This is a few months late, but my buddy and I drew limited entry archery antelope tags this year. This is the second time we have had them and last time.... well was tough and we only got one shot off. This year we were determined things would be different. Spent a lot of time E-scouting and looking at new area. Had limited time to actually get out and scout and put up blinds. One of the two times I did manage to get down and scout, we had a buck walk over a hill right by our camp. He was the biggest buck I saw in the two scouting trips and he looked pretty cool because his right side horn curled in, while the left side curled back. He was a buck I would love to have.
Well when the hunt rolled around and we went for five days the second week of the hunt. Out first day we each went to a different blind. The one my buddy went too was a bust as the watering hole had dried up.. not a good start. We only saw 8 antelope that day and only two for sure buck. The next two days we saw a lot more spotting and stalking. My buddy missed one because his cam hit is leg when he shot. Tuesday we headed for the one good blind. Had antelope coming in and could hear a buck bit something spooked them. I missed a small one that night. We made plans for the next day and I was heading back to the blind while my buddy was going to sit in a stand of trees where we had seen a big group a couple of days before.
Setting in the blind I was waiting for the sun to come up and start warming the goats so they would want to water when to my surprise I heard hoof beats for a second and then I bucked walked into sight already at 30 yards, but I had made a mistake. I had laid my bow down and a pack of wipes. Needless to say, the buck could hear that pack make noise as I tried my hardest to pick the bow up quietly. He moved to 51 yards and stood broad side. As I drew he walked some more and I guessed him for 55 and held for the lower third anticipating him to duck. Well he didn’t read the script and was a touch over 60 yards. I watched my arrow go right below him, all the while my heart sinking. He ran off totally fine. An hour passed of my kicking myself for not ranging him one more time. I finally put my face in my hands and said “I just want one more chance”. I looked up and a doe and a fawn were coming over the hill. I picked up the bow and looked around to see if I could see anymore. I looked back to the doe and fawn and there was a buck coming over the hill behind them and he was bigger then the one I missed. They made their way to the watering hole and the doe and fawn watered at 30 yards. The buck decided the go to the far side of the watering hole (which was only 35 yards). He was slightly quartering too me. I picked my spot and squeezed the release and heard the arrow hit. But then my heart sank when I saw where it was and how much of my arrow was not in him. It was a high shoulder shot. He ran to 100 yards and I sat watching him seeing if he was going to go down. I decided I had best try to get another one in him. I adjusted my sight and nocked my last arrow with a broad head. I squeezed the shot off and saw the arrow was going right where I had been aiming. Only problem was, the buck had heard the shot and was no longer there. The arrow went right past him. I watched him run to about 200 and then disappear.
After 5-10 minutes of emotional shaking, yes I was crying, I called my dad and asked him what he thought. It was at this point I realized I could see the buck. I watched him for a minute and then couldn’t see him anymore. I went and found my arrow and get a surge of hope as I had got more penetration then I had thought. When my dad saw the picture he said, I think you got enough.
After finally getting ahold of my buddy we met at camp and came back. About and hour and fifteen had got by sense I shot him. We went to where I had last seen him and he was laying there dead. (More crying) This is my biggest antelope by a comfortable margin and I did it with my bow, which is how I wanted to get it done. After the excitement and pictures it dawned on me that this bucks right horn curled in and the left curled back, just like the buck I saw scouting. 95% sure it is the same buck as he was not very far from that watering hole when I saw him.
In all it was a great and memorable hunt!
https://ibb.co/S374mSW
https://ibb.co/r5m87JJ
https://ibb.co/BCtrWtQ
Well when the hunt rolled around and we went for five days the second week of the hunt. Out first day we each went to a different blind. The one my buddy went too was a bust as the watering hole had dried up.. not a good start. We only saw 8 antelope that day and only two for sure buck. The next two days we saw a lot more spotting and stalking. My buddy missed one because his cam hit is leg when he shot. Tuesday we headed for the one good blind. Had antelope coming in and could hear a buck bit something spooked them. I missed a small one that night. We made plans for the next day and I was heading back to the blind while my buddy was going to sit in a stand of trees where we had seen a big group a couple of days before.
Setting in the blind I was waiting for the sun to come up and start warming the goats so they would want to water when to my surprise I heard hoof beats for a second and then I bucked walked into sight already at 30 yards, but I had made a mistake. I had laid my bow down and a pack of wipes. Needless to say, the buck could hear that pack make noise as I tried my hardest to pick the bow up quietly. He moved to 51 yards and stood broad side. As I drew he walked some more and I guessed him for 55 and held for the lower third anticipating him to duck. Well he didn’t read the script and was a touch over 60 yards. I watched my arrow go right below him, all the while my heart sinking. He ran off totally fine. An hour passed of my kicking myself for not ranging him one more time. I finally put my face in my hands and said “I just want one more chance”. I looked up and a doe and a fawn were coming over the hill. I picked up the bow and looked around to see if I could see anymore. I looked back to the doe and fawn and there was a buck coming over the hill behind them and he was bigger then the one I missed. They made their way to the watering hole and the doe and fawn watered at 30 yards. The buck decided the go to the far side of the watering hole (which was only 35 yards). He was slightly quartering too me. I picked my spot and squeezed the release and heard the arrow hit. But then my heart sank when I saw where it was and how much of my arrow was not in him. It was a high shoulder shot. He ran to 100 yards and I sat watching him seeing if he was going to go down. I decided I had best try to get another one in him. I adjusted my sight and nocked my last arrow with a broad head. I squeezed the shot off and saw the arrow was going right where I had been aiming. Only problem was, the buck had heard the shot and was no longer there. The arrow went right past him. I watched him run to about 200 and then disappear.
After 5-10 minutes of emotional shaking, yes I was crying, I called my dad and asked him what he thought. It was at this point I realized I could see the buck. I watched him for a minute and then couldn’t see him anymore. I went and found my arrow and get a surge of hope as I had got more penetration then I had thought. When my dad saw the picture he said, I think you got enough.
After finally getting ahold of my buddy we met at camp and came back. About and hour and fifteen had got by sense I shot him. We went to where I had last seen him and he was laying there dead. (More crying) This is my biggest antelope by a comfortable margin and I did it with my bow, which is how I wanted to get it done. After the excitement and pictures it dawned on me that this bucks right horn curled in and the left curled back, just like the buck I saw scouting. 95% sure it is the same buck as he was not very far from that watering hole when I saw him.
In all it was a great and memorable hunt!
https://ibb.co/S374mSW
https://ibb.co/r5m87JJ
https://ibb.co/BCtrWtQ