AZ Pronghorn - A lifetime dream

[T Bone]

Although you didn't punch the tag, you've been successful.

I'm trying to keep the same attitude on this CO archery season. Go big!

 

[NVLongbow]

Thanks for taking us along Randy. You left it all on the field.

 

[vander34]

Im sure the footage will be great, and you did something you've always wanted to. Part of the reason we do this sport of hunting, its great to harvest an animal but not always what its about either. Good luck with the elk in the coming weeks guys!

 

[rutdog]

What an incredible hunt BF...The story line you provided in the field was top notch. I'm sure the tv episode will be awesome, as all of your episodes are. Thanks for letting us all sit in on the hunt from the comforts of home, you did a hell of a job...

 

[sturge]

Good stuff as always randy. If you make it down to the valley before heading home, give me a hollar, maybe we can hook for a DQ run.

 

[idnative1948]

This is the OYOA way. Some times it just doesn't happen, but wouldn't have it any other way if we all gave it our all.

 

[ashersdad]

Fin, you are a true example of a do it yourself guy! Great attitude and great hunt! Thanks for taking us along for the ride.

 

[lbirch]

I have a lot of respect for you. For not compromising your goals and standards. For your determination to find the buck you wanted and for not settling when you couldn't close the deal. But most of all I've enjoyed reading your words for the last month. Thanks and I'm already looking forward to the next.

 

[Oak]

Heck of an effort, Randy. Sorry you didn't connect. I'll bet nobody with that tag worked harder.

 

[zfountaine55]

Good work Randy, wait to stick it out till the end. I'm sure you will have some great memories of all those great bucks.

 

[BobT]

What a wonderful hunt, and a great story! I wish you would have gotten your buck but that's what makes it hunting! Thank you for taking us all along. Can't wait for the show!

Bob

 

[DavidKeenan]

Sorry you didn't connect. on the one you were after. It may have not been 100% success, but you made it 99.9 You stuck it out to the Very end.. also a man told me once, That the day we quit learning something. Is the day we pass on form this life. You mentioned you learned a lot from this experience. So in essence you a had a lot of success ... You kept a hell of a lot of us in the game with you. Thank you for that opportunity of being able to follow along in your ups and downs. Now go to DQ, and get charged up for MT next week. We can't wait for the nest BIG adventure. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Buschy]

Quite a ride. Thanks Randy. Looking forward to MT elk!

 

[Goldtip]

Excellent hunt to be able to follow along on. You gave it your all and then some. Congrats on the experience!

 

[AZ Ron]

If there is one thing I would do differently, it would be this. A point I will take with me on all other hunts, and something I knew even before this hunt. Just need to remember it.

When you find a buck that is something you would hang your tag on, do everything you can to kill him, as soon as you can. Do not leave him and go look for greener pastures. Look for fall back options if the one you want somehow disappears.

Sounds good Randy! I'll definitely keep this in mind the next few weeks. Leaving tomorrow for a week of scouting immediately prior to the start of my AZ archery bull elk hunt.

Learning this much is worth the effort invested. Not just about pronghorn, but about how to approach a two week hunt. How to focus on the mental things that will get you out of bed in the morning when you know the weather or other things might be stacked against you.

I'm open to any tips you might have in regards to the mental aspect of a long hunt. I have the potential to be gone for 3 weeks if I take my elk hunt right to the end.

Thanks for taking us along for the ride Randy! I was rooting for you to drop a nice AZ antelope. You gave them heck and it sounds like you had a great time!

Take care and be safe on the drive back home.

Ron

 

[stillkickin]

Way to stick with it Randy, looks like you ran out of "tarpaper". Great hunt and fun to follow along!

 

[wgiles]

I haven't said anything as this story unfolded, but I've been following it closely. I'm sorry that you didn't make the kill, but I'm glad that you had the chance to hunt and were able to tell us about your adventures. Good luck on your next adventure.

 

[Big Fin]

The story has a funny ending to it. Today, I got a picture of the buck I had stalked many times, killed by a rifle hunter I had been talking to the last two days.

The tag holder, Tom, and his buddy, Jim, saw me coming out from pulling my blind on Wednesday afternoon. They had been told about the big heart-shaped buck in the area.

Jim recognized the OYOA truck and stopped to visit. They were very nice guys. Very respectful of the fact that I still had a day and a half left on my hunt, and were trying to scout in a manner that didn't mess with the archers.

I spent time telling them all I had learned. I had hoped that if I did not kill one of these big bucks, a rifle hunter would. I told them I had seen the big heart-shaped buck many times, but got no closer than around 100 yards. I also told them of the really, really, big buck I had seen down lower.

