Your "Best" Big Game Animal

[DrMike]

That was a great hunt, Jim. Thanks for taking us along! Always love watching caribou.

 

[jimbires]

this is without a doubt my most fast paced hunt ever . I went deer hunting to North Carolina in 2012 . the week I was there just happened to be the week of hurricane Sandy . I didn't know what to expect . I figured the weather would have the deer hunkered down tight , until the storm passed through . first morning I get up and it's just pouring rain and crazy winds . only 2 out of 6 hunters went out hunting . the guide took us out , dropped us off , and told us what stands he thought we should get in . he said I'll stay right here in the truck and wait for you guys , because I'm not sure how long you guys will last . it was probably only about ten minutes after I got in the stand a doe came out . I figured for as windy as it was the shot blast shouldn't bother much , and I better take her because it's going to be a rough week hunting . so I shot her. we stayed on stand a few hour and quit for the morning . that evening 4 of us went out hunting . it was still storming pretty good , but I was lucky enough to get my second doe .



second morning I think the rain had stopped , but still very windy . I think 4 of us went hunting . I was in the tree stand a few hours and here came a nice buck running towards me on a dirt road . he was cruising in the zigzag fashion sniffing for the girls . this made it imposable to try and get a shot . I kept the rifle on him waiting for an opportunity to shoot . when he went to jump off the road into the woods , he was a little more broadside , I shot . it was not a good shot . looking back I should have not taken it . the morning hunt was over , and all us guys looked around for signs of a hit . we couldn't find any hair or blood , thankfully it looked like a clean miss . I was getting a pretty good ribbing for missing , but it was all in fun . we go back out that evening . I'm in a stand that I can watch a bean field one direction and also watch a food plot in the other direction . some time goes by , then I see a decent buck come out in the bean field . he is moving farther away , and just about going straight away from me at a slow pace . I range find him , get solid in the stand , and shoot . he jumps and takes off running into the woods . I get down to go find him . it was a short tracking job through some very thick brush . I put the bullet right in front of the rear leg , and it exited the other side front shoulder . he was a decent 8 point .



third morning , I think all 6 of us guys went out . I was sitting in a stand that would be about 600 yards away from the stand I missed out of the morning before . you would be able to see the other stand , if there wasn't a huge pile of trees , brush , and dirt piles , on the dirt road between these stands . I'm on stand maybe an hour , when a nice buck comes out on this dirt road . I get solid in the stand , and shoot . he jumps and takes off running . I get down to get started tracking . I find the blood and follow him in a short ways . the blood is getting skimpy fast . I do find him rather quickly though . he is a pretty nice 8 point . his neck had a large bare spot on it . it must have been from fighting .






I was hunting with another one of our forum members . he also got a nice 8 point that third morning . his is the top one in the pic .



in two and a half days of hunting I got 2 does , 2 eight points , and missed a nice buck . that afternoon I skinned and quartered my deer to get ready for the ride back home .

 

[SJB358]

That was alot of shooting Jim! Good bunch of bucks!

 

[DrMike]

Fine hunting, Jim. Everyone appreciates such occasions. You did well. If you never missed a buck, you haven't been hunting. :grin:

 

[Silentstalker]

I, like many of you, have numerous big game animals I consider my best as they are all trophies! One of my favorites is from an antelope hunt I recently shared with my Dad, my Wife, Son, and one of my daughters.
We had a wonderful experience driving to Wyoming and scouting for the upcoming hunt. When the hunt finally arrived my Dad, Son, Daughter and I took off on our adventure. My Wife decided to hold back and go on a follow up trip. Upon arrival we placed two blinds on a couple remote waterholes we hoped to find success on. We saw a few antelope but not in large numbers.
My Son and I had tags so I gave him first choice of the blinds. My Dad would sit with him and I would take my young (11) daughter to sit with me. I told her I would not shoot one until my Son Dustin had tagged out.
The antelope seemed to know I was not going to shoot them as we had 23 antelope water within easy bow range. My daughter Kylie was amazed and mesmerized by them. She has been hunting with me many times but always as a camper. This was the first time she came out to a blind with me. Dustin had only 2 come near him both bucks but out of range.
The next day we switched it up a bit. Dustin and I went to the active blind and Kylie and grandpa went for a long 4 wheeler ride. Well, no sooner then we got in the blind and does started coming in. Eventually a young buck approached. He had a very unique rack which Dustin quickly took a liking to. With 1 quick shot his hunt was over! This was his first kill with a crossbow and he was very excited!



I returned the next day to the same blind with Kylie. It was a sweltering day. Not a negative peep out of my young sidekick! She watched as sage hens, and even ducks came in to our little pond. We discussed each animal that came in and why I did not shoot each small buck that drank. She understands hunting and pursuing mature animals regardless of score or points.
That evening a beautiful buck came in and she shared a successful hunt with me. This buck means more to me then the horns or sweet meat every could. Sharing the outdoors with my family is what its all about!

 

[DrMike]

Excellent post! That is really exciting to share your hunt with your dad and your children. Excellent hunt.

 

[sask boy]

Ss, shooting a Prairie goat with a bow is quite the challenge and to share it with your dad and your family is very special. Thank you for the post and photos.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Silentstalker]

Thank you! I have grown to love antelope hunting and the meat when taken care of quickly, is really good!

Lets hear some more stories!

 

[6mm Remington]

Thank you! I have grown to love antelope hunting and the meat when taken care of quickly, is really good!

Lets hear some more stories!

I rate antelope as one of the best wild game meats I have ever enjoyed if not the best. Love it!

 

[Thankful Otter]

David, we eat everything we harvest and for me, I still enjoy the meat from Dall sheep the best.

