Nine years ago we started talking about this day. Not knowing where to go for an Antelope in the first place held us back but with my wife and I being taken out in a couple years we'd have a good idea where to go by the time Nugget would get drawn.
Turned out we had another friend and my other BIL drawn the same time so we all met down south and headed different directions opening day to cover more turf. Due to tight schedules we did some serious cruising, spot and stalk style to see what the area had to offer. It had been four years since my wife and I were drawn so we burned up the miles in search of that special buck.
Starting off at 8AM yesterday and going with no stops until 7:30 PM or so we covered most all the territory that was available, a huge grazing lease #####-crossed with gravel roads and old dirt trails. Throughout the day we counted 237 does and 50 bucks of varying size in the zone Nugget was drawn for. At least 150 more were seen on the neighboring zones but were not added to the talley. The numbers may seem high to a person who hasn't sought the "speed goat" but there were only two bucks in all those groups that broke the 14" mark.
One was 16" easy but he was also on a small portion of private land and we had no idea where to find a landowner so we kept going, that was first thing in the morning, nice to see aside from where he was hanging out. By the end of the day the sun was on the horizon and we were heading back to the campground. Zig zagging on the dirt roads helped us see as much country as possible and as the sun got low the lone roaming bucks started to crawl out of the hiding spots.
We were at a 49 count for the bucks and Nugget said 50 would be a cranker and he was going to nail it. He was in fact telling the truth as the next one was the second best buck of the day, and by far the best in an area we could shoot.
Not 100yds from our position the buck was staring at four does in front and across from us, oblivious to our presence. Seems like the rut is going a bit yet as not all does are herded up with a buck. Nugget got out his Grampa's Bar 270 and set up his bipod. The grass was too long for him so he kept trailing the buck trying to a higher position, never more than 80yds away.
The buck must have had love on his mind. Not once did he look at either of us in plain view. It was like he was blind. At the shot he jumped straight up in the air and humped up. A couple more shots from a jittery shooter had the buck down for good. After racing back to the van for my camera we didn't have much time for a photo shoot but the sunset was a nice backdrop and perfect end to a great day afield.
So playing guide for a day got my brother in law a darn nice first buck. My Trapper Nelson pack was officially broke in even if it didn't have to do any heavy work. A quick drag had us on an old dirt trail we could drive right up to him.
Congrats Nugget!
Turned out we had another friend and my other BIL drawn the same time so we all met down south and headed different directions opening day to cover more turf. Due to tight schedules we did some serious cruising, spot and stalk style to see what the area had to offer. It had been four years since my wife and I were drawn so we burned up the miles in search of that special buck.
Starting off at 8AM yesterday and going with no stops until 7:30 PM or so we covered most all the territory that was available, a huge grazing lease #####-crossed with gravel roads and old dirt trails. Throughout the day we counted 237 does and 50 bucks of varying size in the zone Nugget was drawn for. At least 150 more were seen on the neighboring zones but were not added to the talley. The numbers may seem high to a person who hasn't sought the "speed goat" but there were only two bucks in all those groups that broke the 14" mark.
One was 16" easy but he was also on a small portion of private land and we had no idea where to find a landowner so we kept going, that was first thing in the morning, nice to see aside from where he was hanging out. By the end of the day the sun was on the horizon and we were heading back to the campground. Zig zagging on the dirt roads helped us see as much country as possible and as the sun got low the lone roaming bucks started to crawl out of the hiding spots.
We were at a 49 count for the bucks and Nugget said 50 would be a cranker and he was going to nail it. He was in fact telling the truth as the next one was the second best buck of the day, and by far the best in an area we could shoot.
Not 100yds from our position the buck was staring at four does in front and across from us, oblivious to our presence. Seems like the rut is going a bit yet as not all does are herded up with a buck. Nugget got out his Grampa's Bar 270 and set up his bipod. The grass was too long for him so he kept trailing the buck trying to a higher position, never more than 80yds away.
The buck must have had love on his mind. Not once did he look at either of us in plain view. It was like he was blind. At the shot he jumped straight up in the air and humped up. A couple more shots from a jittery shooter had the buck down for good. After racing back to the van for my camera we didn't have much time for a photo shoot but the sunset was a nice backdrop and perfect end to a great day afield.
So playing guide for a day got my brother in law a darn nice first buck. My Trapper Nelson pack was officially broke in even if it didn't have to do any heavy work. A quick drag had us on an old dirt trail we could drive right up to him.
Congrats Nugget!
