Wyoming antelope hunt

[ksbowman]

Just got back from a self guided antelope hunt on public land in Wyoming.Five of us went, me and four with wheels.Four of us came back with lopes. I am use to wide open spaces,but Wyomings vastness simply amazed me.I had hoped for enough cover and contour to do some spot and stalk, but that was a pipe dream.There wasn't anything much taller then my knees and most cover was about ankle high.                   since that wosn't going to work, plan "b" would be to hunt over water.

[ksbowman]

We drove all night Friday and arrived Saturday just before noon,set up camp, started scouting water holes and setting up popup blinds, scrounging sage brush and trying to break up the sharp edges and make them look like they belonged around the water.Sunday gave us the first day to set in the blinds and there was action all day for me.By eight o'clock I had a buck come thru, but he didn't come closer than 60 yards. Nine o'clock brought in a doe and she walked within 10 yards and drank.I thought seriously about shooting, but decided not to this early in the game.(boy would this come to haunt me later) I had seven bucks come in at 1:30,but wouldn't come in closer than 60 yards just staring at the blind.Two were very nice.

[Minuteman]

Well, sounds much like our Montana hunt. Too much water. Takes some good draws and cuts to allow spot and stalk, even when the ground is right its still terrible hard.
 I'd enjoy the rest of the story and pics.

[ksbowman]

Monday and Tuesday brought basically I had animals coming in about every hour with the seven bucks coming in each day about 1:30,but not coming closer than 50 yards and very leary of the popups. Gene my hunting buddy and I had thought that the antelope would grow used to the blinds after the first couple of days.Since they hadn't we decided to try and find some water holes around with a wash at the top and try a natural blind.We found one after extensive searching with a good bunch of lopes in the area.It was on game management land which is private land that thru a program with fish and game gives access with a permit that is available at a f&g office or on the internet.All you have to do is agree to the land owners rules of how he wants his land treated.Wedesday morning found us on our way to Casper to get our permits.By Wednesday afternoon we set up the natural blind with sage brush and a couple of pieces of willow.Gene set it first while I set my regular blind.I picked him up at dark and found he had missed a buck at 35 yards and then 30 minutes later had the same shot at a doe and had hit her in the leg,then watched her bed down.and queitly slipped out.I told him we would return in the morning and recover her.

[robslifts]

and waiting

[pronghorn23]

Uh oh...another antelope hunting story to get me foaming at the mouth!

[ksbowman]

By the way I forgot to say I left my digital camera at home.All of my pictures were taken on a little throw away Fiji.They really came out suprisingly well considering.Thursday morning we returned to find the doe Gene had shot the evening before.She had gone up in a saddle about 500 yards away.                    We went up to the top of the ridge and eased around and she was still bedded down.Gene moved in and got his shot,success!We field dressed her and found a two track.I hiked back to the truck and drove around to her,loaded her up and Gene dropped me off at the natural blind as he went back to finish dressing her and get her in the cooler.I sat in the blind and ate my lunch anxiously awaiting some action.I had practiced every day since April at distances up to 50 yards and felt real good with my shooting out to 40.My everyday bow is a Palmer single carbon td 57# @30" and I shoot 2215 xx75's with Zwickey eskimos.Then I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.From my left a nice buck was coming in for water with no hesitation.When he reached the waters edge he shoved his nose right in and was quartering to my right.I came to full draw concentrated on the fold behind his leg and released.The arrow found it's mark in a flash.He spun and ran full speed ,going over the pond dam.I jumped and ran to the top of the dam.Thank goodness it wasn't  any further,there he lay only 100 yards from where i had shot him.

[BlkDog]

Congratulations!  That's a beautiful antelope.  Don't love it when everything comes together so well.

[Guru]

Congrats!

[the Ferret]

Doesn't take a goat long to go 100 yeards when he's a getting it. Congrats    Pretty picture. Wish it was larger.

[ksbowman]

As a post script my shot turned out to be 40 yards as checked out by one of the sight shooters range finders.The other two successful hunters also shot thier lopes out of this stand too!The hunter management areas are great,this particular ranch was 60 square miles plus or minus and was one of many in the program in our area alone.In addition there is alot of BLM and state ground that allows a do it your selfer to hunt  over the state .

[vermonster13]

Nice goat!

[Minuteman]

Good shot man! Congrats, Me and a few buddies know how hard those things are to kill!

[AnointedArcher]

Well done  

[Talondale]

Way to go.  Congrats.

[BigRonHuntAlot]

[IB]

Ya done VERY WELL my friend      

[Charlie Lamb]

Now that's just cool. Sounds like a great time. Any day spent chasing speed goats is as good as it gets.