First antelope, first archery kill - UPDATED with story and pics

[bigorange]

Wow...took a lot longer getting back to updating this with story and pics than I intended. Work, life, archery deer, and a buddy's archery elk all got in the way.

 

Hunted 7 days...the first 3 with a buddy from work who had hunted the area a couple times, then the last 4 solo.

 

Drove up Wed after work, pre-hunt scouting on Thursday to see if the antelope were coming into the tank I was planning to sit. Met SirRoyal who shared some good info with me and also amazingly escaped getting nailed by a wheel that came off a trailer going by on the highway. Set up blind about 40 yards from water with plans to sit mid-morning through lunch since that's when antelope had been hitting the tank during scouting.

 

Opening day - looking for spot n stalk early, but nothing close. In blind by 9:30. Small buck (probably mine based on timing) came in to far corner of tank, but too far to shoot. Storms rolled in and left the blind when lightning got too close. First spot n stalk near dusk. Went great until no more cover at 120 yds...busted as I tried belly crawling from behind the bush. Maybe decoy would have worked better.

 

Pretty sure this was my buck on day 1...a little too far.

 

Day 2 - early spot n stalk got a shot at 90, but antelope ran at the shot. My buddy spotting saw the arrow and was right on target if hadn't moved. Spotted same buck from previous evening...quick stalk attempt with my buddy holding decoy, but busted us with no shot. In the blind...nice buck and does came into drink at same far corner too far to shoot. Missed a coyote due to range error...drew when he was at 50 and shot when he had moved to 60 without adjusting. Doh! Moved blind closer to water for better shot on far corner...now 65 yards and shootable. Buck and does came in to other end of the tank that I wasn't watching as frequently...my buddy spotted them and let me know. Rookie mistake...opened the blind window without closing the opposite window. Spotted me drawing and busted. They stayed in sight of the blind for about 5 hours but never came in...waited them out so I wouldn't spook them.

 

Day 3 - Buck and does back on the tank right on schedule. Does drank offering 60 yard shot...I'm think the buck will join them, but he never did come to the water. I missed him twice at 80 and 90 yards...probably longer than I should shoot from the blind. He ran off a smaller buck (again based on timing and location it was probably mine) for probably a mile and came back maybe 150 yards away but never came into tank. Evening spot n stalk...worked great with the decoy. 70 yard shot, but steep downhill. Didn't adjust enough and nicked the back of his neck...tiny smear of blood on side of 2 fletchings and hair on one blade. Could see nicked area as he ran his does away. Clearly not seriously injured.

 

Day 4 - My first solo day since my buddy had to go back to work. I had to catch up on some work in the morning, so was a little later than I wanted getting to the blind. Spotted a nice buck in a stalkable area on the way, so stopped and made a play. used a hill and brush and got to 70 yards...but only a rear end visible. Next thing I know they're across the meadow...another blown stalk. Get to the blind and the small buck (probably mine) is already there, bedded on the ridge above so all I can do is watch and hope. He comes into the tank, but doesn't drink, and feeds right past the blind. Maybe 20 yards. The larger buck and does are also out behind the tank, so I don't want to risk going into the blind. I watch them for a while as he breeds one of the does multiple times. Work meeting late afternoon, so my day is done. Plus more storms rolling in.

 

Selfie in the blind...fun times.

 

Day 5 - Into the blind early and optimistic based on the previous day...then more storms and lightning forced me out of the blind early. Storms most of the day and very little activity. Even got a short nap at camp. Overnight the storms continued, and felt like Dorothy about to blow away to Oz...not sure what this will do to hunting the next day.

 

Day 6 - Muddy mess around the tank, and figured the bucks won't water the same with standing water everywhere...made sure the blind survived the storm and went looking for stalks. Went back to several places I'd had no luck previously (like the movie Groundhog Day going back over and over hoping to see something different). 2 decent stalks, so it paid off. 4 small bucks pushing a single doe, and almost got a shot before they busted me. Ran right up close to me. Another buck and does along a drainage...got into the drainage unseen and made it to 110 yds before they saw me. Standoff until wind shifted and they took off. Decoy might have helped then too. Long drive into a new area behind one of the ranches where my buddy had some stalks previously...no antelope, but beautiful country and a few deer. Checked the blind on the way back to camp. No antelope, but a cow was rubbing on the blind...a bit worried since another hunter's blind had been trampled by cows in the same area.

