I finally got my photos downloaded, so thought I would give a report on my first antelope hunt. I have made about a dozen trips west for deer or elk over the past few years, and was building points for antelope for when I was too damn old to hike up in the mountains anymore. Anyway, this year I realized that I had enough points to get a tag most anywhere in Wyoming, so why not use it and then start over. I drew an H deer tag, and hiked in to the Wyoming range on Sept. 14th, but that is a different story. I did a quick turn around in Minnesota and changed partners and returned to the Cowboy State for a try at pronghorn. I had a buck tag and two doe tags to fill, and we were both retired, so our trip was only limited by the length of the season.
We met up with forum member Mike, who had given me great info on the area, and he spent three days with me showing me the country. I had a new Polaris Ranger, and we used it to access the outback two-tracks. We did see a lot of antelope, and could have easily filled my doe tags, but Mike suggested that I get the buck first, and he was the expert in this crew. We did a couple stalks on some decent bucks, but did not see anything too inspiring. I counted coup on some mid-sized bucks, but luckily I had someone along to judge them for me or it would have been a short season. We were on our way back to camp, and were only a mile or so away when Mike yelled, "There's a good buck."
It was a buck that he had seen several days before when it was herding his harem up some rugged cliffs, but it was now just laying down watching the world go by. I quickly worked my way into a steep bank, and sat down when the buck stood up and started to move off. I was trying to get the range when I heard Mike Yell, "Shoot that SOB" Well, I guess that was the official permission call, so the hell with the range, and I shot just before it crested the hill. DRT
(In case you don't know, that's an FBI term for Dead Right There). We spent the next two days looking for does, and in the process saw three other bucks that may have been better, but all were 800+ yards away and moving further. We couldn't buy a doe on day two, but they came easy on day three. MY partner Curt didn't have any antelope tags and was on a daily walkabout for coyotes and prarie dogs. Our only regret was that we didn't have small game tags and our .22s because we were over-run with cottontails.
I'll do it again someday, but a Colorado mule deer and a WY elk have to be pursued again first.
We met up with forum member Mike, who had given me great info on the area, and he spent three days with me showing me the country. I had a new Polaris Ranger, and we used it to access the outback two-tracks. We did see a lot of antelope, and could have easily filled my doe tags, but Mike suggested that I get the buck first, and he was the expert in this crew. We did a couple stalks on some decent bucks, but did not see anything too inspiring. I counted coup on some mid-sized bucks, but luckily I had someone along to judge them for me or it would have been a short season. We were on our way back to camp, and were only a mile or so away when Mike yelled, "There's a good buck."
It was a buck that he had seen several days before when it was herding his harem up some rugged cliffs, but it was now just laying down watching the world go by. I quickly worked my way into a steep bank, and sat down when the buck stood up and started to move off. I was trying to get the range when I heard Mike Yell, "Shoot that SOB" Well, I guess that was the official permission call, so the hell with the range, and I shot just before it crested the hill. DRT
(In case you don't know, that's an FBI term for Dead Right There). We spent the next two days looking for does, and in the process saw three other bucks that may have been better, but all were 800+ yards away and moving further. We couldn't buy a doe on day two, but they came easy on day three. MY partner Curt didn't have any antelope tags and was on a daily walkabout for coyotes and prarie dogs. Our only regret was that we didn't have small game tags and our .22s because we were over-run with cottontails.
I'll do it again someday, but a Colorado mule deer and a WY elk have to be pursued again first.
