Whitehorse Antelope

NWElkHunter · Aug 21, 2008

Made it back from our Whitehorse antelope hunt and wanted to post a few pictures of our bucks and give a word of thanks to a few MM members who sent PM's with good advice. htnfool and OregonBighorn thanks a bunch for the help and I wish I could give you some locations for big muleys we saw but I can honestly say that we did not see a muley one! Antelope were a different story though. We camped at Anderson Crossing and hunting towards Oregon Butte and probably saw 50 to 75 lopes per day. Lots of bucks but all in about the same range. We did see a couple of bucks that looked bigger than average while scouting further west on Friday prior to the opener but other hunters moved in and we decided to hunt with limited pressure and take our chances. We killed the first buck on Saturday late morning and I've got to thank my buddy for sticking it out until early Tuesday morning while I looked over tons of bucks trying to find something better than average. When I say sticking it out I mean it - Saturday, Sunday and Monday were all unbearably hot down there, temperatures were well over 100 and in that countly there is no way to get out of the sun. We did find a great seep with lots of activity and some sage to hide in but that sun was just about too much!

Anyway, had a great time regardless of weather. Learned alot and can't wait to go back and do it again in another 12 years! Wish it didn't take so long to draw an antelope tag in this state but I know we enjoyed having this one.

oregonmuley · Aug 21, 2008

Thanks for the pics - those are nice goats!
I know what you mean about hunting them, I drew my first tag last year in S. Wagontire and had about as much fun as I've ever had hunting them, and like you I hate having to wait 10-12 years to get another. Although I know a guy that also drew S. Wagontire last year and drew another tag this year for another unit with zero points! Lucky

htnfool · Aug 21, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Aug-21-08 AT 08:42PM (MST)[p]Awesome. A BIG CONGRATS on the goats. It is well worth the wait!!! I am glad to see that I didn't steer you wrong... That area has great potential. Bummer on the muleys. We killed a cat about 3 miles south of anderson crossing 2 years back. They are thick down there, as I am sure you can see why.

Both those goats look like they would score well. Did you score them? Just curious.

The pictures are fantastic!!!

Scott

KILLERBEE · Aug 21, 2008

very cool. i haven't been here long so i missed the first part of you drawing. i've been there a few time and there is tons of lops if your in the right area. i agree that heat is bad. i went with a buddy on a sheep hunt and even with that tag it was hard to get the motivation to hunt when it was hot.
so who has the buck tag? and is it the muzzy tag?

dfowler08x · Aug 21, 2008

Those are some sweet looking Speed Goats. Im heading to Burns on Tuesday. My buddy has a Malhuer River #2 Tag. Thanks for posting the pics. It sure gets the blood pumpin.

Dave

NWElkHunter · Aug 22, 2008

We didn't score the goats as neither were that big - the first buck was 14 inches with a broken top on one side and the other buck was 15 with some more mass and a prong that was turned out making it look "a bit different" (which is why he took the bullet on Tuesday morning!!!)

Didn't see any cats or sign but we stayed up on top for the most part. My buddy and I talked about hunting deer down there and figured you would have to be hunting in some area we were missing and also know something we didn't because the muleys appeared extinct for all purposes while we were there. Of course the 100 degree weather probably kegged most everything up but the lopes. Would love to have the late season muzzy tag for that unit and hunt further north but as a NR I won't draw, my buddy will probably begin putting in for that after next year when he draws his Hart muzzy tag (missed it this year when they cut the tags by 6) so at least I'll get to go down and glass/pack for him!

Love the area and had a great time - for those of you with 2nd season lope tags good luck, at least you've got better weather! When my buddy emails me his pictures I might post a few more.

muleyman · Aug 22, 2008

Congrats on the goats! I hunted outside of Dayville 3yrs ago...got my goat the second day. 7 more years and maybe draw again!

Congrats again, fine looking animals

muleyman

OregonBighorn · Aug 24, 2008

Nice Goats!!! Glad to see you had fun over there despite the heat. I appreciate you guys looking for muleys! I went back over there and found some shooter bucks and will be going back in another week so all is well. Anyways congrats and good luck on the rest of your hunts.