Wyoming Spot and Stalk
Contributors to this thread:Pronghorn
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
Went out this morning and spotted a bunch of goats in some CRP. After watching them for 45 minutes or so, they began heading toward the corner of the CRP. I've seen this countless times and knew they were heading to a creek to water. The problem was, there are 3 draws they take to get there and it's often just a guessing game. I parked the truck a mile away and hiked a dry creek bed to the first draw. Unfortunately the does were already heading down the middle draw and well out of range. I was beginning to take my arrow off the string when I noticed the buck angling toward the shallow draw I was kneeling in. You can see a dark cut in the photo above where the buck finally stopped... at 12 yards! I was facing me square on and took the frontal shot. He flew out of the draw toward his does and I scrambled to the top of the hill. I watched the does cross the creek and he wasn't with them. I went back and found minimal blood (definitely not my experience with frontal shoots). Long story, short, the buck ended up only going about 100 yards but when he crossed over the ridge, he peeled almost a 180 back toward the CRP, making for a tougher than necessary tracking job.
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
As I found him...
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
The pack out... Stone Glacier Krux and HPG Highlander...
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
From: KB
30-Aug-15
Awesome buck and pics! Congrats!
From: arctichill
30-Aug-15
Congrats!! Thanks for sharing. How far did you have to carry him out? That load looks a bit off-center to me? I think I would have struggled with that pack-out if it was more than a mile or so. Just curious.
If it was a long packing job I think I would have broken that animal down. If it was fairly short I would have loaded him in there the way you did.
Thanks again for sharing!
From: Trophy8
30-Aug-15
Congrats! Nice hunt.
From: huntnmuleys
30-Aug-15
nice!
From: JW
30-Aug-15
Congrats! Great buck!
From: Mark Watkins
30-Aug-15
Very well done...including the pack out! They are tough critters to kill on the ground without a blind.....congrats!
Mark
From: John Haeberle
30-Aug-15
Great buck!
I'm wondering about your draw. Did he see you draw, and if so, did he pause? Or were you drawn as he entered that little cut?
From: shooter
30-Aug-15
Great story!
From: Bowboy
30-Aug-15
Congrats Cory!
From: midwest
30-Aug-15
Way to go, gil! Looks like the achilles is 100%! lol
From: Vernon Edeler
30-Aug-15
Way to go.
From: gil_wy
30-Aug-15
Artic- it was about 3/4 of a mile and it wasn't bad. It was compressed tight so it wasn't moving which would have been a problem.
John- I drew with him right there. Figured I was going to have stop him as he left but he was actually quartering to me and when I drew, he turned and faced directly at me. The little chalk "cliff" I was kneeling against was the only shade available so that may explain it? Pretty lucky with that reaction.
From: t-roy
30-Aug-15
Congrats on your success Gil!
From: Ron Niziolek
30-Aug-15
Very nice Gil.
From: elkmtngear
30-Aug-15
Nicely done!
Congrats.
Best of Luck Jeff
From: Snag
30-Aug-15
Looks like the SG packs meat! I've got one coming Monday. Congrats!
From: Bear Track
30-Aug-15
Cool hunt story!
From: Buffalo1
30-Aug-15
That was a neat adventure. Congrats on a very nice trophy !!
From: Medicinemann
31-Aug-15
Well done!!!
From: JCHB
31-Aug-15
Awesome! A spot and stalk on such an agile and aware creature magnifies the experience 110%! JCHB
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
31-Aug-15
Atta baby Gil, great Lope...
From: otcWill
31-Aug-15
Great job! Thanks for posting
From: gil_wy
31-Aug-15
JCHB- honestly I think that antelope are the toughest animal in North America to hunt via spot and stalk. Terrain and their eyesight make it a tough match up!
From: razorsharp
09-Jan-16
very cool!
From: trackman
10-Jan-16
I would only pack the meat out ????? A lot less wight
From: Teeton
10-Jan-16
" honestly I think that antelope are the toughest animal in North America to hunt via spot and stalk. Terrain and their eyesight make it a tough match up! " Come on I see guys spot and stalking from 1000yds down to 800 on these gun shows making perfect broadside shots.. :) To me I just don't get that.
But gil_wy I agree 100% on what you said. I also believe that in some places where the antelope play, that there is almost no way one could do a spot and stalk with a bow with out help.
