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Every year I put in everyone in my family old enough to hunt for antelope tags in eastern Montana. This year we had five eligible hunters. I usually single party the doe tags and split up the either sex permits into a couple parties. With the drought FWP cut permits way back it seems and we were lucky to get five doe tags.

Here is a write up of our 2020 hunt.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../re-2020-mt-antelope-opener#Post15334304

We made it to the area in time to find a herd of goats right before dark and had a good place to start in the morning.

At 3 a.m. I woke up to fairly steady rain on the camper roof. This was the first rain the area had seen in months so I was grateful they were getting the moisture but knew it could make for a long day with extra walking and pack out jobs.

We held to tradition for a morning stop at the gas station for hot cocoa.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

This was my 12 year old daughters first trip and it was great to have her along. Her older sister Bailey is a college freshman so it was fun to see them get to spend some time together.

We got rolling and to the ranch just after daylight.

Luckily my ten year old decided to stay at our friends house to entertain their little boys because it was a full pickup with five tag holders and enough hardware to start a pretty decent insurrection.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Visibility was poor but we quickly found the herd within a half mile of where we left them the night before. The main herd was in way too open of ground to make a play but there were a few stragglers on the edges so we decided to make a move…

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

BP-B2

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We got to the rise where we should have seen antelope within range but all we saw were white butts in the distance heading toward the main group.

The herd was still not settled so we decided to leave them alone and see where they ended up later in the morning. We loaded back in the truck and headed to find some fresh faces.

It didn’t take long and we found a lone doe maybe 250 yards off the county road. We kept rolling till we could park the truck out of sight and make our move. When we parked we looked in front of us and found another small batch of antelope mixed in with some angus cows.

My wife and I took Kenna to try to get a shot at the lone doe and we sent Bailey and Carsten after the other group. Bailey has killed a ton of game but still prefers to be “guided” and likes when someone can call the range and tell her when to shoot. I could tell Carsten liked the idea of a little independence and it was fun watching the two of them take off together.

We quickly made our move toward the doe and found she had fed off to the south a few yards. When we got as far as the terrain would allow she was 250 yards. Too far for Kenna but well within Amy’s capabilities. She couldn’t see the vitals if she laid prone and couldn’t get set up quick enough when she moved to sit and the goat moved off and just out of sight.

We hopped up and repositioned ourselves again getting within 300 yards. I nearly shot her myself but held off hoping to get Amy a shot. The goat knew the game was up and headed off.

At this point we were getting considerably closer to where the main herd should have been so we decided to keep hiking and see if they had settled into somewhere killable. While we were hiking a young buck tops the rise and we have a Mexican standoff for a full minute before he decided to amble off. He didn’t realize how lucky he was we weren’t packing buck tags.

We finally crest a rise in the stubble field and find the main herd bedded in the open. Too far to shoot from our position but we think we can get closer if we make a sweeping arc to the northeast behind a small rise. We make the move and had maybe gone 200 yards when we see antelope heading our way. We lay down and it turns out to be a doe and two bucks.

They are curious and seem to intentionally head directly toward us. Amy and Kenna are both in position and we just keep letting them come.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

At 200 yards they cross the line into “Kenna’s World” and I start coaching her on where to hold and what to do when the doe finally stops.

The doe keeps coming…

Finally at about 150 yards she gets nervous and starts to move off. I yell “hey” a couple times and she stops, quartering toward us for another look.

“Kill her” I whisper.

Kenna’s little .243 cracks and I see the hit. The doe took the 85 TSX though the right shoulder, made a 50 yard dash and piled up within sight.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The shot destroyed the heart then exited the offside rib. Perfect shooting and a beautiful mature doe.

It was too muddy to drive so we gutted it and headed back for a report from the other two.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]



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Awesome! Congratulations to everyone involved.


Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.

The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.

Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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The other two had there share of action but no shooting. They had snuck within range but when Bailey tried to shoot her bipod was too short and she would lose visibility.

Carsten had a tall bipod and offered her his rifle. Bailey said she was more comfortable with her 7mm-08 and they decided to switch bipods. I was pretty impressed that Carsten didn’t just shoot one himself.

While they we’re screwing around with that the antelope moved off. They headed for a small drainage in the middle of the field. Carsten said he figured it was better to let them get settled and try later.

Good call.

We gave them some time and came back an hour later after striking out at a few other places we thought might hold some antelope.

Apparently antelope hunting is exhausting.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Sure enough they were settled right where Carsten and Bailey left them and in a great position for a stalk. After a long trudge through muddy stubble we make it into position and get set up.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

There is a small portion of the herd visible and one doe in full view. Amy’s blistering heal (muck boots kinda suck) was bugging her and I don’t know how many more stalks she has left in her so the shot is hers. The doe is facing nearly straight on and when her 6mm-06 barks I see a giant cloud of white hair as the doe absorbs the full impact from the 95 LRX at around 200 yards.

The herd takes off and Carsten tries a running shot but doesn’t connect.

We get to Amy’s doe and look up to see another group about 1/2 mile away to the East.

Carsten and Bailey again take off on their own while we take a few photos and gut out Amy’s doe.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Those two fought like crazy when Bailey was still living at home. It was sure nice to see them hunting as a team.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The LRX had driven from stem to stern and managed to mess up a lot of stuff in between. Amazingly the paunch was not ruptured and it was a pretty clean clean-out job.

While we were wrapping things up we hear a shot…then another…silence…then another…


To be continued…

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Great story, thanks for sharing!


