Successful antelope hunt!!!

fast14riot

fast14riot

Joined
Oct 27, 2010
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My dad got drawn for unit 011 in Nevada, with 6 points in the draw and as non-resident we tried our damned best to get him a speed goat. Last day, while I was scouting for him I spotted a herd of about 15 goats, turned out to be a harem with some yearlings mixed in, and this buck trying to assert himself.

I could type a bunch, but pics tell a much better story...


The morning drive, Leaving town.

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L-R, My brother, dad and myself. First day at camp.

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Dust Storm on one of the many dry lake beds, this was about a mile wide...

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Dad and Brother walking on Middle Lake in Massacre Rim Basin, long walk...

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Old, blown over cabin near a cattle chute on Middle Lake, Massacre Rim Basin...

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View from a 7000 foot bluff I climbed to scout for what turned out to be mountain goats, not antelope. Looking over Alkali Lake, Long Valley...

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Got caught in a dust storm on Massacre Rim...

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(Dead critter, blood and gore) This is a casualty of the Glock 45 with hollow points...

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/fast14riot/Antelope Hunt 2013/DSCN2420_zps0c9d288f.jpg


Last Day camp site, Coleman Canyon. The hills in the distance are in Oregon, just 3 miles away.

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The climax of a successful hunt!!! Dad with his Antelope, taken in Coleman Canyon at 300 yards with Remington 700 .30-'06

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You can view the whole album here.

http://s49.photobucket.com/user/fast14riot/library/Antelope Hunt 2013

Im still waiting for more pics off my Brothers camera, so it will be updated when I get those. I had an overwhelmingly good time! This hunt trip will never be forgotten. My dad is getting the head mounted as well, since this will likely be the one and only time he will get to hunt antelope. Cant even put in for the draw for another 5 years, and then it takes many years to get drawn, even more for non-resident.


-Xander
 
Looks like a great hunt! Some great pictures too. I cannot even imagine scouting and tracking in that kind of terrain, being so used to dense forests and the like. Awesome.
 
mewolf1 said:
Great hunt! Thanks for bringing us with.:thumbup:
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Thanx!

Crewdawg said:
+1 ! That is awesome! :thumbup:
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It really was an awesome trip, thanx!

liamstrain said:
Looks like a great hunt! Some great pictures too. I cannot even imagine scouting and tracking in that kind of terrain, being so used to dense forests and the like. Awesome.
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Thanx! Yeah, basic strategy was spot and stalk. This buck, I had climbed a ridge before breakfast calling coyotes I had heard on the other side of the ridge. When I peaked the ridge, I saw it opened up into a shallow bowl valley with a few spotted trees and ideal goat habitat. I then cleared the last of the trees to see this harem across the valley, I backed up real quick and hit the gas pedal all the way back t camp t the base of the ridge and got my dad.

My brother said he will break camp and load the truck while I took dad and set the stalk. We peaked a low spot in the ridge, rolling terrain kept us below the horizon until we came to a fence. We stopped and glassed the herd, found this guy, came up with a strategy to approach. We backed down to below the horizon, flanked right and crested in some trees so we could climb over the fence. We picked a large tree to keep between us and them, did a low scramble right to it and set up prone under it.

After some time, one doe started to chase this guy away! It was very early, pre-rut activity, so we knew he would come back. He did. I spotted for dad, called his yardage and windage. Coached him during his set to keep him calm and then said "send it!"

He ran behind the tree in our line of sight, I never saw him after that, bein a bit discouraged after glassing the hillside and herd taking off over the horizon, we walked out there. We got to withing 20 yards of the spot he was standing and saw the white belly laying in the scrub brush! I have never been so proud to stalk an animal with my father! This was an amazing hunt.

Smithhammer said:
Great pic! ^ And a fine speed goat.

I love that desolate, northern Nevada country. Hunted chukar in that region a bunch.
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Thanx! Desolate seems a but underpowered to describe this area, the magnitude of this place is quite grand. Did see some chukar on our way out headed south on 34 to the butcher. Its a 7 hour drive for me just to get into the area, another hour or so to huntable land, so I doubt I will be getting back up there soon for any other hunting.


-Xander
 
For a minute there I thought you were claiming a rabbit as a successful antelope hunt lol. Those are some great pics!
 
Surprised your Dad didnt have to take a longer shot! Looks like some rough terrain, but great photos!
 
91wm6 said:
For a minute there I thought you were claiming a rabbit as a successful antelope hunt lol. Those are some great pics!
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Yeah, that jack rabbit was the success for me! We were driving out to one of the lake beds and I spotted this guy just off the road, my brother handed me his Glock because he was in the back seat, the rabbit took off in a wide circle, and stopped in a small clearing through the sage at 30 yards, I set my bead on him and one shot later, dead bunny! Those hollow points really did a number on him!

Thanx!

