Post by: hunting4sanity on October 17, 2012, 10:06:26 PM
After a few more long stalks, some of which we blew and others that ended in smaller or broken horned antelope, we spotted two prospective bucks. With not much daylight left I doubted we could get close enough, then both bucks fed down into a small draw and we just went straight at them. Luckily they stayed in that small draw and we were able to get right on top of them. I stayed back a little not wanting to blow their stalk, the boys got to about 230 yards. Derrick picked the one he liked the most and had his first ever antelope.
My brother, Rob, bought a leftover tag for a unit about three hours from where my sons hunted. The boys headed home and we met Rob on the freeway. The unit he was hunting still had leftover tags so I bought my very first antelope tag. Our first day and first time ever having seen this unit we headed down a road into some public ground we found on the map and found a group of antelope headed right at us, after a short stalk and a 160 yard shot Rob got his first antelope.
I mistakenly thought 'this is going to be easy.' After lots of glassing, lots of hiking and checking other public pockets we hadn't even seen another antelope buck on public ground. Time was running out, but we decided to try one last area. Light was fading fast when we spotted 3 does and a good buck, unfortunately we had also been spotted and they were moving out fast. After a painful climb over a couple of knobs and ridges we spotted the does and then the buck - just under 400 yards and broadside. Could this be like the TV shows, last light of the last day and things come together? I settled the crosshairs and started to pull the trigger and the buck spun straight away from me, paused just a second and then disappeared over the ridge. I hurried over that ridge as fast as I could (some would say at glacial speed) but never saw the buck again. On the walk out in the dark I went over that scenario a thousand times; why wasn't I faster on the trigger? why didn't I get in better shape? should I have tried the ol' Texas heart shot? As we drove away in the dark I was frustrated beyond words, but at the same time what a great hunt it had been being with my sons and brother when they got their first antelope.
I'll throw on a couple of pictures of the scenery we enjoyed on our hunt. Per my GPS this Grandpa logged just under 24 miles out there, not much for some guys, but for me that's a fair bit o walkin'.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 17, 2012, 11:22:07 PM
Post by: denali on October 17, 2012, 11:27:29 PM
Post by: steeleywhopper on October 18, 2012, 01:34:45 AM
Post by: DaveBTS on October 18, 2012, 10:08:16 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 18, 2012, 10:39:50 AM
Post by: JohnVH on October 18, 2012, 10:58:05 AM
Post by: hunting4sanity on October 18, 2012, 06:30:31 PM
nice animals! We have not gotten drawn in the last two years, cant wait to go back for more tasty lopers!
I heard so many contradicting opinions on how they taste, but so far the roast and steaks we've had have been excellent tasting.
Post by: Bob33 on October 18, 2012, 06:59:07 PM
As for pronghorn meat: I have eaten meat from 62 different animals and have yet to have a bad experience. I have no idea what people do to make them taste bad.
Post by: JohnVH on October 18, 2012, 07:16:08 PM
Post by: runningboard on October 18, 2012, 07:31:30 PM
congrats to the OP and his family, looks like you had a great time. I'm still in Wyoming on a leftover deer tag, weather has been uncooperative in our area but we still at it.
Post by: carpsniperg2 on October 18, 2012, 07:48:40 PM
Post by: cohoho on October 18, 2012, 08:31:01 PM
Post by: Idahocougar on October 18, 2012, 09:23:55 PM