Leaving Friday !
Pronghorn
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Well guys, Friday morning a friend and I are headed to Bill, Wyoming to try to stick a speed goat. We have been successful there two years running, but this year I have a small handicap. I was hog hunting last weekend and as I was walking back to my Ranger Sunday morning I hung my toe on a root and my fat ass fell like a tree. I landed on my left shoulder and landed hard. It was very painful for the rest of the day but got somewhat better overnight. I had to spray a couple food plots Tuesday and Monday being Labor Day, I didn't get to my chiropractor until today. I shot my bow Monday, and no trouble getting to full draw, but I did have trouble getting the bow up in position to draw. Haven't shot it since, but I will in the morning. I expect it will be hard, but I shoot sitting, so I'm thinking if I start with the cam on my knee, I can do it. I go see the chiro again in the morning, meanwhile it's ice packs on the shoulder and figure eight excercises with the arm. Wish me luck, l'm gonna need it !
Don your going to shake this off like a booger on your finger ! It's time and nothing is going to stop ya. My money's on you ! Bob
I'm taped up ! Put me in coach, I'm ready to play !
A little West of Ellsworth, Kansas on I70. Will be in Bill, Wyoming in time to look around a little, maybe spot some goats, and get ready to hunt on Sunday.
We arrived Saturday afternoon, checked in the motel, and checked in with the rancher. We had time to drive around and see where we wanted to hunt. One of our plan A waterholes was dry, so we popped up a blind on another. I'm hunting where I hunted last year, as we saw lots of goats there yesterday. My buddy is probably a half mile from me in the pop up. Got in before daylight, temps in the low 40s. Supposed to get to the low 80s today, so I'm looking for a little action this afternoon !
We met " Rock " last night about dark and he showed us a couple more places, as he knows this ranch well. We had all of about 4 hours sleep last night so I hope I don't fall out of my chair........
Right about now I'm wondering what a blue roan mount would look like over my fireplace, and just how much backstrap is on a horse :)
Quit horsing around.....we want a pronghorn!!
That's hysterical!! Did he surprise you or did you see him coming?
Good luck!
I knew they were here but the first inkling I had was when he walked right up to the window from around the corner. He blotted out the sun. I didn't know what it was until he had his head halfway in the window. We had a short conversation about water hole etiquette, but he was not impressed.
I've been watching a buck and doe for four hours about five or six hundred yards in front of me. Looks like a decent buck through my poor vision and Nikon 8x42s. Another buck cruised through about thirty minutes ago and got " runn oft " for his interest. I just watched the first buck breed her twice, so maybe they'll want a smoke and a drink now !
These guys have been behind me for about an hour. About 45 yd. in the pic.
Looks like a slow morning here. Forty-four degrees, cloudy, wind N at 9mph. Not good for water hole ambushing !
Are you tracking your antelope?
I wish ! Rainy and cold ! Radar shows more rain for the afternoon so we called it for today. My set might get muddy if it rains much and I don't want to tear the ranch roads up. Get after it tomorrow if it's not too wet.
Update. Rained last night and we went out in the dark this morning only to find it too muddy to chance. I have to cross a couple coulees and they're a little steep so I wouldn't chance it in the dark. We got in the blinds about noon. Cold and windy and the goats aren't moving well. I have a nice buck in this pasture but he ain't watering here ! Gonna pop up a blind tonight and change locations slightly. They seem to favor a pond fairly close to me, so we will see..........
Thirty-nine and foggy here this morning. This is my last ditch stand today. Looks like partly cloudy and high sixties or low seventies. I have denied the goats this water for three days now by parking my truck close to it, but with the rain and green grass in the coulees, they haven't been drinking much. Hopefully they will come. I ain't too picky today, so if he has horns, I'm gonna try for him. I love antelope meat !
Well, I guess it wasn't in the cards this trip. First time in years I've been skunked pronghorn hunting. It was a good day, but I didn't get it done.
The biggest buck I've been seeing for three days came to water about 9:00 this morning and busted me before I could draw. It was very still and he may have heard me, or saw me, since the sun was not out yet and they can see in them easier when it's cloudy. He didn't spook badly, but he never came back.
We had a good place to hunt, plenty animals, but poor weather. I did get to see a few more goats today and got to watch a flock of shovelers all day in the pond. It ain't all about the killing !
Don, Thank You for taking us with you. Bob
I've hunted the Steinle Ranch and the pronghorn herd really took a dive about 4 years ago. How are the numbers?
Antelope number in this area are coming back and they even increased the tag numbers this year statewide. Problem this year has been too much water in some pastures and holes that dried up in others. Then this week as Don pointed out the weather was terrible and we all got run out yesterday by Hugh thunderstorms that moved thru.
I'm glad to hear they're coming back in that area. Too bad the weather didn't cooperate.