jbseamus83
Well-known member
Well, I was super excited about getting my first antelope tag here in UT. I've wanted to hunt antelope for years and I finally got this tag. I knew it wasn't a super trophy unit, but I also knew there were some good bucks in the unit. I made it out to the unit in June to do a little scouting and just get familiar with some of the roads and where I could get to. I didn't find any really good bucks, but found areas that held pronghorn.
Unfortunately, I could not make it out opening day (this last Saturday). My wife and I run our own company and that affords me a significant amount of time that I can travel and do this type of thing, but sometimes it also puts restrictions that just can't be avoided at times. This last Saturday was one of those times. So, I headed out Sunday morning. I got some intel from someone who has hunted the unit several times on some areas to check out. Saw a ton of wild horses, but no antelope.
I turned to an area that I had scouted back in June and found a ton of really great sign and natural springs. It's not an area that you cover a ton of ground and glass, but more of one that you find a place to sit and watch and wait. I really felt that it was an area that wouldn't get a ton of attention because it takes over an hour to get back into, but as I got there, another truck was in the area and they parked and hiked all around one of the springs. I didn't want to hunt right on top of them so I went all the way back out of that area again and started looking at other areas that I had marked.
I went into an area that looked really good and got out and hiked a big 4 mile loop and still didn't see a single antelope. I got back to the truck about 6:45 and was going to go and drive another road before dark. I started driving out of the area and blew out a tire. It sucks, but it happens. I had my farm jack with me and got to work changing out the tire. I lifted the back end of the truck and got the flat tire off and all of a sudden the truck started to tip. I had the spare leaned against the truck and the truck fell off of the jack and the truck fell into the spare and crushed the side of my truck just in front of the rear tire in. This is a 2021 Ram Power Wagon that I had just got in December of last year. I love this truck. And I have done some serious damage to it. I was able to get the truck back up and got the spare on, but it's a smaller tire than I am running with my regular tires. I made the decision to just drive back to home that night and get the tire fixed, reset and then go back out on Monday.
Well, the tire shop couldn't get the tire until Tuesday morning, so I wasn't able to head back out until midday Tuesday. I got back to the unit and had a new plan of areas that I wanted to check out. That night I finally found some speed goats, but both groups that I found only had does and fawns. Weird for this time of year. I can only imagine the bucks had probably already gotten shot on opening day from these groups. But, I felt a lot better having found some lopes.
That night was a torrential downpour and storm. I ended up going and sitting in the truck at one point because my tent had 2 metal poles and I wasn't comfortable with the lightening happening all around me. This was actually an ongoing thing. A lot of storms throughout the week from Tuesday through Friday. This whole story is getting long, so I will fast forward to today with just saying that I can't even tell you how many miles I covered both in the truck and with my legs. I saw so many antelope. I saw probably 100 antelope from Tuesday evening through Friday morning, and not a single one had a mature buck.
I had to leave on Friday. I didn't have a choice. I actually thought I would have a decent goat on the first day I was out there, so the fact that it was Friday and I hadn't even had an opportunity was frustrating. Around 10:30 I was hiking through an area I had seen some lopes the day before hoping that a buck had come in and decided to take control of that group. I found a group of 5 and one of them happened to be a buck. A small buck. A dink. But, a buck and since I had to leave and I had waited 5 years for this tag, I decided to go ahead and take the shot. 405 yards. Dropped him.
I will be smoking a whole bone-in front shoulder tomorrow for antelope tacos while watching football. I love cooking - it's a passion, so I'm happy with the meat in the freezer. I wish the hunt had gone a little different, but yo have to role with the punches sometimes.
Unfortunately, I could not make it out opening day (this last Saturday). My wife and I run our own company and that affords me a significant amount of time that I can travel and do this type of thing, but sometimes it also puts restrictions that just can't be avoided at times. This last Saturday was one of those times. So, I headed out Sunday morning. I got some intel from someone who has hunted the unit several times on some areas to check out. Saw a ton of wild horses, but no antelope.
I turned to an area that I had scouted back in June and found a ton of really great sign and natural springs. It's not an area that you cover a ton of ground and glass, but more of one that you find a place to sit and watch and wait. I really felt that it was an area that wouldn't get a ton of attention because it takes over an hour to get back into, but as I got there, another truck was in the area and they parked and hiked all around one of the springs. I didn't want to hunt right on top of them so I went all the way back out of that area again and started looking at other areas that I had marked.
I went into an area that looked really good and got out and hiked a big 4 mile loop and still didn't see a single antelope. I got back to the truck about 6:45 and was going to go and drive another road before dark. I started driving out of the area and blew out a tire. It sucks, but it happens. I had my farm jack with me and got to work changing out the tire. I lifted the back end of the truck and got the flat tire off and all of a sudden the truck started to tip. I had the spare leaned against the truck and the truck fell off of the jack and the truck fell into the spare and crushed the side of my truck just in front of the rear tire in. This is a 2021 Ram Power Wagon that I had just got in December of last year. I love this truck. And I have done some serious damage to it. I was able to get the truck back up and got the spare on, but it's a smaller tire than I am running with my regular tires. I made the decision to just drive back to home that night and get the tire fixed, reset and then go back out on Monday.
Well, the tire shop couldn't get the tire until Tuesday morning, so I wasn't able to head back out until midday Tuesday. I got back to the unit and had a new plan of areas that I wanted to check out. That night I finally found some speed goats, but both groups that I found only had does and fawns. Weird for this time of year. I can only imagine the bucks had probably already gotten shot on opening day from these groups. But, I felt a lot better having found some lopes.
That night was a torrential downpour and storm. I ended up going and sitting in the truck at one point because my tent had 2 metal poles and I wasn't comfortable with the lightening happening all around me. This was actually an ongoing thing. A lot of storms throughout the week from Tuesday through Friday. This whole story is getting long, so I will fast forward to today with just saying that I can't even tell you how many miles I covered both in the truck and with my legs. I saw so many antelope. I saw probably 100 antelope from Tuesday evening through Friday morning, and not a single one had a mature buck.
I had to leave on Friday. I didn't have a choice. I actually thought I would have a decent goat on the first day I was out there, so the fact that it was Friday and I hadn't even had an opportunity was frustrating. Around 10:30 I was hiking through an area I had seen some lopes the day before hoping that a buck had come in and decided to take control of that group. I found a group of 5 and one of them happened to be a buck. A small buck. A dink. But, a buck and since I had to leave and I had waited 5 years for this tag, I decided to go ahead and take the shot. 405 yards. Dropped him.
I will be smoking a whole bone-in front shoulder tomorrow for antelope tacos while watching football. I love cooking - it's a passion, so I'm happy with the meat in the freezer. I wish the hunt had gone a little different, but yo have to role with the punches sometimes.
