Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: Pinecone on September 07, 2007, 12:14:00 PM
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Howdy, fellow Gangsters :wavey: .
I just returned from Wyoming and thought I'd post a pic.
Below is pretty full photo: Ric Anderson Marriah Thermal, Albertakid Backquiver, Tippet skinner, and oh, yea...a old Wyoming antelope buck! I was really tickled to take this old goat, as he was losing teeth and clearly past his prime. Given his age, I think my arrow placement worked out for both of us. He was down in 25 yards after the shot.
Claudia
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b158/crestedshaft/Antelope20072.jpg)
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Congrats!!! nice, nice goat, even if he is toothless!
:) :)
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nice one, Claudia.
Good for you! What part of the state?
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Ray,
I was about 60 miles from Douglas at the Spearhead Ranch. It's a really great place with super people, which is really what keeps me going back.
Thanks guys!
Claudia
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Good Stuff ! Congratulations on a fine animal.
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That's a fine old Buck (Billy?) for sure! Lovely group-photo too
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Beautiful goat, he just needs a tissue for his nose.Congrats
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Sounds like you had a good hunt. That is one goat you should really be proud of. That is a Trophy in anyones book. Not just a good job but a great job.
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Oh yeah, Spearhead. I hunted east of Glenrock on private ground several times..and then at Smith Sheep Ranch a couple years ago...good area for speed goats.
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Way to go Claudia, great photo too!
David
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Awesome Claudia! Hey JC, here's who you should be getting goat advice from! This lady knows how to make meat!
Nice knife by the way. ;)
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Claudia you da man!,I mean way to go gal:)
CB
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Awesome!
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Nice lope Claudia :knothead:
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That smile says a lot. Beatiful animal!
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Yeper there's a keeper :thumbsup:
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Way to go Claudia!!
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beautiful goat congrats
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CONGRATS on a magnificent animal.
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Toothless old goat falls for one sharp gal...or is that arrow...congrats !!
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Good Job.
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Great job!
Jason
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Looks like a super hunt.
Great job on collecting the old goat..
PB
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Way to go Claudia!! :wavey:
Hey Rob... The proper name is Pronghorn Antelope (Antelocapra Americana), but they've been given the nickname "Goat".The males are called bucks... and this one is a particularly nice one.
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Good job - don't you just love Spearhead
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Way to go Claudia. How about sharing the gory details. The picture is great. Not to mention the "lope". :clapper: :clapper:
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Bee-you-tee-full Antelope!! :thumbsup:
Nice photo and a fine "prairie goat". I took both of mine around the Glenrock area. Douglas has some great hunting there also. Glad you had a great trip and sucessful hunt. :notworthy:
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Fine job on the goat-great picture!
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Claudia,
That goat is over the "top" and one to be very proud of. Nice job.
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Goat don't need teeth, your smile has all the teeth that picture needs. Congrats again Claudia.
How is the gang at Spearhead? Talking about tough ol goats, is Leo still getting after em? Anybody skewer any big mulie bucks?
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Good shooting Claudia. :thumbsup:
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Very nice lope.You have every reason to be proud! Ben
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CONGRATS Claudia!<><
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Very nice!
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Congrats Claudia!
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Thanks, everyone. I am a huge fan of these prairie speedsters and feel incredibly lucky to have killed one that has some history. This old fella is a neat guy and a real gift. But there is more to this story than just this antelope...so I guess I better begin the tale.
The hunt started on Monday from a blind known as "World's Worst." Like most of the Spearhead blinds, it is an inverted steel tank that is about 8'x8', partially buried into the ground, with one shooting window. Just after 7am the action started with a group of six does and fawns coming to water. The procession was pretty steady throughout the day, with numerous small bucks, does, and fawns coming to quench their thirst at the tiny pool in an effort to squelch the effect of the hot, dry day. The temperature in the blind was 110 degrees F at 2pm.
