nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
Well tomorrow starts my first tag for the year really excited. Saw the one last week so I'm pretty excited.
NV Antelope Story and Pictures Added
- Thread starter nvbroncrider
- Start date
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,327
- 897
Jake this will be a good time to bloody the 9.3X62. :mrgreen:
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,356
- 6,104
Trust that by the time you read this you have tagged out. Go get 'em, Jake!
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,270
- 8,699
Best of luck Jake.
JD338
JD338
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,389
- 1,039
Pictures and tale will be expected. Best of luck - enjoy! CL
- Thread starter
- #9
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,327
- 897
Well done Jake and it didn't take very long. So now what are you going to do with your spare time?
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,356
- 6,104
Superb, Jake. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to the story. Should be fun. 
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,389
- 1,039
Nice Goat! Looks like he has nice bases....how long did the horns go? THAT country looks like a challenge. Must have been fun! CL
- Thread starter
- #16
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
Well guys sorry I'm slow but here's my story of the hunt.
About 10 days before the season opened I did a little recon found a small barely legal buck by like half an inch. Saw a few does bedded down in a hard to access draw and then found a group of does with a nice buck. One I'd been watching for 3 years waiting to draw a tag. Later that day I called my friend and co-worker Tom and asked if he wanted to do a little scouting. We met up around 1900 and went up the hill and bumped into a group. We backed out went and parked the Jeep and then climbed the backside of a rock outcropping to view them they were at about 350 yards and busted us. Got the spotter out and watched them disappear out of sight. We climbed up the outcropping and to our amazement another group appeared. We thought they had just circled on us but I thought we should have seen that. They worked there way up the ridge line busted us and went under the fence. They went to forging on the ridge adjacent to us. When we saw something happen that totally blew our minds. One of the bucks chasing the other buck across the draw into the valley. We could hear there hoofs click and clatter against the bare rocks at 700 yards. It was way too cool.
The next day at work Tom saw the buck 7 miles away crossing into another valley.
Fast forward to the day prior to opening day I loaded up 30 rounds for the 280AI verified my sight in no adjustments needed and got my BT turret adjusted for 420 yards. I figured I had my bases covered. The day drug by waiting for opening morning.
Well finally opening morning was here. I woke up at 0330 and got packed and was out the door by 0400 to pick up Tom. By 0530 we were to the hill and parked the Jeep by some comm tower and set off on a mile hike North to a volcanic rock slide where I thought we would have a good view of the valley and draws below. Well we got there at about 0545 just as the first rays of light started appearing in the East. We worked our way around to the western side of the slide. I pulled up my glass and started scanning and there below us the goats started standing up out of there beds at 800 yards. We quickly got my spotter set up. The goats began foraging and slowly started working towards us. At about 0630 we saw our co-worker come up the road and over the hill heading to work. The goats below us slowing working towards us the buck following his 9 does. I pulled my rifle out and got it set up in case they closed for a shot. At about 0700 we saw the first rig of the day pull in and park at a chain up area a mile and a half from us where he unloaded his side by side and started moving up the hill. The goats had closed to 550-600 yards at this point and were foraging on the hillside below.
At 0730 the quad was making his way up the hill to the southwest of us and the goats started to get antsy with the noise of our wonderful friends. They stopped and glassed for a bit as a doe crested the ridge into there sight. At this point I had thought about pulling the trigger on the buck at 460 but I felt it was a touch long and passed on the shot hoping I'd get a better one. The quad then came up the ridge line and scattered the goats below. Up the other ridge above there beds to the right. I'm assuming they saw my Jeep and went down the other side of the valley through an access gate on the ridge line. I was guessing they went and bedded down in the sage at the top of the ridge. Tom asked if we should go after them I declined saying they would be back.
At 0800 the valley came to life another truck trailer and quad appeared he parked unloaded and started down the two track heading North of us passing the goats bedded down in plain sight from the road. We watched in amazement as they just drove on by.
A water truck a pickup with a 500 gal trough went over the hill and then a flight of 4 AH-64 Apache's with full ordinance flew over the top of us. A little later on a Medivac chopper flew over as well. We were in quite the hopping spot. At around 1100 we saw a suburban drive up the hill he stopped a few times glassing. Finally the goats came back down in the valley below us beyond the two draws coming towards us and beyond there beds. We watched as they moved out of sight behind the draw to the left of us. I made the call to move to the second rock slide 400 yards to the south so we could cut them off from crossing the ridge line behind us which we saw them cross while scouting. I grabbed my rifle and Tom grabbed my spotter leaving our packs.
We headed down and set up hoping they would take the same path as they did prior to crossing the ridge. We got there and the wonderful people in the suburban above us were glassing them and I don't know what happened but after about half an hour I think they caught a glint off the windows of a door or a door being shut and they bolted heading North. They went over two ridges up a power line ridge and disappeared. The buck the last one over the hill and out of sight. We watched in disbelief as the suburban went down got on the two track passed where they had crossed turned around and left. We were halfway to the Jeep and went back for more water. As we began our hike back to our outpost around 1230 we saw the suburban coming down the main road again and reappear on the two track he drove half a mile down the road and stopped. We were watching and heard the rifle go off our hearts sank instantly. 45 seconds later a second report followed. We figured it was pretty much a lost cause now. We watched them walk off the road and walked over to an area and start circling for a blood trail. As they did watching through the glass I told Tom I see the buck he's still up walking coyly through the sage away from them. We couldn't believe it. So we stood there watching intently wondering how they didn't see him. They finally walked over to something and Tom watched through the spotter as they cut its throat. To our disbelief the buck reappeared at the edge of the grove of sage brush they were in.
At this point I took a wild stab that the buck was coming back to his bed. Tom and I made a beeline down the ridge to the left of where they stood up that morning. He took the left side and I took the right so we wouldn't miss him. We moved down the ridge quickly but cautiously hoping my guess was right. We got to about 200 yards from his bed and he appeared up the other side of the draw I quickly ranged him at 220. He stopped and stared at us Tom right behind me we froze. Behind him the suburban dove down into the brush so they could load there kill. He turned away and Tom sat down. I moved to my left a little as I tried to gain angle to remove the hunters behind him. As I moved Tom told be to stop I froze he was looking at us again. This time he started talking to us. He stared at us for what seemed like an eternity but was more like two minutes. He moved up the ridge to our right as I drifted to my left. Tom was sitting down with a nice rock a couple yards in front of him. I finally made it there and sat down he turned to us again and stared us down while talking to us. I laced the rifle down and quickly ranged him at 200. He still wasn't in a shootable position near the top of the ridge line with the hunters behind him. He turned away and took a few steps. Stopped talked to us and stared. He knew we were there. Finally he trotted up another 10 yards to the right. He was finally clear of the hunters. He stopped faced us and talked some more. And started walking towards us. He stopped again talked and turned broadside.
During this time I was finagalling with my rifle when he looked away trying to get into a somewhat decent shooting position. The hill we were on was sloping down the hill the buck was on was sloping up. I dropped the bipod on the rock in front of Tom to get enough elevation to get on the goat even though we were nearly straight across from me. I was behind the rifle my legs extended forward laying on my back.
Finally he turned broadside I took aim and squeezed the trigger. The rifle reported and the bullet reported back thwack. I hit him slightly behind the left forearm. I racked the bolt. Tom watched the puff of the bullet hitting the ground behind him his rear legs collapse out of underneath him and he pin wheeled to the ground. He turned 180 degrees and stood back up. Tom said again as I tried to find him. This time with the butt of the rifle against my bicep and half a scope picture found a spot just behind his right shoulder and let it rip. The rifle reported and the bullet sent another healthy thwack back. I worked the bolt again. He dropped and took 5 or 6 rolls down the hill toward us. He was done.
So we grabbed our stuff and hiked back up the hill to our packs then to the Jeep. Wondering how that all worked out. Knowing it shouldn't of. We finally got to him about 25 minutes later tagged and gutted him. Before loading him on the rack. As we were gutting him we realized he was dead after the first shot. It went into the small part of his front leg through his side clean through his heart and out the other front leg in the same location. The second bullet hit a rib going in took a chunk out 3"X2" hole and punch a hole in the other side as well. Kinda looked as if a grenade went off inside of him lungs were soup something pierced the liver just a real mess.
