Unit 21 herd....Edit...Pics and story

[azelkhunter69]

38 minutes ago, thegunsmith2506 said:

Congrats! I had this hunt in 2012 and lived in cordes at the time. I looked over lots of bucks and ended up with about a 70in buck on day 3. Back then they had 25 tags. I saw several bucks killed that were not even above the ears. I am glad to see they cut the tags back.

My dad had this tag 11 years ago and I was amazed at the lack of antelope this year compared to then.  The population has really declined.  He shot his off of Dugas.  There were antelope all over up there back then.  This year I found 2 little bucks up there and that was it.  That was in May.  In August I found out there was a fire in there.  I spent 2 days up there and never saw an antelope.  So I went to Perry Mesa.  Several bucks there.  A few decent ones.  But that is also where the majority, if not all, the hunters were.  

[Flatlander]

1 hour ago, azelkhunter69 said:

My dad had this tag 11 years ago and I was amazed at the lack of antelope this year compared to then.  The population has really declined.  He shot his off of Dugas.  There were antelope all over up there back then.  This year I found 2 little bucks up there and that was it.  That was in May.  In August I found out there was a fire in there.  I spent 2 days up there and never saw an antelope.  So I went to Perry Mesa.  Several bucks there.  A few decent ones.  But that is also where the majority, if not all, the hunters were.  

Antelope throughout this state are struggling. Even, perhaps especially, the very traditionally high population units have really taken a beating. And with the urban sprawl in the Prescott area, I think Arizona’s day’s as a mass producer of top tier antelope are all but gone.

[Delw]

7 hours ago, azelkhunter69 said:

Well, I shot my buck Friday morning about 10 minutes into the season.  During all my scouting, I never saw a buck that made me say "Wow".  Combine that with leaving Wednesday for my elk hunt, the God awful heat and the fact that the opener would have been my dad's 81st birthday, I really wanted to shoot one the first day.  I saw a couple that were a little bigger than this one but he was decent enough.  And best of all, he hung around in a very stalkable spot.  I put him to bed Thursday evening and was back before light Friday.  Sat drinking coffee waiting for it to get light enough to start out.

  They were hanging out in a spot that was just over the rise of a gentle slope the last time I saw them Thursday so I slowly moved in that direction.  I was getting close so I put my pack down and continued on.  I was keeping an eye out, hoping I would see them before they saw me.  Well, they had moved into the bushes above and to the left of where I thought they would be and I actually passed them without seeing them.  Next thing you know, I see does trotting along the fence about 150 yards away.  I saw the buck coming along behind.  Of course, he stopped behind some brush.  I moved a little closer and I think a doe must have seen me.  The does started trotting again and I got ready as he went behind another bush.  The grass and bushes were so tall I had to shoot offhand.  He came out on the move and I let him have it.  He went down but I hit him a little back.  I put another one through his shoulders as he tried to get up.  I didn't realize he was all busted up.  A fighter.  Broke off the prong on his right side and the tips were broken off on both horns.  Decent mass and right at 14" long.  Now....on to elk. 

 

Forgot to mention....shot him with one of my dad's rifles also.  Winchester Model 70 in 7mm WSM.

 

 

 

 

That is a really cool looking buck. is it just me or do those horns look like flat paddles on the bottom picture.? Dont think I even seen one like that alive or dead.

[azelkhunter69]

On 9/7/2019 at 10:34 PM, Delw said:

That is a really cool looking buck. is it just me or do those horns look like flat paddles on the bottom picture.? Dont think I even seen one like that alive or dead.

This one really shows it.  His prong went more sideways than forward.

[Delw]

Thats a really cool looking buck

[Explorer]

 What jas happened in the 19 units is beyond sad. Many regrets not chasing antelope when i was a teenager and chasing other things instead. 

[Flatlander]

On 9/9/2019 at 3:00 PM, azelkhunter69 said:

This one really shows it.  His prong went more sideways than forward.

That buck is seriously cool. What were his mass measurements?

[Heat]

That is a really unique and awesome buck!  Big Congrats to you man!

[azelkhunter69]

On 9/12/2019 at 4:53 AM, Flatlander said:

That buck is seriously cool. What were his mass measurements?

R 6, 5 5/8, 4 1/8, 3 3/8

L 6, 5 6/8, 4 2/8, 3 4/8

[bonecollector]

Current recommendations for 2020-21 Have 0 hunts in unit 21. 

[knothead]

Pretty sad really.  I'm afraid to say it but antelope is going to become a once in a lifetime species like bighorn sheep and buffalo.  The odds of drawing are about like sheep anyway.