Stock Tank Pronghorn
Contributors to this thread:Pronghorn
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Due to work requirements opening day would need to wait this year… Anxiously watching the weather and radar every day leading up to it was once again going to be a crap shoot. That is the way it goes in north eastern Colorado, it can be dry all summer and come August 1, the monsoon season rolls through sometimes leaving standing water in every swell or depression.
Sometime around mid-July I erect a temporary blind around one of the water holes or stock tanks in the area I hunt. Several things go into this selection; however, the absence of livestock has become the top priority. Having a few good pronghorns in the area doesn’t hurt either.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Friday afternoon I continued to get gear and camp together. The plan was to head out around 3:30pm and get camp set up early, then after dark I would drive to the water tank, drop the temporary blind and replace it with my double bull. Then back to camp to get ready for “my” opener. Unfortunately, at 3:30pm it was still pouring down rain at my place and I didn’t get packed and on the road until a little after 5pm. Still on track until I hit I-25 north bound. An accident somewhere north of Loveland had the slab backed up all the way to Longmont. Another delay.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
For the next 3 hours, I chased the rain and wind (or visa versa) as I made my way north then east to my destination. Stepping up on the rancher’s porch, wet from rain he greeted me saying “come on in but you better get on up the hill before round 2 hits” I camp on a plateau above the ranch, something I look forward to each year. Very peaceful and relaxing.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
I sat there in the dark with an ominous cloud spanning most of the south-western sky. First it looked bleak but after a few gusts of wind and a splash of a prairie downpour the clouds parted, and the rain stopped. I was able to set up camp quickly and after assessing the situation, I decided to go set up the blind for a morning hunt. Knowing it would still be wet for a few hours, the forecast called for drying conditions. With fingers crossed that is what I did.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
The alarm when off normal time but I didn’t get up for another hour. Finally, in the blind around 7:00am I felt confident I hadn’t missed anything. The grass was covered with dew from nights’ rain. Just as I figured though, by 8am it was dry and by 9am when I caught movement to the west the grass was pretty much dry. A respectable buck appeared out of nowhere and slowly fed from south to north behind the blind. As I watched him, he looked north and then started to trot that direction soon to meet up with 5 more bucks now directly down wind of my blind. It did not take long for them to get nervous and with flair rumps the made a big circle around me and the water tank, dropping below my camp and disappeared to the west, never to be seen again… oh well, at least I saw a few bucks I thought.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Soon I had resumed the position… in the box. 10, 11, 12, 1pm and no pronghorn in sight. I took some pictures of the regular visitors (prairie dogs and horned larks) and ate lunch.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Sometime after 2pm a badger appears and is heading towards the blind; I adjust to get a better picture and he senses something wrong. Not wanting any part of it, he abruptly leaves after making sure what ever was in the blind was not worth a drink of water.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Not 30 minutes later here comes another badger, first I thought it was the same one but upon closer inspection, it was different. This time I was ready and made sure not to spook him as he came in for a drink. He got a drink and continued to survey the surroundings. Once done, he trotted back the way he came and dropped out of sight into a burrow not 75 yards from the blind. Now I know where he came from.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Around 4pm I pick up a spot a mile and half to the north east. One turned into two, then three pronghorns… but they were so far away I could not really confirm buck or doe. I watched them for some time until they bedded and disappeared soon after that. Around 6:30pm it is getting close to organize gear and prepare to shut er down for the day. I look to the north and my badger is out of his den again. I watch as he rolls and scratches and the day winds down.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
He decides to get one more drink, so I adjust to get more pictures only to see a pronghorn buck who seemed to come out of thin air standing to the east. Another reason they are sometimes called the “ghost of the prairie”!
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Game on! I close windows, arrange gear etc. Yeah, I am shooting this buck if he gives me a chance.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
The badger is on his way to the tank and both the buck and I are watching him. Not really concerned because I figure the little grunter will just drink and go back to his den, but he turns and heads right for my blind. I sit as still as I can as his shadow goes by less than a foot away. The buck standing 60 yards out is watching very closely! To my relief, the little bugger turns and heads up the hill on his way for an evening hunt I suppose.
Now the buck is committed to getting a drink, but rather then coming to the left side (where I am set with an open window) he turns coming in directly behind the tank. There are rails and rebar around the tank to keep the cows from taking a dip so now I must wait to see what unfolds.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
I can’t move now nor try and open any other windows, so I decide to shoot through the netting if I have too. Never having to do this before I was somewhat concerned but figured it would be fine.
