. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity and I stood with the scope on him just trying to hold still. Eventually he laid down and with the angle and as hard as the wind was blowing the plants around him I couldn't tell if his head was moving or if it was the plants.
My hunting partners had been watching all of this go down and were confused when I didn't shoot at 60 yards. They didn't know I only had a head shot. After watching and seeing what was happening cousin Joe came running up and said let's go get him. We snuck out there and he was still alive but there was no way he could have got up again. I had actually hit both back legs and I'm surprised he was able to walk at all. I shot him again to finish the job and just like that my hunt was done about 2 1/2 hrs into the 1st day. He is not the biggest animal we saw but for a 1st antelope I am very happy and think he has some cool horns.
