Tips for a Disabled Hunter in WY

[NEWHunter]

That's a nice one. Congrats!

Thanks. He’s a shade over 14 inches and better than I judged him initially. I was pleased. My wife not so much. I told her I thought it would be unlikely that I would get one that was much better than my last one so Id be getting a euro mount. Well, he’s much better than my last one . . . so shoulder mount it is.

 

[kansasdad]

Congratulations on your success, and a tip of the hat to you for using the Game Warden correctly to access adjacent private land, and kudos to the ranch owner for allowing you to finish what was started.

 

[Walkathon]

Glad the land owner allowed you to go after a wounded animal, and heck of a nice buck as well!

 

[Focus]

Congratulations on your success, and a tip of the hat to you for using the Game Warden correctly to access adjacent private land, and kudos to the ranch owner for allowing you to finish what was started.

This^^^^^^. I’ll be getting the phone number for the CO in the area we hunt prior to next year. Good learning moment. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Focus]

Well, after my Dad got his antelope late on Day 3 we went back to the hotel just after dark and celebrated the occasion with Jimmy John’s. We then turned off the phone alarms and called it a day.

We got up late on Day 4 and drove the unit and decided that I’d give it heck on Day 5 and 6 and then call it a trip. At that point I wasn’t really too eager to get after as the hunt kind of seemed made after Day 3. Left the unit in time to make it back for MNF kickoff.

The plan for Day 5 was to get up early and set up in a several hundred acre pasture that’s roughly 50/50 public/private. This was the only spot where we had seen antelope every single day. We had been seeing two bucks in there and about 20 does. I think most folks had overlooked it as the antelope seemed to be visible for a bit in the morning and would then spend the rest of the day on the backside of the ridge.

I left the truck at 6 am and was set up 15 minutes later. I started to get worried that they had left the pasture overnight 15 minutes later. There was enough light to see, but they weren’t below me.
View attachment 117324

The nice thing about this spot was that I could see my Dad in the truck about 2/3 of a mile away. I checked in his direction and he was indicating he could see antelope. So I waited and I waited. But if he could see the antelope from the road, so could others. I was concerned somebody might come along and goof up the set up, so I decided to make a move about 300 yards up around the side of the ridge which would allow me to potentially see the lopes. Well, I made it 100 yards before the lead doe showed up. I’m in the open with zero cover. So I set up for a 250 yard shot off my bipod. Wait and hope.

The herd kept coming and the bigger of the two bucks was at the back. He was quartering to me moving right to left. I took the shot and heard the impact. They took off.

I ran up the couple hundred yards and peeked around the ridge. I couldn’t see an antelope. My dad was signaling he could see him. More looking. I spot him 350 yards away, alone, with his head down. Unfortunately he’s 100 yards on the wrong side of the line. I was sick.

So we wait and wait. 2 hours later he hasn’t moved. Then he turns and I can see that I missed my point of aim and hit him though the brisket and took out his right front leg. Not immediately fatal. When I met the warden a couple days earlier I had asked him about this same situation.

I made the call and explained the situation. He said he’d head in my direction, make a call, and get back to me. Ten minutes later he called back and said “you’ve got the go ahead to do what you need to do.” Relieved doesn’t describe my feeling at that point. He arrived and confirmed the antelope was not well. The only problem was that he had now wandered out to 500 yards and there was nothing between me and him but an open hillside.

I started to slowly scoot down the hill but the buck didn’t like that. He started moving off, quartering in my direction. As soon as he disappeared behind the ridge I took off. 300 yards later I peeked over the ridge - no antelope. I start looking frantically for him. Nothing. Then I see the tips of his horns moving north. I took off running again - paralleling him north. He moved through the next bowl by the time I crested the ridge. I kept running the 400 yards to the next ridge crest and peeked over.

I could see a does’ head. I scanned right and I saw him. I took a step back, set the sticks, and then eased up. He’s still looking at me and I know he’s inside 200 yds. I squeeze. He drops. The herd runs by at 30 yards.
View attachment 117328

We were done. I was relieved. I wish I had done better. Everything worked out, but as always, not in the way we had hoped or planned.

The warden and the landowner will be getting some thank yous here shortly.

Nice buck!! You and your dad are keeping the taxidermist busy!

 

[NEWHunter]

Fellow HTers, I’ll start with an I’m sorry. I posted this thread almost a year and a half ago looking for help and didn’t close the loop. I’m starting to feel like one of those guys that got his draw results yesterday and joined HT this morning. Anyways . . .
we stopped at the taxidermist on Friday.


Dad trying antelope for the first time (backstrap), followed by Dad’s euro (62.5), and my antelope (72). Both of those scores were gross and per my measurements if you’re interested.



I was pretty happy with the shoulder mount other than I think the neck on the form that was used was about an inch and half too long.