Muledeer4me
New member
I started out this hunt thinking that Steve and I would be hunting together as we usually do-------but it wasnt looking like that was going to happen this year.
I had already taken a cow elk on monday and Steve was still set on a bull he had been seeing on private property.
He got permission to hunt this land on tuesday night ,and wed. was the start of our antelpoe hunt that we both had drawn tags for.
We decided that Steve would take the truck before light and go after the elk,I would wait as long as I could and then use my ATV to get to the area I wanted to hunt.
I knew where I wanted to be ,but I was getting cold so I decided to park and start glassing.
Right away I spotted antelope so I got my gear and started walking.
My first stalk went bad ,so I walked over a little rise and spotted more antelpoe heading up the draw.
I decided I needed to get closer to get a better look at the buck and if I turned right I could use the hill as cover and hope to head them off before getting spotted.
As I started my stalk I knew I better be watching for more animals out in front so as not to spook them and mess up my stalk.
As I started looking ahead I spotted another buck standing there alone.
Wooooooooohoooo thats much better then putting the sneak on the whole herd.
So I angled away and started walking trying not to make eye contact with the buck.
I kept walking watching the buck out the corned of my eye ,he wasnt sure what I was I guess and I zig zaged a bit stopping now & then to make sure he was still there.
I though I better not push my luck got out my range finder---I was at 218 yards ,OH cool I say to myself I can make that shot.
Im using my new shooting sticks Steve had bought me ,just as I get him in my sight he starts to walk so I hit the call -he stops ,I shoot and he is no where around
OH CRAP I say to myself (OK those that know me understand I have a hard time not talking) Then shit he's down I got him ,alittle look around to make sure no one is watching me talk to myself.
Then the work starts-------im alone ,it all looks the same out there,I do find him though, start to flag my way when I see there is a road right there.
Cool I can get my ATV right up there,I just need to go find it.
Once thats done im back talk pictures,clean him and remember I still need to get it up on the dang ATV racks.
Being kinda short 4'11" Im thinking this isnt going to be very fun,not being one to give up easy I find a way .
So her he is
Next I decided I need to drag him as close to the ATV as I can ,so I can prop his head is up as high as I can get it ,or I wont be able to reach him.
That done I needed to stand on the racks and pull him up,I cant get him all the way up where he needs to be so I stuff a leg under the racks and wedge him in ,then I get down and grabbing him around the hind end Im able to lift him the rest of the way up.
All done ---but his feet were towards the seat and I needed to flip him over so I could driver ,once he's tied down (notice the hat?) Im off to camp.
But im not done yet!!!! What do you do when there are no tree's and Steve has the truck & game hoist with him,I need to get this animal skinned and washed off.
Oh yeah the table ,I know if I try to skin him on the ground (like I used to do) I wont be able to get back up,now let me tell you ,its easy to shik something on the table but not so easy to then add water to a hideless animal without them wanting to slip
off the table, just as the he was heading for the dirt Steve pulled up to help.
Thank godness for Steve the table,and my ATV.
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-16-2002 15:05: Message edited by: Muledeer4me ]</font>
I had already taken a cow elk on monday and Steve was still set on a bull he had been seeing on private property.
He got permission to hunt this land on tuesday night ,and wed. was the start of our antelpoe hunt that we both had drawn tags for.
We decided that Steve would take the truck before light and go after the elk,I would wait as long as I could and then use my ATV to get to the area I wanted to hunt.
I knew where I wanted to be ,but I was getting cold so I decided to park and start glassing.
Right away I spotted antelope so I got my gear and started walking.
My first stalk went bad ,so I walked over a little rise and spotted more antelpoe heading up the draw.
I decided I needed to get closer to get a better look at the buck and if I turned right I could use the hill as cover and hope to head them off before getting spotted.
As I started my stalk I knew I better be watching for more animals out in front so as not to spook them and mess up my stalk.
As I started looking ahead I spotted another buck standing there alone.
Wooooooooohoooo thats much better then putting the sneak on the whole herd.
So I angled away and started walking trying not to make eye contact with the buck.
I kept walking watching the buck out the corned of my eye ,he wasnt sure what I was I guess and I zig zaged a bit stopping now & then to make sure he was still there.
I though I better not push my luck got out my range finder---I was at 218 yards ,OH cool I say to myself I can make that shot.
Im using my new shooting sticks Steve had bought me ,just as I get him in my sight he starts to walk so I hit the call -he stops ,I shoot and he is no where around
OH CRAP I say to myself (OK those that know me understand I have a hard time not talking) Then shit he's down I got him ,alittle look around to make sure no one is watching me talk to myself.Then the work starts-------im alone ,it all looks the same out there,I do find him though, start to flag my way when I see there is a road right there.
Cool I can get my ATV right up there,I just need to go find it.
Once thats done im back talk pictures,clean him and remember I still need to get it up on the dang ATV racks.
Being kinda short
4'11" Im thinking this isnt going to be very fun,not being one to give up easy I find a way .So her he is
Next I decided I need to drag him as close to the ATV as I can ,so I can prop his head is up as high as I can get it ,or I wont be able to reach him.
That done I needed to stand on the racks and pull him up,I cant get him all the way up where he needs to be so I stuff a leg under the racks and wedge him in ,then I get down and grabbing him around the hind end Im able to lift him the rest of the way up.
All done ---but his feet were towards the seat and I needed to flip him over so I could driver ,once he's tied down (notice the hat?) Im off to camp.
But im not done yet!!!! What do you do when there are no tree's and Steve has the truck & game hoist with him,I need to get this animal skinned and washed off.
Oh yeah the table ,I know if I try to skin him on the ground (like I used to do) I wont be able to get back up,now let me tell you ,its easy to shik something on the table but not so easy to then add water to a hideless animal without them wanting to slip
off the table, just as the he was heading for the dirt Steve pulled up to help.
Thank godness for Steve the table,and my ATV.
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-16-2002 15:05: Message edited by: Muledeer4me ]</font>
