VarmintGuy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2008
- Messages
- 46
Finally got to cross the "great divide" and get over to the eastern half of the state and mingle with the Antelope, Prairie Dogs and Coyotes!
The recent blizzard that delayed my departure on the 10th of October lasted 3 days and put down plenty of snow. The fellow that manages the ranch I was to Hunt on called me and told me the other Hunters on the ranch had all canceled due to the impending blizzard and I should do the same. Once the 3 day blizzard was done it was another several days until the snow melted and the side roads again became passable!
The "Gumbo" in the area I Hunt is horrific when its wet!
Dangerous, as well as impassable!
Anyway I headed out at 0500 hours Friday morning the 17th of October!
A full 7 days after I wanted to leave.
Trepidation was on my mind as I seldom Hunt a full 7 days after the Antelope opener and have much success!
I saw three dead Rattlesnakes on the pavement in the area of my chosen ranch and the sun was out and bearing down at 70 degrees even on Friday afternoon when I arrived.
I checked in at ranch HQ and off I went shooting a Coyote (as requested by the ranch manager) almost immediately.
Then I bonked a couple dozen Prairie Dogs with my 17 HMR Varminter.
Then I got down to serious Antelope recon!
I found a high point and set up the spotting scope.
I found a distant basin that held three large herds of Antelope and at least 22 mature Bucks!
They were in full relax mode and I drove to within 2 miles of the furthest herd and within 800 yards of the closest!
The sun was setting and I made full use of the low sun (at my back!) to sneak up on the first herd then the second herd then the third!
I was amazed at the number of dandy Antelope in the 3 herds.
I was having a hard time deciding WHICH Antelope to take!
In the first herd was a good Buck which had thick high horns and whose "prongs" did not start until very high on the main beam!
An unusual and yet beautiful Antelope.
I decided I wanted him and did a U-turn to get back into his area.
That herd had drifted off now and were near a remote reservoir. I used the exit coulee of the reservoir to sneak up to within 400 yards of him and his herd of 50+ other Antelope!
I lay in wait at the crest of the reservoir dam and the herd was indeed intent on watering (in the heat!) once more that day.
I lasered the now broadside Buck at 329 yards and held dead on his heart/lung area. The Antelope dropped in his tracks at the shot!
I was using my Remington 700 VLS in 260 Remington with Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope!
The 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip worked perfectly and not a mouthful of wasted meat was to be found!
The herd had no idea where the shot came from and I had to shoo them out of the area as I made my way to the fallen Buck. He was not visible in the sage brush where he lay and I had turned my scope down to 6.5 power and left my Harris Bi-pods legs extended should a follow-up shot be needed.
Well I had my Buck and the sun was getting real low now and I was 1 1/2 miles from the truck and my handy-dandy game cart!
A decision was going to have to be made!
My tag was notched and the Antelope was cleaned but I would not make it to the truck and then back with a light and the carrier until after complete dark!
I decided to "hump" the Antelope and "ferry" it back to the truck alternately carrying the Antelope on my back and then returning for my Rifle and my daypack which was chuck full.
I have carried many hog dressed Antelope on my back but always with "help" to get them up on my shoulders for the firemans carry.
No such help existed.
I drug the speed goat to a coulee crest and wriggled him up on my back. It was VERY difficult to get the Antelope up on my shoulders by myself.
I humped as far as I could and then put the Antelope down and returned for my pack and Rifle. Each "ferrying" leg was getting tougher and tougher due to increasing darkness and my exhaustion. Finally about 1/3 mile from the truck I had to cease with the ferrying and take my pack and Rifle to the truck and get a light!
I would have left the Antelope on the prairie and returned in the morning but there were Coyotes EVERYWHERE and in every direction howling and cavorting.
The water back at the truck was cool and VERY welcome!
I stripped down to a T-shirt for the final carry of this big bodied Loper.
Once back at the truck I had another big decision to make. Should I stay the night and get an early start on Saturday or head out on the 7 hour journey back home then? The weather forecast had predicted 71 degree heat on Saturday!
I decided to head out now and let the night air cool the Antelope on the way home!
That would make a very long day but the Antelope would be cooled out properly for sure.
I stuffed my ice inside the Antelopes chest cavity and put the hammer down!
Well it was down for a while - the Mule Deer became so incredibly thick along the 100+ mile stretch of highway that follows Montana's Musselshell River that the fastest I could drive was 50 M.P.H.!
I mean it was flat out dangerous driving and dodging the Mule Deer and trying to stay awake!
Finally at 0200 hours Saturday morning I pulled into the rest area in Harlowtown and slept until 0700 hours.
The sunrise was spectacular as I headed south for Big Timber and again the prevalence of countless Deer kept my speeds down!
This Antelope is right up there with my best - I finally put a tape on it the next day and it went 15 1/2".
But I could care less about its score - it was a great Antelope killed very quickly in a beautiful basin and after a tough start to this years season!
