Pronghorn Paradise Semi-Live Hunt
Pronghorn
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My first morning hunt here at Pronghorn Paradise in Gillette, WY. Weather conditions are sunny and cool, but rain and storms passed through here yesterday and soaked the ground. Water holes may not be as favorable. I'm hunting a blind on an alfalfa field. I have seen some lopes at a distance but nothing has come closer than 200 yards. It could be the 2 coyotes eating on something about 150 yards from me. Going to sit tight and see what happens. This field I'm on had at least 60 antelope on it yesterday evening late when we were glassing it. Will post back later with further updates.
Any action? No 150 yd pin on your bow?
I believe that most live hunts have the customary boot picture in them, at least the ones from back east anyway. Good luck Matt!
Good luck... keep us posted.
Here you go, Boothill! Very slow. See some 300 yards out but they will not commit to this field. They are staying in the range hills.
Good luck Matt! Good things come to those who wait!
This is now an official live hunt since we have the photo of the boots posted. Best of luck to ya’ll.
Looking at lots of antelope. 19 bucks on the alfalfa right now. Some feeding other are bedded
Good luck I'll be a couple hours north of ya in a couple weeks !
Is Cheryl along or back taking care of the hunters and the ranch?
Why the "moving blanket" on the floor. Short naps??
I hope your chair is as as comfy as those shoes look Matt. Have fun
Well, everything unfolded finally. I had been watching antelope pretty solid from about 10:30 am. Bucks grazing in the alfalfa and bedding. They would stand up eat a few bites and lay back down. I had 19 different bucks in view at one time, but 3 of the were exceptional. Only one of them started toward me and he would take his sweet time getting there. Finally, at 50 yards he starts quartering ever so slowly my way. Even though it was the first morning, I had decided if he gets within 40 yards I'm going take the shot. I range him at 40, lay down my rangefinder and get my bow and make the shot for 40 yards. I shoot and off he goes 90 to nothing. The arrow blew through him so fast I was sure where it struck him until I turn quickly around to look out the back of the blind. He run behind me and when I got on him with my binoculars I saw what no bowhunter wants to see, blood way up high. I followed him with my glasses for about 200 plus yards. Sure enough, right through the meat of the backstrap. I made a rookie mistake by not accounting for the distance he had traveled from the time I lay down my rangefinder to the time I took the shot. I aimed for 40 and he was 30, hence the high hit. I watched him for almost 2 hours with no evidence whatsoever that he was going to succumb to the non lethal hit. I hated it. I know how it feels but it's been a while since I flubbed a shot that this. Oh well, it definitely fortifies my understanding and sympathy for others that make a bad shot. It happens to us all sooner or later. Yep, humble pie isn't nearly as good as pecan pie. Dispute my embarrassing performance, I will tell anyone thinking of going on a private land antelope hunt, that you won't go wrong hunting with Pronghorn Paradise. Bob and Helen are great host, the food is good and the number of antelope is, well, Pronghorn Paradise!
Keep at 'em....maybe he will give you another chance.
Know and understand the bad feeling Matt. Stay positive !!
I hit one just like that on my first goat hunt in Montana. He was chasing does the next day so I didn't feel too badly. Hate to muff a shot though ! Good luck !
I did the same thing last year hit was high in the shoulder sucks. Only good thing I followed to try and see how bad well after he jumped a couple fences and kept going I figured he would be OK.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I will not be able to hunt for another Antelope because of the wounding policy of the outfitter. I hate it happened and that I can't continue to hunt but I knew the policy going into this hunt. Suck it up and learn from it and move on to next hunt! Matt
You can't continue to hunt for that same buck?
I'm sure I could but there are others trying to get their animals and the blinds are open to them.
Why did you decide to shoot as he was closing? Why not wait until he was drinking, so the distance was a constant? I understand that hindsight is always 20/20, just wondering.....nothing more.
Jake, I wasn't hunting a water hole. I was on an alfalfa field. Rain filled every low spot so it changed the game. No known distance, no pinpoint stop and drink. It was a wait them out and hope they come within 30 to 40 yards.
Thanks for taking us along on your hunt. Sorry about the outcome of the shot. I know it's disheartening. Keep your head up and enjoy God's beautiful creation.
