WV Hunter
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2009
- Messages
- 1,763
It's been back to the grind for 3 days now and I am already thinking about next year. If I wasn't such a pussy when it comes to lonely long winters I would consider moving to Wyoming. The different species of big game available is like a who's who list of trophies that a West Virginia boy can only dream and drool over. The west is truely a magnificent territory.
Our journey started with 3 strangers applying as a group for the elk draw in January of this year. I had exchanged PM's with Danny (drthornton) thru this site last year as we both gathered information on elk hunting from Mixedbag (also thru this site). In 2010 I hooked up with Mixedbag for an archery antelope hunt in Wyoming that also incorporated a day of scouting the area we would eventually elk hunt.
Our 2011 Elk hunt was chronicled by Danny here: 2011 Wyo Elk
Along rolled February and Danny, Mike (friend/business associate of Danny's) and I had drawn the general elk tag. After a few more emails and PM's we decided to incorporate the opening of Antelope rifle into our plans. July rolled in and we picked up leftover tags for the same HMA I hunted the previous year.
I had anticipated a successful antelope hunt due to the amount of bucks I had seen the previous year while archery hunting. During that archery hunt I had a couple of long range opportunities that just didn't work out. When we finally arrived for opening day I got a little discouraged by the amount of trucks driving up and down thru the HMA. I wondered a little if they bothered reading the rules about staying on established roads. Oh well, it's probably that way everywhere on the opener for rifle season.
We eventually got settled into areas we wanted to hunt. I glassed plenty of lopes but for the most part they were 800+ yards away and they didn't want to come down from the hill tops and ridges they were feeding on. It was an interesting morning though, I could see a large wooded range behind me and every now and then I could glass animals walking thru. I spotted a spike elk and 4 mule deer does working there way around. Around 9 that morning I got a text from Danny that Mike had killed a buck about a mile from us. Mike put a great shot on this pronghorn from around 250 yards.
We all met up at the truck for lunch that afternoon, took some pictures, ate some lunch and Danny went to work butchering the antelope. Danny and I continued to hunt that evening without any luck. I actually had a Suburban pull into the area about 150 yards from where I was hunting and proceed to push out a herd I was watching. Granted they were at least 1000 yards away but still.
The next morning we got started a little later but the area we wanted to hunt was unmolested at that time. We spotted a small herd on a large hillside and decided we would hump up the backside and see if we could get on top of them. It took about 45 minutes but we made it to the backside of the ridge. We topped over and took a look but nothing was there. I decided to walk down another 30 or so yards and see what was below. As I topped the shelf I saw prongs sticking in the air. He was about 60 yards down the hill and looking at me. I threw my rifle up onto the sticks and hurried the shot thinking he would bolt. MISSED, you got to be shi$%ing me, chucked another round in and settled down, he continued to feed, unbothered by the bullet wizzing by. Took a deep breathe and squeezed the trigger and down he went. I couldn't believe it, I wasn't sure it was going to happen for me after seeing all the road hunters push these guys all over the place. I walked the 60 or so yards down the hill and stood proudly over my first western big game animal.
The local game warden (awesome guy) measured his length at 12.5". Not huge but I was thrilled with it. I actually dropped him off at the taxi when I got home. I've never killed anything worth mounting before and he may not be to the lucky hunters that live in the west but for a Mountaineer he is a wall hanger.
I want to add a big thank you to Danny for helping me quarter/cape my antelope and Mike for the lozenges (don't ask).
Also a huge thanks to this website, without it this trip would be a day dream.
Our journey started with 3 strangers applying as a group for the elk draw in January of this year. I had exchanged PM's with Danny (drthornton) thru this site last year as we both gathered information on elk hunting from Mixedbag (also thru this site). In 2010 I hooked up with Mixedbag for an archery antelope hunt in Wyoming that also incorporated a day of scouting the area we would eventually elk hunt.
Our 2011 Elk hunt was chronicled by Danny here: 2011 Wyo Elk
Along rolled February and Danny, Mike (friend/business associate of Danny's) and I had drawn the general elk tag. After a few more emails and PM's we decided to incorporate the opening of Antelope rifle into our plans. July rolled in and we picked up leftover tags for the same HMA I hunted the previous year.
I had anticipated a successful antelope hunt due to the amount of bucks I had seen the previous year while archery hunting. During that archery hunt I had a couple of long range opportunities that just didn't work out. When we finally arrived for opening day I got a little discouraged by the amount of trucks driving up and down thru the HMA. I wondered a little if they bothered reading the rules about staying on established roads. Oh well, it's probably that way everywhere on the opener for rifle season.
We eventually got settled into areas we wanted to hunt. I glassed plenty of lopes but for the most part they were 800+ yards away and they didn't want to come down from the hill tops and ridges they were feeding on. It was an interesting morning though, I could see a large wooded range behind me and every now and then I could glass animals walking thru. I spotted a spike elk and 4 mule deer does working there way around. Around 9 that morning I got a text from Danny that Mike had killed a buck about a mile from us. Mike put a great shot on this pronghorn from around 250 yards.
We all met up at the truck for lunch that afternoon, took some pictures, ate some lunch and Danny went to work butchering the antelope. Danny and I continued to hunt that evening without any luck. I actually had a Suburban pull into the area about 150 yards from where I was hunting and proceed to push out a herd I was watching. Granted they were at least 1000 yards away but still.
The next morning we got started a little later but the area we wanted to hunt was unmolested at that time. We spotted a small herd on a large hillside and decided we would hump up the backside and see if we could get on top of them. It took about 45 minutes but we made it to the backside of the ridge. We topped over and took a look but nothing was there. I decided to walk down another 30 or so yards and see what was below. As I topped the shelf I saw prongs sticking in the air. He was about 60 yards down the hill and looking at me. I threw my rifle up onto the sticks and hurried the shot thinking he would bolt. MISSED, you got to be shi$%ing me, chucked another round in and settled down, he continued to feed, unbothered by the bullet wizzing by. Took a deep breathe and squeezed the trigger and down he went. I couldn't believe it, I wasn't sure it was going to happen for me after seeing all the road hunters push these guys all over the place. I walked the 60 or so yards down the hill and stood proudly over my first western big game animal.
The local game warden (awesome guy) measured his length at 12.5". Not huge but I was thrilled with it. I actually dropped him off at the taxi when I got home. I've never killed anything worth mounting before and he may not be to the lucky hunters that live in the west but for a Mountaineer he is a wall hanger.
I want to add a big thank you to Danny for helping me quarter/cape my antelope and Mike for the lozenges (don't ask).
Also a huge thanks to this website, without it this trip would be a day dream.
Last edited:
