We were limited to access on two properties and only a portion of one of those due to tags in the family of the owner. I was planning on using a 243, but a last minute range session showed a 129 grain Nosler ABLR load in the 6.5 Creedmoor was shooting too well to resist. This was my first hunt with my 15 year old grandson Gus along as the guide.
After 2 days of scouting, my grandson and I set up before dawn in a sage patch near a fence line along some property that was off limits. We had seen several bucks that were in the shooter category for me but chose this spot as there had been a good buck hanging along the fence line with a bunch of does.
As the sun came up we quickly spotted two small bucks in the off limit field (olf). Shortly after we spotted some does coming over a rise in the olf. Last one out was the buck we were after and they were heading our way. We were set up well with the sun at our backs. Slowly they fed their way to the fence line and some of the does started acting like they wanted to cross. At this point they were 360 yards away. The buck came to the fence but didn’t come across.
After a few minutes, a truck pulled up on a nearby road, spooking the herd back over the rise. We were actually set up near the road but this was because in years past I had watched antelope cross this fence at this location several times and I wanted to be in shooting distance without having to make a stalk.
Plan A being blown, we went back to the truck and headed to the other property to see what was happening there. This property consisted of flat sage and hay fields edging up to pine timber.
As we approached the timber line over a rise we spotted a bachelor bunch of 5 bucks, one of which, not as large as the target buck, was good enough to shoot. We made a short stalk through a swale hoping to catch the buck nearby as we reached the fence line.
The plan was to come up slowly with a tree between us and the antelope as we reached the rise. It worked perfectly except we were busted as soon as we peaked over the top with the antelope 50 yards away. Always amazed at how fast they can move when they want to and they were gone around a small patch of timber, heading for the open country beyond. In short order, they were three or four miles away.
Well beyond the desire of this fat old coastal guy to stalk in the 105 degree heat, we opted to head back to camp for lunch with the bucks still in sight.
In the afternoon I had planned to set up in another field away from the first one, but on a hunch we decided to drive back to see if we could at least see the 5 bucks from the morning.
We were not successful, but as we drove through a patch of timber, my grandson spotted a lone buck feeding on a skid road.
A short stalk got us within 220 yards as the buck fed undisturbed.
The buck was facing us so I got a good rest and was waiting for him to go broadside. Instead he looked up and we were busted again.
He was quartered just enough to try to sneak a shot behind the shoulder and I fired.
My grandson said, “You smoked him Grandpa!” as the buck hunched up and reacted to the shot. He didn’t go down however and turned side ways.
“Hit him again!”, Gus said and I proceeded to cast one about a foot over his back as he started to go.
It was then we saw the dust cloud where the buck went down and was thrashing around.
A slow, quiet approach took us to the buck as he was early dead.
Not a large buck by any means, but nearly as large as any we had seen on our limited hunting area and a great experience for me and my grandson to have together.
The shot hit on the shoulder and the angle was shallower than I thought. The bullet broke one rib but there was no indication that it had entered into the body cavity. I had chronoed these at around 2600 fps.
For being a marginal shot I was happy to find the AccuBond had done extensive enough damage to dispatch the buck without a chase.
On the way back to camp we spotted another decent buck.
I am really thankful to the ranchers who allowed us access to their properties for this hunt.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
After 2 days of scouting, my grandson and I set up before dawn in a sage patch near a fence line along some property that was off limits. We had seen several bucks that were in the shooter category for me but chose this spot as there had been a good buck hanging along the fence line with a bunch of does.
As the sun came up we quickly spotted two small bucks in the off limit field (olf). Shortly after we spotted some does coming over a rise in the olf. Last one out was the buck we were after and they were heading our way. We were set up well with the sun at our backs. Slowly they fed their way to the fence line and some of the does started acting like they wanted to cross. At this point they were 360 yards away. The buck came to the fence but didn’t come across.
After a few minutes, a truck pulled up on a nearby road, spooking the herd back over the rise. We were actually set up near the road but this was because in years past I had watched antelope cross this fence at this location several times and I wanted to be in shooting distance without having to make a stalk.
Plan A being blown, we went back to the truck and headed to the other property to see what was happening there. This property consisted of flat sage and hay fields edging up to pine timber.
As we approached the timber line over a rise we spotted a bachelor bunch of 5 bucks, one of which, not as large as the target buck, was good enough to shoot. We made a short stalk through a swale hoping to catch the buck nearby as we reached the fence line.
The plan was to come up slowly with a tree between us and the antelope as we reached the rise. It worked perfectly except we were busted as soon as we peaked over the top with the antelope 50 yards away. Always amazed at how fast they can move when they want to and they were gone around a small patch of timber, heading for the open country beyond. In short order, they were three or four miles away.
Well beyond the desire of this fat old coastal guy to stalk in the 105 degree heat, we opted to head back to camp for lunch with the bucks still in sight.
In the afternoon I had planned to set up in another field away from the first one, but on a hunch we decided to drive back to see if we could at least see the 5 bucks from the morning.
We were not successful, but as we drove through a patch of timber, my grandson spotted a lone buck feeding on a skid road.
A short stalk got us within 220 yards as the buck fed undisturbed.
The buck was facing us so I got a good rest and was waiting for him to go broadside. Instead he looked up and we were busted again.
He was quartered just enough to try to sneak a shot behind the shoulder and I fired.
My grandson said, “You smoked him Grandpa!” as the buck hunched up and reacted to the shot. He didn’t go down however and turned side ways.
“Hit him again!”, Gus said and I proceeded to cast one about a foot over his back as he started to go.
It was then we saw the dust cloud where the buck went down and was thrashing around.
A slow, quiet approach took us to the buck as he was early dead.
Not a large buck by any means, but nearly as large as any we had seen on our limited hunting area and a great experience for me and my grandson to have together.
The shot hit on the shoulder and the angle was shallower than I thought. The bullet broke one rib but there was no indication that it had entered into the body cavity. I had chronoed these at around 2600 fps.
For being a marginal shot I was happy to find the AccuBond had done extensive enough damage to dispatch the buck without a chase.
On the way back to camp we spotted another decent buck.
I am really thankful to the ranchers who allowed us access to their properties for this hunt.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
