1874sharpsshooter

Y This is another Antelope story. I wish it had a better ending. I had decided after my last failed stalk yesterday that I was going to wait til saturday and let my muzzleloader do what my bow hadn't been able to do. But I always tell the kids not to give up. That you got to persevere . If you blow it 10 times try an 11th time. So about 2 oclock I decided out of the blue that i was going to give it another try. So far I have failed about a dozen times. I don't like to sit in a blind over a water hole but I was thinking today that I should have done just that. Oh well. anyway back to the story. I grabbed my ghillie suit , threw it in a backpack along with my face paint, rangefinder and binoculars. Took the bow and jumped in the truck. There was a group of 5 doe and a nice buck 3 miles from the house and they were back at a dried up creek with some vegetation for crawling and even a few trees . I figured if they spotted me walking in then I would just go home. But if I made it to the back of the area then I would have a chance. Well they were laying up on a hill in the wide open spaces where they could see good. I was about 600 yards away at the spot where I headed in. I crossed the fence and they were watching. I started walking east away from them and around a ridge. Once I got behind the ridge I hightailed it to the dried up creek. Hunkered down and put on my camo suit and face paint. Then I started slowly working my way back west toward the area I figured they would move into when they got up.. I made it to a little draw that has some trees in it. here's a photo. It's not very big. about 25 feet by 40 feet.




I found me a spot then crawled up the hill on my belly and scanned the country. they had moved and were 150 yards straight south of me. I was lucky to have made it into the little trees. But I also couldn't go anywhere out of there for now. So I waited . about an hour and a half later they moved north east towards a stock tank. it is in the wide open and they were very nervous. This was when I was thinking I should have been in a blind at the water( but that's not my style) anyway,I had seen them move through a little opening in front of the trees I was in as they headed from water back to the wide open pasture so I though If I stayed where I was( not that I could leave without being busted) then I had a chance. Here's a pic with my spot , shooting lane and antelope marked. The trees I were behind were about 1 1/2 inches around, so I wasn't exactly hidden , just trying to blend in . The shooting lane was about 2 feet at the most.



Well sure enough they started moving toward me, nervous as all get out. but they slowly came. I was able to stand undetected. waiting and hardly breathing. the doe of course leading the way. They were at 35 yards . The buck staying a little back as usual. he was almost in position, if he would only turn slightly. I drew back as slow as I could but the movement of me drawing the bow or something spooked them and they ran behind the ridge. 35 yards, 35 stinking yards and I blew it. Well i belly crawled up the hill and peeked over. They were about 60 yards away standing and looking all around. I crawled back down. waited a while in case they calmed down, but evidently they didn't cause when I checked again they were long gone. Now I am done bow hunting antelope but I have decided he is the one I want with a muzzleloader.

onetohunt

Sounds like you had a good time playing cat and mouse with those speedgoats!! He won't have a chance come Sat. Good luck with him!!

sabotloader

sharpshooter

awesome adventure... trials and tribulations of why they call it 'hunting'

Semisane

Quit your dad-gum complaining Sharpsshooter. You're hunting - I'm not. You can shoot any time you want by walking out back - I can't. You're handsome - I'm not. You get no sympathy from me fella. I'm pulling for the goats!

That aside, I enjoyed the read. Sometimes fun and frustration go hand in hand.

1874sharpsshooter

All that may be true, especially number 3 but it's also obvious I can walk out my door and if an antelope is there I wont be able to get him with my bow . but thanks for reminding me how blessed I am .

bronko22000

Ditto ..................

Oneofthesedays

Think how sweet it will be when you get that buck down on the ground!

7.62NATO

Sounds awesome. Sounds memorable. As Semi said, at least you are creating hunting memories this early in the year. With antelope. The only hunting memories I can create until November involve tree rats. Hmmmm...tree rats, or antelope? I've never even seen an antelope!

1874sharpsshooter

yummy looking but that don't look like a 32. cal muzzleloader which we all know is a real tree rat gun.. November is a long time off when you are waiting. That's when our Rifle deer season is also but at least in the mean time to hold me over I can hunt antelope, doe deer, grouse, and in a few days Turkey and pheasant or ducks, predators(coyote,fox,etc) and stuff like that. So I'm able to hang in there til deer rifle season. Hope you bag a good one.!!