Salute to a Marine

[Big Fin]

Watched the other big buck and 26 does and smaller bucks feed out in front of us this evening. They were at about 1,000 yards, with no cover or way to get up on them.

They will be in the same general location come morning. The other guys who had the 14 year-old helping them filled their tag this evening. Earlier in the afternoon, we watched another guy fill his tag on a buck whose horns cocked forward.

I suspect there might be only one or two tag holders still remaining, other than Bernie. Tons of antelope stacked on the private lands to the west.

In the morning we will go in before dark and take an old two track that will put us within about 500 yards of where we left the big herd at dark. Hopefully they will graze further east, putting them even closer to where we will be at before daylight.

Thinking Bernie is having fun, even if he is stiff and sore from bouncing around these trails and trying to make some stalks on sharp-eyed pronghorn. I am enjoying it immensely. I will do all I can to get us within shooting distance of that other big buck. Just need a lucky break, or three.

More tomorrow.

 

[fishing4sanity]

This is an awesome thread to follow and I'm sure Bernie is enjoying it far more than we are. This is truly what friendship, hunting and sportsmanship are all about.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Good luck!

 

[IdahoBugler]

Good luck guys. You should be just glassing up big hank right about now. Hopefully he is close enough to shoot and light enough to film.

 

[Big Fin]

Big Hank and his friends were right where we left them last night. Unfortunately, we could only get within about 800 yards. They took off NNW, at the first sight of a vehicle out on the main road. Not a road within a mile of them.

Good news is that the "put to bed and find them in the morning" plan worked. We were waiting for the sun to rise and when the prairie started to be visible, antelope started rising from their beds. Too bad they had not fed further east before bedding.

They look to be looping south, so we are going to take a road that would intercept them, get hid down in the one little coulee that can hide us, and hope that they might come within 300 yards on either side of us. Getting up on this group would be hard for a highly mobile hunter, given there are now over 30 of them and the terrain is completely flat, with no vegetation any higher than you knee.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I've got my fingers crossed for you fine gentlemen. Good luck!!

 

[double_a85]

Go get em Randy and Bernie... May you win round 2! Or are we already on Round 3?

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Yea Randy, give'em hell..... Your a good man with his head on straight, good luck too you and Bernie, may his bullets fly straight!
Matt

 

[Big Fin]

The big group with the large buck we have been chasing made it to private. He's probably safe now.

I do detect an itching trigger finger over in the passenger seat of the Titan. Laughing and telling me all these funny stories is something I wish could come through on video. I suspect it is more of a "Had to have been there" experience.

Bernie is the reigning champion of the travelling profanity award for our TV show. He is making a great effort to keep my Uncle Larry from dethroning him. Editor will have his work cut out for this episode. Too damn funny. Some people don't even realize when they swear. Bernie is one of them.

We see about six or seven bucks out on the plains below us. We will drive down from where we lost sight of this big herd that escaped to private and see what these other bucks look like. Good news is, most of them are loners, giving us a half-way decent chance to get in on them.

More to follow.

 

[BigBull301]

Hang in there, you guys will get it done!

 

[MTpubliclander]

AHHHHHH! the suspense is killing me! I Hope to see a happy Bernie with a big old speed goat on the thread when I get back from my own archery antelope endeavors later this afternoon!
Good Luck!!!

 

[Big Fin]

The buck is down, pics have been taken, and now we are racing to find some shade and trees to hang him in where I can get him carved into the necessary pieces for cooling down and getting in the coolers.

Three other bucks we found were closer and were almost suicidal with their stupidity. This fourth one was larger and equally interested in being a TV star.

Pics and full story to come later. Gotta get this meat taken care of.

 

[double_a85]

AWESOME!! Way to go guys!

 

[krshntr81]

I have been waiting for that post! Congrats and can't wait to see the pictures and get the whole story!

 

[Art Vandeley]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see more pictures.

 

[gwhunter]

Nice work!!!!

 

[sweetnectar]

Sweet!

Three other bucks we found were closer and were almost suicidal with their stupidity.

This is going down as one of my favorite quotes.

 

[Festus]

Way to go!!!

 

[Nemont]

Congrats to all involved

Sounds like it will be a great episode.

Nemont

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

way to go! I knew it was only a matter of time. Can't win tho hear the rundown and see some hero pics!