In the blind, waiting for the sun to rise and the antelope to water.
AZ Pronghorn - A lifetime dream
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
the nikster
Well-known member
Gonna be a banner day today!! Good luck to you-I'll be checking archery elk cams and thinking of you.
gman82001
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2011
- Messages
- 357
Good luck keep the updates coming it keeps me going during the day
A dozen does and two nice bucks feeding north about 500 yards. Need them to get thirsty and come on down to the water hole. I think I would shoot the heart shaped buck in that group. Correction - I KNOW I would shoot that buck.
DavidKeenan
New member
Show those guys "You da man" I've ran into similar people here in WV. Especially bear hunters, Some think they own all the area. Some are just plain jealous of the hounds you have, and consistently get bears going and treed. It got so bad in certain area that guys were doing some crazy stuff to keep others out
Then you get some of the good guys that'll help you out when needed. Patience and perseverance!!
Then you get some of the good guys that'll help you out when needed. Patience and perseverance!!
rutdog
New member
Alrighty now Fin, we are all pulling for ya to seal the deal on a nice buck. I'm thinkn today is the day...cannot wait to see how this one ends, GOOD LUCK!
genesis273
Well-known member
Geez Randy, I bet you can`t wait to get back to work to get some rest from these hunts! Your wearing me out from checking this thread every day. 
I`ve got my fingures crossed hoping you seal the deal on this one.
I`ve got my fingures crossed hoping you seal the deal on this one.
BobT
Member
+1!
I feel the same way myself, I have been watching closely since Friday though.
I have to agree with the others Randy, don't worry too much about the footage, you have a lot of years invested in this tag and nobody will blame you if you don't get the shot on camera. Just get the one you want!
Good Luck!
Bob
DavidKeenan
New member
Geez Randy, I bet you can`t wait to get back to work to get some rest from these hunts! Your wearing me out from checking this thread every day.
I`ve got my fingures crossed hoping you seal the deal on this one.
He is at work:hump: I'd love to have that job:hump:
zfountaine55
Active member
Last edited:
Brandenbowhunter
Well-known member
Today is your day...hope you are still having fun...Mark and I messed one up today...good one at 35-40 yards...
idnative1948
Well-known member
I have been checking in every couple of hours to make sure I haven't missed anything, but needing to leave here in about an hour to go take care of family obligations as in taking the Mrs to Taming of the Shrew. Just trying to pay my dues no matter how painful in anticipation of October 13th. Hope to see some good news when I return.
You have worked too hard to settle for less than the best. Bag the camera and go for it.
You have worked too hard to settle for less than the best. Bag the camera and go for it.
Not sure where they hid the big guys today. Seeing some bucks, but they are safe, even this late in the hunt. Gotta find a keeper before dark.
'Ike'
New member
Be the arrow!
rutdog
New member
Ditch the camera Fin and go put a buck to sleep..I'm sure everyone here will not mind reading about the stalk and you can offer up som pics of the trophy after the fact. go get em and show em how a oyoa is supposed to be...Good Luck my friend..
Just typed an epic document of the most exciting stalk of the hunt, and the remote connection dropped. I lost the entire thing. Damn it.
I didn't get the buck, but it was shaping up to be my best chance yet at the big heart shaped buck. I will type it up tomorrow from the blind. Tired as can be right now and cannot spend another 45 minutes re-typing it at this point. Sorry.
Hope to get him tomorrow. He is really close to my blind tonight. I am going in by flashlight a couple hours before daylight tomorrow.
I would say I couldn't get a worse break than i got tonight, but that would just curse my chances, so I will not say that.
I didn't get the buck, but it was shaping up to be my best chance yet at the big heart shaped buck. I will type it up tomorrow from the blind. Tired as can be right now and cannot spend another 45 minutes re-typing it at this point. Sorry.
Hope to get him tomorrow. He is really close to my blind tonight. I am going in by flashlight a couple hours before daylight tomorrow.
I would say I couldn't get a worse break than i got tonight, but that would just curse my chances, so I will not say that.
The stalk from yesterday.
After a long day of not much, Wade and I decided to come back towards camp and see if we could watch what was going on near the blind. We parked south about a mile and decided to walk in, crossing one small depression, then up a small ridge from where we could see everything to the north.
We were about to cross the first small depression when to my right, the east, I noticed three antelope feeding, oblivious to our presences in the low light provided by the early sunset behind the big hill to our west. I glass, but at 450 yards, could not make out the quality of the bucks, other than to see lots of black on one head, making he excited for the possibility of a stalk.
