EasternMTHunter
Member
It's been nice the last 2 years to see the antelope coming back after a bad winter and blue tongue. I finally put my family in for rifle tags again.
Opening morning my son and I went out to hopefully fill his tag. It would be his first antelope. We were a little late getting out, but since we were hunting a friend's place that is surrounded by BLM I wasn't worried. When we go to my favorite spot my son got excited as he saw the antelope that I had assured him were there. After we got through the gate they started to move off quickly as they had all ready been chased. I told him not to worry and we got ready and started to hike in. There is a large hill in this spot and we walked up to the closest end and as I was sneaking over the top I spotted the antelope feeding in the little draw on the opposite side. We got down and crawled about another 150 yards and I got him set up. There were several bucks in the group and after looking them over he picked one he wanted to shoot at. I ranged him at 234 yards and told my son where to aim. He apparently was so excited he didn't hear those instructions and remembered the previous ones. He missed that shot and the next 2 at 246 and 257 yards. He was a bit frustrated to say the least. I asked if he was nervous and he reluctantly said yes. It hadn't helped that we waited and watched the bucks walk from 330 yards toward us. I told him not to worry as people on the BLM were pushing the antelope all over. We tried a couple more stalks but got busted by the does.
We were headed back to the morning's first area when I spotted antelope walking towards us. We got down and then snuck up further in the rolling terrain. Finally, I spotted horns slowly walking in front of us in the sage and grass. I got my son set up and told him where the antelope should "pop" out. He was waiting when the buck appeared. The buck was kind enough to stop at 123 yards and turn broadside to wonder what those lumps on the ground were. I hear the boom and the whap and see hair fly up. Nerves were an issue again but the antelope walked another 50 yards after getting knocked down from the shot. He was all smiles and excited when we came over the top of the hill and saw him lying there.
Fast forward a couple of weeks to this weekend. Its been hard to get my wife out between her working nights and both of us working a lot. The first day I got her out we saw lots of does (deer) but no bucks either antelope or mule deer. We finally got out again Sunday. Pulled into my favorite spot and she was disappointed as there were no antelope. I reassured her that with the strong wind and its direction, they should be on the other side of the hill from us. We walked up to my favorite hill again and as I was coming up to the crest I spotted some antelope bedded down in the draw behind the hill. One of the does had me pegged but hadn't seen my wife behind me. I kept still and instructed my wife to side hill a bit to a low spot and then crawl up and see if there is a buck in the group. It took a little bit for things to get started. When the does started to feed I saw a nice buck in the group. The does fed away and got the hill between me and them. I got my wife and side hilled it down to the far end when I told her they should come out. The wind was howling around 15 mph and after a few issues she got set up in the rocks above them. She waited a bit for a lull in the wind and shot. I watched him drop like a stone at 130 yards. The does ran a bit and then milled around looking back at the buck and wondering what happened. She was very happy. I was impressed as I was having problems keeping my binos stable in the wind and she made the shot. My stepson has last antelope tag and if we get lucky, he'll fill it this weekend.
Sometime I may figure out how to turn the photos
Saw a nice 4 point whitetail on the edge of the Yellowstone heading home. He was on private or my wife would've tagged out. Sorry for the grainy pic but the cell phone did it's best.
Opening morning my son and I went out to hopefully fill his tag. It would be his first antelope. We were a little late getting out, but since we were hunting a friend's place that is surrounded by BLM I wasn't worried. When we go to my favorite spot my son got excited as he saw the antelope that I had assured him were there. After we got through the gate they started to move off quickly as they had all ready been chased. I told him not to worry and we got ready and started to hike in. There is a large hill in this spot and we walked up to the closest end and as I was sneaking over the top I spotted the antelope feeding in the little draw on the opposite side. We got down and crawled about another 150 yards and I got him set up. There were several bucks in the group and after looking them over he picked one he wanted to shoot at. I ranged him at 234 yards and told my son where to aim. He apparently was so excited he didn't hear those instructions and remembered the previous ones. He missed that shot and the next 2 at 246 and 257 yards. He was a bit frustrated to say the least. I asked if he was nervous and he reluctantly said yes. It hadn't helped that we waited and watched the bucks walk from 330 yards toward us. I told him not to worry as people on the BLM were pushing the antelope all over. We tried a couple more stalks but got busted by the does.
We were headed back to the morning's first area when I spotted antelope walking towards us. We got down and then snuck up further in the rolling terrain. Finally, I spotted horns slowly walking in front of us in the sage and grass. I got my son set up and told him where the antelope should "pop" out. He was waiting when the buck appeared. The buck was kind enough to stop at 123 yards and turn broadside to wonder what those lumps on the ground were. I hear the boom and the whap and see hair fly up. Nerves were an issue again but the antelope walked another 50 yards after getting knocked down from the shot. He was all smiles and excited when we came over the top of the hill and saw him lying there.
Fast forward a couple of weeks to this weekend. Its been hard to get my wife out between her working nights and both of us working a lot. The first day I got her out we saw lots of does (deer) but no bucks either antelope or mule deer. We finally got out again Sunday. Pulled into my favorite spot and she was disappointed as there were no antelope. I reassured her that with the strong wind and its direction, they should be on the other side of the hill from us. We walked up to my favorite hill again and as I was coming up to the crest I spotted some antelope bedded down in the draw behind the hill. One of the does had me pegged but hadn't seen my wife behind me. I kept still and instructed my wife to side hill a bit to a low spot and then crawl up and see if there is a buck in the group. It took a little bit for things to get started. When the does started to feed I saw a nice buck in the group. The does fed away and got the hill between me and them. I got my wife and side hilled it down to the far end when I told her they should come out. The wind was howling around 15 mph and after a few issues she got set up in the rocks above them. She waited a bit for a lull in the wind and shot. I watched him drop like a stone at 130 yards. The does ran a bit and then milled around looking back at the buck and wondering what happened. She was very happy. I was impressed as I was having problems keeping my binos stable in the wind and she made the shot. My stepson has last antelope tag and if we get lucky, he'll fill it this weekend.
Sometime I may figure out how to turn the photos
Saw a nice 4 point whitetail on the edge of the Yellowstone heading home. He was on private or my wife would've tagged out. Sorry for the grainy pic but the cell phone did it's best.