Although I was mezmerized by the parade, I did not launch an arrow at any of the 50+ antelope to make an appearance just yards away from my location.
Tuesday, I moved to a different blind and one that I was truly excited to occupy. The blind is known as "The Gas Chamber" and it is special for two reasons. First, it is the place in 2001, not long after 9/11 that I killed my first archery antelope. Next, it is also the place that my friend, Dal Lowrey killed his first Spearhead buck the prior year in 2000. Given Dal's untimely death only months ago, I really wanted to kill my antelope from this blind in recongnition of him and how much he loved this ranch and traditional bowhunting.
Antelope started coming to water at 7am. At 7:18 am, on a SW hillside, three pronghorn bucks are spotted. Two are clearly shooters, so I wait to see if they intend to come my way or to bed in the tall sage and prairie grass.
The bucks bed down on the hill and in the mean time, two smaller bucks, as well as does and fawns come to water. I let them drink peacefully and retreat into the sage.
9:10 am and four bucks appear at the water's edge. One was a shooter, but I had already seen the tall horned, dark faced buck that I wanted to take. He was still bedded on the hill, some 200 yards away, placidly watching the blind, peacefully pondering his unassuming prairie life. And so, I waited...
Time passed and the dark face buck on the hill finally stood. However, to my surprise, he looked over his shoulder, turned in the opposite direction from the blind, and loped over the hill and out of sight. The time was 9:47am.
At 10:30 am, a group of antelope appeared some 350 yards away. Does and fawns were casually walking through the grass when I realized that the dark faced buck flanking the group was the same buck I had been watching earlier. He was back!
Several of the does came to water, but the old buck bedded almost exactly where he had been earlier in the day and resumed his vigil of watching the blind and the water hole. The old antelope and I watched each other's location for over an hour until at 11:40am, for no apparant reason, he rose from his bed and came in to drink.
I already had the Marriah Thermal ready when he finally gave me a broadside shot just as he was stepping out of the water and preparing to leave. The arrow stuck him, piercing his vitals, and passing through the animal.
Curiously, he did not run. In fact, he very casually walked away as if nothing had happened, until at 25 yards, he simply buckled and slowly crumpled to the ground. In an instant, he was finished.
Of all the animals I have killed with a bow, I would describe this as the most peaceful of deaths. The romantic philosopher in me wants to suggest that the old antelope somehow knew it was his time and that he accepted his fate willingly. The spiritualist in me wants to think that maybe my friend Dal was up there somewhere helping out. And of course, the pragmatist wants to ruin the whole thing by rationalizing that's it's really all about the well-placed shot.
But since I generally think that pragmatism in hunting is overrated, I'll opt for one of the other two ideas.
Thanks, Dal.
Claudia
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Cool story Claudia.
I killed one of mine out of the Gas Chamber as well.
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Thanks for that one Claudia. It came through Loud and Clear :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Job well DONE Traditional Bow Huntress
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Thanks for the story, that was great. COngratulations!!
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Great job Claudia!!!!!
Missed shooting with ya this year
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Excellent tale
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Very good on all parts.
Mike
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Great story tellin Claudia!! :thumbsup:
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Very nice story, and very nice Speedster!
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Wonderful hunting story, and a super nice antelope :thumbsup:
Congrat's Claudia!
Brent
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That is such a cool story....and a well placed shot by a skilled archer. Beautiful when it all comes together like that! Well done Claudia.
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
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Great story and buck. I was at the Spearhead in 2005 and got one at the Gas Chamber too. I also had the privilege to share Dal's last time there. He was scheduled for surgery soon after.
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Congrats Gal!!!!!! :thumbsup:
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Way to go Claudia, great goat and story.
Danny
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Claudia, Your something else girl! Congratulations :thumbsup:
That's a great story....
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Nicely done Pinecone!
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Thank you again, ya'll. I hope to be as lucky on some of my other trips this Fall as I was on this one...as we all know that bowhunting is truly a game of chance!
