dchambers629 Report post Posted September 12, 2014 This is my first antelope hunt ever. This was my 2nd year in the draw for an Arizona Antelope Hunt and I got really lucky, two times! I was drawn, and I shot a nice buck yesterday afternoon. I don't know how to score it, but I would guess it scores around 70-75. It was definitely fun to hunt these things. I was up here about 2.5 weeks before the hunt getting used to the unit. I saw bucks every time I went out, then on opening day, I never saw an antelope... in fact, I never saw an antelope until Tuesday evening. Then I saw a few more on Wednesday morning and evening, from a mile or more out, but was never able to pick them back up when I got into the areas I originally saw them in. Then on Thursday morning, I found a whole herd with a few nice bucks in it. I got to within 634 yards of them then they went over a ridge and into thick brush and I lost them. When the evening hunt came around, I spotted a herd about 1500 yards out from a high vantage point. The were weaving in and out of the cedars across a valley. I took off to the bottom of the valley and followed a little creek bed up to the area where I had seen them. I spotted them more than 600 yards out and moving away, so I picked a path where I could move fast and make up some ground. I popped out, in the shade of some cedars, and found them at just over 400 yards. I crossed over an open area while they had their heads down eating, then moved up to about 330 yards. The grass was too tall to go prone, my bipod is only about 13" high, so I had to use a dead snag as a rest. The wind was moving the snag around, so I had to "time" my shot with the movement. I tried to make the shot and missed. I got another shot at a second buck, just as it took off running behind the others, but with the moving snag, I missed again. After that 2nd shot, more antelope came out of the bushes, along with "the big one". After the first shot, the herd started running to my left, west, at first, then after that 2nd shot, they turned south and ran directly toward me. I saw the biggest one in the herd and focused on him, but couldn't get a bead on him as they were running toward me. They looked really skinny at this point, and fast. They ran right past me at about 25 yards. As they went by me, all I saw in my scope was hair and legs going by. I sat up and turned to my left, since they were passing me. I picked out the biggest buck and put my crosshairs on the very front of him and shot. He went down, head first, like a rock. I hit him in the left ham and the bullet quartered him, just grazing the right ham and lodging there. The butcher saved the bullet for me. I must have hit a major artery because he had expired buy the time I got to him, and all I did was pick up my brass then walked over to him. It was fast and furious and I got a nice buck out of the deal. The butcher said the bullet didn't do too much damage to the meat so I won't lose many steaks. My Equipment: Rifle: Howa Gameking (1500 action) - I bought this for coues deer hunting and was drawn for antelope. Scope: Nikko Stirling 3.5-10x44 GameKing Bullet: 6.5x55 Sweedish Mauser Reload Data: 48grains "old IMR 4350" Powder, Nosler 120 grain Ballistic Tip "Hunting", Muzzle Velocity 2850fps. Binoculars: Nikon 12x50 on my tripod and Nikon 7x50 around my neck. Rangefinder: Nikon ProStaff 7 Backpack: 2003 Badlands 2200 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted September 12, 2014 Beautiful Buck! Congrats!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJMauro12 Report post Posted September 12, 2014 Sweet goat! Are you telling me you drew that tag 2 years in a row or drew it for the first time on your second try? Either way is LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dchambers629 Report post Posted September 12, 2014 Sweet goat! Are you telling me you drew that tag 2 years in a row or drew it for the first time on your second try? Either way is LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY! I drew this tag for the first time on my second try. This time last year I was on my other first ever hunt... scored on that one too. http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/43272-my-first-elk-hunt-and-my-first-elk-unit-3c/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted September 12, 2014 Got anymore pics? That buck looks better than 75" to me. . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZ8 Report post Posted September 12, 2014 Congrats! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PatrickJr Report post Posted September 12, 2014 i shot my antelope with a 6.5x55 swedish mauser too!!! made in 1916 but your antelope is waaaayyyy bigger than mine. congrats! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dchambers629 Report post Posted September 13, 2014 Got anymore pics? That buck looks better than 75" to me. . . I just posted a few more pics from different views. His left horn is broken on the tip, and his right cutter has a little spike sticking out the right hand side of it, right on the tip. Unfortunately I can't measure anything right now. Because of the heat, I took it straight to the butcher/taxidermist over in Taylor last night. Since it is a nice buck, and my first, I'm going to get a head mount. I'm giving the taxidermist some business with my 8x7 elk from last year and now this antelope. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted September 13, 2014 WELCOME TO SPEED GOAT HUNTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyolson Report post Posted October 10, 2014 Very nice antelope! Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkslare Report post Posted October 10, 2014 Great looking goat Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BowHuntAZ Report post Posted October 10, 2014 Flock shooting off a wobbly branch at over 300 yards isn't exactly ethical. Did you confirm 100% that you didn't wound either of the first two bucks you shot at? I know it's hard to not take the next available shot on another good buck but I wouldn't keep shooting at different animals until I knew for a fact the first one was not hit. By that I mean walk over there and check for blood. Congrats on your buck and I hope you didn't injure any you didn't know about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter01 Report post Posted October 10, 2014 Nice write up, Congrats on a great looking goat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