Wade offered to stay put and lay low in the grass as I tried to reach the two pines 350 yards to our east, in the bottom of this little swale. I moved forward, hoping the would continue feeding at ease.
I covered about 80 yards and had to move over a little rise, when one looked my direction. I gave the rutting sequence with my BeTheDecoy and after a minute, he was back feeding as normal. The bucks now fed behind the pines, giving me the option to trot forward and gain another 100 yards. I did that in short order.
The bucks were now feeding to my right, more southwest. Since I was directly west of them and the wind was at my back, I wanted them to get somewhat south of me, so this west wind would not screw up the stalk. I ranged them at 245 yards. No doubt the one was the big heart-shaped buck I had been chasing for all this time.
They fed with little concern, taking them closer my direction by feeding southwest. I could now see their backs and only their heads when they raised from feeding as they walked behind a very small rise that separated them and me.
I crept slowly toward them, repeating my rutting sequences whenever they would look my way. Once they were again at ease, I would slowly move forward. This low light was making my efforts far easier than any mid-day stalk ever is.
I ranged at 176 yards and unexpectedly, the bucks all raised their heads and looked to the southeast. Another herd, with a very nice buck had trotted into the depression. This herd seemed on high alert. The bucks mingled with these does, but were put in line by the buck, who though smaller than two of these three bucks, was definitely more aggressive.
To my dismay, the new herd continued at a trot to the north, exactly where I did not want these bucks to go. The situation had been unfolding so well, and now all was changing due to an unforeseen group of pronghorn.
Not sure what spooked them at this time, but dropped back down to my left, north, and stayed low, hoping these pronghorn would calm and mill west to my position. Hope all I may, they continued northeast to a fence corner. They all bunched up there for a minute looking back to see if their pursuer was still chasing. I glassed to see a hunter walking behind a decoy, coming to the crest of this drainage from the south. Well, at least I knew what had caused the ruckus.
The new herd slipped under the fence and was headed to different pastures, continuing to distance themselves from the hunter. The group of three looked back at the source of panic and decided to follow the fenceline to the west. As they trotted at a leisurely pace, my math figured if I ran straight north toward that fenceline 250 yards away, I might get a chance as they came between me and the fenceliine.
As soon as the bucks moved west, the crest of the knoll hid them from me, and me from them. I started to cover the distance, easing up this small rise, knowing the bucks should be right in front of me, or so I hoped.
I peaked over and could see the fence. No bucks. I ranged the fence at 60 yards. I looked west, assuming the bucks had gotten past me and had picked up the pace when they went out of my view. Nope, not to the west.
I looked east and there were three antelope heads looking at me. How the hell did I misjudge that. I hunkered low and did some rutting. The small buck lead them toward me. I was now as low as I could get and the light was fading pretty fast.
The bucks moved forward, looking at me, trying to identify who I was. They were now in full view. I ranged it at 140 yards. This was good, except for the wind blowing from me to them.
I hoped they would ignore the wind and not blow out. The small buck continued toward me, coming directly west to my position. His friends followed in line.
With an arrow nocked, and at full squat, my knees were starting to ache. The thorns I had kneeled down in were now noticeable. Yet, I kept my head low, watching the bucks slowly come to check me out.
Excitement was gaining as the yardage closed. The buck was now circling more to my south east, even a worse path for this wind coming from slightly north of west.
The small buck, being bold, was not stupid. He was now directly downwind. He started stomping his front feet, demanding I identify myself. I stayed low and acted as though I was eating. He stomped some more, then snorted. Never good to hear that wheeze.
I looked up and he was now close, with my big buck another 20 yards behind him. But, still not in what I thought was range. I dared not look up and range them.
No need to range them. Finally the wind betrayed me and with a last loud snort, the little buck bounded around to my south, taking the other two with him. They headed west, right toward the blind I am sitting right now. Whether they continued, or are somewhere nearby, I don't know, as they trotted out of sight, seemingly casual in their fleeing from this unidentified crawling object.
So close, yet still too far. I really thought I had them before the other group showed up. Oh well, in the blind, keeping tabs on a herd 350 yards directly east of my blind as I type this.
Hope to have a picture to post tonight.
After a long day of not much, Wade and I decided to come back towards camp and see if we could watch what was going on near the blind. We parked south about a mile and decided to walk in, crossing one small depression, then up a small ridge from where we could see everything to the north.