El Bandit0 said:
Surprised your Dad didnt have to take a longer shot! Looks like some rough terrain, but great photos!
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We were all set for longer shots, but the terrain and location of this herd made for a perfect stalk and shooting conditions. The load fo my dads rifle is ridiculously flat shooting out to 500 yards, the Nosler ballistic tips, 180gr sitting on top of 58gr of powder did the job! He held dead on, good release and the goat just buckled! My dad shot a deer in '09 in Nevada with this same rifle and load at 350 yards, its the perfect load for his $125.00 rifle! Of course, it had a bit more work done after he bought it, but nothing more than cosmetics! I took a pig a few years back with it too. I'm thoroughly impressed with the load, shot just missed the heart and completely destroyed the lungs, the biggest piece was the size of a golf ball!

We made a couple of other stalks and never got inside of 800 yards on some goats, which we hoped wasn't going to be the norm. Just a bit too far to be considered and ethical shot. It was some hard hunting, for sure!

Thanx!


-Xander
 
Thanx Bruce! We packed so much water that we ended up coming back with about 3 gallons per person extra. Only real plus was the temps, it was in the high 70's to low 80's the 4 days we were there. This place was so vast, flat and open that the majority of major travel was done in the truck. We would take the gravel highways (50mph roads) to dirt roads (15mph roads) to twin track (4high and some 4low <5mph) to get to a spot to scout. So not a whole lot of water consumed during this time.

My brother is over weight, my dad has osteo artheritis, so I was the speed scout. I could sprint up bluffs and over ridges to glass an area for him. I am in bettr than average condition and excersize daily, so it was no big deal to me. I just don't know if my dad and brother alone would have spotted this harem. I was so proud of my dad for taking this goat! One of the best memories I will ever have with the man who made me who I am.


Next hunt will be to start putting in for sheep, like what you just took.


-Xander
 
Very cool to do a hunt like that with your dad and brother. My family lives on the east coast so I don't get to hunt with them that often. My brother and I did go sheep hunting last year for 4 days in the mountains. We saw rams, 3 grizzly, and a pack of wolves.

Will you be putting in for big horn sheep? In Nevada?
 
Loved, the picture and the story. It's awesome to see family hunting together. Hunted with my Dad until the day he died literally as he passed away on a deer hunt with me and my son this past January in Bama. Go with them every chance you get, because the day is coming sooner rather that later when you won't be able to go together for one reason or another, relish it and take advantage. Awesome pictures and memories, your a blessed man.
 
Bruce Culberson said:
Very cool to do a hunt like that with your dad and brother. My family lives on the east coast so I don't get to hunt with them that often. My brother and I did go sheep hunting last year for 4 days in the mountains. We saw rams, 3 grizzly, and a pack of wolves.

Will you be putting in for big horn sheep? In Nevada?
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This is the first real hunt the 3 of us have ever really done together. Growing up we did all the junior bird hunts or we would go camping and stay at base camp while my dad and uncle went out. Then once I got old enough I just started hunting on my own. I hunt with friends, but my brother and I have never gotten along so we never did anything together. We still don't really get along, but this hunt wasn't about us.

Not sure if I can swing the finances for putting in the draw as non-resident and the cost of tags if I do get drawn, but I don't think there is much Big Horn Sheep in NV. I spend much of my time networking for acess to private land. Just scored access to 100 acres of island farm land for second season upland bird, coyote and rabbit.

MikeC said:
Loved, the picture and the story. It's awesome to see family hunting together. Hunted with my Dad until the day he died literally as he passed away on a deer hunt with me and my son this past January in Bama. Go with them every chance you get, because the day is coming sooner rather that later when you won't be able to go together for one reason or another, relish it and take advantage. Awesome pictures and memories, your a blessed man.
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So sorry for your loss, but I am confident in saying that if there was a best way to go its doing what you love with those you love. I will hunt with my dad anyplace on earth for any game imagineable, but my brother needs some serious training before I really trust hunting with him. There was one accidental discharge of his glock by him as I was about to step in front of him. Dummy cycled it then pulled the mag to clear it, dropped the hammer in a safe direction and almost dropped the thing when it discharged. He should know better.

Anyways, this trip is still going to be one of my fondest memories.

Thanx all or the kind words!


-Xander
 
Your Dad is a good shot, nice job! What powder do you like for that load? Not that I'll try to duplicate it or anything...:rolleyes: :D
 
Actually, I had it wrong, he uses 55gr of H3841 under the 180 Nosler Ballistic tips. I don't remember the primers, but its likely Winchester as that's what he normaly uses. Loaded in, I think Rem, nickel plated cases, no turn neck and full length sized. I can get the whole recipe if you like. Remember this is out of a 22" barrel and may be a bit slow for a longer barrel.

Funny, he is a pretty darn good shot but you would never know it by watching him punch paper! He shoots kentucky windage only, snaps the trigger, and moves around a lot. But, put a live target in front of him and he's going to hit it right where he is looking every time! I did pick up his intinct shooting abilities, but I have some orthopedic and skeletal issues so I trained long and hard working on perfect, repeatable form.


-X
 
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