Antelopalooza 2012
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Antelopalooza 2012
Two buddies and I arrived in Wyoming early Saturday morning. We grabbed a bit of breakfast, stocked up on enough groceries to keep us fed in camp for a few days and headed out for our unit in the Thunder Basin National Grassland. We had high hopes of Antelope around every turn and over every hill. We arrived in our unit some time later, and our hopes were quickly fading, as we hadn't seen a single antelope in the hour trip through the grassland. We continued to drive the dirt two tracks in hopes of finding animals. They were definitely few and far between here. Eventually we spotted a decent buck with a couple does, and another small heard of a half dozen animals not a mile further down the road. We backed out a ways so as to not spook them with the presence of our camp and unloaded the trailer. First class accommodations.
That evening two more friends from Idaho met us in camp, hadn't seen them in several years so we all had a good time catching up and telling hunting story lies.
Sunday was spent doing more scouting. We covered many miles, and found very few animals, certainly not what any of us was expecting. What few animals we saw were very spooky, and would bolt at the sight of a pickup from a half mile away. At this point I felt we would be doing good if a couple of us would get a distant shot at a buck when the season opened the following day. The terrain was pretty flat and that's your only cover.
Opening morning I was going to go about two miles north of camp and watch a water hole that we found the day before. I hadn't made it much more than a half mile from camp when I saw an antelope off in the distance. After a quick look through my field glasses I saw it was a pretty good buck, no record book material, but he looked like a good representative of the area. I used the terrain the best I could to try to close the distance. I felt he was in range of my rifle, so I tried to get a reading with my laser rangefinder but the low angle of the sun, or something else prevented me from getting a reading. I guessed he was about 400 yards, but without verification from the rangefinder there was no way I was going to take the shot. This new, flat terrain had already proved estimating range a difficult task for this Missouri boy. I let him walk on over the next slight rise, and out of sight. I moved ahead so the sun would be at my back as I pursued him. I quietly made my way over to the rise he had disappeared behind and ever so slowly edged ahead. As I neared the high point I peeked over and could still see him, well within range. Now with the sun at my back I got a reading with my rangefinder, 370 yards. I dropped down and started my crawl to get to the high point so I could get prone and still see him. Those darn little cactus that are everywhere got to be a real pain, quite literally.
After a few minutes I got in a good spot and settled my rifle over my pack, one more quick check of the range and he was still at 370. I settled in and started applying pressure to the trigger. At the shot he bucked up, ran a few yards and just stood there. I could see blood on the offside shoulder and it was a good hit. A few seconds later he was down.
After got up to him, I was not disappointed. I'm sure there are much bigger antelope, but this one is a dandy to me.
Turns out the hunting wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be, as all five of us tagged out in the first two days of the season. It was a great time spent with great friends, and made some memories that will last a lifetime.
That evening two more friends from Idaho met us in camp, hadn't seen them in several years so we all had a good time catching up and telling hunting story lies.
Sunday was spent doing more scouting. We covered many miles, and found very few animals, certainly not what any of us was expecting. What few animals we saw were very spooky, and would bolt at the sight of a pickup from a half mile away. At this point I felt we would be doing good if a couple of us would get a distant shot at a buck when the season opened the following day. The terrain was pretty flat and that's your only cover.
Opening morning I was going to go about two miles north of camp and watch a water hole that we found the day before. I hadn't made it much more than a half mile from camp when I saw an antelope off in the distance. After a quick look through my field glasses I saw it was a pretty good buck, no record book material, but he looked like a good representative of the area. I used the terrain the best I could to try to close the distance. I felt he was in range of my rifle, so I tried to get a reading with my laser rangefinder but the low angle of the sun, or something else prevented me from getting a reading. I guessed he was about 400 yards, but without verification from the rangefinder there was no way I was going to take the shot. This new, flat terrain had already proved estimating range a difficult task for this Missouri boy. I let him walk on over the next slight rise, and out of sight. I moved ahead so the sun would be at my back as I pursued him. I quietly made my way over to the rise he had disappeared behind and ever so slowly edged ahead. As I neared the high point I peeked over and could still see him, well within range. Now with the sun at my back I got a reading with my rangefinder, 370 yards. I dropped down and started my crawl to get to the high point so I could get prone and still see him. Those darn little cactus that are everywhere got to be a real pain, quite literally.
After a few minutes I got in a good spot and settled my rifle over my pack, one more quick check of the range and he was still at 370. I settled in and started applying pressure to the trigger. At the shot he bucked up, ran a few yards and just stood there. I could see blood on the offside shoulder and it was a good hit. A few seconds later he was down.
