My WY antelope hunt (Pic heavy)

[longbow fanatic 1]

I just returned from WY and thought I would share my adventure. My hunt did not culminate in a harvest, but I had a great time nonetheless. I hunted a combination of private and public lands. I was hoping to hunt water tanks with a blind and/or use a ladder stand over a windmill water tank. As it worked out, there was so much rain that hunting water tanks or seeps would not have been unproductive. That said, I chose to hunt the pronghorn with an antelope decoy, and on private land, the use of a ground blind overlooking an alfalfa field. While watching the pronghorn enter and leave the private land alfalfa field, I noticed a row of round bales the antelope seemed to walk past. I placed my ground blind on the end of the round bale line in hopes that an antelope would walk past. Every day, and almost all day long, there were pronghorn in this alfalfa field. Most of the antelope would enter and leave the field from the north and back to the north.

Image of the tent setup
         

Image of the blind facing the alfalfa field
         

On the second day of season and while hunting the private ranch, I an antelope walked past my blind, within 10 yards, however, it was four minutes before shooting time. Ugh! The antelope trotted over to another doe who entered the field at the other end of the round bale line.

One of the does in the alfalfa field about 70 yards away.
         

During an afternoon scouting trip, I was driving along a stretch of Walk In Area (WIA). I stopped to photograph these two bucks. They were only 30-40 yards away and they began walking toward me. It immediately occurred to me that these bucks might be in the right mood for a stalk. I drove down the road to a location where there was a hill blocking my approach. I gathered my decoy, bow and began my stalk. The bucks noticed my approach once I topped the hill, behind the decoy. I approached them slightly obliquely and forward. They walked toward me. One buck began making a scrape and they both became very excited. I began moving toward them, as they had moved toward me previously, in hopes they would continue to approach, but then spooks ed and ran further out. I held my in hopes they would reproach. They ran off and the hunt continued.

         

While walking into my blind on the third day, I began my approach toward my blind an hour before legal hunting time. As I was approaching my blind, I noticed a low, guttural sound best described as a hum. It was a sound I've never heard in my life. As I continued my approach toward my blind, I noticed the sound/animal continued to follow me at a very close distance. At some point, I stopped and turned on my red lens headlamp. I could see nothing. I continued forward and entered my blind. The sound continued as the buck antelope (I presume) continued to make this low, guttural hum before moving on. I have done some research and found that antelope make basically four sounds: Snort, Snort-chuckle, Wheeze and Hum. I've heard a snort before, usually not a good experience.                      


         

Here are a few more pics from my hunt:

Mule deer
         

         

         

  And      

         

[longbow fanatic 1]

A few more pics:

 

 

 

 

Although I didn't harvest an antelope, I had a fun & fulfilling trip,  which rejuvenated my soul!

[BowMIke]

Looks like a fun hunt. I shot a buck antelope at 13 yds from a stand underneath a windmill, but it had been dry that Fall.
Its fun to see animals at close range, so I can see where you had a good trip even without a shot.

BowMike

[BowMIke]

Looks like a fun hunt. I shot a buck antelope at 13 yds from a stand underneath a windmill, but it had been dry that Fall.
Its fun to see animals at close range, so I can see where you had a good trip even without a shot.

BowMike

[BowMIke]

Looks like a fun hunt. I shot a buck antelope at 13 yds from a stand underneath a windmill, but it had been dry that Fall.
Its fun to see animals at close range, so I can see where you had a good trip even without a shot!

BowMike

[longbow fanatic 1]

N/W Nebraska
 

I took two bows. My A&H longbow with woodies and my ILF with carbon arrows.
 

[ron w]

Thanks for sharing.......it's always nice to see game even if there is no harvest. Beautiful country.  

[Buckeye1977]

Great hunt! Doesn't always have to end with a harvest to make it a rewarding experience.

[Terry Green]

Yes please don't tell me it's over keep it coming please I love these pictures

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks, guys. It sure is beautiful country!  Hunting pronghorn with trad gear is a challenge to be sure!

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
Yes please don't tell me it's over keep it coming please I love these pictures

Ok, a few more.

     

       

           

     

I'm using my phone to post these now and for some reason it's only showing links to the images. Sorry. I'll see if I can convert them on my laptop tomorrow.

[Steve Jr]

Thanks for sharing your trip. Really nice pictures. Looks like a fun adventure      

Steve Jr

[ztjohnson]

This makes me want to make another trip to Wyoming..

[nek4me]

Nice story, pictures, and display of ethics. Good to see you enjoyed your hunt even without scoring.  

Thanks for taking the time to share it.

[-Zor]

Awesome!

[Tom]

Great story and even better pictures-glad you think it was a worthwhile adventure-not always about inches.

[cacciatore]

Thanks for sharing, I love to TRY to stalk those antelope, pretty hard with our equipment but a lot of fun.

[longbow fanatic 1]

I felt like with each blown stalk that there should have been a lesson, or lessons, I should have been learning to be able to stalk within 20-30 yards. I tried going directly at them, moving at an angle but toward them and just showing the decoy in hopes the buck(s) would close the distance. Then, I remembered a conversation I had with the local game warden. He said that decoys can typically draw bucks within 75-100 yards, but they rarely tolerate anything closer. I certainly found that to be the case.

[Warden609]

Thanks for posting your story.

[Warden609]

You need to stop hanging around those wardens. They can be a bad influence.