2024 NV Antelope Hunt Recap

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 1 - My first NV Antelope hunt was not like any of the umpteen versions I thought of leading up to season. It was unexpected, and filled with, well I’ll get to that . . .

I drew a rifle shorter than ears tag this year. Odds were only about 11% for me to draw, so I must have gotten a really good number. I started calling the NDOW biologist, talking with the BLM folks, chatting with a couple HT’ers, and then scouting the zone.

My first weekend was a day trip. It was only about a 2.5-hour drive from my house. So, I left early to be there before sunrise. I drove the roads all day. Every single Antelope was on private. Late in the afternoon I started driving a different set of roads in a different unit within the zone. Saw lots of hunters for the preceding rifle longer than ears season. Met lots of hunters who had been successful and some who were holding out. I had stayed in the other units because the NDOW and BLM folks I spoke with said it was very busy in this unit and so it could be hit or miss.

I then drove up to some agriculture fields and there were Antelope everywhere. Spoke to some land owners/ranchers about permission to hunt their land when my season came around in a couple of weeks, and they were all happy as could be to say yes. Not a single one asked for a fee to hunt.

Got home feeling stoked that I had crossed off a lot of areas, and found some nice spots to come back to for my last scouting trip the weekend before season. Then started updating all my waypoints on my desktop and realized, WTF, the NDOW and BLM folks gave me info on a busy unit that could be hit or miss, but that unit was NOT in my zone!!! So back to the units I had crossed off, and a unit that was more like 3.5 hours from my house, but “not an ideal area.” More on that.

The following weekend I went out again, and this time stayed in units within my zone! Same strike out in the units from the weekend before. Then I drove up to the unit that was a bit further from my house. Antelope everywhere, but on private, or on public but land locked by private. But at least I knew where they were.

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 2 -

Now the big opening weekend had arrived. My daughter wanted to come with for the first weekend. So we went out the day before and did a last scout to make sure the Antelope were still where I had seen then the weekend before. We found some, but not as many as the weekend before. And we still had a lot of private land issues. But we had a plan, and as the sun went down, we went back to the hotel to get a good night sleep and then be in our spot before legal light. Or so we thought.

That night I get a text from my wife that a large and fast-moving fire had started in the foothills near our house. In the morning, we load up all of our gear and head home for what turned out to be a week of mandatory evacuations and power outages. The heart wrenching part was getting up and seeing all the other dads with their daughters geared up and heading out for opening day.

Once the fire finally was under control, there was one weekend left in my season. I figured I give it the old college try.

I drove out the Friday before close and hit the “not ideal” unit. I drove all the roads and went to all the spots where I had seen Antelope, and they were all gone, except for one ranch where I spoke to the rancher. While he was helpful as could be, there was a zero-hunting policy. But there was a public road that split through a couple of fields that I would go through everyday during scouting and season since there was 40-50 Antelope in each of his fields that shared this road. Every time I drove through, they were there regardless of the time of day. It seemed like there never left, but there were trails everywhere.

So, after driving the unit all day and striking out everywhere, I went to the ranch at the end of the day and positioned myself on some public adjacent to one of the fields where there were lots of game trails leading to/from the field. Sat there for a while and would keep moving forward as I could. Eventually got to about 200-250 yards from the Antelope, but they were on the other side of the fence. They never came over the fence. After legal light, I stood up and could see a few more Antelope that were closer. I had been within 125 yards, and they had no idea I was there. They all saw me and ran off for the evening.

View attachment 367019

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 3 -

That night I slept at a Rest Stop along the highway. Water/Toilets/Trash!! The night was not bad and the morning had a nice sink bath. So, all good. Then off to the hunting grounds.

I got going early enough that it was still dark while I was approaching the hunting grounds. The morning plan was to go back to my spot and see if any Antelope had left the fields and were on there way to/from the fields. Short answer, no. They were still in the fields – I really don’t think they ever left.

So, I drove the roads again. This time, I came to a hillside I had driven multiple times and never saw an animal. The hill was a solid golden yellow meadow, except this morning when there were a couple of dots on the hillside. I stop and stepped out to glass, and sure enough there were three does bedded on the hillside. I pulled out the map and plotted my approach from above. I found a path through some public land and got above the Antelope. I figured I was 400-500 yards away. The sun was up, and the thermals were up so I just had to be quiet while on the move.

I got to within 300 yards and could finally see their ears. I moved forward little by little to try and get a better angle, and of course, my final move ended up with a gust of wind, . . .from behind me. They stood up and looked right at me. Stupidly, I still had my gun strapped to my bag. They didn’t run off right away, but by the time I got set up, they trotted away. When I walked up to their beds and ranged back to my bag – 117 yards.

