Pronghorn 2020

[Hunterbug]

After a lot of years building up preference points the girls and I decided to use them this year. I found a place where they could draw doe tags and I could get a buck tag. Opening morning the girls decided between them that Hunter would shoot first. We found a lone doe bedded about 450 yards off. We worked closer to 203 and it stood up facing us. We kept waiting for a broadside but she wouldn't give it to us. Finally Hunter felt ready and took the shot. She walked about 3 steps and dropped. The girls field dressed her and drug her to the truck. Then we headed to another area to find some more. As we drove down the road I spotted another lone doe walking towards the road. We couldn't get closer to her than 375 yards and she circled around and went back the way she came so Payton and I went after her. After a while we found a small herd of 5. Four does and a small buck that I wasn't interested in. I ranged them at 315 yards. Payton got on the shooting sticks, picked out a doe and fired. I heard the hit. They all kind of milled around for a minute and she asked me which one she hit. Then one fell over and I told her, "the dead one." We walked up to her doe and they stuck around. As I got closer I glassed the buck and saw that while not huge, he had some very unique horns so I decided to take him. And of course as soon as I said that, he never gave me a shot. So I walked back to get Hunter and the truck.

As we were walking back up, Payton came walking towards us and said that the herd had circled around and were 500 yards to the west. So while the girls field dressed Payton's antelope, I went after them. I got close enough to see three does, a small buck, and a nice buck. They moved to the north east and I was able to get in a low area and get close. I spotted them and ranged them at 187 yards. I got on the shooting sticks and stood up. I found the big buck and when he turned sideways I fired and heard the hit. He started spinning and stopped so I fired again and heard the hit again. He took a few steps and I shot again. Another hit. This time he dropped. I left my rifle and orange hat with my buck and went back to check on the girls. They were just finishing up and we started dragging it back towards the road. As we did, here came two game wardens. They talked to me a minute and I told them that we had 2 down. One went and helped the girls drag theirs to the truck while the other one came with me, helped me dress it and they both helped drag it out. Two super nice guys.

[Paul Hoskins]

Congratulations to all three of you guy's. That didn't take long. .......Bug, does antelope taste anything like deer? .......Oaul H

[branxhunter]

Terrific outcome Bug and Bugesses! Nice shooting at distance ladies.

Are they different rifles in the photos? Bit hard to confirm, HB seems to prefer being upside down in his photo! Details on the rifles and loads would be great.

Marcus

[sakorick]

I love happy endings!:MOGRIN:

[Hunterbug]

:Thanks guys.

Paul, I like the meat. The key is to properly take care of it. I've seen people leave their animal in camp for several days with the hide on and then complain about the meat. We got back to camp got ours skinned, quartered, and cooled asap.

Marcus, I didn't notice that it turned the pictures when I uploaded them. Hunter shoots a commercial FN Mauser 30-06, Payton has a custom German Mauser 270, and I was using my custom Venezuelan Mauser 257 AI.

[branxhunter]

:
 Hunter shoots a commercial FN Mauser 30-06, Payton has a custom German Mauser 270, and I was using my custom Venezuelan Mauser 257 AI.

[codger]