Fun Antelope Hunt!!

sageadvice · Aug 23, 2010

I just don't got it anymore guys!! I used to be able to hold off for a good one. Seems with age, i've gotten more and more about having a good time, the meeting of other like minded people, looking at lots of animals, and taking a nice respectable buck.

My 2010 zone 5 "Big Vally" lope hunt was never more an example to myself that i just don't put the importance in getting a big trophy that i used to. Not sure that i understand what's going on in my head but i do know that i seem to slowly be changing as i get older, it's not really bothering me much, but the change is noticeable in the animals i'm taking, when before, i would have passed while continuing to hunt for bigger ones.

The scouting part of the trip was probably the highlight of the trip. I had made a few contacts through here and from other friends long before i ever left town and they paid off big time. No sooner had i made it up to the Adin and Bieber area, than i had a couple successful door knocking experiences with exclusive and free permission to hunt given as the result. 2 different ranches, 2 totally different kinds of places, but each place holding maybe 25-30 antelope, that i saw daily, including multiple shooter antelope bucks and the promise of even more to move into the area as the season progressed. It turns out that both these places that i was directed to were among the areas best, according to the locals, places to get permission if a guy can/could.

More, plus some of my chitty pic's to follow...

Joey

Wiszard · Aug 23, 2010

That's cold, Joey! Pics in a SECOND post? Not nice....

I am glad you had a good hunt. It is about the experience. It's true that if you talk with people and are generally a nice person, they will treat you with the same kindness and good things follow. Congrats on a fun hunt. Post em up!

Steve
T&A Inspector

sageadvice · Aug 23, 2010

Sorry Steve, i don't have a working scanner so can't get the disposable cameras pics in my puter to post...tomorrow!

So anyway, the first ranch, the guy owns 2000 acres that is mostly in alfalfa that is watered by these big towered pivots. These "pivots" are a sprinkler system on rubber wheels that rotates in a circle around and around, can be programed for how fast, but generally might make one full rotation around every three days. He had three fields each with their own pivot. I met him out there Tues morning where he showed me the ranch boundary, the roads i could use, his big pond/reservoir up above, and some ranch history. Mr. "K" was very concerned with feeding one less antelope and is generally receptive to granting permission but only to one hunter at a time. Once i left him to his chores, I no sooner had pulled out into his fields when i was able to drive within 300 yds of a nice group that included 5 bucks. One wasn't very high or wide but he was massively black with nice cutters and his horns completely curled back in around to where they were pointed at the top of his head, maybe a solid 15"+ lope with that nice long heavy curl.

Another one, i didn't spend a lot of time looking at him, had a really wide rack. He was probably over 18" wide, maybe 20", and probably at least 16" long but his rack wasn't very dark, or heavy, with maybe only 4" cutters. The other bucks were less impressive but still, i'd say one or two were shooters in most places. Soon, they filed out of the field and bedded on the hillside up above the reservoir. I made up my mind right then that i'd take the heavy big curled buck if i found none better.

I then made the trip out to the public ground that i took my antelope buck from the last time that i was able to draw a tag back in 1987. Once i got out there, while looking over a map, a guy in a water truck that was keeping the dust down for the chip trucks working the area, pulled over and offered assistance. Turns out we have mutual friends and he ended up telling me of his Grandfathers ranch and i might talk to him to see if he'd let me hunt. Off i went and met one of the highlights of my trip. Mr. "ED" was 86 years old and a old time cowboy. I ended up spending some quality time with him every day during the next 5 days and i think the feeling was mutual. We got along really good. He reminded me a lot of my long past away Grandfather.

When first met and i asked him for permission to hunt, he gave it freely but warned me that he'd not seen any antelope on his place for some time. I no sooner had driven out his driveway and down his access road 100yds when, looking out into his irrigated grass hay field that was all freshly bailed up, i spotted a single lope. When i had finally stopped and had gotten my Leopold glasses on him, he took my breath away!! I had found the buck i wanted! Tall, black horned as can be, really heavy, big long cutters, big curl, he had it all!! I saw all this in 5 seconds, or so, when he took off, prancing like, and he didn't really stop until he was over a little knob, just off the property, where he then bedded so i could still use my spotting scope on him from afar.

