fishing4sanity
Well-known member
Well the Munn family went 3 for 4 on Wyoming antelope this year - I was the one who didn't get one, so Cushman if it's any consolation there were 2 HT'ers leaving Wyoming empty handed. We started off with the tags my two sons had drawn. Spencer won the coin toss and was first up, after a couple of warm up stalks we spotted a group of antelope, but some other hunters were already watching them, so we hung back and watched. After they tried a very long shot with hard cross winds they just drove away (they did at least get out of the truck for the shot). The antelope moved further up the basin and went back to feeding, so we came up with a different plan - get out and walk! The antelope moved on us a couple of times, but after changing the stalk route my sons got across and above them less than 200 yards away. Spencer had now filled his first ever antelope tag, plus got his first animal with his 6.5 Creedmore that he 'had to have' for antelope.
After a few more long stalks, some of which we blew and others that ended in smaller or broken horned antelope, we spotted two prospective bucks. With not much daylight left I doubted we could get close enough, then both bucks fed down into a small draw and we just went straight at them. Luckily they stayed in that small draw and we were able to get right on top of them. Again, I stayed back a little not wanting to blow their stalk, my sons were able to get within 200 yards. After watching them long enough to about make their old man have a nervous breakdown and at 230 yards nerves and opportunity lined up and Derrick now had his first ever antelope. I also learned that I'm a lousy cameraman, but I did get Derrick's on camera (sort of), maybe someday if I figure out how I'll throw some video on here.
My brother had bought a leftover tag for a unit about three hours east of where my sons hunted. Since my boys were done and my brother was on his way we made a switch on the freeway, I went with my brother and sent my sons home to the farm - somebody has to work.
The unit still had leftovers so I bought my very first antelope tag. Our first day and first time ever having seen this unit we headed down a road into some public ground we found on the map and found a group of antelope headed right at us, after a short stalk and a 160 yard shot my brother now had his first antelope.
I mistakenly thought 'this is going to be easy.' After lots of glassing, lots of hiking and checking other public pockets we hadn't even seen another antelope on public ground. The last day I could be gone I did come across a group of young bucks, but decided to just let them get a little older, then with only enough time for one last hike I tried a new public pocket. Things were looking up, we came across a young buck and 3 does right away, later we found a group with a good buck and in a spot it looked like we could sneak to. Then I double checked the GPS only to learn they were on private by 500-600 yards and not working closer to us. Light was fading and I was contemplating what seasoning to use on my tag soup when I spotted 3 does and a good buck that were on public ground, unfortunately we had also been spotted and they were moving out fast. After a painful climb over a couple of knobs and ridges we spotted the does and then the buck - just under 400 yards and broadside. Could this be like the TV shows, last light of the last day and things come together? I settled the crosshairs and started to pull the trigger and the buck spun straight away from me, paused just a second and then disappeared over the ridge. I hurried over that ridge as fast as I could (some would say at glacial speed) and never saw the buck again. On the walk out in the dark I went over that scenario a thousand times; why wasn't I faster on the trigger? why didn't I get in better shape? should I have tried the ol' Texas heart shot? When I was on the trigger and the buck spun away I wanted to pull the trigger but just felt the antelope deserved better from me and so no shot was fired. As we drove away in the dark I was frustrated beyond words, but at the same time what a great hunt it had been being with my sons and brother when they got their first antelope. I'm now anxiously looking forward to next year and hopefully my second antelope tag ever!
After a few more long stalks, some of which we blew and others that ended in smaller or broken horned antelope, we spotted two prospective bucks. With not much daylight left I doubted we could get close enough, then both bucks fed down into a small draw and we just went straight at them. Luckily they stayed in that small draw and we were able to get right on top of them. Again, I stayed back a little not wanting to blow their stalk, my sons were able to get within 200 yards. After watching them long enough to about make their old man have a nervous breakdown and at 230 yards nerves and opportunity lined up and Derrick now had his first ever antelope. I also learned that I'm a lousy cameraman, but I did get Derrick's on camera (sort of), maybe someday if I figure out how I'll throw some video on here.
My brother had bought a leftover tag for a unit about three hours east of where my sons hunted. Since my boys were done and my brother was on his way we made a switch on the freeway, I went with my brother and sent my sons home to the farm - somebody has to work.
The unit still had leftovers so I bought my very first antelope tag. Our first day and first time ever having seen this unit we headed down a road into some public ground we found on the map and found a group of antelope headed right at us, after a short stalk and a 160 yard shot my brother now had his first antelope.I mistakenly thought 'this is going to be easy.' After lots of glassing, lots of hiking and checking other public pockets we hadn't even seen another antelope on public ground. The last day I could be gone I did come across a group of young bucks, but decided to just let them get a little older, then with only enough time for one last hike I tried a new public pocket. Things were looking up, we came across a young buck and 3 does right away, later we found a group with a good buck and in a spot it looked like we could sneak to. Then I double checked the GPS only to learn they were on private by 500-600 yards and not working closer to us. Light was fading and I was contemplating what seasoning to use on my tag soup when I spotted 3 does and a good buck that were on public ground, unfortunately we had also been spotted and they were moving out fast. After a painful climb over a couple of knobs and ridges we spotted the does and then the buck - just under 400 yards and broadside. Could this be like the TV shows, last light of the last day and things come together? I settled the crosshairs and started to pull the trigger and the buck spun straight away from me, paused just a second and then disappeared over the ridge. I hurried over that ridge as fast as I could (some would say at glacial speed) and never saw the buck again. On the walk out in the dark I went over that scenario a thousand times; why wasn't I faster on the trigger? why didn't I get in better shape? should I have tried the ol' Texas heart shot? When I was on the trigger and the buck spun away I wanted to pull the trigger but just felt the antelope deserved better from me and so no shot was fired. As we drove away in the dark I was frustrated beyond words, but at the same time what a great hunt it had been being with my sons and brother when they got their first antelope. I'm now anxiously looking forward to next year and hopefully my second antelope tag ever!