But Dr Mike and Gerry who also live in Dall sheep country may feel differently

Congratulations to all you gentlemen, great hunts, great memories

 

[Thebear_78]

Dall is tough to beat! But my favorite is moose, followed by caribou. I like dall but don’t get that much chance to eat it. I’ve never had a chance to eat antelope but have heard good things, too bad they are so small!

 

[Thankful Otter]

Moose is very good, but for us--- Caribou AGAIN tonight ? ------ but it is good. It is all good, my favorite just happens to be Dall

Again congrats to all for the great hunt and memories

 

[6mm Remington]

Moose is very good, but for us--- Caribou AGAIN tonight ? ------ but it is good. It is all good, my favorite just happens to be Dall

Again congrats to all for the great hunt and memories

I have had bighorn sheep, but never Dall. I really liked bighorn and thought it was very good. I guess Dall would be similar??

Have you ever had Pronghorn antelope?

 

[DrMike]

David, we eat everything we harvest and for me, I still enjoy the meat from Dall sheep the best.

But Dr Mike and Gerry who also live in Dall sheep country may feel differently

Congratulations to all you gentlemen, great hunts, great memories

Sheep and moose rank high on my preference for a meal.

 

[Guy Miner]

Am absolutely enjoying all these great hunting stories and photos!

 

[sask boy]

I have never eaten sheep but I do enjoy Antelope. One quick story a number years back there was a two antelope season here in Saskatchewan so we were very excited that we were drawn for it.
The first morning there was a herd out about 250 yards and I suggested we get closer as there was a real good buck in the herd. The guys in the truck stated no Dan you take him from the truck as they didn't believe we would get closer. It was kinda nice that they suggested that I take him so I got out of the truck laid in the field and zeroed in on that big buck just as I was about to squeeze I moved a bit and shot right over top of him and took 2 with one shot the big one of the 2 was about 40lbs.
I had promised my Buddy's dad one of the antelope so I took him over the big one and he thank me and then stated he was real happy but he was not sure he would be able to invite company to share in the meal :shock:!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Blkram]

Some very good stories of memorable hunts and animals. We can all appreciate the quality moments and experiences that you've enjoyed, and that you will continue to share with sons, daughters, grandchildren and hunting companions around many a campfire to come.

I myself have had some very memorable hunts with friends and family, and have been very fortunate to have shared successful hunts with many of them, as well as on my own. As I sit here reading your stories and look around my home at the antlers, mounts and skins or skulls that adorn the walls of our home, I can honestly say that they are all special in their own right, whether it was the particular hunt and location, the people that were with me on that particular adventure, or the animal itself that I was fortunate enough to harvest.

As for the "best" big game animal that I've taken...it would be hard to choose between my 7x7 elk taken on a friend's farm, the 204" mule deer that I was lucky enough to harvest within a quarter mile of the farmhouse we lived in at the time, or the 10 1/2" mountain goat that I harvested at 15 yards on my first mountain horseback hunt.

As for the most memorable hunt, it would be the three weeks that I spent guiding for moose and elk in the mountains with my Dad. But I will never forget the hunts that I've shared with Dr. Mike as he harvested his first grizzly bear, elk and whitetail. Nor will I ever forget the hunts that I did solo for mountain goat, bighorn sheep and antelope. And no one could ever forget their first big game animal, or that of their children.

I will post some photos when I have more time, of some of the animals mentioned above, and of some of places that I have been fortunate enough to hunt, both alone and with special hunting companions.

 

[Bruce Mc]

This is the best buck I've taken. I got this buck back in 1984 before high fences and genetically engineered deer became common place in south Texas. It was low fence free range. It would of scored around 154 and had G2s and 3s that were over a foot long but was only 17" inside spread. I found this buck standing in a Sendero just at sundown. The deer spotted me and took off into the brush. I hurried down to the next sendero that the deer would cross that was about 50 yds distant. I sat there for what seemed like forever when the buck came running across the sendero quartering away from me at about 100 yds. I pulled up the Remington 700 Classic .257 Roberts and fired off a shot. The buck went down head over heals. I started to walk toward the deer and he got up on his front legs and tried to crawl off. I fired off another shot at his shoulders and he went down for good. When I walked up to the buck something looked odd. He only had one antler. I thought to myself that I had shot the wrong deer but a quick recollection brought me to the realization that i had shot the right antler off. I looked more closely and found I hit the deer right behind the left ear the bullet glanced up and hit the back of the right antler just above the pedicle. In the wanning light I looked for the antler and then finally just went about dressing out the deer. I went back to the truck and got a lantern and returned to get the deer. I continued to look for the antler and finally giving up laid the lantern on the ground. The lantern was one of those that use a square battery and had a stand you sit on the ground and point the light where you needed it. As I sat the lantern on the ground it pointed upward and shinned on the branches of a mesquite tree. There in light was the gleaming antler hanging from a mesquite branch. The next day I took the antlers to a Taxidermist and he said he could repair the damage and I would hardly see it. He told me that if I could find some of the pieces of the antler that were missing it would make it easier for him. I spent a couple of hours on my hands in knees around the kill site and found four pieces of the antler. So no official B&C score. If you look closely at the picture you can see the fracture on the right antler. I held both antlers trying to keep them together while my dad took the photo. Sierra 117gr SBTs are great bullets for parting antlers.

 

[DrMike]

Excellent account of a memorable buck. Thanks for sharing, Bruce.

 

[cloverleaf]

Thank you! I have grown to love antelope hunting and the meat when taken care of quickly, is really good!

Lets hear some more stories!

Great post! Glad you got to enjoy with your family. CL