Antelope 2011

[pete]

Well as much as I'd like to report on a successful trip it wasn't to be. I worked hard this summer trying to get on a particular ranch to hunt because I thought there might be a nice buck. I called the landowner at least 12 times at home and when that didn't work I did an internet search of him and found his work phone. After talking to him he gave us permission to hunt. This year I was really going to try to get a "trophy" buck which we aren't overloaded with here in eastern Colorado. By trophy I was hoping for a 15 incher. Well after passing up stalks on several bucks I found one the evening of Saturday (opening day). Unfortunately he was right on the edge of land we could hunt and some we couldn't. Not knowing if where I found him was his home territorty or whether he was run out of it and he was working back to somewhere else we went back the next morning not knowing whether he'd still be there. After a couple of hours looking for him I'd given up and was just walking along being careless when over the hill there he was with 2 does. At first I didn't think it was him but by the time I did they were off and away.
Later in the day I found another buck to investigate which after moving in to less than 200 yds. we waited for over 2 hours waiting for him to get up so we could get a good look at him. He turned out to be a little over 13" so we backed out and called it a day. I have to say it was in the high 80's with bad mirrages so getting closer was needed to determine horn quality which is why we worked getting closer.

[Marathonman]

Good solid try. I'm sure you will connect before the season is done. I'm getting to where I like WY more and more. Nicer bucks and less pressure and longer seasons. Can't shoot a big one unless you're willling to pass on the smaller ones they say. I'm going to WY tomorrow to see if I can live up to my own words...

[pete]

I've been timed out when making long posts before so I submitted half and went to edit to finish the rest and it deleted the second half
I Monday I worked so tuesday we were out again and we found the buck and a doe in his area. Unlike last time when he was about 200 yds on the other ranch this time he was on "our" ranch. As the big ones are prone to do he set himself up in a good spot which made for a tough stalk. To make a long stalk story as short as possible after 4 1/2 hours including belly crawling over 200 yds. down a cow trail I had crawled to where I couldn't see his horns above the sage anymore and I could at least crawl on hands and knees then walk in a stooped over fashion to close the distance. Unbeknownst to me though after I couldn't see him anymore they got up and moved over the other side of the hill. (My wife was watching from a distance) My plan was to work up closer to them until I could see his horns then sit down get ready to shoot and wait for him to get up. When I got up closer I couldn't see horns and I now realized it would be a skylined situation so I kept moving. After a little bit I saw the doe's head and she was looking at me. I dropped down out of sight and reached for my shooting sticks which I discovered had fallen out somewhere down the line. Well of course the jig was up as far as my situation was concerned. I did have an opportunity at 264 yds. but my .243 was at home. Yea I was disapointed, he was the biggest buck I've ever stalked and it was over just like that. My wife did find my shooting sticks.
Wednesday we saw a buck to investigate so I took the cooler out of the back and put it under the truck to get it in the shade. We came back to move to another spot when I promptly backed over the cooler After we cleaned up the mess that early afternoon we found a similar buck not quite as big but still big. We waited for over an hour hoping he, his does and satelite bucks would work closer to us. While we waited we were entertained watching a couple of the satelites get into a fight with dust rolling. With the afternoon moving along we made another lengthy stalk (without the long crawl) and when got around to where we wanted to be they were gone. We did find him again that evening and I got to within 190 yds. but with the light fading and the 25 mph cross wind I moved a little too quick trying to get closer and they spooked. I thought again about my .243.
Thursday I decided that under the circumstances any mature buck would be a trophy and we went looking. The wind put an end to the day with 50 mph gusts and we headed home.
I admit to being bummed but as my wife points out I'm the one who chose to trophy hunt (especially in an area not known for a lot of trophies)with a less than modern rifle design. We still had chances, some laughs and time together.

[pete]

Marathonman;
Yea Wyoming does seem like it's better. The Wyomingites, Wyomingers (Not sure what the correct term is) probably don't want us there. Hope your big buck endeavor turns out more productive than mine did. It's nice that you had the chance to get some hunting in aside from the bigboy quest. Passing smaller bucks is ok for awhile but eventually it starts feeling more like a job than fun.

[dm3280]

To me that is the most exciting part of the hunt. From planning to stalking to me provides more enjoyment than the split second of pulling the trigger. I guess I am in the 4th stage of hunting. If I recall there are 4 stages.

1st stage is you don't care what it is you just want to shoot something
2nd stage is you are only wanting the species of animal you are after
3rd stage is you are only after a trophy of the species you are after
4th stage is you really don't care if you get anything or not, just enjoy getting out

[Don McDowell]

Pete that's half the fun of antelope hunting, never can be real sure where/when the lil buggers will show up.

[Stephen Borud]

Pete sounds like you had a challenging hunt. I would love to have you come up to Wyoming and hunt just stay out of Units 75 and 71.

Stephen

[pete]

dm3280;
Like you I'm not the same guy I was back years ago when I just had to kill something. I still want to kill what I'm after I just want to do it in a more challenging/historically significant way. Maybe I'm at a 3 1/2 . I mentioned my .243 a couple of times but I wouldn't have traded for it. When I started muzzleloader hunting a little over 20 years age I chased a pretty nice antelope buck around for 2 days and even managed to graze his chest. On the third day I went back out with my .280 and after about an hour I killed him. At the time it seemed ok but as time went by it was kind of a let down. He beat me with the ml so I feel like I cheated. I think if I start with a modern gun it's one thing but I wouldn't want to change.

Don;
You're right that is fun and frustrating at the same time. This morning there were 2 bucks and a doe across the road from us. A truck with hunters in it stopped to look at them then drove over the hill. I came in the house to get a spotting scope to look at the bigger buck and by the time I got back out the bucks were a mile away chasing each other. I thought if those guys drove over the hill and tried a stalk they'd come up and wonder what happened to them.

Stephen;
Yea it was a challenge. That's funny since those are the 2 units I was leaning on. We went to Ft. Laramie a few years ago and stopped at a gas station close by where I bought a T shirt that had an antelope image on it with the caption " Antelope...the original fast food" .