Wyoming Pronghorn are calling me

[Big Fin]

This is a hunt that is good cardiac medicine. Nothing that will cause me to violate medical restrictions. Well, not much violation. Lots of bucks here in the 'trona country, and lots of wind like you would expect.

We drove down yesterday and went out to find a few starting points for this morning. Found lots of dry water holes that Google Earth had shown to be good spots. A few antelope were found, but given the sparsity of them, it seemed like we could find some much better places to look.

So this morning was in a completely different part of the unit. More water and lots more antelope. Amazing how many bucks are here. Finally tired of taking pics of bucks.

Some that we passed on today, in the order in which we saw them. Taken with my new Nikon point and shoot with the 42X lens.

A nice classic pose. If this guy can bulk up the mass next year, he might be a candidate.





If this guy's passenger side was not so lame and matched his driver's side, I would have been shooting, even if it violated our promise that we would not shoot anything before noon. Very long prongs, very good mass, a decent height. Just a screwed up right side that seemed to have lacked nutrients to grow like the other side,


Tons of bucks of this configuration with very weak mass above the prongs.


Good thing this guy broke the tips off each horn and off each prong, or mass like this gets you a ride back to Montana and permanent home in the Randy Room.


No privacy in the outdoor world.



More pics to follow.

 

[kansasdad]

That'll do a body (and heart) good. Thanks for taking us along on your adventure.

 

[Big Fin]

A few more on this windy Wyoming day. Not sure how Casper people walk upright, given the wind they have to deal with on a regular basis.

These two pics are of the same buck. Once when he was in the sage, just up from bedding with his does, then a couple hours and half mile later, while he was walking his does to water. Did not notice they were the same, until looking at these pics here at the motel room.





Didn't have a tag for these kind of bucks.


I have never seen an antelope do a lip curl like this. A doe had just peed. He nudged her away, then licked the ground and went into these theatrics.

 

[WyOpitz]

Awesome pictures! I think the goat is just making the bitter beer face! Haha

 

[Big Fin]

Given I am on restricted detail, Stillkickin' offered to make sure I did not violate any restrictions. He had first shot chance, so it was up to him what we were going to shoot.

We did see one very good buck today. One I would have been very glad to shoot. But, things just didn't work out. The wind was so screwy and they were bedded in a bad spot. They were bedded out of the wind, on a bench that protected them and was only a half mile from the main east-west highway that separates the unit. Needless to say, that buck is in the other unit now, thanks to me messing up the planned approach.

We did see another really good buck later this afternoon. He was bedded with a huge number of does. They were in a very tough spot to get to. Finally, we found a way to get straight down wind of the group.

Stillkickin' saw my enthusiasm for this buck and refused to shoot. What? He smiled, laughed, then bluntly told me, "A buck that gets you that excited is one you should shoot."

I protested, but to no avail. He refused to grab his rifle. He said he would follow behind with my pack. I know the guy well enough that arguing with him is a waste of time. I told him it was further than I was allowed to walk and had some incline that was off limits to me, until Friday. He told me I would figure it out and find a way.

It took a long time, but eventually I was within 350 yards of the herd. With me, two cameras in tow, and Stillkickin hanging further back, the does spotted us with very little problem. They were on their feet, looking to see what was coming their way. I decided my best bet was to come straight at them, with the wind in my face. No way I would shoot across this wind.

I got to a little flat spot with no sage in front of me, dropped to the prone position and took a reading on the standing does, while the buck stayed bedded. The range was 340. I could hardly make out the buck that was bedded in the sage to their right. Finally, he stood and wandered around while the does proceeded to get away from those strange looking objects.

I dialed the turret to 350. Then, with the bipod solid, put my crosshairs on the buck. At the shot, dust flew up and the wind blew it into my eyes. Stillkickin told me I was high. WTF? High at that range. I must have screwed something up with my hold.

It didn't matter, the herd was now moving further upwind. The buck was right in the middle. The does had stopped and the buck circled back around to get the last straggler. Brad told me he had a good view of the buck with the extender lens. I ranged it. 511 yards, pretty much straight upwind. I was still confused how this buck did not drop at the first shot.

I dialed the CDS to 500 yards. I felt rock steady. The buck was now broad side as his does were standing above him about thirty yards. Both cameras gave me the go ahead. Having made this shot many times at the range, of a bench, I wondered of the sanity of taking this shot, even if it was straight upwind. But, this is why I practice and make sure my equipment can shoot better than I can.

I squeezed the trigger and once again, a cloud of dust kicked up and flew into my eyes. I could see nothing. I could hear the other three voices yelling in excitement, something to the affect that the buck had dropped. Cool. The shot felt great and was dead solid. It made me wonder how I had shot high on the first shot.

I wondered if he was a good buck, or not, as in the rifle scope, he did not look as good as in the spotter from a half mile away. While walking up to him, I worried that I had gotten too excited and made a quick decision.

I was relieved when I got to him and found his mass and prongs were exactly what I had thought.







Thanks a ton to Stillkickin, Mason, and Brad. They did most the heavy lifting and packed the buck back to the truck so I could keep my promise to Mrs. Fin that I would not lift over 10 pounds. If not for them, I would not be "recouperating" by hunting antelope in Wyoming.

One tag left to fill. Hope we can find an even better buck for Stillkickin. He has no choice but to grab his rifle this time, as he is the only remaining tag holder.

I love Wyoming. So many great units that have lots of antelope and hardly any pressure if you come this late in the season. We did not see one other hunter today. Lots of public land and lots of bucks still left to chase.

Hope to post a pic of a bigger buck from tomorrow.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Congrats Randy! Great buck!!

 

[BuzzH]

That looks to be a very good buck...congratulations.

 

[kansasdad]

Way cool Stillkickin, Big Fin, Mason and Brad. I kinda got wind/sun burned and smelled the strong smell of sage. Thanks for the report and photos. Adventures continued on easy street for the clot and heart's sake

 

[Big luke1981]

Great buck Randy, congrats. I am glad to see you are feeling better!!

 

[noharleyyet]

Nice shooting.

 

[BiggWimm]

Way to go Randy, u da man!!! Keep to your 10lb limit and enjoy letting others do the work for once!

 

[bjtc_brian]

Great job Fin! Now, keep on taking it easy, hard part is done!

Man, look at the eye gaurds on that muley on the right! What a great deer wished you had the tag for them!!!

 

[Joe Hulburt]

Awesome! What a comeback....

 

[NVLongbow]

Mark is a true gentleman. Hope you find him a huge buck in the coming days.

 

[spook12]

Congrats to all of you. Sounds like you're having fun.

 

[AZ402]

Nice buck Randy and nice photos! Big congrats!!

 

[Dana]

Awesome buck! Looks like familiar country!

 

[pseshooter300]

Congrats that is a good one

 

[JoseCuervo]

Great pics on some great bucks.

Glad you were able to get back out.

 

[nmtaxi]

Nice buck Randy!!! Congrats and take it EASY.