smokepoler63
Active Member
- Messages
- 371
I was disappointed when I didn't draw the muzzleloader pronghorn tag I had applied for in Idaho this year. I decided to try again in the second drawing. There were seven tags available that people hadn't purchased by the August 1st deadline. I knew the odds would be tough, but thought I would try anyway. To my amazement I drew the permit.
The hunt opened on Sept 19th, but I had a prior commitment to help and old friend (73) of mine on a Utah early season rifle hunt, so I would miss the opener. I thought that would be fine since I knew from passed hunts that the rutt usually peaks around Sept. 25th in this area. We had a great hunt in Utah and we were able to call this bull into about 275 yards.
When I returned home from Utah I had to go back to work. I was dying to get out hunting and the muzzy pronghorn tag was burning a hole in my pocket. I was working a set of mids (7PM to 7AM) and after 3 in a row I decided to forgo the sleep I desperately needed in lieu of a scouting/hunting trip on the morning of Sept. 27th. I have a semi-custom T/C Hawken that I built several years ago when Idaho changed the requirements for muzzleloaders with help from IdahoRon here on Monstermuleys. I was planning on using the Hawken, but I couldn't get it to group very well with the same loads that have shot very well in the past. I also have a T/C Black Diamond XR stainless/synthetic that I decided to use until I can figure out why the Hawken isn't grouping well.
I decided that since I would mostly be scouting rather than hunting, I would take my old beater car, an old Toyota, rather than my pickup. I headed out to my hunt area which is only about an hour from my house. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a nice herd on the fringe of my hunt area. Through my binos I could tell that the herd buck was a dandy and a definite shooter if I could close the distance. About this time, the herd got nervous and ran out into the INL (Idaho National Laboratory) which is off limits to hunting.
I knew of more hay fields that usually attract pronghorn so I headed over to them. From a distance I could see three different herds with about 10 to 25 head in each herd. The herd closest to me looked to have a very nice buck in it. I noticed that they were not that far from the end haystack in a row of several haystacks. I figured if I could get the haystacks between us, I could use them for cover for a stalk. I walked way to the west and finally had the haystacks between us. The pronghorn hadn't noticed me or weren't bothered by me because I was so far away.
I gradually walked toward the haystacks, being careful not to show myself. When I reached the first haystack, I was happy to see that the pronghorn were still in the hay field. I carefully worked my way down the backside of the haystacks, taking extra care to not be seen between the stacks. By the time I was approaching the end of the last stack I was getting pretty excited. Because everything is so flat and wide open in this area, I belly crawled the last few feet. The herd was out about 125 yards on average, but the buck was out on the far back right side of the herd. The buck was always moving and always covered up with does or had does behind him. I put a little pressure on the trigger several times, but the buck would always move, or a doe would step in front of or behind the buck. This was nerve racking. It didn't seem like I would ever get a clear shot.
About the time I was starting to go crazy, a doe broke away from the herd and started angling away from the herd to head back out onto the desert, coming slightly closer to me. This got the buck's attention. He ran out around the herd and cut the doe off like a cutting horse. little did he know I was laying there waiting for such a mistake on his part. With the doe heading back to the herd, the buck stopped momentarily to survey his herd. A quick range with my rangefinder showed him to be at 98 yards. I took a deep breath, let it halfway out and took up the slack in the trigger. Through a thick cloud of smoke I could see pronghorn running for the desert and the buck struggling to keep up. He made it to the edge of the field and went down.
I quickly reloaded and approached the downed buck. As I got closer I could see he was still breathing rapidly. I approached carefully and when I got to within 10 yards he suddenly jumped to his feet and took off. I swung the muzzleloader through his body like a shotgun and fired. He folded in a heap. I had shot high and spined him. Not where I like to hit animals, but they sure do go down hard. I looked at my watch and it was about 9:30 AM. I took some field photos and cell phone photos, and then sent some cell phone photos to my buddy at work who also has this tag and permit.
