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300Shortmag
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-10 AT 11:49PM (MST)[p]Well I got back yesterday, only 4 days total out of town, from our antelope hunt in 90-1. We drove out 15 hours to get to our unit in Wyoming. Driving in we saw a minimal amount of antelope but saw 1 huge buck running along the road just north of Rock Springs. Then the next 1/2 hour was full of empty desert. We were worried that the reports of how many bucks we should expect to see may have been overstated.
As soon as we arrived in our unit we started looking into the desert with a little more attention. At the first entrance into our unit we saw 8-10 antelope about 300 yards from the road with 1 really tall buck. We pulled down the dirt road and looked at the group. This being my first antelope hunt, I was really excited and itching to take one. But I remembered what people had said and convinced myself that I'd have other opportunities. I passed on the big buck but we watched the group for about 20 minutes as they milled around. It was a great first experience. I couldn't tell if the buck was huge or if it was just my inexperience. Either way, it was hard holding off. But I didn't want to end my hunt in the first 20 minutes.
We drove through the southern end of the unit for approximately 3 hours and made several stalks on a bunch of bucks. I was overwhelmed with the amount of antelope that were in the unit but began getting frustrated as they ran at the sight of a vehicle.
We decided our best bet was to park in a hidden area and walk over the crest of the rolling hills to keep the vehicle from being seen by the spooky antelope. We made several stalks and got very close (within 100 yards) from several nice bucks. Luckliy I had my brother with me who was able to give me a little guidance as to what we were looking for. After looking at a lot of bucks they tend to all look the same (BIG!)
As we were hunting over a small rolling hill we began to walk out onto a flat and did not see any animals in sight. We headed for the next hill in front of us to look over it in hopes of finding a nice buck. Suddenly my brother said BUCK! I looked to our right and saw a buck that was walking along side us about 150 yards away, he had just appeared out of a wash along side us. This buck was walking with us and couldn't care a bit that we were there. I quickly looked at him and noticed his horns were heavier than any of the bucks I had seen earlier. I couldn't hold off any longer. After about 10 seconds and a couple confirmations from my brother I took the shot.
The buck took off running at a dead sprint and didn't look hit. I realoaded but watched him for a few seconds due to the area being so open. I figured I had a while if I wanted a follow up shot. The buck turned 45 degrees as he ran and would have crossed our path about 100 yards in front of us, but then he stopped. He took a half turn and went down. I was so excited to have finally taken my fist antelope. I don't think he's a giant in the world of antelope, but he's big enough for me.
Here's a tip to new people to wyoming... make a skinning lift for your truck or you'll have to do it on the ground. Not a lot of trees in the area.
After we took mine looked for a buck for my brother.
We hunted into the evening and put a lot of stalks on a lot of animals. We saw in the neighborhood of 50-75 bucks the first day. My brother was within 100 yards of multiple bucks but held off and just watched as they passed by and looked at us. It was great watching the bucks with their noses in the air and chasing does.
The next morning we headed out and saw a buck that we had hunted the day prior. This buck was huge, but would always stand within 50-100 yards of the highway watching traffic. We sat and watched him in the morning and figured he'd never move. We moved on and saw about 5 antelope on a ridge about 1000 yards away. As we headed toward the ridge we looked up and saw a buck on the skyline of a hill with two does. The buck saw us and watched as we stood watching him with our binoculars. The buck and does casually walked over the hill and disappeared.
My brother said "that's the buck" and we headed up the hill where we had last seen them. We were half way up the hill when I noticed movement across the canyon at our backs. I looked through my binoculars and saw two bucks running down the hill toward us. I told my brother but he said he didn't want to let the buck get away that was at the top of the hill. We headed the rest of the way up and noticed the hill crested and then had a small drop (approx 60') before it went up a second ridge and dropped off. As we were on top of the first hill, my brother headed over to the right side to look for the buck. I poked my head up over the left side of the ridge and saw his buck walking behind the two does, side hilling just 20 yards down from the ridge. I was very suprised to see the buck was still there.
My brother saw the buck over the hill with the two does. He put his rifle up and had about a 250 yard shot. I was standing behind him as he was kneeling and all I could see was the face and horns of the antelope due to his position and our position on the hill.
I watched through my binoculars the entire time as the does saw us and began to run to our left just below the ridge of the hill they were on. The buck then turned and jogged behind them. I thought the shot was gone, but then the buck stopped broadside and looked at us. My brother shot and the two does took off at a dead sprint over the hill. The buck jogged after them as if he was a little spooked but not hit. My brother reloaded and put a second shot into him, this one I saw hit the right shoulder and it dropped him like a hammer. His 25-06 did the work on this buck and after the second shot it didn't take another step.
We celebrated on the hill for bit and took some pictures prior to starting the work of getting it back to the truck.
