deer_shooter
Well-known member
Just getting to post up my antelope hunt from last week. The way things worked out, I drew a 113 type 2 tag as a second choice and our doe tags were left overs in unit 6. The wife and I made the 25 hour drive to Casper on the 13th and got to our first stop on the 14th and set up camp. Since I had the buck tag, I went out alone and didn’t take long to find a small herd but a long ways off. Due location and terrain, it took about 3 hours to get in position for a shot. The wind was gusting at 50+ so a watch through the scope for close to a half hour waiting for a broadside shot between gusts. One shot with the 25-06 at 180 yards he was down. Pretty big body for an antelope.
We packed up and headed for Buffalo the next morning and stayed at the KOA there. I stayed there last year and even recommended it as they were very hunter friendly and had a nice set up for hanging and cleaning game. Apparently ownership changed and that is no longer the case. Hunting pressure must have been pretty heavy the first couple week as we saw nothing in the easier access areas. I was able to get a doe on the WIA as a small group was passing through and I was able to intercept and make a quick 90 yard shot. Funny part of this was as I was walking to where I saw it fall, I was scanning the sage ahead and not looking down. I heard a loud hiss/growl and I had damn near ran in to a badger. Glad I didn’t!
After kicking around for a few days, at one point we spent several hours and several miles to get on a herd that moved on to private before we could get a good shot, I started finding good numbers a few miles hike into a big piece of BLM. The wife who has been battling plantar fasciitis declined these longer forays. One trip I found a small group about 2.5 miles from the truck that I was able to get with in 300 yards of an dropped one. Next day, I was able to connect on another a little closer to the truck. Stopped to rest, have a sandwich and enjoy the view.
I had one tag left and decided not to be greedy and packed it in. We went and had a nice meal at Winchesters and ran into town for a few beers at Clear Creek Brewing.
All in all, it was a successful trip with 4 in the cooler for the long ride home. We found a few sheds, the wife found the biggest one.
We packed up and headed for Buffalo the next morning and stayed at the KOA there. I stayed there last year and even recommended it as they were very hunter friendly and had a nice set up for hanging and cleaning game. Apparently ownership changed and that is no longer the case. Hunting pressure must have been pretty heavy the first couple week as we saw nothing in the easier access areas. I was able to get a doe on the WIA as a small group was passing through and I was able to intercept and make a quick 90 yard shot. Funny part of this was as I was walking to where I saw it fall, I was scanning the sage ahead and not looking down. I heard a loud hiss/growl and I had damn near ran in to a badger. Glad I didn’t!
After kicking around for a few days, at one point we spent several hours and several miles to get on a herd that moved on to private before we could get a good shot, I started finding good numbers a few miles hike into a big piece of BLM. The wife who has been battling plantar fasciitis declined these longer forays. One trip I found a small group about 2.5 miles from the truck that I was able to get with in 300 yards of an dropped one. Next day, I was able to connect on another a little closer to the truck. Stopped to rest, have a sandwich and enjoy the view.
I had one tag left and decided not to be greedy and packed it in. We went and had a nice meal at Winchesters and ran into town for a few beers at Clear Creek Brewing.
All in all, it was a successful trip with 4 in the cooler for the long ride home. We found a few sheds, the wife found the biggest one.