That night i had trouble getting to sleep! When i closed my eyes, all i could see was that huge single buck all by himself dancing across that hay field. I'm pretty sure that he was/is a "Book" lope! I had now found my number one shooter and i still had 3 full days to scout before the season opener...

sageadvice · Aug 23, 2010

I guess now would be a good time to tell you about Adin, Ca. In fairness, the first time through there, i didn't think much of it. There is not much there, at least i had thought, that is until you get a chance to meet a few of the areas people. MM's Larrbo had put in a good word or two of me to his friend Steve who along with family, own and operate a really neat store in town called Adin Supply. Like Larrbo, Steve is a great guy who obviously gets along with a wide variety of people and knows how to run a business. Steve offered me all the support and help a guy could want or need. I checked in with him daily and kept well stocked with supply's from his store which displays a well stocked old time meat counter, cooked meals, sporting goods, and most things a person would need among countless big mounted heads of various N. American big game and a lot of great old collectibles that are for sale. I very much liked Steve and his store!!

I also found about as good a cheeseburger and fries basket as i've ever had down the street at Oney's Frosty!! Greg owns the place but along with his 2 brothers affectionately known together as, larry, crurly, and moe, were all great guys and to me, they kept telling me to hold off shooting the "small ones" i had been seeing as they were going to help me get a "BIG ONE". lol Those guys were infectious to be around. Each evening during my scouting phase, i'd hang around outside with them and others by the BBQ and there was nothing but laugh's and good times. Instant friends!!

Yes, those two businesses plus the gas station mini-mart are a lot of that little town but the people, the way they say hello, how are you, whatever, and they meant it!! The invites i got to hunt, or come over, or just to be made so welcome, was very refreshing even with coming from a pretty neat little mountain town chalk full of good people myself. I could live in Adin Ca! If younger and willing to start over, i'd move there in a second. You'd need to bring your own business or income with you, be careful not to run over all the hundreds of Quail in the area, the fields are full of honkers, and big muley bucks, lots of them, live either in town or just outside the city limits, but it would be a nice place to carve out a life. Adin Ca is not a whole lot to see as you pass through it but it really is a nice place, a gem of a small town!!

So now i'm gonna skip some, right passed through the rest of the scouting phase where i had good and bad luck in re-locating some of the better bucks that i had already seen. The really big guy on Eds place was never seen again. He took off i guess. Ed said that he'd likely be back but through all my efforts, i couldn't find him. There were now a bunch of lopes in Ed's fields though. As if magic, about 20 or more lopes showed up overnight and with them was a nice pretty buck. A shooter for most guys but i still had those bucks over on Karl's place... opening day next!!!

larrbo · Aug 24, 2010

Glad to hear you are back from a successful and fun hunt Joey. I have been looking online everyday to see your story about the hunt. We are up at the lake today and leaving in the morning, would love to hear more details and see a photo if you have it developed. Congrats on the hunt.

Gator · Aug 24, 2010

Joey you better start posting up some pictures.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

NickW · Aug 24, 2010

Joey, I know what you mean about Adin! Especially the quail.
So let's get with the pics!

sageadvice · Aug 24, 2010

So, opening morning at 6:00 am i'm parked on Main St Adin, Ca. Waiting for one of the three stooges to show me this "monster" antelope that he saw every day on his way to work. He told me about this lope the evening before. It was explained to me that the lope liked this one field, was always by himself, and that the property was owned by Greg, his brother, but part of the field was recently sold and there was an issue with deeded access because the neighbor did not want them to use, what he figured, was his private road. The youngest Oney brother finally showed up at 7:00 or so and i followed him out of town 3 or 4 miles. When we got there, he told me that i had to cross over on to the parcel by jumping the fence at the corner. I wanted no part of any land use or access issues so declined to hunt that particular big buck, thanked him anyway, and off i went to Karls, only a few miles away.

Once out in Karl's alfalfa pivots i quickly spotted a bunch out near pivot #3. About the time i spotted them, they started moving toward me. Soon i was out my rig and setting up the spotting scope for a better look all the while they kept getting closer, now within 500 yds. Through the scope i saw what looked to be a pretty decent buck with the group headed my way and another buck with the group that was further away, staying where they were. Most of my interest was with the far group until i realized that neither buck was the really heavy one with the big hooks on top the pointed all the way back back down. I soon realized that the far groups buck was one of the smaller guys i'd seen the first trip out to scout. By now the group getting closer was well within shooting range and getting closer all the time. They then must have decided, who knows how a antelope thinks, that they were too close to me and started to run full out to get behind me and back up into the pond country.