I had a blast and a very memorable hunt. I still don't know how I got him. But we were the only ones on foot and we were there first. Pretty cool getting to take an animal I've been watching for 3 years.
About 10 days before the season opened I did a little recon found a small barely legal buck by like half an inch. Saw a few does bedded down in a hard to access draw and then found a group of does with a nice buck. One I'd been watching for 3 years waiting to draw a tag. Later that day I called my friend and co-worker Tom and asked if he wanted to do a little scouting. We met up around 1900 and went up the hill and bumped into a group. We backed out went and parked the Jeep and then climbed the backside of a rock outcropping to view them they were at about 350 yards and busted us. Got the spotter out and watched them disappear out of sight. We climbed up the outcropping and to our amazement another group appeared. We thought they had just circled on us but I thought we should have seen that. They worked there way up the ridge line busted us and went under the fence. They went to forging on the ridge adjacent to us. When we saw something happen that totally blew our minds. One of the bucks chasing the other buck across the draw into the valley. We could hear there hoofs click and clatter against the bare rocks at 700 yards. It was way too cool.
The next day at work Tom saw the buck 7 miles away crossing into another valley.
Fast forward to the day prior to opening day I loaded up 30 rounds for the 280AI verified my sight in no adjustments needed and got my BT turret adjusted for 420 yards. I figured I had my bases covered. The day drug by waiting for opening morning.
Well finally opening morning was here. I woke up at 0330 and got packed and was out the door by 0400 to pick up Tom. By 0530 we were to the hill and parked the Jeep by some comm tower and set off on a mile hike North to a volcanic rock slide where I thought we would have a good view of the valley and draws below. Well we got there at about 0545 just as the first rays of light started appearing in the East. We worked our way around to the western side of the slide. I pulled up my glass and started scanning and there below us the goats started standing up out of there beds at 800 yards. We quickly got my spotter set up. The goats began foraging and slowly started working towards us. At about 0630 we saw our co-worker come up the road and over the hill heading to work. The goats below us slowing working towards us the buck following his 9 does. I pulled my rifle out and got it set up in case they closed for a shot. At about 0700 we saw the first rig of the day pull in and park at a chain up area a mile and a half from us where he unloaded his side by side and started moving up the hill. The goats had closed to 550-600 yards at this point and were foraging on the hillside below.
At 0730 the quad was making his way up the hill to the southwest of us and the goats started to get antsy with the noise of our wonderful friends. They stopped and glassed for a bit as a doe crested the ridge into there sight. At this point I had thought about pulling the trigger on the buck at 460 but I felt it was a touch long and passed on the shot hoping I'd get a better one. The quad then came up the ridge line and scattered the goats below. Up the other ridge above there beds to the right. I'm assuming they saw my Jeep and went down the other side of the valley through an access gate on the ridge line. I was guessing they went and bedded down in the sage at the top of the ridge. Tom asked if we should go after them I declined saying they would be back.
At 0800 the valley came to life another truck trailer and quad appeared he parked unloaded and started down the two track heading North of us passing the goats bedded down in plain sight from the road. We watched in amazement as they just drove on by.
A water truck a pickup with a 500 gal trough went over the hill and then a flight of 4 AH-64 Apache's with full ordinance flew over the top of us. A little later on a Medivac chopper flew over as well. We were in quite the hopping spot. At around 1100 we saw a suburban drive up the hill he stopped a few times glassing. Finally the goats came back down in the valley below us beyond the two draws coming towards us and beyond there beds. We watched as they moved out of sight behind the draw to the left of us. I made the call to move to the second rock slide 400 yards to the south so we could cut them off from crossing the ridge line behind us which we saw them cross while scouting. I grabbed my rifle and Tom grabbed my spotter leaving our packs.
