Epic Opener

[Ben Lamb]

I drew a decent pronghorn tag.

I drove down to the unit and camped on a chunk of state ground.

At 11 PM, there were still trucks streaming in to the unit.

I slept the first solid night's sleep since getting a puppy.

I woke up, I was glassing at the truck and saw two decent herds of goats, one on a type two BMA, others out on public with about 3 miles of flat land between us.

I decided to scope out the unit and see what was happening.

There were millions of pumpkins. Well, maybe a couple hundred.

I had a doe dead to rights at 180 yards but didn't take it.

Herds were getting ping-ponged across the valley floor.

Trucks were at every place to park & hike in.

I saw one mature buck that was sandwiched between three groups of hunters who wouldn't move more than 300 yards from their trucks.

Lots of 1-2 year old bucks hitting the dirt.

My truck started overheating, and the thermostat, which had been acting up this summer, started it's crazy dance again.

I said F'it and came home.

I'll head back out after the circus leaves town.

The end.

 

[Tradewind]

Well you say you got the blues,
You got holes in both of your shoes yeah
you're feeling alone and confused
you got to keep on smilin'
just keep on smilin':hump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZTzHXSmRfk

 

[Tradewind]

Don't stop believing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBEXSiFzOfU
Cary on my wayward son https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X_2IdybTV0
Here I go again on my own https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gin-l4LDdXQ\

 

[Ben Lamb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUXMzkh-jI

Ridin' down the highway
Goin' to a show
Stop in all the by-ways
Playin' rock 'n' roll

 

[406LIFE]

My day almost ended like yours did. Here's the rest of the story:

Friday I parked and camped in the back of my truck about half a mile from my spot.

Saturday morning I woke up at 5, somehow snoozed till 530.

Heated up the coffee and oatmeal for breakfast.

Headed out and busted out about 20 antelope. They seemed to be too jumpy so quickly.

Went to spot B, C, D, E, F and encountered the same orange pumpkins.

Never seen so many pumpkins.

Lost binos, truck every spot, and seeing no more goats had me down. very down.

Was driving out and randomly met a buddy. He loaned me a spare set of binos.

Went back to spot A and took nap.

Woke up and walked in half a mile. Spooked up small group of goats.

Goats stopped 300 yards away and began to feed.

They bedded down, I closed distance using topography to 250.

Fawn stands up I freeze, we have staring contest for 10 minutes.

It beds down and I get to 188 yards.

I look for goats but can't see them in sage. Begin to wonder if they turned invisible and left.

Twenty minutes go by, fawn stands back up. Good I know where they are now.

Fawn lays down, I finally catch an ear of goat flickering.

I setup tripod and rifle and begin 45 minute wait starig down my scope.

Fawn stands back up looks at me walks around. Ten minutes later goat stands up.

I pull trigger after taking half a breath, goat lays back down.

I tag out and drive home.


This hunt taught me that as much mental fortitude as I thought I have, when I loose a valuable piece of gear, it can demoralize me quicklky. I needed to double down and push on and find my prize.

 

[noharleyyet]

I forget whose theme song this is...

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need

 

[Ben Lamb]

My day almost ended like yours did. Here's the rest of the story:

Friday I parked and camped in the back of my truck about half a mile from my spot.

Saturday morning I woke up at 5, somehow snoozed till 530.

Heated up the coffee and oatmeal for breakfast.

Headed out and busted out about 20 antelope. They seemed to be too jumpy so quickly.

Went to spot B, C, D, E, F and encountered the same orange pumpkins.

Never seen so many pumpkins.

Lost binos, truck every spot, and seeing no more goats had me down. very down.

Was driving out and randomly met a buddy. He loaned me a spare set of binos.

Went back to spot A and took nap.

Woke up and walked in half a mile. Spooked up small group of goats.

Goats stopped 300 yards away and began to feed.

They bedded down, I closed distance using topography to 250.

Fawn stands up I freeze, we have staring contest for 10 minutes.

It beds down and I get to 188 yards.

I look for goats but can't see them in sage. Begin to wonder if they turned invisible and left.

Twenty minutes go by, fawn stands back up. Good I know where they are now.

Fawn lays down, I finally catch an ear of goat flickering.

I setup tripod and rifle and begin 45 minute wait starig down my scope.

Fawn stands back up looks at me walks around. Ten minutes later goat stands up.

I pull trigger after taking half a breath, goat lays back down.

I tag out and drive home.


This hunt taught me that as much mental fortitude as I thought I have, when I loose a valuable piece of gear, it can demoralize me quicklky. I needed to double down and push on and find my prize.

This is a poem of grit and determination.

Well done.


NHY - If you tag out on day one, you don't get to pronghorn hunt anymore. I get what I need.

 

[Ben Long]

"The beauty of hunt lies in the fact that it is problematic." Ortega y Gasset. The second week of pronghorn hunting presents problems that are a lot more fun than those of opening day, IME. Onward!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Second week of pronghorn season sees me watching a puppy mend from spaying. Third week sees me in the unit, chasing speedgoats.

Woe is me.

Woe is me.

 

[RobG]

That's why they call it hunting, not killing. Unless you are my wife. For her you might as well call it killing .

 

[Ben Lamb]

It's true. She's killed more critters than Buffalo Bill.