Most of the rest of the day was driving and finding nothing. I did however find a herd of 20-30 Antelope across a valley floor. At least 5 miles and no roads. All public land, just a bit of a death march, so I started gearing up. Then as I am just about to take my first step into the death march, a pure Black wild stallion comes tearing out of the hills behind me. He crosses the road and runs straight into the valley. I look around to see what’s chasing him, and see nothing. He’s tearing up the valley floor so finding his dust trail was easy. Wouldn’t you know it, he charged straight at the herd of Antelope. Long story short (I know – too late), he spooked the Antelope and blew them out.

Back in the truck and on the way out of the valley of death I stopped just the short of the golden yellow hillside and spooked another 6 Antelope. I watched them run, and noticed they were running for the that golden yellow hillside. I packed up and drove over to my access point from the morning, and got in front of this herd. I saw them come around the bend, and the wind was still up hill so they didn’t see or smell me. I found a small dry creek/drainage bed and used it for cover to move down the hill towards them. Probably 500-750 yards away. I would pop up from time to time and range them as I got closer. I either got lazy, or unlucky and on one of my spot checks, I got busted. They heard and/or saw me and started trotting away. I dropped back into the drainage and kept moving. I actually closed the distance a little more, but eventually, they started pulling away.

View attachment 367020

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 4 -

That night I was back at the Rest Stop. This was not, however, very restful. My key fob battery decided to start dying, which for some silly reason kept setting off the car alarm, about every 20 minutes. It wasn’t until about 12:30 that I found a fix to turn off the alarm.

The next morning was the last day of season. Not surprisingly, I over slept by about an hour. At that point, I just wanted to head home. I had very little sleep, very little success, and lots of frustrations. As I sank showered, I convinced myself to give it one last day since I was already here and had nothing else to do. So at least have a good day outdoors. Then, it began . . .

The night before, after a couple of failed and one interrupted stalks, I decided to treat my self to a Subway sandwich for dinner, instead of the snacks and small pre-made food I had brought with me. Well, that would end up being a real shitty idea. You see, bathroom incident # 1 took place at the Rest Stop. At the time I thought it was just a once off. It wasn’t.

On the drive down to the hunting grounds, I noticed an urge. I thought I could get to a pull out and off the road I knew was along the way, but as time went on, I knew that was not going to be possible. I past a mound of road gravel and ducked behind it as best I could, and well, bathroom incident number # 2 took place.

Feeling as though I had emptied my system, I felt I could continue. As I drove down closer to the hunting grounds I noticed a small herd on the side of the road, but far enough from the road to be legal. I pulled off and got closer, but the land they were on was all private, and while not fenced, was well posted for No Hunting. Nuts. As I headed back, my system said, not so fast, and bathroom incident # 3 took place. I couldn’t even pull of the road. I just found the nearest manzanita bush that was more than 2 feet off the ground. (also, please note I dug holes at each location and tidied up as best I could. Thank goodness I had a small shovel and soft ground!)

View attachment 367021

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 5 -

Now having thoroughly emptied my system, but feeling a little shaky, I figured I could continue with a Very Low likelihood of any more incidents. I didn’t even make it back to highway. Bathroom incident # 4 took place on the same side road.

When I finally got back to the highway, I almost turned left to head home. But I turned right. At that point I just wanted to drive through the ranch and see the herd I couldn’t hunt, and then get to the golden yellow hill side and see if there was a chance. If not, then around noon call it a season.

For some reason, probably dehydration, I missed my usual turn. So, I drove another half mile to the other ranch road entrance. As I drove in, I was looking around to see where the herds were. I didn’t seem them at first, which was not unusual at that entrance, but I did see a little dog trotting through the field. I stopped and glassed for a little and then notice it was not a dog, but a coyote, which was the first one I had seen that trip and in all the scouting. Weird.

I turned down the main road running through the fields, and there were no Antelope in any of the fields. I looked everywhere and saw nothing. Thinking back to the coyote, I figured he had spooked them off the pivot for the first time. So I thought I would drive around the public road to see if they made it off the ranch on to public. But first, my system sad get off the ranch now, or you’ll shit yourself on private land.

So I hustled off the ranch and dug myself my fourth bathroom of the morning for my fifth Bathroom incident of the young morning. Keep in mind the timeline here is less than 2 hours. Holy shit was I tired of digging holes, wiping my arse in the morning sun and having an uncomfortable gait in my walk back to the truck. And this time as I walked back I thought to myself, maybe hunting isn’t for me.???

