Five antelope, seven days

[Wyhunter]

Nice job!

 

[Bowmannate2000]

The key to hunting success for some is hunting in just your underwear! Long John pack out .

 

[Pucky Freak]

The key to hunting success for some is hunting in just your underwear! Long John pack out .View attachment 347089

Yeah, it’s all fun and games until I had to sit down to spot your shot

 

[Arrogant1]

I may or may not have packed my shovel carefully out of view so as to avoid suspicion…

Didn’t bring your sleeping bag so you could use his…I see where this is going!

 

[Arrogant1]

I made my way to @Pucky Freak and together we made the approach. After about 30 minutes we see the first doe walking from left to right. We sat down and I readied my rifle. He ranges her at 200 yards. Pretty soon another doe is following, then two more. I practice my aim from a seated shooting position, and feel pretty comfortable. We are waiting for a buck, as we know there are a couple in the group. Sure enough, antelope number 5 is a mature buck. He steps into the clear and stops broadside. I steady my aim and fire. The buck jumps, takes a few steps and turns straight away. He stands there for several minutes looking sick. Finally he turns again and I give another shot. Still standing. Third shot and he stumbles and tips over backwards. Not the one shot I was hoping for, but he's down and we celebrate with some pictures, ans then get to work.View attachment 347079View attachment 347081View attachment 347083View attachment 347084

Big thanks to @Pucky Freak for all the help on this one! Back to his unit for the last day of the season tomorrow.

Congrats on the dandy of a buck.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Didn’t bring your sleeping bag so you could use his…I see where this is going!

 

[Arrogant1]

View attachment 347120

To be fair, I was going down that path because of your serial killer and your hidden shovel comments.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Weds night we were beat after another long day of hiking. Simple supper, and then a plan to sleep in. With some much needed rest, and a hearty meal of camp breakfast burritos, courtesy of Nate, we drove back to my unit. We were cautiously optimistic to fill both my tags on the last 1/2 day of the season.

We decided to check out a new area, and after seeing nothing across several sections, I was ready to backtrack and hunt the animals we’d failed a couple of stalks on. However, there was one last section further down. I wanted to skip it, but Nate talked me in to giving it a peek.

I started seeing antelope tracks in the snow crossing the road, and then at the very back of the last parcel we found whom they belonged to. A quick crawl up a rise and range at 330 yards, I felt rock solid in prone. I don’t know what I did wrong, but after the initial shot, antelope scrambled and I didn’t see any signs of a hit. Since I have 2 tags, I set up again and dropped one.


Antelope continued to hang around for about 10 more mins and I very easily could have killed a second one. However, I was not 100% sure I missed the first shot, so I passed.

 

[Pucky Freak]

We quick loaded up the animal, and then cooked a late lunch. At this point it’s 2 PM and we have a 45-min drive to get back to the nearest huntable antelope that we know of.

Once we arrive we stop and glass, repeat and repeat, hoping to find something on public. Nate eventually picks out a bedded herd and we put together a stalk plan.

They are about 900 yards, and we use terrain to close to 380. Wind is whipping good and I want to be within 300 at least. Nate stays back to spot, and I snake slither through any available cover to 250, which takes about 25 mins.

I set up prone again. I calculate 4” high and 5” right for the shot. There is one facing away and a dozen or so others bedded. I have a doe in mind that is bedded broadside, so I just wait. Not too much longer and she stands up, and I put one in the boiler room.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Cutting up the doe I find a severed aorta just above the heart - perfect shot.

Just a little time to celebrate, and we are packed up and on our way to Montana. Two more tags and two days to make it happen. I have a BMA reservation, and no idea what to expect. New country for me, but Nate is a lot more familiar