I grab my rifle off the front seat, jack a round in the chamber, get a rest and watch through 12 power as the buck stops dead in his tracks at about 100yds and looks at me. He is a really good, not great, but good goat. Going through my head is all the other lope bucks i'd seen and how this one i'd not seen before ranks among them. In the end he makes up my mind for me as he bolts, takes the group with him, up and over the reservoir to bed up in the rough country back behind. Where the other bucks were, i didn't know. I looked all over that place and they were not to be found. I was wondering if i had made a mistake in not taking that sure shot i had at this mornings lope. He was a good one, probably pushing 78", maybe better.

I then make the 10 mile trip over to Ed's to find 24 lopes out in his baled hay field. With them was a nice buck. I walked about a hundred yards to a old fence line, the buck sees me and walks toward me. At 200 yds, i had a really good look at him and after much thought and conflicting emotions, i passed. There also was another maybe a little bigger, but not Mr Big, lope way across bedded off the property with a few does on the long high mostly bald hillside/ridge across the valley. Through my scope i could see lots of black and good cutters but by now, the heat waves are up and the long distance looking isn't so good. After another nice visit with Ed, I decided to give the lopes...and my nerves, a break and went trout fishing for the rest of the day.

Pic's and the final chapter coming today, soon... i promise!

Gator · Aug 24, 2010

I'm going to start calling you Joey the Drug dealer First you get us hooked then you just lead us around. LOL
Can't wait to see those pictures.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

Wiszard · Aug 24, 2010

You got it rough, Joey. Antelope hunting and trout fishing? Damn you!! Sounds like you're having a great time. That's really nice you have so much support and a few good places to hunt. Looking forward to the "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say.

Steve
T&A Inspector

sageadvice · Aug 24, 2010

After more of the same the next day, seeing good lopes but not shooting, i found this guy all by himself out in Ed's hay field. The stalk was lengthy but right before i put the lead to him, he laid down. After an hour or so of waiting for him to stand back up, i got impatient and crossed over the willow creek, that i was using for cover, on a 3x12 plank and right out into the field he was in. Of coarse he bolted, ran out of the field but stopped 326 yards away giving me a quartering away broadside shot. I took him a tad far back but the bullet exited the off shoulder sending him immediately to the dirt and game over.

This is the trout fishing spot i found on Ash creek about 6 miles out of Adin. Planters i figure but nice ones with lots of scrap in them. Oh, good eating too!

My buck taken 11:00 the second day.

I boned him out on the spot and put the meat on ice in a big chest that i brought along just for that job. I'm hoping for some great eating from this guy!!

I'm happy with this guy! At 14 1/2" and about mid 70's gross, he definitely was only the 4th or 5th biggest buck that i saw on the trip but i liked the looks of him out in that field and to tell you the truth, i was frazzled looking at all the nice bucks trying to figure which one to take. I had a great trip...no regrets!!

Thanks for your patience guys!!

Joey

NickW · Aug 24, 2010

Good job and great story telling!

PleaseDear · Aug 24, 2010

Very nice Joey!

congrats

Robb

brownie · Aug 24, 2010

Nice Goat Sage. That was also a good story to boot. The Oney's at the Frosty, they have an older brother, Troy, that lives here in Bishop. He just retired a year ago, and plans on moving part time, up to Aden. He talks about the place all the time,Bucks, Ducks, and Geese. Sounds like you had a good hunt, and met some good people. As far as the getting older and not holding out for a bigger buck, I think that's how it must go. I find myself enjoying the new country, and the hunt more and more the older I get. Same thing happened to me last year on a Nevada deer hunt.

Thanks, Doug.

eelgrass · Aug 24, 2010

Joey, thanks for the detailed account of your hunt. I've paid to read stories in magazines that weren't as well written as yours.

You have no idea how many times I've thought "I wonder how Joey is doing on his pronghorn hunt?" Or "Man, I wish I could be there." Having been involved with four CA pronghorn hunts myself, I understand how special a hunt it is.

That's a beautiful buck! A trophy in my eyes.

Eel

You did the right thing by not getting involved with the corner jumping thing. That could have turned sour in a hurry.

larrbo · Aug 24, 2010

Great story Joey, and a very nice lope. I'm looking forward to seeing the horns in person. Thanks for sharing the details and photos of your hunt.

oilcan · Aug 24, 2010

Great looking Antelope and if your happy thats all that matters.

cbeard · Aug 24, 2010

Joey sounds like a great hunt to me! Thanks for sharing it with us-and that 'lope is bigger than the two I have killed by a long shot!

sageadvice · Aug 24, 2010

Thank You Guys!!

