Early on Saturday morning August 29th 3 buddies and I left my house to begin the 1800 mile drive to Douglas, Wyoming. Two of our group of six elected to fly. We arrived in Douglas midday August 31st and headed out to the Werner Ranch. Our five day hunt started on Tuesday September 1.
The blind I drew was a pop-up in a low place between 2 hay fields. The wind was really howling the first day. The blind was anchored on all four corners with metal fence posts but sometimes it seemed as though it was going to blow away. It didn't take long and I was having antelope coming and going from the water hole in front of me. The big problem was they almost always faced the blind when they drank. Sometimes they would pause when the turned to leave giving you a quick chance for a shot.
Mid afternoon one of the biggest bucks I have had a chance at came in to drink. When he went to leave he paused long enough for me to shoot. I had to lean to my left while sitting in a chair to shoot. I didn't lean quite enough as the picture shows where I hit the edge of the blind.
The arrow hit near his hind feet and he jumped about 15 feet and gave me another chance. This picture attests to how the wind was blowing. It was perfect height but passed just by his rear. The picture was taken from the shooting position.
He continued to follow some does around then went up on a hill about 300-400 yards away and bedded down. The next 2 pictures are a little grainy as he was a long ways away. You can see he is very nice.
Later a very good buck with bailing twine in his horns came in but never gave me a shot.
On the second day the bailing twine buck came back and gave me a shot but I shot right in front of him. He just walked away and continued to follow some does.
On the third day I decided I needed a change of scenery and went to the blind called highway.
I had killed my best antelope in this pasture 8 years ago. Mid morning I looked through the cracks behind me and saw a buck about 250 yards away. The buck checked out some does then headed my way. The closer he got the more I thought I might get a shot. When he got to about 50 yards he stood for a long time trying to decide if it were safe. Finally he came in to drink. He was broadside at about 6-7 yards. He was standing about the center of the picture.
The arrow passed thru behind the shoulder and into the bottom of the water hole. Just the nock and part of the fletch were above the water. He ran 30 yards and went down. I was one happy boy.
I used a Great Northern Ghost that was 50lb@28" and a 573 grain larch arrow tipped with a 145 grain Eclipse broadhead.
Another interesting thing is one of my buddies found the arrow I shot my antelope with 2 years ago. I had been unable to locate it, but while a couple of my buddies were going after the antelope one had shot they ran across my arrow.
There were 6 of us in our group and we killed 6 bucks. We make this trip every other year, though this is the first time we have driven. We are booked for 2011, I can't wait.
Jack
Topic: Wyoming 2009 (Read 1143 times)