24HCF in its entirety, is solely responsible for why my children do not have college funds, my mortgage isn't paid-off and why I will never retire early enough to enjoy the remainder of my life.





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Nice work, Dad!


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We head toward the sound of the shots and see Bailey out in the open standing next to a dead antelope. A text comes through from her. “Two Down”. We keep walking which gives her time to take some selfies smile

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

When we get there we get the full story. They had stalked into position and Carsten gave her the green light. She missed clean at about 300 and the group milled briefly. Carsten lined up and hammered the one Bailey missed with his .25-06.

They ran off but ended up swinging closer and stopped broadside at 250 yards. Bailey didn’t miss that time and sent a 120 Ballistic Tip through both lungs.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

While we were gutting Bailey’s I was already dreading the thought of hauling three antelope across a muddy stubble field. Our rancher friend Tate must have read my mind as he decided it wasn’t too wet and came to our rescue. Sweet!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

We loaded hers then went to Carstens. He had done a great job as the guide and had managed to pull off a double. This was a big moment for him…me too.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

His shot was excellent and the 120 Speer BTSP did a number on its heart.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

He did all the dressing then we went and grabbed Amy’s. Three in an F350 beats three trips in a backpack any day!

Antelope hunting is still exhausting apparently.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Only one tag left…


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Very well done and well told!

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What a great thread! Appreciate you sharing your family hunt with us

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We find a group on a neighbor's place. Tate knows the neighbor who happened to be working at his bin site. We ask for permission and get the standard eastern Montana answer…”go ahead but you have to shoot two for every tag”. I can hear Rodney Dangerfield “no respect. I tell ya...I get no respect”.

Carsten and I make our move and I can tell right off it isn’t going to work. The field is too open and there is not enough contour to get within range. We spook them and start heading back to the truck.

We hadn’t made it ten steps when we see a group trot over the rise from the northeast. They are 500 plus yards out but on a line that will take them within 400 if they stay on the same path. We run to cut them off and I lay down with my bipod extended.

They follow the script and stop right where we hoped. One doe stands out slightly quartering to me. Carsten gives me the range…”360”. I guess the hold and touch off my .25-06. I can tell the little 100 grain Speer connected and as the herd takes off she slows and drops.

We walk toward her and her head is still up. At around 75 I drop to a knee for a finisher but she decides to stand up and run. I swing and pull and she hits the deck. Hard.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

While gutting her out we found that my first shot was low. I check my drop chart (kinda late for that) and the shot landed where the chart says it should (10-12 inches low) but I simply should have aimed higher. The second shot was way far back and shattered her femur (swing through the shot dumb ass!). The bullet performed well it just needed a better driver.

While gutting we hear a UTV heading our way. The landowner had watched the whole thing and enjoyed the show. He told Tate to take his Gator out and get the antelope for us. No complaints!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

We are all tagged out so we head to the ranch and find a suitable meat pole. Adequate horsepower is essential.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Luckily it is cool and getting cooler so we can leave them hang with the hide on. Much cleaner and less trim work later. We will head back the next day and process at home…

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MedRiver;
Top of the morning to you sir, I'm going to skip my usual greetings as I can see you're doing pretty fair this morning! cool

Thanks kindly for sharing the wonderful photos and hunt story with us, I so much appreciate you taking us along and allowing folks like me who likely will never hunt pronghorn to get a glimpse of what it's like.

It is posts such as these that you've shared that keep me coming back to our cyber Fire sir.

If you are able to, please send hearty congratulations to all the hunters from an old guy north of the medicine line.

I'll send you sincere kudos as well, as it takes a lot of time and effort on your part to ensure these hunts happen. Well done to you sir!

Thanks again, all the best to you and yours and good luck on your remaining hunts this year.

Dwayne


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Really a fine post and congrats to everyone. Just shows antelope hunting is always a fun time - thanks for taking us along!!


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Great story and photos. Congrats to the family

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It is cool at home so I am able to hang them outside and process the next day. Monday is a holiday so I am off work and can take my time. I prefer to process immediately after skinning to avoid getting a rind on the meat.

After taking off legs they get moved into the shop.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I have a skinning setup for coyotes that works great on deer and antelope. A small chain around the neck. Slit from the top of the front legs to the neck, peel down a few inches and hook to the pivoting base.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Once hooked up let the winch do the hard work till it hangs up some around the front legs. A little hand work to get it free from the arm pit.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

After that it is mostly the winch unless they have some structural damage. Within a few seconds they are at the top and out of their jammies.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Lower them enough to get a trolley hook into the legs. Finish lowering them and remove the head and any loose hair (minimal doing it this way).

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Rinse. Repeat.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I break everything hanging and in assembly line fashion.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]





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The true prize…

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Hinds go in the cooler while the fronts get processed.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Almost done…

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Now I just had to wait for the slaves to get home to help with grinding and wrapping.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

100+ pounds of burger plus steaks and roasts and the 2021 antelope season is a wrap!

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Love it! Congrats


Good Shooting!
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Wow, great setup, post and pictures. Congrats to all the hunters and too you as Dad.

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Awesome !

Lovin all of it !

grin


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Congratulations to you and your family. Awesome pics and write up. I’m a little jealous your processing station…

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Originally Posted by ChipM
Wow, great setup, post and pictures. Congrats to all the hunters and too you as Dad.



You can say that again! Love it, and love your 'helpers"! Congrats!


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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