bmack
Member
Thought I'd share some photos from our trip. The antelope were spooky, sparse and the food/cover was diminished due to the drought but we managed to go 4/4.
Was able to share this experience with my dad, uncle and good buddy. We worked our tail off and had several concerns about everyone having success but in the end it all worked out.
On Sunday morning I was the last one with a tag so the pressure was on. I spotted a solo buck on the move a long ways out on the horizon and we were in pursuit. We lost him once we got over there and did some glassing from a ridge near where he was last seen. 5 minutes in I spotted a good goat on a fence line about a mile out.
He was feeding away from me and this was my chance. It took over an hour to get the distance cut down ensuring I was invisible. Stalk was almost blow when a chopper flying at 200 feet surveying the power-lines appeared on the horizon. The buck trotted off about 50 yards and then settled down after the chopper disappeared.
As I made my final approach the buck was about 500 yards on the left side of the fence and I was on the right when he turned around and started right at me. A few minutes later I got a read on the rangefinder. 223 yards! GO TIME. I slid my bi-pods out and got into a rock solid seated shooting position.
The final mistake was made on his part when he ducked under the fence and started slowing walking perpendicular to the fence line slightly quartering away from me. As soon as he stopped and his head went down for a snack I settled my reticle, took a deep breath and was jolted by the concussion and surprise of my 7mm.
The goat hit the dirt! I looked behind me to see my buddy with a raised arm on the ridge top and my dad and uncle from a few ridges over. My dad was watching this goat in his spotter not knowing this was the one I was stalking. He saw the goat hit the dirt, followed by the delayed "BOOM". Pretty cool.
Needless to say, I was extremely pleased when I walked up to put my hands on this beauty.
Was able to share this experience with my dad, uncle and good buddy. We worked our tail off and had several concerns about everyone having success but in the end it all worked out.
On Sunday morning I was the last one with a tag so the pressure was on. I spotted a solo buck on the move a long ways out on the horizon and we were in pursuit. We lost him once we got over there and did some glassing from a ridge near where he was last seen. 5 minutes in I spotted a good goat on a fence line about a mile out.
He was feeding away from me and this was my chance. It took over an hour to get the distance cut down ensuring I was invisible. Stalk was almost blow when a chopper flying at 200 feet surveying the power-lines appeared on the horizon. The buck trotted off about 50 yards and then settled down after the chopper disappeared.
As I made my final approach the buck was about 500 yards on the left side of the fence and I was on the right when he turned around and started right at me. A few minutes later I got a read on the rangefinder. 223 yards! GO TIME. I slid my bi-pods out and got into a rock solid seated shooting position.
The final mistake was made on his part when he ducked under the fence and started slowing walking perpendicular to the fence line slightly quartering away from me. As soon as he stopped and his head went down for a snack I settled my reticle, took a deep breath and was jolted by the concussion and surprise of my 7mm.
The goat hit the dirt! I looked behind me to see my buddy with a raised arm on the ridge top and my dad and uncle from a few ridges over. My dad was watching this goat in his spotter not knowing this was the one I was stalking. He saw the goat hit the dirt, followed by the delayed "BOOM". Pretty cool.
Needless to say, I was extremely pleased when I walked up to put my hands on this beauty.
