Quest For A First Antelope

Over the Winter him and I worked on getting a load that would shoot well out of his new rifle.
Helping reload
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After a few attempts we settled on a load that shot 140 grain Nosler Ballistic tips well.
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Once we got it sighted in we had to find out how fast we were shooting so we could get the CDS dial for his scope.
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After the draw results came out it was time to start scouting. During our scouting trips he learned how use a spotting scope. I left it completely up to him on what he liked. In the last spot we check on our first scouting trip he said, "Dad that one looks really big." I took a look and said that is the best one we have seen.
A few pictures of the buck that got him excited.
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We made a total of 5 scouting trips always finding this buck first then going to see if we could find anything else that would get him excited. All summer he had been by himself then 3 weeks before season he had 9 does with him, which made him so much easier to find. Then 1 week before season he was by himself again.
This is how almost every scouting trip ended.
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As opening day approaches I am trying to figure out how we can get on this buck. Every time we saw him scouting it was from quite a distance, 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile, and he was very jumpy. He lives on top of a hill that is very rolling you can only see the top from a distance or when you get right on top. So after thinking about what would be the best option for us I decide that we will come up the back side of the hill, never seen him there.

Opening day my son had cross country practice after school so that will only give us about 3 hours to hunt, but at least we can get out and give it a shot. As we are driving in I spot a single antelope close to the top on the back side of the hill and sure enough it is him. We wait for him to trot up the hill and out of sight to finish our last 1/2 mile drive to the bottom of the hill. After getting all of our gear together I decide that he may have ran off the top into one of the many small draws that come down off the hill. So, we circle around looking into all the small draws with no luck finding him. With only about 45 minutes of light left we head back to the truck as we get top the hill, where we had been just 30 minutes ago, I look to my left and there he is. After a small fire drill getting the rifle set up on the shooting sticks he runs off again. We still have some time so we take an angle to hopefully cut him off, but we don't see him again.
 
Trayball20 said:
As opening day approaches I am trying to figure out how we can get on this buck. Every time we saw him scouting it was from quite a distance, 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile, and he was very jumpy. He lives on top of a hill that is very rolling you can only see the top from a distance or when you get right on top. So after thinking about what would be the best option for us I decide that we will come up the back side of the hill, never seen him there.

Opening day my son had cross country practice after school so that will only give us about 3 hours to hunt, but at least we can get out and give it a shot. As we are driving in I spot a single antelope close to the top on the back side of the hill and sure enough it is him. We wait for him to trot up the hill and out of sight to finish our last 1/2 mile drive to the bottom of the hill. After getting all of our gear together I decide that he may have ran off the top into one of the many small draws that come down off the hill. So, we circle around looking into all the small draws with no luck finding him. With only about 45 minutes of light left we head back to the truck as we get top the hill, where we had been just 30 minutes ago, I look to my left and there he is. After a small fire drill getting the rifle set up on the shooting sticks he runs off again. We still have some time so we take an angle to hopefully cut him off, but we don't see him again.
Click to expand...
Very fortunate that you're able to have the time and the land to teach your son how to hunt. Keep it fun and go easy on him. He has a nice gun and a great mentor. We need many more young boys and girls introduced into hunting to carry on this great sport. Good story.....waiting!
 
After a couple of days filled with a cross country meet and a cousin's birthday we were able to have a full day to try our luck again. During a couple of our scouting trips we found the buck coming back from watering right after first light, so that was going to be our plan try and catch him coming back from water. We arrived early to our parking spot and started our walk to see if we could find him again. After checking a few small draws we spot a lone antelope making his way towards us quickly I get the spotting scope off my pack and take a look. It isn't the antelope that we are looking for it is a smaller buck. We continue looking with no luck finding him. There is a small spring that we haven't checked yet so we head over to see if he might be around it. We spend a few minutes looking around the spring with no sightings of the buck. By now we have covered most of his home area and decide to head back to the truck to make a new game plan. This time we decide to be more prepared with the shooting sticks and rifle before we head over the top just in case we see him on the way back. Remember it is a rolling hill and can't see the top until you are on top. As we are making our way back to the top we are walking slow and keep the sun at back just as we top the hill I look to my left and there he is standing there looking right at us at 80 yds. We get my son set up on the shooting sticks quickly hoping for a shot with the sun at our backs and in his eyes. The buck has other ideas and takes off running. We stay on him hoping he will stop. He does stop, but it is at 420 yards. With the roll of the hill we can only see him if we are standing and there is no way to get my son steady enough for that long of a shot. We watch the buck walk out of sight and head back to the truck. There is a road that will get us close to where the buck went. We take the road and get close and walk to the top and see if we can find the buck again, but after looking around we can't find him. This whole time I have to give it to my son he has been super positive with all of the ups and downs. We have talked a lot about keeping after it and keeping a positive attitude. By now it is time to take a break and have lunch.
 