We headed down and set up hoping they would take the same path as they did prior to crossing the ridge. We got there and the wonderful people in the suburban above us were glassing them and I don't know what happened but after about half an hour I think they caught a glint off the windows of a door or a door being shut and they bolted heading North. They went over two ridges up a power line ridge and disappeared. The buck the last one over the hill and out of sight. We watched in disbelief as the suburban went down got on the two track passed where they had crossed turned around and left. We were halfway to the Jeep and went back for more water. As we began our hike back to our outpost around 1230 we saw the suburban coming down the main road again and reappear on the two track he drove half a mile down the road and stopped. We were watching and heard the rifle go off our hearts sank instantly. 45 seconds later a second report followed. We figured it was pretty much a lost cause now. We watched them walk off the road and walked over to an area and start circling for a blood trail. As they did watching through the glass I told Tom I see the buck he's still up walking coyly through the sage away from them. We couldn't believe it. So we stood there watching intently wondering how they didn't see him. They finally walked over to something and Tom watched through the spotter as they cut its throat. To our disbelief the buck reappeared at the edge of the grove of sage brush they were in.
At this point I took a wild stab that the buck was coming back to his bed. Tom and I made a beeline down the ridge to the left of where they stood up that morning. He took the left side and I took the right so we wouldn't miss him. We moved down the ridge quickly but cautiously hoping my guess was right. We got to about 200 yards from his bed and he appeared up the other side of the draw I quickly ranged him at 220. He stopped and stared at us Tom right behind me we froze. Behind him the suburban dove down into the brush so they could load there kill. He turned away and Tom sat down. I moved to my left a little as I tried to gain angle to remove the hunters behind him. As I moved Tom told be to stop I froze he was looking at us again. This time he started talking to us. He stared at us for what seemed like an eternity but was more like two minutes. He moved up the ridge to our right as I drifted to my left. Tom was sitting down with a nice rock a couple yards in front of him. I finally made it there and sat down he turned to us again and stared us down while talking to us. I laced the rifle down and quickly ranged him at 200. He still wasn't in a shootable position near the top of the ridge line with the hunters behind him. He turned away and took a few steps. Stopped talked to us and stared. He knew we were there. Finally he trotted up another 10 yards to the right. He was finally clear of the hunters. He stopped faced us and talked some more. And started walking towards us. He stopped again talked and turned broadside.
During this time I was finagalling with my rifle when he looked away trying to get into a somewhat decent shooting position. The hill we were on was sloping down the hill the buck was on was sloping up. I dropped the bipod on the rock in front of Tom to get enough elevation to get on the goat even though we were nearly straight across from me. I was behind the rifle my legs extended forward laying on my back.
Finally he turned broadside I took aim and squeezed the trigger. The rifle reported and the bullet reported back thwack. I hit him slightly behind the left forearm. I racked the bolt. Tom watched the puff of the bullet hitting the ground behind him his rear legs collapse out of underneath him and he pin wheeled to the ground. He turned 180 degrees and stood back up. Tom said again as I tried to find him. This time with the butt of the rifle against my bicep and half a scope picture found a spot just behind his right shoulder and let it rip. The rifle reported and the bullet sent another healthy thwack back. I worked the bolt again. He dropped and took 5 or 6 rolls down the hill toward us. He was done.
So we grabbed our stuff and hiked back up the hill to our packs then to the Jeep. Wondering how that all worked out. Knowing it shouldn't of. We finally got to him about 25 minutes later tagged and gutted him. Before loading him on the rack. As we were gutting him we realized he was dead after the first shot. It went into the small part of his front leg through his side clean through his heart and out the other front leg in the same location. The second bullet hit a rib going in took a chunk out 3"X2" hole and punch a hole in the other side as well. Kinda looked as if a grenade went off inside of him lungs were soup something pierced the liver just a real mess.
I had a blast and a very memorable hunt. I still don't know how I got him. But we were the only ones on foot and we were there first. Pretty cool getting to take an animal I've been watching for 3 years.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,356
- 6,104
Excellent report, Jake. Great that you got that particular goat. Congratulations all over again!
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,270
- 8,699
Jake,
Congratulations on a great antelope. Looks like the 168 gr ABLR did a fine job.
Thanks for the story and pictures.
JD338
Congratulations on a great antelope. Looks like the 168 gr ABLR did a fine job.
Thanks for the story and pictures.
JD338
- Thread starter
- #19
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
Maybe Scotty can post some videos as well.
- Thread starter
- #20
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
Thanks had a blast is was awesome to get that one. Pretty special.