After got up to him, I was not disappointed. I'm sure there are much bigger antelope, but this one is a dandy to me.
Turns out the hunting wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be, as all five of us tagged out in the first two days of the season. It was a great time spent with great friends, and made some memories that will last a lifetime.
Last edited by TedH on Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:28 am, edited 4 times in total.
NRA Life Member
- Old Savage
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 16740
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:43 pm
- Location: Southern California
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Very nice shooting. Nice hunt Ted! Congrats - what is the rifle?
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
OS, the rifle is a Remington 700 Varmint in 308, with a HS Precision stock. I was shooting 168 gr. Berger VLD bullets.
NRA Life Member
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Well done and congrats on a great hunt
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
- 2ndovc
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
- Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Cool!!
Like your rifle!
jb
Like your rifle!
jb
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Congratulations Ted - that's awesome!
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 4427
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:33 pm
- Location: Wyoming and Arizona
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
TedH wrote:OS, the rifle is a Remington 700 Varmint in 308, with a HS Precision stock. I was shooting 168 gr. Berger VLD bullets.
What??? Rifle is a little light for hunting antelope, aint it? Everyone knows you cant hit an antelope in Wyoming without using at least a .300 Loundenboomen Mangle'em. You must be reading the wrong gun magazines.
A good hunt, a good shot, some good meat and a good time with friends. Just what hunting is supposed to be like. Congratulations.
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Ted you guys got out of here just in time. Cold front blew in Wednesday with high winds and temperature dropped about 20 degrees in 20 minutes. Now there's snow on the ground and winter storm warnings thru tommorrow. But as you saw this country sure need the moisture.
Congrats on a fine hunt.
Congrats on a fine hunt.
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Don we didn't beat the cold and wind out, but we did beat the snow. Yes it sure is dry there, we had a heck of a time digging the hole for our latrine. Glad you're finally getting a little moisture.
NRA Life Member
-
- Levergunner 3.0
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:59 am
- Location: Fly Over Country
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Well done Ted; and outstanding marksmanship. I used to have a tent such as yours...is that a 16x20?
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Thats one of the best hunting reports for a while 'round these parts!
Good shot Ted, how much hold for that distance?
Looks like the target bullet did good!
N.
Good shot Ted, how much hold for that distance?
Looks like the target bullet did good!
N.
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
- Old Ironsights
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 15084
- Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:27 am
- Location: Waiting for the Collapse
- Contact:
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Welcome to the world of Goats. When you aren't hunting them, there will be 30 or 40 within .30-30 range of the highway, including at least 3 shootable bucks.TedH wrote:Two buddies and I arrived in Wyoming early Saturday morning. We grabbed a bit of breakfast, stocked up on enough groceries to keep us fed in camp for a few days and headed out for our unit in the Thunder Basin National Grassland. We had high hopes of Antelope around every turn and over every hill. We arrived in our unit some time later, and our hopes were quickly fading, as we hadn't seen a single antelope in the hour trip through the grassland. We continued to drive the dirt two tracks in hopes of finding animals. They were definitely few and far between here. Eventually we spotted a decent buck with a couple does, and another small heard of a half dozen animals not a mile further down the road. We backed out a ways so as to not spook them with the presence of our camp and unloaded the trailer. ...
Sunday was spent doing more scouting. We covered many miles, and found very few animals, certainly not what any of us was expecting. What few animals we saw were very spooky, and would bolt at the sight of a pickup from a half mile away. ...
When hunting season opens, they run for the hills if you get within 38.3 miles of one...
A winner in any book....TedH wrote:Opening morning I was going to go about two miles north of camp and watch a water hole that we found the day before. I hadn't made it much more than a half mile from camp when I saw an antelope off in the distance. After a quick look through my field glasses I saw it was a pretty good buck, no record book material, but he looked like a good representative of the area.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH !TedH wrote:I used the terrain the best I could to try to close the distance. I felt he was in range of my rifle, so I tried to get a reading with my laser rangefinder but the low angle of the sun, or something else prevented me from getting a reading. I guessed he was about 400 yards, but without verification from the rangefinder there was no way I was going to take the shot. This new, flat terrain had already proved estimating range a difficult task for this Missouri boy.
Snort.
Hic.
OK... I'm alright now... Yes, "my" side of the State is flat... Next time bid for the Red Desert... That's Jerry's Current, and my Teenhood stomping grounds...