Trayball20 said:
After a couple of days filled with a cross country meet and a cousin's birthday we were able to have a full day to try our luck again. During a couple of our scouting trips we found the buck coming back from watering right after first light, so that was going to be our plan try and catch him coming back from water. We arrived early to our parking spot and started our walk to see if we could find him again. After checking a few small draws we spot a lone antelope making his way towards us quickly I get the spotting scope off my pack and take a look. It isn't the antelope that we are looking for it is a smaller buck. We continue looking with no luck finding him. There is a small spring that we haven't checked yet so we head over to see if he might be around it. We spend a few minutes looking around the spring with no sightings of the buck. By now we have covered most of his home area and decide to head back to the truck to make a new game plan. This time we decide to be more prepared with the shooting sticks and rifle before we head over the top just in case we see him on the way back. Remember it is a rolling hill and can't see the top until you are on top. As we are making our way back to the top we are walking slow and keep the sun at back just as we top the hill I look to my left and there he is standing there looking right at us at 80 yds. We get my son set up on the shooting sticks quickly hoping for a shot with the sun at our backs and in his eyes. The buck has other ideas and takes off running. We stay on him hoping he will stop. He does stop, but it is at 420 yards. With the roll of the hill we can only see him if we are standing and there is no way to get my son steady enough for that long of a shot. We watch the buck walk out of sight and head back to the truck. There is a road that will get us close to where the buck went. We take the road and get close and walk to the top and see if we can find the buck again, but after looking around we can't find him. This whole time I have to give it to my son he has been super positive with all of the ups and downs. We have talked a lot about keeping after it and keeping a positive attitude. By now it is time to take a break and have lunch.
Click to expand...
Good story so far. Don't push your son's buck too far or too much, he may decide to go chase the girls in the next ranch. And don't push your son too much. Perhaps you should consider setting up before "first" light within shooting range at the watering spot. Remember it's hunting! Good luck!!
 
Westelker said:
Good story so far. Don't push your son's buck too far or too much, he may decide to go chase the girls in the next ranch. And don't push your son too much. Perhaps you should consider setting up before "first" light within shooting range at the watering spot. Remember it's hunting! Good luck!!
Click to expand...
He waters on a creek which runs along the bottom of the hill not sure exactly where he goes to water on that creek.
 
After a break and lunch I decided that we would go look on the other side of the road where the buck may have gone. I know that antelope bucks will make a big loop and return to where they started, so I am hoping we would catch him in this loop. In the first draw we came to was a buck watching some sage grouse hunters which made it super easy to sneak in on him, however it wasn't the one we were after. As we were driving down the county road I look out the window and see what looks like a bedded buck at this time the heat waves are crazy bad so I can't tell what he is. We decide to get a closer look as this is only about 600 yards from where we last saw the buck. The buck is lying down facing away from us which made our stalk in pretty easy. We are able to get within 200 yds and see that once again this isn't the buck we are after. Time to give this buck a break and go look at some other antelope in the area. Well that thought just crossed my mind when we crest a small hill on the county road and there stands the buck we have been after standing 60 yards off the road. I quickly stop the truck and tell my son to grab the rifle I will get the shooting sticks. During this time the buck trots out of sight under a small rise and we head out to try and get a shot at him. Just as we are getting to a spot to where we can see the small draw I see him double back and head to the other side of the road. We quickly cross the road and go over a small rise and there he is standing looking at us at 246 yds. We get my son set up on the shooting sticks and this time the buck stands there long enough for him to take a shot. I had put my binos down right before he shots but the sound of a hit was unmistakable. The buck takes off on a full sprint out of our sight so we quickly get to the top of the small rise to see where he went. As we get to the top we see the buck standing about 150 yards from us my son takes the shot and down goes the buck. He puts the gun down and jumps into my arms saying "We did it" "We got the one we wanted" "I knew we would get him". I haven't see him this excited I am guessing it was from all the hours he put in before the hunt.
The happy hunter with the ONE he wanted.
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After a pictures he skins and quarters the buck all by himself. The only thing I do is hold a leg here and there.
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He got a new pack over the summer so we had to put it to use carrying out half of his buck.
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This buck shocked me when I walked up on him. He is much bigger than what I thought scouting him.
 
Last edited:
Trayball20 said:
After a break and lunch I decided that we would go look on the other side of the road where the buck may have gone. I know that antelope bucks will make a big loop and return to where they started, so I am hoping we would catch him in this loop. In the first draw we came to was a buck watching some sage grouse hunters which made it super easy to sneak in on him, however it wasn't the one we were after. As we were driving down the county road I look out the window and see what looks like a bedded buck at this time the heat waves are crazy bad so I can't tell what he is. We decide to get a closer look as this is only about 600 yards from where we last saw the buck. The buck is lying down facing away from us which made our stalk in pretty easy. We are able to get within 200 yds and see that once again this isn't the buck we are after. Time to give this buck a break and go look at some other antelope in the area. Well that thought just crossed my mind when we crest a small hill on the county road and there stands the buck we have been after standing 60 yards off the road. I quickly stop the truck and tell my son to grab the rifle I will get the shooting sticks. During this time the buck trots out of sight under a small rise and we head out to try and get a shot at him. Just as we are getting to a spot to where we can see the small draw I see him double back and head to the other side of the road. We quickly cross the road and go over a small rise and there he is standing looking at us at 246 yds. We get my son set up on the shooting sticks and this time the buck stands there long enough for him to take a shot. I had put my binos down right before he shots but the sound of a hit was unmistakable. The buck takes off on a full sprint out of our sight so we quickly get to the top of the small rise to see where he went. As we get to the top we see the buck standing about 150 yards from us my son takes the shot and down goes the buck. He puts the gun down and jumps into my arms saying "We did it" "We got the one we wanted" "I knew we would get him". I haven't see him this excited I am guessing it was from all the hours he put in before the hunt.
The happy hunter with the ONE he wanted.
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After a pictures he skins and quarters the buck all by himself. The only thing I do is hold a leg here and there.
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He got a new pack over the summer so we had to put it to use carrying out half of his buck.
View attachment 342004
This buck shocked me when I walked up on him. He is much bigger than what I thought scouting him.
Click to expand...
Congratulations to your son and you! I'd say a lot of perseverance and a little tenacity sure paid off for you guys. That's a fine looking buck. Looks like your son did the "gutless" method. Thanks for the story!!
 
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