It took about 150 bucks before we found one that caused me to give Mark a bullet, but I think he is pleased that we waited as long as we did.
This is not the big one from yesterday. Just couldn't relocate that one, so we headed further south.
I think most guys would shoot this buck on the last day they have to hunt.
The mass from the front and back was better than the mass from the side. One of those bucks with more of a circular horn configuration, rather than the thin bladed form that looks massive from the side and thin from the front.
Mark's first pronghorn has most of what you would want in a buck. Gotta love Wyoming on a year with good horn growth.
The checkerboard of these areas make hunting access very difficult. It is hard to tell whether you are on private or public. I can say with all confidence, that without the Wyoming chip from
HuntingGPSmaps.com, that we would have given up on many of these areas. They give OYOA guys priority delivery and service, so tell them you read about it here.
Mark's buck was on private land the first three times we saw him. We knew he was a good buck. We came back and checked on him, hoping that he would move his does to public. Finally he pushed his does to the adjacent public and even better, his lead doe wanted me to take her picture, so she stood at attention for five minutes. Five minutes was plenty of time for Mark to sneak out to the higher sage patch, put down the bipod and make a 180 yard shot on this buck.
Sorry for the sales pitch, but with this new GPS and this Wyoming map chip, I am not at all concerned about those units where private land can make access difficult. Yes, you might have to pass on good bucks when they are on private, but eventually, they will come to public. If you know where that public/private boundary is and you are ready when the time comes, you will get your chance.
Thanks, Mark. This was great fun, as are all antelope hunts, but with two great bucks like these, it will be hard to top. I am now repacking the OYOA truck and trailer, heading to NM for my nephew Cody's youth elk hunt.