Colorado Muzzleloader Antelope Success! - 09/24/22
After a recent acquisition of a really beautiful Green River Rifle Works .54 Leman trade rifle, I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied until I had the opportunity to take it to the field.
After some load development and practice, the rifle was printing roundballs in nice little groups out to 100 yards. I’m sure the rifle shoots better than I can see, and I realize now how much I have come to rely on optics the older I get.
The Colorado big game draw yielded no results this year but I am fortunate to have a close friend who offered a landowner voucher for muzzleloader Pronghorn.
In mid-late September the rut is in full swing here and the bucks are territorial. Opening day (Wednesday) was mostly rainy and windy. The weather hampered our first afternoon hunt and resulted in a ‘close-but no cigar’ stalk near the end of the day.
The afternoon on Thursday was cool and cloudy but the rain had finally stopped. I ventured out on a solo hunt and spotted a buck and some does in a stubble field about a mile away. With the green light from the landowner, I eased my way up a drainage leading towards the herd. As I reached the stubble, it was apparent the group had moved. I slowly worked my way into the field and discovered the group concealed by a low spot about 200 yards away. The buck was chasing his does and was none the wiser to my presence. After priming the rifle, I presented my decoy to the herd and it wasn’t long before it was spotted. In short order, they began to move my direction to investigate further. Before long, the buck had enough of the intruder and with his ears back and head down, he closed the distance to only 45 yards within a matter of seconds. I was ready and the rifle did its job. With an instant ignition and a cloud of smoke the hunt came to an end. The buck ran 30 yards and hit the dirt. The ball had passed though both lungs and exited the off-side.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to harvest numerous antelope with my high powered rifles. The one I took home Thursday, although not my biggest, was hands-down the most rewarding.
It has renewed my love of muzzleloader hunting and given me an appreciation of a bygone era.
After some load development and practice, the rifle was printing roundballs in nice little groups out to 100 yards. I’m sure the rifle shoots better than I can see, and I realize now how much I have come to rely on optics the older I get.
The Colorado big game draw yielded no results this year but I am fortunate to have a close friend who offered a landowner voucher for muzzleloader Pronghorn.
In mid-late September the rut is in full swing here and the bucks are territorial. Opening day (Wednesday) was mostly rainy and windy. The weather hampered our first afternoon hunt and resulted in a ‘close-but no cigar’ stalk near the end of the day.
The afternoon on Thursday was cool and cloudy but the rain had finally stopped. I ventured out on a solo hunt and spotted a buck and some does in a stubble field about a mile away. With the green light from the landowner, I eased my way up a drainage leading towards the herd. As I reached the stubble, it was apparent the group had moved. I slowly worked my way into the field and discovered the group concealed by a low spot about 200 yards away. The buck was chasing his does and was none the wiser to my presence. After priming the rifle, I presented my decoy to the herd and it wasn’t long before it was spotted. In short order, they began to move my direction to investigate further. Before long, the buck had enough of the intruder and with his ears back and head down, he closed the distance to only 45 yards within a matter of seconds. I was ready and the rifle did its job. With an instant ignition and a cloud of smoke the hunt came to an end. The buck ran 30 yards and hit the dirt. The ball had passed though both lungs and exited the off-side.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to harvest numerous antelope with my high powered rifles. The one I took home Thursday, although not my biggest, was hands-down the most rewarding.
It has renewed my love of muzzleloader hunting and given me an appreciation of a bygone era.