I do KNOW where I will be next year on the Antelope opener though!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
The recent blizzard that delayed my departure on the 10th of October lasted 3 days and put down plenty of snow. The fellow that manages the ranch I was to Hunt on called me and told me the other Hunters on the ranch had all canceled due to the impending blizzard and I should do the same. Once the 3 day blizzard was done it was another several days until the snow melted and the side roads again became passable!
The "Gumbo" in the area I Hunt is horrific when its wet!
Dangerous, as well as impassable!
Anyway I headed out at 0500 hours Friday morning the 17th of October!
A full 7 days after I wanted to leave.
Trepidation was on my mind as I seldom Hunt a full 7 days after the Antelope opener and have much success!
I saw three dead Rattlesnakes on the pavement in the area of my chosen ranch and the sun was out and bearing down at 70 degrees even on Friday afternoon when I arrived.
I checked in at ranch HQ and off I went shooting a Coyote (as requested by the ranch manager) almost immediately.
Then I bonked a couple dozen Prairie Dogs with my 17 HMR Varminter.
Then I got down to serious Antelope recon!
I found a high point and set up the spotting scope.
I found a distant basin that held three large herds of Antelope and at least 22 mature Bucks!
They were in full relax mode and I drove to within 2 miles of the furthest herd and within 800 yards of the closest!
The sun was setting and I made full use of the low sun (at my back!) to sneak up on the first herd then the second herd then the third!
I was amazed at the number of dandy Antelope in the 3 herds.
I was having a hard time deciding WHICH Antelope to take!
In the first herd was a good Buck which had thick high horns and whose "prongs" did not start until very high on the main beam!
An unusual and yet beautiful Antelope.
I decided I wanted him and did a U-turn to get back into his area.
That herd had drifted off now and were near a remote reservoir. I used the exit coulee of the reservoir to sneak up to within 400 yards of him and his herd of 50+ other Antelope!
I lay in wait at the crest of the reservoir dam and the herd was indeed intent on watering (in the heat!) once more that day.
I lasered the now broadside Buck at 329 yards and held dead on his heart/lung area. The Antelope dropped in his tracks at the shot!
I was using my Remington 700 VLS in 260 Remington with Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope!
The 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip worked perfectly and not a mouthful of wasted meat was to be found!
The herd had no idea where the shot came from and I had to shoo them out of the area as I made my way to the fallen Buck. He was not visible in the sage brush where he lay and I had turned my scope down to 6.5 power and left my Harris Bi-pods legs extended should a follow-up shot be needed.
Well I had my Buck and the sun was getting real low now and I was 1 1/2 miles from the truck and my handy-dandy game cart!
A decision was going to have to be made!
My tag was notched and the Antelope was cleaned but I would not make it to the truck and then back with a light and the carrier until after complete dark!
I decided to "hump" the Antelope and "ferry" it back to the truck alternately carrying the Antelope on my back and then returning for my Rifle and my daypack which was chuck full.
I have carried many hog dressed Antelope on my back but always with "help" to get them up on my shoulders for the firemans carry.
No such help existed.
I drug the speed goat to a coulee crest and wriggled him up on my back. It was VERY difficult to get the Antelope up on my shoulders by myself.
I humped as far as I could and then put the Antelope down and returned for my pack and Rifle. Each "ferrying" leg was getting tougher and tougher due to increasing darkness and my exhaustion. Finally about 1/3 mile from the truck I had to cease with the ferrying and take my pack and Rifle to the truck and get a light!
I would have left the Antelope on the prairie and returned in the morning but there were Coyotes EVERYWHERE and in every direction howling and cavorting.
The water back at the truck was cool and VERY welcome!
I stripped down to a T-shirt for the final carry of this big bodied Loper.
Once back at the truck I had another big decision to make. Should I stay the night and get an early start on Saturday or head out on the 7 hour journey back home then? The weather forecast had predicted 71 degree heat on Saturday!
I decided to head out now and let the night air cool the Antelope on the way home!
That would make a very long day but the Antelope would be cooled out properly for sure.
I stuffed my ice inside the Antelopes chest cavity and put the hammer down!
Well it was down for a while - the Mule Deer became so incredibly thick along the 100+ mile stretch of highway that follows Montana's Musselshell River that the fastest I could drive was 50 M.P.H.!
I mean it was flat out dangerous driving and dodging the Mule Deer and trying to stay awake!
Finally at 0200 hours Saturday morning I pulled into the rest area in Harlowtown and slept until 0700 hours.
The sunrise was spectacular as I headed south for Big Timber and again the prevalence of countless Deer kept my speeds down!
This Antelope is right up there with my best - I finally put a tape on it the next day and it went 15 1/2".
But I could care less about its score - it was a great Antelope killed very quickly in a beautiful basin and after a tough start to this years season!
I do KNOW where I will be next year on the Antelope opener though!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
I was not as successful. went to scobey on the opener. after 3 days of a blizzard it cleared enough to try hunt. only saw a small herd one day, they were running by the time we got to 1000yd. I think the bird hunters had then spooked. never saw any again for the next 5 days, and we searched ALOT of land. even the ranchers said they had left the area. we did see some about 50miles out of our area. oh well, next year.