Claudia
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Claudia, I think as far as lope's go, you have removed some of the chance. You got some serious mojo with those critters.
Congrats on a great hunt, hope the rest go as well. RS
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Way to go! Nice to live close to goat country isn't it Claudia?
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WOW!!! Very impressive hunt and buck!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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Congrats Claudia, great job and excellant story.
C.J.
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Great story Claudia and a great buck for a very deseving person. Congratulations.
Donald
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Congrats and a great story. That's one of the critters I haven't had the priviledge of hunting. He's beaut!
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way ta go girl,congrats!
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Awesome buck and story tellin Claudia, congrats!!
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CONGRATS Claudia and great story. TD.
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Way to go girl!!!!! :bigsmyl:
Congrats on your continued success. Wish you'd come bowfishing sometime! CK
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Awesome story and what a magnificent pronghorn.
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Claudia we would love to go on a hunt like this if it is not rude can you tell us what the cost of a hunt like this iis thankyou--well done.
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Great Story with a special ending, congrats Claudia
ps so all those ND jokes I here living here in eastern montana must not be true... :confused:
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You done good girl. I loved the gory details. Thanks for sharing. :bigsmyl: :thumbsup: :notworthy:
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GREAT JOB Claudia!
Regards,
Bill
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Wonderful story and antelope Claudia!
And that picture is absolutely priceless.
Congrats!!!
Marc
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Too cool! I can hardly wait till my pronghorn hunt.
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Claudia, Another great hunt! You sure have a way with those sticks & strings. Thanks for sharing...Doc
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Very nice! Thanks for the story. Jeff
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Nice photo, nice buck, great story, obviously a great person. Sent you a pm.
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She is a hunter. She is also one heck of a shot.
That lope is truely magic. Dal saw it....
Way to go kid.
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Hey, Great job Claudia! Congrats :thumbsup:
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Great job!!
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Thanks again, Ya'll.
Bruce, I think you are right...Dal not only saw it, but was likely laughing at the fact that I was melting in the heat while he was lounging in paradise. Ya gotta love that guy's sense of humor!
Tippit, your little caper was something to behold in the skinning, quartering, caping department. Holy smokes!!!! Thank goodness I was paying attention or I might have lost a couple of digits while working. Your blade redefines the term "scary sharp" ! :scared:
Now I just need to find a few native North Dakotan critters to keep me busy and all will be well. Temps will be in the 20's on Friday morning, so ya never know....!!!
Claudia
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Good luck Claudia, think ya got that going. Hope your season ends like it started :campfire:
Brent
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Belated post from me on this hunt but...
Congrats Claudia! :thumbsup:
Great story, encouragement and gear...
You sure are a fine archer and an even finer person. I am so happy for you, I love to hear your artful words your inspiration.
Can't wait to get out to hunt and just take it all in, sop up every moment.
But for now, back to work for me.
Thanks for sharing
:campfire:
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I used to work and live at Glenrock. The biggest Antelope I ever saw was loafing about a mile out of town. I managed to sneak up to 25 yards and film him....I guess he knew the season was out!
Well done Claudia.
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Nice, very nice indeed.
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very nice , congrats :0)
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Good story. Thanks for letting me tag along. As Iron Bull said "message came through loud and clear", exemplifying all this is about.
Bill
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This ol' goat wanted to say congrats, also!
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Thanks very much everyone. As I age, the wonders of the hunt itself not withstanding, the relationships I have made along the way mean all the more. Saying "goodbye" to treasured hunting companions via our experiences in the field is just as important as cultivating new friends in the same way. I have lost several hunting friends this past year and I hope to continue to honor their memories with each arrow shot this season. It's the least I can do to express my gratitude for the gifts of joy and laughter they provided me along the way.
Claudia
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Great story and a great goat!
Bob
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Congratulations and thanks for sharing, Claudia. We appreciated it.