Yep, i had a blast. Probably the only downer of the whole hunt was that my long time hunting partner got slammed busy at work and also with a bridge project that he has to get done, was unable to make the trip as we had planned. I really would have preferred another guy along if nothing more than to compare our thought on each animals size.

Last year in Wyoming, my partner and i debated bucks until we were blue in the face from laughing so hard. On this trip, i saw way more shooter bucks, nice ones, than i did in Wyoming even though in Wyoming we saw a hundred bucks a day easy. This is no slap against Wy, the unit we hunted was/is not known for super trophy animals.

Anyway, i made the trip solo, as i generally do, and it still worked out. A couple friends in Chester were disappointed that they couldn't go and then i couldn't call them once i finally found out my old pard weren't coming. Would have been really nice to have someone along.

Yesterday, i delivered the whole boned out antelope to the butcher for making it into a grind. I really like lope burgers!

You betcha!!

Joey

Wiszard · Aug 24, 2010

Alright Joey! Nice goat. I am with you as far as the antelope burgers go. I throw 4 patties on the BBQ. Put them on onion rolls with mayo, pickles, onions and a tad of BBQ sauce. Its an awesome meal that really makes the whole hunting experience complete. Good job, Joey.

Steve
T&A Inspector

sageadvice · Aug 24, 2010

alright! Thanks again guys!!

So, now that i don't have max points for antelope anymore, just how many years is it going to be before i can expect to draw lopes again? ;-)

I saw huge 27"X24" high 6X5 brought into Idaho Grocery on my way thru Susanville. It was your basic high racked, huge back forked, velvet, 180 class buck. The hunter worked at the prison and showed me phone pic's of the big clean typical one, maybe 190+, that he was after when he settled for this one. Nice heavy horned buck, X5-a.

Joey

Gator · Aug 24, 2010

Very Nice Lope. Looks like a good fishing hole too.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

KBKILLER · Aug 24, 2010

great job joey! i really appriciate you telling the whole story in the hunt. i felt as if i was watching over your shoulder. thats what these forums should be about!

congrats on a fine trophy, i dont care what the # is he will score. you have a trophy, which is a memory , you will not soon forget!

AWESOME!, it made my night great, thanks

NoDoe · Aug 24, 2010

I know the Adin area well, I felt like I was along with you on the trip. That was good story telling.
Don

oilcan · Aug 24, 2010

"So, now that i don't have max points for antelope anymore, just how many years is it going to be before i can expect to draw lopes again?"

I'll let you know as soon as i draw.

RACKMASTER · Aug 24, 2010

its like sex for some(certainly not me of course!)They want to hold out all night..... but after 3 hours there done! lope hunting well...you get it!
GOOD LOOKING BUCK! Now how about your deer spot

rackmaster

completesportsman · Aug 24, 2010

Nice buck sageadvice! Thanks for sharing your story and pics!

Pucci · Aug 25, 2010

Nice lope Joey. Ive spent some time up their myself with a friend from Fall River. Great country to be in. Im with you on the age thing. 90 percent is going on the hunt and being in the outdoors and the harvest is the icing on the cake. Great story and thanks.

nickman · Aug 25, 2010

I like it! Good story, as usual also!

It is always good when any California hunt is a success.....especially if you didn't draw something out of state.

High fives Joey!

manny53 · Aug 25, 2010

nice buck, good mass, congats......

Cahunter805 · Aug 25, 2010

Congrats Joey. Nice goat and sounds like you had a great time!! How did the accubonds work for you?? Bet they hammered that goat.

sageadvice · Aug 25, 2010

Thanks Guys!! Very nice of you, kind words!!!

I consider myself a buck hunter, as in deer, and don't really have a lot of experience around antelope but i saw something this trip i thought odd and am wondering if it's common. I put a sneak on a group of lopes that had a pretty good lope in it. He had about 20+ does with him and he kept chasing them around but they wanted no part of him that i could tell. After awhile, he gave up on them and started dry humping a hay bale. That's right! He'd mount that bale as if a girlfriend and display his technique as all the gals in the group gathered around and watched on.

I don't know about that antelope buck but if had it been me, i might have been a tad embarrassed!!

Joey

nickman · Aug 25, 2010

A pronghorn "Chippindales"........only in California!

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Aug 26, 2010

Nice job sage!
Seems as if the Lopers have been watchin the local majority there in Kali?}>}>}>

I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!

