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Guest
First off I want to thank you all who gave me advice and help, I really appreciate it. This was my first antelope hunt and the second time I had ever hunted with a muzz. So it was a couple of first for me which was pretty awesome, it was the first time I had ever gotten an antelope and the first animal I have ever taken with a muzz.
I had made two previous scouting trips and found several antelope, two bucks that would have made book easily. I also located a remote water hole where I believed one of the bucks was watering. I bought a blind, decoys, scents etc. you know anything and everything I might need. I wanted to have it then to wish or need it and not have it. I was unable to scout in August because of kids sports, so we got there 4 days early to get some scouting in and check on the water holes and lopes. Well the holes were dried up but the lopes were still there. I could not figure out where he was watering but I had him patterened, I watched him for 3 days and everyday he showed up on this ridge at 0815hrs and fed up the ridge and into a valley (disappearing). Now, we were seeing a lot of lopes everyday so I had several other smaller bucks in the area but there were two big ones that I wanted. The other big one was with does and he would feed into a flat around 1730hrs. Opening morning my dad and I left the truck at 0400hrs and headed out to get to the top of the ridge where I kept seeing the big buck. My plan was to get above him in the dark, hide in the rimrock and wait for him to come by. Well everything was perfect, the wind was right, we had a great hiding spot and I was holding my first antelope tag. The only problem was the antelope didn't come up the ridge like he was suppose to. Apparently he didn't get the memo to meet me at the top around 0845hrs.
So by 1000hrs I headed back to camp, rested up and grabbed some food. I was heading out after the other buck that fed into the flat in the eveinings. It was a pretty good drive to get to him plus I had to hike 3 miles to where he was. On my way there I decided to take this old dead end road where I had seen a smaller one a few days before. I drove to the end of the road and he wasn't there either. On my way out I looked off to the side and there standing looking at me was an antelope buck at about 300yds. I jumped off my bike and got ready. The lope ran off and into a low spot on top of this mesa and I didn't see him come out. The wind was screaming from my right to my left. I told my dad I'm going after him, so off I go nothing between me and him but knee high grass and a FEW sage bushes. Well I got lucky and I do mean lucky I walked right up behind him. He was bedded under a sage bush facing away from me, if I had been 10 feet right or left he would of smelled me or saw me but I just happen to walk right up behind him. Now I'm about 40yds away and shaking like a leaf. I couldn't shoot because of the angle and the grass was just tall enough I didn't want to take a chance of deflecting my bullet. So I stayed on my knees in case he got up I could shoot. I would wait until the wind blew hard and I would inch forward until I was within about 35yds of him. I pull up and fire, he jumps up and runs about 20yds turns broadside and looks at me. I reload and shoot again, he turns and runs about 15yds and stops facing straight away from me. I reload again and pull down on top of his tail and shoot, WHAM! Baby that dropped him. A follow up shot and it was all over.
WOW, what a hunt and what a great experience. He was not the monster I was hoping for but I'm very grateful and proud that I was able to get one. He measured 13" tall with beautiful ivory tips and perfect curls. He had 3" cutters and was about 6-7" at the base. I'm having a euro. mount done not a shoulder mount. My wife and kids and I had the backstrap and it was really, really good.
I have a pic. on my cell but I don't know how to post pics. on here and all the other pics. are 35mm. I will see if I can get my nephew to help me scan them and post them or somehow get the one pic. off my cell and post it.
Thank's for taking the time to read my story, I don't post on here often but I try and assist people when I can. If I can ever help someone with something please ask, if I can I will.
It was a great hunt, my parents were with me and I had a really good time. It took me 9yrs to draw that tag and I hope the next time I draw a lope tag maybe I can have my boy's with me or better yet maybe they will have the tag and I can mount one for my boy's.
Thank you,
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I had made two previous scouting trips and found several antelope, two bucks that would have made book easily. I also located a remote water hole where I believed one of the bucks was watering. I bought a blind, decoys, scents etc. you know anything and everything I might need. I wanted to have it then to wish or need it and not have it. I was unable to scout in August because of kids sports, so we got there 4 days early to get some scouting in and check on the water holes and lopes. Well the holes were dried up but the lopes were still there. I could not figure out where he was watering but I had him patterened, I watched him for 3 days and everyday he showed up on this ridge at 0815hrs and fed up the ridge and into a valley (disappearing). Now, we were seeing a lot of lopes everyday so I had several other smaller bucks in the area but there were two big ones that I wanted. The other big one was with does and he would feed into a flat around 1730hrs. Opening morning my dad and I left the truck at 0400hrs and headed out to get to the top of the ridge where I kept seeing the big buck. My plan was to get above him in the dark, hide in the rimrock and wait for him to come by. Well everything was perfect, the wind was right, we had a great hiding spot and I was holding my first antelope tag. The only problem was the antelope didn't come up the ridge like he was suppose to. Apparently he didn't get the memo to meet me at the top around 0845hrs.
So by 1000hrs I headed back to camp, rested up and grabbed some food. I was heading out after the other buck that fed into the flat in the eveinings. It was a pretty good drive to get to him plus I had to hike 3 miles to where he was. On my way there I decided to take this old dead end road where I had seen a smaller one a few days before. I drove to the end of the road and he wasn't there either. On my way out I looked off to the side and there standing looking at me was an antelope buck at about 300yds. I jumped off my bike and got ready. The lope ran off and into a low spot on top of this mesa and I didn't see him come out. The wind was screaming from my right to my left. I told my dad I'm going after him, so off I go nothing between me and him but knee high grass and a FEW sage bushes. Well I got lucky and I do mean lucky I walked right up behind him. He was bedded under a sage bush facing away from me, if I had been 10 feet right or left he would of smelled me or saw me but I just happen to walk right up behind him. Now I'm about 40yds away and shaking like a leaf. I couldn't shoot because of the angle and the grass was just tall enough I didn't want to take a chance of deflecting my bullet. So I stayed on my knees in case he got up I could shoot. I would wait until the wind blew hard and I would inch forward until I was within about 35yds of him. I pull up and fire, he jumps up and runs about 20yds turns broadside and looks at me. I reload and shoot again, he turns and runs about 15yds and stops facing straight away from me. I reload again and pull down on top of his tail and shoot, WHAM! Baby that dropped him. A follow up shot and it was all over.
WOW, what a hunt and what a great experience. He was not the monster I was hoping for but I'm very grateful and proud that I was able to get one. He measured 13" tall with beautiful ivory tips and perfect curls. He had 3" cutters and was about 6-7" at the base. I'm having a euro. mount done not a shoulder mount. My wife and kids and I had the backstrap and it was really, really good.
I have a pic. on my cell but I don't know how to post pics. on here and all the other pics. are 35mm. I will see if I can get my nephew to help me scan them and post them or somehow get the one pic. off my cell and post it.
Thank's for taking the time to read my story, I don't post on here often but I try and assist people when I can. If I can ever help someone with something please ask, if I can I will.
It was a great hunt, my parents were with me and I had a really good time. It took me 9yrs to draw that tag and I hope the next time I draw a lope tag maybe I can have my boy's with me or better yet maybe they will have the tag and I can mount one for my boy's.
Thank you,
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