 

Cows were common visitors...sometimes a little too close.

 

Day 7 - my last day to hunt. Checked the blind on the way to look for morning stalks and it was flat on the ground...probably trampled. Spotted a couple of bucks and a coyote hunter who had come along offered to spot for me on radio while I stalked. Watched the bucks lock horns and then tried to intercept them, but of course they didn't take the same path. Into the blind about 9...carried in a spare blind just in case. Luckily the blind was okay...just needed to pop it back up. One window had been torn by the cow...otherwise undamaged, which is a good thing since it was a borrowed blind and I'd already shot a few holes in the other window. Barely settled in when the bigger buck and does topped the ridge a little earlier than usual. Worked their way in to the tank, but only one doe watered. The rest seemed very skittish and spooky, but I knew it wasn't me. Coyote came in right past the antelope and drank...that was the culprit. Tempted to shoot him at 30 yards, but didn't want to spook the antelope. Then the buck runs at the coyote and offers me a 50 yard broadside shot...perfect! I hear a loud whack from the blind when I release and the buck runs out of range. he feeds around with the does and I'm looking very closely for any blood...nothing. Looking at the hole in the window, it's overlapping a strap in the middle of the window...fletchings must have hit the strap and deflected the arrow. The buck and does feed around behind the blind out of range and several hundred yards down past the opposite end of the tank. I check them periodically through one of the closed windows hoping they'll come back.

 

Suddenly the buck is making a beeline straight back towards me...looking out the opposite side of the blind I see why. The smaller buck is on the ridge right on schedule. He ran the smaller buck off a little ways, then returned to his does. Luckily the smaller buck decided to come on in and drink...right to the far corner as usual, now a 65 yard shot since I moved the blind. I take the shot which feels good and can see my arrow sticking out of the mud...I swear it looks a little red through the binos, but I don't want to get out of the blind since I don't know where the buck is. Then I see both bucks over the tank berm, so I really don't want to get out and spook them. The bucks disappear, and I give them a few minutes (probably not much, but felt like an eternity). Sneak over to the arrow and it's a nice red one...my first true bloody arrow!

 

So now what...not sure what to do I decide to give him a little time. I peek over the berm and I see my buck walking unsteadily less than 100 yards away and then lay down. He's down!

 

Give him a little longer, and talk to my buddy for advice...while on the phone with him I work around to where I can see the buck and his head is down and not moving at all. I approach safely and make sure he's down. Big celebration, a couple more phone calls and text messages, then get to work...since I packed in the blind, all of my gear is still in the truck so I tag the buck and quick run back to the truck for knives and I think to grab my tripod for selfies.

 

 

 

Quick gut job and get him to the truck...then off to the processor before he gets too hot. Processor kindly takes a lot more pics for me. Now time to get the head and cape in the travel trailer freezer, take down the blind, break camp, and head for home.

 

 

Thanks to several good friends who helped me with locations and scouting (you know who you are) and SirRoyal for some great info as well.

 

Met some great folks too, including another hunter who came back to the same blind on my recommendation...had the same bigger buck (I'm guessing based on timing, number of does, and patterns) come into the blind too far for a shot, then he used his antelope decoy hat to walk right out to the buck, close the distance to 53 yards, and make the shot...

[bonecollector]

Nice job man! Congrats on your first archery kill.

[MT_Sourdough]

19a? Good job

[ElkyG]

Congrats on your first antelope

[Guest 300ultramag.]

nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

thats the top of my list archery goat.

[4Falls]

NICE! congratulations. Sounds like you had a great hunt

[SirRoyal]

Big Orange! It was a pleasure to meet you during your hunt! You definitely had all your ducks in a row, I mean goats! You were persistent and it came together for you!

Awesome job!

[rossislider]

Great first archery kill. Congratulations!

[218buck]

congrats that's a great accomplishment

[johnnie blaze]

100yd shot? Lol, just fuggin with the masses. Arguably the hardest animal with a Indian stick, sweet accomplishment.

[bgshooter]

Good job!!! Congrats!!!

[tjhunt2]

I can't wait to hear the story from the misses to the trophy shot. Congratulations!

 

TJ

[6ANut]

Congrats and way to stick with it

[Zeke-BE]

With a bow and eight days he's a well-deserved buck! Good job

[8OWHUNT247]

Way to overcome a miss on the last day!!! Well Done Sir!