19 bucks in the same field at the same time and a flesh wound and you’re done. That is rough.
Fox, I will my friend. Yeah it's no fun to wound an animal. I know it's ok, it was chasing does and trotting with the rest of the herd. At least I feel better about that.
Bummer Matt!
What was your setup? Bow, arrow, head?
Bummer Matt. As you know, it happens. Thanks for posting the Semi Live Hunt.
You've gotta tag still right?...... and I'd guess now some free time..... any public land or trespass fee private around? It could happen...... u can doo et!
Yes, still have tag. I would have liked to go out again and see if the buck would have come by or perhaps shot a doe. We left and are heading to SD to see some sights. Thanks everyone for following along and for the kind words both here and by PM's. God bless! Matt
I get the wound policy but a little discretion by the outfitter based on the facts would go a long way here. The animal was clearly not harmed, there are no shortage of animals around, it was early in the hunt.
If an outfitter did not have a wound policy I am sure he would appreciate a hunter who said "enough is enough I'm done" after wounding a couple or even mortally wounding and not recovering one. It should go the other way too where an outfitter would show some consideration for the situation where no harm is done by the hunter.
Thank you for telling the entire story. We appreciate being able to learn from other people's mistakes. I really appreciate your honesty Matt.
Policy is policy, everybody understood it. Matt is fine with it and probably isnt super excited to keep thinking about what could have been. Why cant you be fine with it and let it go?
Bou, are there any outfitted hunts you went on that maybe didnt go how you had anticipated for the months leading up to the hunt? Can you think of any hunts like that? Care to share? Theres gotta be ONE hunt you can think of.
Matt, bummer deal. Respect the heck outta how u handled it. And thanks for posting. Posting a semi live hunt is a scary thing to do because you never KNOW how its gonna go umtil after the fact and you are putting yourself out there a little bit doing it. You took the time to take us along and its appreciated.
Thanks for sharing your story and sorry it went the way it did. I was pulling for you.
Regarding the comments on the wounding policy, I understand the outfitters take. The minute the outfitter makes an exception one time then they would have to consider other times and other clients as well in all future hunts. It is easier for the outfitter to stick with this policy and make it black and white instead of having all these gray areas. That way there is no precedent set where he would have to deal with this situation with others down the road. It was known up front and Matt was fine with it.
I had a feeling that after the first shot post you were done hunting either because you had your own wounding policy or the outfitter did. Thanks for posting anyway I'm sure it was still an exciting experience and at least you know the animal will recover which is a bonus in my opinion.
Sounds like you are taking it well.. Stay positive and get after the next one next time!!
As for a "wound policy" , I've never heard of that,,but then again I've never done a guided hunt. And, wouldn't if an outfitter had a wound policy. We are human and SH#t happens.
Hate to get off topic but I have a buddy with a deer outfitting business and after a few years of guys wounding several deer on a week hunt he had no choice but to put one in !
I watched a guy at the rifle range yesterday shooting a 8” group with a scoped rifle off a bench at 100 yards!!!! I think most of the guys on here don’t realize how bad of shots a good percentage of hunters are, whether rifle or bow.
My son wounded a pig one time and we could not keep following blood because it would mess up the hunting for other hunters that afternoon. We were told the pig would not die anyway and his hunt was done.
Some have a hard time wrapping their head around a policy that was in place when they agreed to the hunt. These same people operate in the gray area throughout life it’s called arrogance! Matt the fire will burn that much more to go back and kill a goat. That’s all a part of hunting and some get it and some never will.
I have been in many camps and outfitters. It is truly incredible the degrees of shooting out there. Lots of people I don't believe should even be allowed in the woods to risk wounding an animal. Groups of 8 inches would be good for some of these both bow and rifle. I have wounded animals and hate it. But I practice and try to improve. Most western outfitters I have been with have the draw blood and your done guidelines.
I’m with Tobywon- an outfitter who starts making exceptions is only asking for trouble!
Tradman- kudos to you! It is a hard pill to swallow, but good on you for accepting it and moving on!
Stick- It appears ‘Ol PEEK-A-BOU is trying hard to forget about that hunt! ;-)
Always good to get different well informed perspectives