I guess sleep is over rated. I had a great scouting/hunting trip and still made it home in time to get some sleep before returning to work for my last mid shift.
The hunt opened on Sept 19th, but I had a prior commitment to help and old friend (73) of mine on a Utah early season rifle hunt, so I would miss the opener. I thought that would be fine since I knew from passed hunts that the rutt usually peaks around Sept. 25th in this area. We had a great hunt in Utah and we were able to call this bull into about 275 yards.
When I returned home from Utah I had to go back to work. I was dying to get out hunting and the muzzy pronghorn tag was burning a hole in my pocket. I was working a set of mids (7PM to 7AM) and after 3 in a row I decided to forgo the sleep I desperately needed in lieu of a scouting/hunting trip on the morning of Sept. 27th. I have a semi-custom T/C Hawken that I built several years ago when Idaho changed the requirements for muzzleloaders with help from IdahoRon here on Monstermuleys. I was planning on using the Hawken, but I couldn't get it to group very well with the same loads that have shot very well in the past. I also have a T/C Black Diamond XR stainless/synthetic that I decided to use until I can figure out why the Hawken isn't grouping well.
I decided that since I would mostly be scouting rather than hunting, I would take my old beater car, an old Toyota, rather than my pickup. I headed out to my hunt area which is only about an hour from my house. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a nice herd on the fringe of my hunt area. Through my binos I could tell that the herd buck was a dandy and a definite shooter if I could close the distance. About this time, the herd got nervous and ran out into the INL (Idaho National Laboratory) which is off limits to hunting.
I knew of more hay fields that usually attract pronghorn so I headed over to them. From a distance I could see three different herds with about 10 to 25 head in each herd. The herd closest to me looked to have a very nice buck in it. I noticed that they were not that far from the end haystack in a row of several haystacks. I figured if I could get the haystacks between us, I could use them for cover for a stalk. I walked way to the west and finally had the haystacks between us. The pronghorn hadn't noticed me or weren't bothered by me because I was so far away.
I gradually walked toward the haystacks, being careful not to show myself. When I reached the first haystack, I was happy to see that the pronghorn were still in the hay field. I carefully worked my way down the backside of the haystacks, taking extra care to not be seen between the stacks. By the time I was approaching the end of the last stack I was getting pretty excited. Because everything is so flat and wide open in this area, I belly crawled the last few feet. The herd was out about 125 yards on average, but the buck was out on the far back right side of the herd. The buck was always moving and always covered up with does or had does behind him. I put a little pressure on the trigger several times, but the buck would always move, or a doe would step in front of or behind the buck. This was nerve racking. It didn't seem like I would ever get a clear shot.
About the time I was starting to go crazy, a doe broke away from the herd and started angling away from the herd to head back out onto the desert, coming slightly closer to me. This got the buck's attention. He ran out around the herd and cut the doe off like a cutting horse. little did he know I was laying there waiting for such a mistake on his part. With the doe heading back to the herd, the buck stopped momentarily to survey his herd. A quick range with my rangefinder showed him to be at 98 yards. I took a deep breath, let it halfway out and took up the slack in the trigger. Through a thick cloud of smoke I could see pronghorn running for the desert and the buck struggling to keep up. He made it to the edge of the field and went down.
I quickly reloaded and approached the downed buck. As I got closer I could see he was still breathing rapidly. I approached carefully and when I got to within 10 yards he suddenly jumped to his feet and took off. I swung the muzzleloader through his body like a shotgun and fired. He folded in a heap. I had shot high and spined him. Not where I like to hit animals, but they sure do go down hard. I looked at my watch and it was about 9:30 AM. I took some field photos and cell phone photos, and then sent some cell phone photos to my buddy at work who also has this tag and permit.
I guess sleep is over rated. I had a great scouting/hunting trip and still made it home in time to get some sleep before returning to work for my last mid shift.