Both of our antelopes were trophies in our book and we were very pleased to expeirence this hunt. I have hunted with my brother all my life and love sharing experiences like this with him.
Hopefully next year we'll have similar success on Wyoming mule deer.
Here are a couple pics. The first is mine and the second is my brothers.
As soon as we arrived in our unit we started looking into the desert with a little more attention. At the first entrance into our unit we saw 8-10 antelope about 300 yards from the road with 1 really tall buck. We pulled down the dirt road and looked at the group. This being my first antelope hunt, I was really excited and itching to take one. But I remembered what people had said and convinced myself that I'd have other opportunities. I passed on the big buck but we watched the group for about 20 minutes as they milled around. It was a great first experience. I couldn't tell if the buck was huge or if it was just my inexperience. Either way, it was hard holding off. But I didn't want to end my hunt in the first 20 minutes.
We drove through the southern end of the unit for approximately 3 hours and made several stalks on a bunch of bucks. I was overwhelmed with the amount of antelope that were in the unit but began getting frustrated as they ran at the sight of a vehicle.
We decided our best bet was to park in a hidden area and walk over the crest of the rolling hills to keep the vehicle from being seen by the spooky antelope. We made several stalks and got very close (within 100 yards) from several nice bucks. Luckliy I had my brother with me who was able to give me a little guidance as to what we were looking for. After looking at a lot of bucks they tend to all look the same (BIG!)
As we were hunting over a small rolling hill we began to walk out onto a flat and did not see any animals in sight. We headed for the next hill in front of us to look over it in hopes of finding a nice buck. Suddenly my brother said BUCK! I looked to our right and saw a buck that was walking along side us about 150 yards away, he had just appeared out of a wash along side us. This buck was walking with us and couldn't care a bit that we were there. I quickly looked at him and noticed his horns were heavier than any of the bucks I had seen earlier. I couldn't hold off any longer. After about 10 seconds and a couple confirmations from my brother I took the shot.
The buck took off running at a dead sprint and didn't look hit. I realoaded but watched him for a few seconds due to the area being so open. I figured I had a while if I wanted a follow up shot. The buck turned 45 degrees as he ran and would have crossed our path about 100 yards in front of us, but then he stopped. He took a half turn and went down. I was so excited to have finally taken my fist antelope. I don't think he's a giant in the world of antelope, but he's big enough for me.
Here's a tip to new people to wyoming... make a skinning lift for your truck or you'll have to do it on the ground. Not a lot of trees in the area.
After we took mine looked for a buck for my brother.
We hunted into the evening and put a lot of stalks on a lot of animals. We saw in the neighborhood of 50-75 bucks the first day. My brother was within 100 yards of multiple bucks but held off and just watched as they passed by and looked at us. It was great watching the bucks with their noses in the air and chasing does.
The next morning we headed out and saw a buck that we had hunted the day prior. This buck was huge, but would always stand within 50-100 yards of the highway watching traffic. We sat and watched him in the morning and figured he'd never move. We moved on and saw about 5 antelope on a ridge about 1000 yards away. As we headed toward the ridge we looked up and saw a buck on the skyline of a hill with two does. The buck saw us and watched as we stood watching him with our binoculars. The buck and does casually walked over the hill and disappeared.
My brother said "that's the buck" and we headed up the hill where we had last seen them. We were half way up the hill when I noticed movement across the canyon at our backs. I looked through my binoculars and saw two bucks running down the hill toward us. I told my brother but he said he didn't want to let the buck get away that was at the top of the hill. We headed the rest of the way up and noticed the hill crested and then had a small drop (approx 60') before it went up a second ridge and dropped off. As we were on top of the first hill, my brother headed over to the right side to look for the buck. I poked my head up over the left side of the ridge and saw his buck walking behind the two does, side hilling just 20 yards down from the ridge. I was very suprised to see the buck was still there.
My brother saw the buck over the hill with the two does. He put his rifle up and had about a 250 yard shot. I was standing behind him as he was kneeling and all I could see was the face and horns of the antelope due to his position and our position on the hill.
I watched through my binoculars the entire time as the does saw us and began to run to our left just below the ridge of the hill they were on. The buck then turned and jogged behind them. I thought the shot was gone, but then the buck stopped broadside and looked at us. My brother shot and the two does took off at a dead sprint over the hill. The buck jogged after them as if he was a little spooked but not hit. My brother reloaded and put a second shot into him, this one I saw hit the right shoulder and it dropped him like a hammer. His 25-06 did the work on this buck and after the second shot it didn't take another step.
We celebrated on the hill for bit and took some pictures prior to starting the work of getting it back to the truck.
Both of our antelopes were trophies in our book and we were very pleased to expeirence this hunt. I have hunted with my brother all my life and love sharing experiences like this with him.
Hopefully next year we'll have similar success on Wyoming mule deer.
Here are a couple pics. The first is mine and the second is my brothers.