I went on my way and set up on the ridge Wednesday evening, knowing I had one more day to get it done. That stalk was getting close, only to be called off on account of darkness.

The last morning I was down in the low country, trying my best to find that really big buck. No luck. I ran into Tom and Jim and should them on my maps all I thought that might help them. They had seen a very nice buck and told me where he was. I found him, but was not quite what I was looking for, which I did not confirm until his doe busted me and he stood at 80 yards to see what I was.

Then, last night, I made my plan to go to the ridge again. I wrote about the herd that was far off, but working toward me. I could see three bucks and two does, but they were around 1,000 yards and was hard to identify any of them at that distance. Two looked good and it was the last day, so I figured I would give it my best effort, rather than go to camp early.

I did not know this at the time, but the group included the big buck I had been chasing. Jim had watched him water at the pond where I had pulled my blind the day before, then kept an eye on him as he grazed toward my position.

When I saw the group, I waited for the sun to get behind the mountain. As it did, the coyotes started howling like crazy. One coyote got in the mix of these three bucks and two does. The five of him tried their best to stomp him to death. Funny to watch, for sure. But, as they ran off the coyote, it took them 300 yards further away.

I dropped down in a small draw and tried to cover as much ground as possible, knowing light was fading fast. I would pop up and look at the group, as they fed away from me.

As they fed away, one buck looked like a new buck that I had yet to see. Not unusual for this area. When he would lift his head, it looked like his horns bowed out at the top, then hooked down. I really couldn't make out the prongs very well.

The other buck cocked forward and would have made a great twin to the one I have mounted from Nevada. That forward leaning buck was the closest most the time, so I focused on him. The other two bucks had the two does, making it even more difficult to close the gap.

I kept working forward as fast as I could. The forward leaning buck watched me, but when I used BTD to show some grazing and rutting, he went back to his business.

I ranged the closest buck at 100 yards. The rest of the group was feeding in tall grass at 140 yards. Light was now to the point that shooting was not a good idea. I watched as the bucks fed away from me, until it was too dark to even make out the white silhouettes of antelope.

I walked back to the truck satisfied with all I had put into this hunt. I wished for a better result, but such was life.

I was at camp, visiting with some other hunters, one of whom had a rifle tag, when Tom and Jim stopped by. Jim had a look like he had the winning lottery ticket. Jim asked me how close I got to the big buck. I told him 100-140, depending upon which one he was talking about.

Jim smiled and told me he thought I was going to kill the big heart-shaped buck. What? He told me he watched to graze my direction with four other antelope, then he watched me disappear from view as I stalked them. I argued that the big buck was not in the group. He told me it was. He told me how close he had gotten and watched at 60X as the group came my way.

I felt embarrassed. I had stalked the buck three other times, all times getting front and side views, and I was sure this was not him. We discussed what the bucks looked like. For sure, it was the same group of pronghorn.

All I could imagine as I thought about it last night, was that he was the bigger buck that I was getting a rear view of. Could be the only explanation. He was a good one, for sure. Just looked like a new buck.

Tom and Jim asked me where the group went after I left, as they had grazed out of their sight. I told them they were feeding toward the east, and in the morning, would be somewhere near there, unless a coyote scared them. They seemed very much at ease when I left.

Their plan was to be there at daylight. I was still suspicious that this was a different buck, but Jim seemed very confident. He and Tom are experience hunters, so when they asked my opinion, I agreed they should go and make sure whether or not that was the big heart-shaped buck.

Well, today I got a phone pic with Tom posing with the buck. They shot him at 6:45 am. I am still in disbelief that it was the same buck and I could not recognize him, even if he was feeding away from me.

Congrats to Tom and Jim. They came two days early, scouted hard, talked to archers about what was being seen, and when they located a buck they wanted, they made a good plan to kill him the first morning.

If Tom and Jim allow, I will post a picture. He is not only big, but is one of the prettiest bucks I have ever chased. Better yet would be if one of them came here and gave the play by play. They have come up with a score of 87 on this buck.

Now, if someone would just kill that big one down in the low country. Actually, two of them down there will score very high. One I think is 90+. The other is high 80's.

Sixteen more years and I will be back there .

 

[rutdog]

Awesome story BF...Hopefully the boys will allow us all to see the big buck sleeping. You have been through hell on this trip and we all appreciate your efforts..Go get some rest so we can all tag along on the next trip..

 

[elk_hunter]

Dang, awesome adventure, stories, memories...great stuff. Too bad you didn't punch your tag with a big bastard but hey, you had a helluva time!