View attachment 367022

 

[Lucky_Lep]

Part 6 -

Now having thoroughly emptied my system, but feeling a little shaky, I figured I could continue with a Very Low likelihood of any more incidents. I didn’t even make it back to highway. Bathroom incident # 4 took place on the same side road.

When I finally got back to the highway, I almost turned left to head home. But I turned right. At that point I just wanted to drive through the ranch and see the herd I couldn’t hunt, and then get to the golden yellow hill side and see if there was a chance. If not, then around noon call it a season.

For some reason, probably dehydration, I missed my usual turn. So, I drove another half mile to the other ranch road entrance. As I drove in, I was looking around to see where the herds were. I didn’t seem them at first, which was not unusual at that entrance, but I did see a little dog trotting through the field. I stopped and glassed for a little and then notice it was not a dog, but a coyote, which was the first one I had seen that trip and in all the scouting. Weird.

I turned down the main road running through the fields, and there were no Antelope in any of the fields. I looked everywhere and saw nothing. Thinking back to the coyote, I figured he had spooked them off the pivot for the first time. So I thought I would drive around the public road to see if they made it off the ranch on to public. But first, my system sad get off the ranch now, or you’ll shit yourself on private land.

So I hustled off the ranch and dug myself my fourth bathroom of the morning for my fifth Bathroom incident of the young morning. Keep in mind the timeline here is less than 2 hours. Holy shit was I tired of digging holes, wiping my arse in the morning sun and having an uncomfortable gait in my walk back to the truck. And this time as I walked back I thought to myself, maybe hunting isn’t for me.???

View attachment 367022

Just then, I looked up to my left and what did I see, but a string of 40 Antelope walking on the skyline off of the pivot. I pulled up the binos and saw the path they were on. Then I checked the map and I knew what trail they were on, and more importantly how I could cut them off.

I jumped in the truck and drove to a public land spot and parked. Grabbed my gear and hustled down to the wash I knew I could use to cut the distance and be out of sight. By the time I got there though, there was nothing. Had they gotten past me? No. Were they still by or heading back to the pivot? No. Did they cross the road? No. Where the F did they go?

So back to the truck and back to Plan A the golden yellow hillside. And for no reason at all, I turned around to look back where I ha been, and what do I see, well hello Hank. Where are your girlfriends? I look to my left, and oh hello ladies where are you off to?

So, pick up the pace back to the truck and drive down to where I saw them cross the road. I get up the binos and I see them standing on a crest about 750 yards from me. But they are looking right at me. I figured, what the heck, give it a chance. I gear up and check to see if they’ve moved, and they haven’t So I started hiking towards them with the idea that I would keep the truck directly behind me and maybe that would help. I got 200 yards out, and they were still on the crest. I got 300 yards out, and they were still on the crest. This time, I took my gun off may pack and loaded the magazine.

I got 400 yards out, and couldn’t see them anymore, maybe they went’ over the crest, but hopefully they aren’t running. I get another 50 yards, and now I see ears in the grass where they had been standing on the crest. They didn’t go anywhere. They just laid down. I moved forward another 75 yards, and then one popped up, and another. I dropped down and started getting set up. I range the first one at 250, but now there were 8-10 Antelope standing, all shorter than ears. I looked with the naked eye for the “largest” body with no horns longer than ears. Ranged it – 225. Put the the .308 on the yoke of the backpack and squeeze one round of 165 grain partition.

View attachment 367023

One shot behind the shoulder. Found him maybe 10 yards from where I hit him. I know 308 with 165 grain ammo is too much, but it’s what I had practiced with. I thought would have time to get a lower weight bullet and figure out my distances, and just didn’t get to it before season. So, I used too much rifle and too much bullet because I knew the rifle and knew my distances.

I gutted him and then wrapped him burrito style in a tarp and loaded him whole into my backpack. When I put my pack on, I instantly had a wet sensation down my leg. No, not incident # 6 -- my water bladder popped. I was 750 yards from my truck, down hill, with all my morning layers on. It was close to 10am in September in NV. It was getting warm fast. I made it back to the truck, but then sucked down 3 bottles of water. Got the animal on ice, and drove straight to the butcher. He was hanging in the cooler within 2 hours.

Once we got the meat back we had ground antelope for the first time, and before dinner was even half way over my wife and daughter were both asking how often can I pull an antelope tag, and how many tags can I get a year in the different western states.

So, while my time in the field was filled with unexpected shitty experiences, it was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way as an adult onset hunter.

 

[kansasdad]

That’s a lot of obstacles thrown at you, good job on grinding through them. .