YoungNVHunter
New member
Well, I finally got it done. This has been the first year since I was a kid that I was able to hunt. I drew an Antelope tag here in NV and after many scouting trips it all came together.
My wife and I headed out last week on opening day for the late hunt and got right to it. Day one was pretty exciting, we started out in the back of a canyon that I had been seeing nice bucks all summer long. We found a nice buck with a couple does right away. He was a few valleys over so we just sat and watched thinking that they would bed down and we could make a move in that direction. Unbelievably, as we sat and watched them graze "BOOM" some other hunter happened to be watching the same buck. Kinda neat seeing him connect with that guy from so far away. Oh well, good for him, but it was time to move on. We decided to move up higher and further away from the flats as there we quite a few hunters out there. We made our way up to another spot and as soon as we came across the ridge we spotted a very nice herd at a water hole. We took our time and moved to a spot where we could break out the spotting scope to see if there were any mature bucks. Turns out that there were quite a few I was happy with so we went for it. We walked across the canyon and when we popped out to where we thought we could get a good shot, it was just in time to see the last one move over the ridge to the next valley. On we went to that ridge and once we got there, again, just in time to see them graze over the next ridge. This went on a few more times and by the time we got close enough for a decent shot they dropped off into steep canyon, we decided that with the evening closing in, the Antelope would be safe for the night.
Day two, we got up early and made our way back up to the top where we left the herd and wouldn't you know it, no Antelope, we sat and glassed a while and I began to kick myself for not capitalizing on yesterday's opportunity. We did have a great morning watching the sun come up and had fun watching all the Mule Deer move out of cover for breakfast, but this trip was all about Antelope. A good friend of mine who couldn't be with us the day before was able to come out, and with proper direction was able to meet up with us around 9 in the morning. On his way up the canyon he spotted two "nice" bucks moving on this game trail over another ridge. We decided to head over to that game trail and see what we could come up with. We got to the point where they had disappeared over the ridge and moved slowly in case they were close by. We moved up to a higher point and as we got to ridge we spotted two bucks bedded down out on an open flat with a couple does just soaking up the rays. With no cover to get us close enough for a shot we headed back down and around the hillside directly in front of them. I crept up to the top of the hill and there they lay about 260 yards down the hill out on the flat completely oblivious to me. I laid down my pack and got in a comfortable prone position using my pack as a rest for my rifle. I finally was calm enough to take the shot and BAM, I hit dirt just in front of him! They all jumped up and to my surprise, they just stood there giving me another chance. I collected myself and BAM, second shot dropped him where he stood. Success! I'm so excited that all that work paid off!
He's no record breaker but I coudn't happier!
My wife and I headed out last week on opening day for the late hunt and got right to it. Day one was pretty exciting, we started out in the back of a canyon that I had been seeing nice bucks all summer long. We found a nice buck with a couple does right away. He was a few valleys over so we just sat and watched thinking that they would bed down and we could make a move in that direction. Unbelievably, as we sat and watched them graze "BOOM" some other hunter happened to be watching the same buck. Kinda neat seeing him connect with that guy from so far away. Oh well, good for him, but it was time to move on. We decided to move up higher and further away from the flats as there we quite a few hunters out there. We made our way up to another spot and as soon as we came across the ridge we spotted a very nice herd at a water hole. We took our time and moved to a spot where we could break out the spotting scope to see if there were any mature bucks. Turns out that there were quite a few I was happy with so we went for it. We walked across the canyon and when we popped out to where we thought we could get a good shot, it was just in time to see the last one move over the ridge to the next valley. On we went to that ridge and once we got there, again, just in time to see them graze over the next ridge. This went on a few more times and by the time we got close enough for a decent shot they dropped off into steep canyon, we decided that with the evening closing in, the Antelope would be safe for the night.
Day two, we got up early and made our way back up to the top where we left the herd and wouldn't you know it, no Antelope, we sat and glassed a while and I began to kick myself for not capitalizing on yesterday's opportunity. We did have a great morning watching the sun come up and had fun watching all the Mule Deer move out of cover for breakfast, but this trip was all about Antelope. A good friend of mine who couldn't be with us the day before was able to come out, and with proper direction was able to meet up with us around 9 in the morning. On his way up the canyon he spotted two "nice" bucks moving on this game trail over another ridge. We decided to head over to that game trail and see what we could come up with. We got to the point where they had disappeared over the ridge and moved slowly in case they were close by. We moved up to a higher point and as we got to ridge we spotted two bucks bedded down out on an open flat with a couple does just soaking up the rays. With no cover to get us close enough for a shot we headed back down and around the hillside directly in front of them. I crept up to the top of the hill and there they lay about 260 yards down the hill out on the flat completely oblivious to me. I laid down my pack and got in a comfortable prone position using my pack as a rest for my rifle. I finally was calm enough to take the shot and BAM, I hit dirt just in front of him! They all jumped up and to my surprise, they just stood there giving me another chance. I collected myself and BAM, second shot dropped him where he stood. Success! I'm so excited that all that work paid off!
He's no record breaker but I coudn't happier!
