Second trip, my buddy and I both took bucks home.
Took a couple of years to draw for Unit 27, but I did and it's time to see what comes my way. I'll leave Prince George, BC tomorrow morning (Saturday) for twenty six hours of actual driving. It'll take a couple of days, but the scenery is very pleasant and the drive pretty straight forward, with not many large urban areas to slow me down or spoil my view. I do have to drive through the Banff/Jasper park on the last summer long weekend of the year, so that can be frustrating. I finally figured out why federal parks have large, wide pullouts at prime wildlife viewings spots. That's so that people that want to travel can get around all the idiots parked ON the road clicking pics of a marmot or scrawny bear between all the signs that say "No Stopping on Road"!!!
Hopefully I can give live updates and pics as the trip/hunt progresses, for those interested. Not sure about cell service, so it could be spotty. Now to finish packing. I know I'm forgetting things, but I don't and won't know what they are until I need them and it's too late. I've accepted that as part of being a senior : )
I'll sleep in the canopy on the way done. That makes the 14' X 14' tent seem so luxurious in comparison.
Supper tonight with kids and grand-kids, then a short dream period before an early morning start. Hopefully the sun will be setting on me somewhere around the Alberta/Montana border. Good times!!
Sitting in a lawn chair, spotting scope set up , watching antelope. Going to have a shower later, a double shot of Crown on ice and watch the sun go down on Goatville. Life is very good!!
I get an error alert when Ibtty to post pics though.
I'll have to control urge to take the first one home that lets me. I was the same with girls when I was young. Haven't changed much.
Sun just popped over the hill, right in my eyes and blind. Exactly wrong, but this is where it has to be. And the warmth is welcome right now 'cause it's friggen cold here this morning!
The bachelor group of six came feeding along the pond edge with several does. One buck stood out as bigger and more mass. He was feeding at forty yards, but the sun was right into the blind and several antelope were in front at thirty yards. I decided it would be too much movement to get away with, so just sat tight. No sense making them blind shy this early in the hunt
A few does watered and eventually one buck, but further away from the inlet. Likely because of the blind.
Four more smallish bucks came close but we're too nervous to drink. A few singles wandering around.
I'd like to turn the blind about thirty degrees after dark, but I don't have a hammer with me to pound the stakes in. Might sit the other blind tomorrow and check the inventory there.
Not that I'm going to mount it.
I made the classic novice antelope hunters mistake! He came straight in behind another group and he looked good. At the water, he abruptly turned and started to leave. I panicked and shot him without ever taking a side view. Big mistake!! He has no mass at all. I saw way better bucks and even let shorter but heavy bucks walk.
And it was the first day!
I am disappointed in myself. This trip I had time and a lot of bucks. They were definitely blind shy, but by that evening it was wearing off already.
I made a good, thirty two yard shot and he went down quick. I'm not disappointed in the buck, just my own impatience.
Next time I get drawn, I'll have to have Rock sit next to me with a stick to whack my bow hand when I get trigger happy.
If you don't get all excited, well, that's why we do it...
Congrats! Looks good to me! Great hunt and thanks much for sharing it with us......
Think of all the bowhunters who did get to hunt antelope this year or never hunted them before who would love to trade places with you.
Savor the experience and enjoy the table fare !! Plan for the future hunts.
Now, surrounded by antelope, I can't wait to get and arrow in the air.
It will probably take a couple years to get drawn again, but I'm excited about coming back already. Today, while pulling blinds, I put the scope on several bucks and went into dream mode.
I see you're from BC. I'm curious if the application process is the same for a nonresident alien as it is for plain old nonresidents. Any additional hoops you have to jump through? Also, are there pronghorns in BC? If not, they seem to be about the only big game animal you guys don't have. Good problem to have!
T-roy. No extra hoops for aliens. No antelope or javelina in BC. Probably why I want them.
About 1,100 miles here and with my circuitous route back through Alberta to visit family, likely 1,500 back. Kinda relaxing if you're not in a hurry. And I'm not.
A few more lessons under the belt. Number one being don't be in s hurry to shoot. I also forgot to get sticky fly catchers for the blind. I had a Thermacell and bug dope......... in the truck. Duh.
Wind does or at least can matter. A couple times I had groups of goats hit my scent skeedadle fast. This despite me emitting a powerful cover scent that I created by having Mountain House and several day old KFC for supper the night before.
A couple of extra collapsable water jugs for showering. A shower before bed sure is nice.
As I pulled out to the road, a little group of the local girls gathered to wave goodbye. Dry creek may recognize one or two of them
Did you keep track of how many came in while you were in the Blind?
A group of six bucks came over the brow. Two yearlings, two 2 1/2 year olds and two bigger ones following. One "maybe" shooter. They hung up twenty yards from the water. Then the middle bucks, started prodding and pushing the yearlings towards the pond. When they tried to turn back, one of the middle bucks would cut them off. It looked like a very intentional attempt to expose the yearlings to any danger first.
In the meantime, the more mature pair watched from twenty yards further away. Eventually one yearling made a break for it and squirted out between the water and the herders and made a run for it. Then they all just walked off.
On the road home, I saw a group of about eight mule deer does and fawns. With them was one antelope fawn and no other antelope in sight. Road killed mother maybe and just looking for company?
