Antelope Wyoming
- Ridgerunner7
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- oldrank
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Can't wait to read this story
- oldrank
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
It easy on my phone with postimage. You don't need an account. Just upload pic. Click and open pic. Hit share. Hit direct link and past it on here between the img img just like before.
- Ridgerunner7
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Took my first trip out west to chase antelope in Wyoming. Drought conditions so waterhole hunting would have been primo. I couldn't do it.. had to chase them around.
The area these goats lived in in my unit was incredible. Flat as can be in the plains but plenty of goats. Saw right away the biggest goats bedded down in the wide open flats where they could see 1/2 mile or more. Does and younger bucks could be anywhere. It appeared challenging with no significant cover to sneak through. My first two stalks on big bucks I couldn't get any closer than 300 yards an that was belly crawling doing the inch worm through cactus and sage flats.
My mistakes on stalk one was just trying to rush and not being patient. I wanted to get in close so bad and I thought I was more stealthy than I actually was. Skyline my head to glass... nope. Trying to move quickly in the open to a ditch ... nope, he spotted me from 500 yards away and all I saw was a cloud of dust for a mile from speed goats racing away.
Second stalk i glassed an area for about 2 hours an came up with a bedded giant about 1/4 mile out. Nothing between him and I besides openness. Took my decoy and started at him. Got to about 150 and he started my way. At about 120 he had enough and booked it out of the county.
Third stalk: I found a shallow ditch that weaved through the land scape that would get me within 400. I crawled though trying to get in front of a herd of 20 goats, one giant. Got to position but the group changed direction into a spot that was unstalkable.
Ran through all the mistakes I had made day one, re calculated and headed into day 2.
Saw a buck chasing a doe in the distance. While he was occupied I covered 1/4 mile . They bedded down facing me at 300 yards. I was stuck in the open on my belly for an hour or so. They got up and started feeding. I did the side shimmy for about 100 yards to my right to a slight low depression. I was back in the game! Quick back stretch and I started their way. I was able to close the distance to 125 then it was nothing but open. Went back to the belly crawl inch worm but this time he was bedded facing away. I finally got within range. Calmed my nerves, ranged, drew my bow low and came up to my knees. Let the pin float and built pressure on the trigger until bam, bow fires. Arrow hits the 12 ring and the goat takes off. Saw him reach top speed before toppling over.
Definitely one of my top fav hunting moments.
Ended the trip with a great stalk on a bedded doe right at a gorgeous Wyoming sunrise.
These animals are incredible and I feel I got pretty lucky. So much fun and challenging with a bow. I love the habitat and terrain that they live in and how difficult it is to get close. I will definitely be back. Don't be like me and wait until you're 39 to head west to hunt. I'm really mad at myself for waiting so long.
The area these goats lived in in my unit was incredible. Flat as can be in the plains but plenty of goats. Saw right away the biggest goats bedded down in the wide open flats where they could see 1/2 mile or more. Does and younger bucks could be anywhere. It appeared challenging with no significant cover to sneak through. My first two stalks on big bucks I couldn't get any closer than 300 yards an that was belly crawling doing the inch worm through cactus and sage flats.
My mistakes on stalk one was just trying to rush and not being patient. I wanted to get in close so bad and I thought I was more stealthy than I actually was. Skyline my head to glass... nope. Trying to move quickly in the open to a ditch ... nope, he spotted me from 500 yards away and all I saw was a cloud of dust for a mile from speed goats racing away.
Second stalk i glassed an area for about 2 hours an came up with a bedded giant about 1/4 mile out. Nothing between him and I besides openness. Took my decoy and started at him. Got to about 150 and he started my way. At about 120 he had enough and booked it out of the county.
Third stalk: I found a shallow ditch that weaved through the land scape that would get me within 400. I crawled though trying to get in front of a herd of 20 goats, one giant. Got to position but the group changed direction into a spot that was unstalkable.
Ran through all the mistakes I had made day one, re calculated and headed into day 2.
Saw a buck chasing a doe in the distance. While he was occupied I covered 1/4 mile . They bedded down facing me at 300 yards. I was stuck in the open on my belly for an hour or so. They got up and started feeding. I did the side shimmy for about 100 yards to my right to a slight low depression. I was back in the game! Quick back stretch and I started their way. I was able to close the distance to 125 then it was nothing but open. Went back to the belly crawl inch worm but this time he was bedded facing away. I finally got within range. Calmed my nerves, ranged, drew my bow low and came up to my knees. Let the pin float and built pressure on the trigger until bam, bow fires. Arrow hits the 12 ring and the goat takes off. Saw him reach top speed before toppling over.
Definitely one of my top fav hunting moments.
Ended the trip with a great stalk on a bedded doe right at a gorgeous Wyoming sunrise.
These animals are incredible and I feel I got pretty lucky. So much fun and challenging with a bow. I love the habitat and terrain that they live in and how difficult it is to get close. I will definitely be back. Don't be like me and wait until you're 39 to head west to hunt. I'm really mad at myself for waiting so long.
- WV Bowhunter
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Congrats man. Sounds like a great time. I went out there and shot one about 10 years ago but it was over a waterhole. Spot and stalk takes it to a whole different level. I'm buying points so I'll be back out in the next few years.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!
- oldrank
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Awesome RR7 !! They r fun. I hunted them in Montana. It was a blast. I would love to get out west again. It's been awhile. Nice job and congrats on a sweet trophy !!!
Were u in sage brush ? Where I was at it was all over. When I came home everything I had smelled like it. I loved it.
Were u in sage brush ? Where I was at it was all over. When I came home everything I had smelled like it. I loved it.
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Awesome hunt!!
- JakeB
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Nice! And with a bow at that!
I finally talked myself into starting to build up some WY points. Was this in one of the higher PP units? Just trying to decide if it's worth the trip in one of the lower PP units or wait untill I have a few built up.
I finally talked myself into starting to build up some WY points. Was this in one of the higher PP units? Just trying to decide if it's worth the trip in one of the lower PP units or wait untill I have a few built up.
- Ridgerunner7
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Thanks, yes there was a lot of sage in some prairies, others had none. Awesome country. I loved the smell also.
- Ridgerunner7
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
JakeB wrote:Nice! And with a bow at that!
I finally talked myself into starting to build up some WY points. Was this in one of the higher PP units? Just trying to decide if it's worth the trip in one of the lower PP units or wait untill I have a few built up.
I had no points. Just picked an area and went.
- WV Bowhunter
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
Did ya craw up on any prairie rattlers on any of your stalks? We saw several when we were out there. I about had one give me a heart attack in the dark one night walking back to my truck.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!
- stash59
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Re: Antelope Wyoming
wicked cool. Congrats...thanks for sharing!
- csoult
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