Weird stalks for lopers?
Here's one. Back in the early 80's I would just drive the roads to locate antelope. Once located, a simple knock on the closest ranch door would gain me permission or directions to the landowners residence. I can remember being denied permission only once over a decade of this type of antelope hunting. Yes, the good-old-days!
An hour or so after sunrise found me driving south on Hwy 191 between Harlowton and Big Timber. As I was passing through the big town of Melville, I noticed a very nice buck tending his ladies right across from the Melville Community Center, Post Office and coffee shop. I swung around and pulled into the parking lot to ask if anyone at the CC knew who owned the land that was located kitty corner across the highway. I walked through the door to find six to eight old ranchers drinking coffee and telling tales. Eyeing me up and down, one of the ranchers asked, "you hunting?" Me: Yes. Rancher #2: What are are hunting? Me: antelope. Multiple ranchers: Antelope doesn't open until next month! Me: I'm hunting with a bow. All the ranchers: Chuckles, Giggles and then down right laughing out loud! Rancher #1: How has chasing antelope with a bow and arrow going for you? Me: It's been fun! I am wondering how owns the field across the highway north of Melville road? Rancher #1: That would be me. Me: Would you care if I went after the antelope that are in that field? Rancher #1: How close do you have to get with a bow? Me: 40yds or less. Rancher #1: Knock yourself out but there is no way you're getting that close to those antelope. Me: Thank you sir and I'll give it my best.
I then made several trips back and forth on the highway surveying the possible stalking options. The antelope herd was feeding along the edge of a high grass and cattail swampy area about 250yds off of the highway. They were paying zero attention to my truck, so I decided that I could pull down off of the road and crawl under the fence and into the high grass area. I was met with water once I made it into the cattail section. The further I went, the deeper the water got. The center of this area was actually a open water pond and I was wading armpit deep holding my bow just above the water line and spooking a very loud flock of ducks. I had lost sight of the antelope herd once I entered the tall grass. So being armpit deep in water, I remember thinking that this was a very dumb idea and there is no way in hell this was going to work out well. I continued in the direction that I thought the antelope would be located and made it into the cattails on the other side of the pond. Pushing through the cattails was noisy and I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of the water and onto dry land at that point. I did find a narrow muskrat lane through the tall stuff and could make out the field some 50yds away. As I was pushing down the narrow lane, my right foot got tangled in the cattail roots. I was now only in knee deep water but almost went in face first trying to free my foot from the root tangle that had snared me. Freeing my foot, I look up to see a antelope doe staring at me down the lane in the cattails and tall grass. I froze for what seemed to be an eternity before she wanders off. The mission to exit the swamp was now off and the stalk was now back on! Painfully slow, one little step at a time, found me just 15yds from the edge of the field. I was still in the tall stuff but could see out into the open field fairly well. Then, the herd appeared on my left and moving to the right. They would parade past me at 15-20yds with the buck bringing up the rear. The arrow flew true and the buck ran a semi circle and collapsed 50-60yds out in the field. When I cleared the tall stuff and stepped out into the field, I could here cheering and clapping as the old ranching crew had migrated out into the parking lot and had watched the whole thing play out.
Good times, Good time indeed!