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH SNERK HAHAHAHAHA SNORT ROTFLMAO....TedH wrote:I let him walk on over the next slight rise, and out of sight. I moved ahead so the sun would be at my back as I pursued him. I quietly made my way over to the rise he had disappeared behind and ever so slowly edged ahead. As I neared the high point I peeked over and could still see him, well within range. Now with the sun at my back I got a reading with my rangefinder, 370 yards. I dropped down and started my crawl to get to the high point so I could get prone and still see him. Those darn little cactus that are everywhere got to be a real pain, quite literally.
WOOOOHOOOO!TedH wrote:After a few minutes I got in a good spot and settled my rifle over my pack, one more quick check of the range and he was still at 370. I settled in and started applying pressure to the trigger. At the shot he bucked up, ran a few yards and just stood there. I could see blood on the offside shoulder and it was a good hit. A few seconds later he was down. ... After got up to him, I was not disappointed. I'm sure there are much bigger antelope, but this one is a dandy to me.
Welcome to the World of Goats, V.2.TedH wrote:Turns out the hunting wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be, as all five of us tagged out in the first two days of the season. It was a great time spent with great friends, and made some memories that will last a lifetime....
C2N14... because life is not energetic enough.
מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976
Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976
Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Nice pronghorn! Congratulations!
My "HB" (Hunting Buddy) She's a good cook too!
- Griff
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 20869
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
- Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Superb! Story, shot & antelope. And. now I've seen a tent bigger'n mine!
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
I guess we missed that issue. Let's see, in camp we had a 25-06, a 7mm-08, a couple 270's and a 308.jnyork wrote: What??? Rifle is a little light for hunting antelope, aint it? Everyone knows you cant hit an antelope in Wyoming without using at least a .300 Loundenboomen Mangle'em. You must be reading the wrong gun magazines.
The tent actually belongs to one the other guys that was there, but yes I believe it is a 16x20.PaperPatch wrote:Well done Ted; and outstanding marksmanship. I used to have a tent such as yours...is that a 16x20?
That's the reason I like to know the exact distance. That scope has target turrets and I can just dial it up to whatever range and hold right on. Yep, very pleased with the Bergers. One of the other guys was using a 7mm-08 and Hornady's Superformance ammo. He hit his goat in the shoulder on a quartering angle. We found the bullet perfectly mushroomed in the opposite side flank, but it completely destroyed the shoulder. I could literally put my fist through the entrance. The entire shoulder was scrapped. I would not use those bullets. Or at least put them BEHIND the shoulder.Nath wrote:Thats one of the best hunting reports for a while 'round these parts!
Good shot Ted, how much hold for that distance?
Looks like the target bullet did good!
N.
NRA Life Member
- Old Ironsights
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 15084
- Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:27 am
- Location: Waiting for the Collapse
- Contact:
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Not much to save on a Front Shoulder anyway... unless you like ground tendon, silverskin and ligament.
Ask jerry what we did with mine last year...
Ask jerry what we did with mine last year...
C2N14... because life is not energetic enough.
מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976
Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976
Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
- ollogger
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 2807
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:47 pm
- Location: Wheatland Wyoming
- Contact:
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
glad ya had a good hunt & a grand ol time
some of that country looks flat & you can be glassing till your eyes sizzle, then all of a sudden
theres a whole herd of goats right in your lap, its like what to heck & where to heck did they come from
ollogger
some of that country looks flat & you can be glassing till your eyes sizzle, then all of a sudden
theres a whole herd of goats right in your lap, its like what to heck & where to heck did they come from
ollogger
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Good job and good story!
Kevin
Kevin
- Ysabel Kid
- Moderator
- Posts: 27910
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:10 pm
- Location: South Carolina, USA
- Contact:
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
Ahhh - you did switch out the stock. I haven't done so on mine yet. Where did you pick up the HS Precision stock? Sounds like you like it better than the one from the factory. I know you were thinking about bedding it. Big difference?TedH wrote:OS, the rifle is a Remington 700 Varmint in 308, with a HS Precision stock. I was shooting 168 gr. Berger VLD bullets.
Congrats on the hunt Ted!
Re: Antelopalooza 2012
YK I got that stock from a forum member. It has the aluminum bedding block so bedding wasn't required. I started shooting those Berger VLD bullets and it will just stack them one right on top of the other. Love that rifle.
NRA Life Member
- Ysabel Kid
- Moderator
- Posts: 27910
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:10 pm
- Location: South Carolina, USA
- Contact: