Wyoming Antelope area 30 Hunt 2013

[Birdhunter1]

My 2nd Antelope Hunt to Wyoming was productive. My dad had decided to go the week before I was to leave, I had a doe and an any Antelope tag for area 30. We got his doe on a friends place the day we arrived in town, a 335 yard shot with his Weatherby mark V deluxe 30-06 shooting a 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip hunting bullet on 53 gr IMR 4895 and a Federal 210 match primer (2982 fps average). I have found this load to be rather accurate and very uniform on a chronograph. Worked for him as he really doesn't shoot the rifle much and has never shot an animal this far away.
My buck I shot at 305 yards slightly quartering away. I shoot my .243 Tikka T3 laminated stock stainless steel using 50.4 gr VitaVouhri N560 with an 87 gr Hornady VMAX on a Federal 210 match primer (3382 fps average). This one is extremely accurate for me and I have taken several coyotes out to 550 yards in various winds. It may be taboo to use a varmint bullet for game but I find a surgical shot placed behind the shoulder aimed right for the lungs it is fantastic, kinda acts like the animal inhaled a hand grenade.
This shot was an easy one but was the best buck we had found. Not a giant but I don't think he is a tiny young one either, like I've read judging Antelope in the field is tricky business. I deboned and backpacked this one out, wasn't about to drag him that far to the truck.
I also shot a doe the last day in Wyoming on a friends place, 250 yards in a 30 mph crosswind. Now that was challenging but I judged the wind right just didn't account for my 350 yard zero. Spined her and she dropped like a rock, ruined very little meat in the backstrap, sorry I didn't take a picture as it was also blowing rain and kinda wanted to get the deboning job done and back into the truck.

 

[Derek M.]

Great post. Congrats on that fine animal. I'm so jealous. Haven't been after pronghorn since 2008.

 

[Birdhunter1]

This trip was more about learning the ropes of antelope hunting to later take my son when he is old enough, and of course to get away from the midwest. Part of is is growing up dad and I never really left the farm to hunt, I am a bit more adventurous and always wanted to hunt out west and have quite a bit the last 7 years for various critters. I kinda want to make sure my son knows a bit more than just the farm or down the road a bit when it comes to hunting if you all can understand that.
My son is 4 1/2 years old and quite decent with his bb gun, what he doesn't have in accuracy he has in safe handling which is the main point right now. We went on a squirrel hunt yesterday and I let him take his bb gun, he handled it like a seasoned hunter and muzzle control was something I didn't have to get on him about at all. I figure if 2 hours with his gun in hand and no mistakes is pretty good. He likes me to tack his targets to the wall in my shop underneath my targets.