We were about to cross the first small depression when to my right, the east, I noticed three antelope feeding, oblivious to our presences in the low light provided by the early sunset behind the big hill to our west. I glass, but at 450 yards, could not make out the quality of the bucks, other than to see lots of black on one head, making he excited for the possibility of a stalk.
Wade offered to stay put and lay low in the grass as I tried to reach the two pines 350 yards to our east, in the bottom of this little swale. I moved forward, hoping the would continue feeding at ease.
I covered about 80 yards and had to move over a little rise, when one looked my direction. I gave the rutting sequence with my BeTheDecoy and after a minute, he was back feeding as normal. The bucks now fed behind the pines, giving me the option to trot forward and gain another 100 yards. I did that in short order.
The bucks were now feeding to my right, more southwest. Since I was directly west of them and the wind was at my back, I wanted them to get somewhat south of me, so this west wind would not screw up the stalk. I ranged them at 245 yards. No doubt the one was the big heart-shaped buck I had been chasing for all this time.
They fed with little concern, taking them closer my direction by feeding southwest. I could now see their backs and only their heads when they raised from feeding as they walked behind a very small rise that separated them and me.
I crept slowly toward them, repeating my rutting sequences whenever they would look my way. Once they were again at ease, I would slowly move forward. This low light was making my efforts far easier than any mid-day stalk ever is.
I ranged at 176 yards and unexpectedly, the bucks all raised their heads and looked to the southeast. Another herd, with a very nice buck had trotted into the depression. This herd seemed on high alert. The bucks mingled with these does, but were put in line by the buck, who though smaller than two of these three bucks, was definitely more aggressive.
To my dismay, the new herd continued at a trot to the north, exactly where I did not want these bucks to go. The situation had been unfolding so well, and now all was changing due to an unforeseen group of pronghorn.
Not sure what spooked them at this time, but dropped back down to my left, north, and stayed low, hoping these pronghorn would calm and mill west to my position. Hope all I may, they continued northeast to a fence corner. They all bunched up there for a minute looking back to see if their pursuer was still chasing. I glassed to see a hunter walking behind a decoy, coming to the crest of this drainage from the south. Well, at least I knew what had caused the ruckus.
The new herd slipped under the fence and was headed to different pastures, continuing to distance themselves from the hunter. The group of three looked back at the source of panic and decided to follow the fenceline to the west. As they trotted at a leisurely pace, my math figured if I ran straight north toward that fenceline 250 yards away, I might get a chance as they came between me and the fenceliine.
As soon as the bucks moved west, the crest of the knoll hid them from me, and me from them. I started to cover the distance, easing up this small rise, knowing the bucks should be right in front of me, or so I hoped.
I peaked over and could see the fence. No bucks. I ranged the fence at 60 yards. I looked west, assuming the bucks had gotten past me and had picked up the pace when they went out of my view. Nope, not to the west.
I looked east and there were three antelope heads looking at me. How the hell did I misjudge that. I hunkered low and did some rutting. The small buck lead them toward me. I was now as low as I could get and the light was fading pretty fast.
The bucks moved forward, looking at me, trying to identify who I was. They were now in full view. I ranged it at 140 yards. This was good, except for the wind blowing from me to them.
I hoped they would ignore the wind and not blow out. The small buck continued toward me, coming directly west to my position. His friends followed in line.
With an arrow nocked, and at full squat, my knees were starting to ache. The thorns I had kneeled down in were now noticeable. Yet, I kept my head low, watching the bucks slowly come to check me out.
Excitement was gaining as the yardage closed. The buck was now circling more to my south east, even a worse path for this wind coming from slightly north of west.
The small buck, being bold, was not stupid. He was now directly downwind. He started stomping his front feet, demanding I identify myself. I stayed low and acted as though I was eating. He stomped some more, then snorted. Never good to hear that wheeze.
I looked up and he was now close, with my big buck another 20 yards behind him. But, still not in what I thought was range. I dared not look up and range them.
No need to range them. Finally the wind betrayed me and with a last loud snort, the little buck bounded around to my south, taking the other two with him. They headed west, right toward the blind I am sitting right now. Whether they continued, or are somewhere nearby, I don't know, as they trotted out of sight, seemingly casual in their fleeing from this unidentified crawling object.
So close, yet still too far. I really thought I had them before the other group showed up. Oh well, in the blind, keeping tabs on a herd 350 yards directly east of my blind as I type this.
Hope to have a picture to post tonight.
StrutNut
New member
Either way I think you will remember this hunt for a long time. Good luck today!