Model_70_Guy · Aug 26, 2010

Congrats on a great looking buck Joey and a good story recounting your hunt. Did you stay in the Ash Creek campground?
When we were hunting goats in that zone back in the early '80s we camped at that campground along with other antelope hunters and after we tagged out we enjoyed the trout fishing as well.

I agree with you that it's a great area, nice people and would be a great place to live but as you say you have to bring an income with you. Glad you had a fun and successful hunt and were able to tag a good buck.

Jim

REDDOG · Aug 26, 2010

Looks fun..I gave up on drawing a CA lope tag..kinda wished I'd stuck with it. Get a dog and chase those quail = good times and eats!

sageadvice · Aug 26, 2010

Thanks Guys!!!

_70_Guy, Yes, it was down at the Ash Creek Campground. I parked, you can see my rig in the pic, along the creek right at the bridge instead of going over and into the camp area proper, it's all a free camp area, as for some reason, i just don't care for designated camp spots. The trout were running 10-13" and really liked yellow bodied Panther Martins.

Actually, i found this creek 23 years ago on my last Antelope hunt but up higher off the main road to Madelin(sp). I even told Rackmaster about it last year when he posted for fishing-camping spots while in that area. Back then, i also caught a nice brown trout for that Creek, 16-17".

REDDOG, I'd love to make the trip up there to hunt Quail. I said hundreds but believe there are more like Thousands of Quail within the Adin area. They are simply EVERYWHERE that you look. You just about can't be in town anywhere and not look and see a big bunch of Quail! There are lots of them out in the woods too! Just about any piece of decent looking habitat is loaded with quail. Must have been a very good hatch this year!!

Joey

NickW · Aug 26, 2010

.....and the world continues to shrink!
I, as well, stayed in that campground when I took my goat some years back! I'll never forget the dinner the night before the opener. Grouse and bunnies, browned and served over sauted onions and the ol' cream of mushroom soup.

sageadvice · Aug 27, 2010

I picked up my antelope grind from the butcher yesterday and had a pack for dinner last night,

Yummy stuff!!

I first dropped it off at Idaho Grocery in Susanville, same place that i dropped off the front half of my big bodied Wy muley buck last year to have made into burger. Last years deal was very economical but i still asked the man what i was looking at cost wise for my Antelope. I had already boned out most of it and was surprised when he said, "$90.+ plus what i mix in with it".

Turns out, by the way he prices things, he had to charge me the same cost as if i had brought in a large Muley buck that needed a lot of work to clean, disassemble and get all the meat off of to get to the point that my small little lope was already at. I asked for my lope back and went down the road.

My next stop was at Biggs in Westwood. I asked Donny how much to make a grind mix if i gave him nothing but meat. His price was $.50 a pound for grinding plus the additive meats. I pulled around back and quickly finished of de-boning the meat and ended up with 35#'s of clean trimmed meat. He mixed in 3 pounds of beef burger and 3 of pork. I ended up with just over 40 pounds of great eating antelope grind for a total butcher cost of $41.

If times were better i may have just paid Idaho's price to have the work done...they need to make a buck too! As it is though, i'm very glad that i went to Biggs. You guys have a good day!!!

Joey

6x7 · Aug 27, 2010

>alright! Thanks again guys!!
>
>So, now that i don't have
>max points for antelope anymore,
>just how many years is
>it going to be before
>i can expect to draw
>lopes again? ;-)
>
>I saw huge 27"X24" high 6X5
>brought into Idaho Grocery on
>my way thru Susanville. It
>was your basic high racked,
>huge back forked, velvet, 180
>class buck. The hunter worked
>at the prison and showed
>me phone pic's of the
>big clean typical one, maybe
>190+, that he was after
>when he settled for this
>one. Nice heavy horned buck,
>X5-a.
>
>Joey

Do you remember the prison guards name I know a guy that works up there named josh.

sageadvice · Aug 27, 2010

6X7, I didn't ask the guy his name. I do have a couple pic's on a disposable camera but it was the first two pic's taken on a 36 exposure camera...it's gonna be a while before i get them developed. He looked to be about 30 and his Dad was with him, wearing a Boone and Crockett Ball Cap. That's all i know!!

Joey

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Sep 7, 2010

A butcher talked me in to some Elk Sausage once!
Really good stuff when it was fresh(less than a month old)

Don't know if it was the pig fat or what?
But after a month in the Freezer it became some Rancid/Rank stuff!
Don't think I'll do that again!

Sounds like good stuff sage!

I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!