The buck comes to the right of me, (left of the tank) and steps up to get a drink. I settle my 20-yard pin and squeeze off the shot. The arrow blew through the blind and straight through the buck. He came off the platform, turned then made a dead run only to tumble to an abrupt stop about 90 yards out.
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
One day in the box, I will take it every time especially for a buck like this!
From: yooper89
12-Aug-20
Good stuff! Looking forward to getting out next week to try and knock one down.
From: Marty
12-Aug-20
Excellent pictures and great story! Great job and thanks for sharing!
From: whipranger
12-Aug-20
What state are you hunting? Everything I’ve seen Colorado opens the 15th
From: cnelk
12-Aug-20
Nice going Dave! Are you going to can the meat?
From: Quinn @work
12-Aug-20
Nice buck! Is this last year's story?
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
Brad, that story is still being drafted. "Alternate meat preparations taught by cnelk"
Full disclosure, I killed this buck a few years ago since our season doesn't start until this Saturday.
I originally wrote the story for the CBA, figured I share on BS and give you guys a primer...
From: JRABQ
12-Aug-20
Great pics, story, and buck!
From: Stoneman
12-Aug-20
this years set up
this years set up
From: kota-man
12-Aug-20
Very nice! Congrats...
From: minion
13-Aug-20
minion's Link
I like your post, I hope you have many good posts like this to share to the reader. boxnovel
From: minion
13-Aug-20
minion's Link
I like your post, I hope you have many good posts like this to share to the reader. boxnovel
From: yooper89
13-Aug-20
And here I thought it was the bourbon
From: BULELK1
13-Aug-20
Good for you.
Congrats,
Robb
From: Watching Dawn
13-Aug-20
Great picture story! thank you for sharing. Nice buck :o)
From: Bowboy
13-Aug-20
Congrats Dave. Great start to your season!
From: Jack Whitmrie jr
13-Aug-20
Nice buck, we are leaving Friday for WY , it keeps us primed seeing stories like this.
From: yooper89
13-Aug-20
And here I thought it was the bourbon
From: TXCO
13-Aug-20
very nice, congrats
From: elkmtngear
13-Aug-20
Great buck, nicely done!
Hope to see a lot more success stories this Season!
From: Inshart
13-Aug-20
Yup, agree with others, nice buck and well told story. Good read, thanks.
From: Treeline
13-Aug-20
Hope you get another one like that this year, Dave! Nice buck!
From: HuntSeeker
13-Aug-20
Great story thanks for getting me pumped! i am leaving next week to hunt Wyoming.
From: Dale06
13-Aug-20
Great pics, and story. Congrats on the antelope. You mentioned shooting through netting. I’ve done that on 6-8 whitetails at 15-20 yards, works great. I’ve only used fixed heads though .
From: elvspec
13-Aug-20
Nice. And a hell of a buck!
From: JL
13-Aug-20
Congrats and thanks for taking the time to post up the story and pics.
From: ki-ke
13-Aug-20
Good story! Thanks for sharing
From: Timbrhuntr
13-Aug-20
Thanks for sharing the story no pronghorn or other hunts for me this fall so need a fix from some where. Looking forward to your 2020 tale.
From: T Mac
13-Aug-20
Very nice congrats!
From: lewis
13-Aug-20
Great story and pictures thanks for sharing Lewis
From: Buckeye
13-Aug-20
Nice pronghorn!
From: Cazador
13-Aug-20
I'm not sure what impresses more, the photo with your buck, or that someone actually has the original Double Bull blind in such great shape.
I'll trade you 15 trail cams (that I've found in the woods some even have SD Cards) for that blind?
From: Stoneman
13-Aug-20
I learned a lot of what I know about blind hunting from Cazador. Seriously, I don't know anyone who has spent less time in a blind and killed as many nice bucks.
From: Pop-r
13-Aug-20
Heck yeah!
From: Mt. man
13-Aug-20
Yahoo, congrats!
From: kadbow
13-Aug-20
Congrats, cool buck!
From: buzz mc
13-Aug-20
Awesome story. I hope you get another like it this year. This is the stuff that keeps me coming back to Bowsite.
From: drycreek
13-Aug-20
Nice looking buck !
From: Beav
14-Aug-20
Great story and pics! Congrats on a sweet buck.
From: axle2axle
14-Aug-20
Nice work Stoneman...great photos as well. As you stated...a good primer regardless of when you took this buck antelope. Thanks for sharing. Kevin
From: Stoneman
14-Aug-20
Good luck to everyone headed out this weekend. I hope some nice pronghorn are taken!
From: Stoneman
14-Aug-20
From: KSflatlander
15-Aug-20
Great story and even greater buck. Congrats.
From: midwest
15-Aug-20
Great story and buck! Congrats!
