Small Goat
10-05-2016 | 05:31 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,732
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From: Rapid City, South Dakota
Small Goat
Yesterday morning i spotted a small bunch of antelope from the county road. They were walking toward me, and disappeared into a low spot out there. Figured they were out about a mile, and it seemed they would be worth a try. Parked the truck, and headed their way. Rain the day before, made the ground muddy, but it wasn't too bad. It took me a couple hours to get to where i figured they were, because i didn't want to spook them by moving too fast, and have them be walking into me, and me walking into them. They weren't there. Well it seemed i had a nice walk, and started back to the truck, but then changed my mind, and decided to circle around back to the truck in case they had walked that direction. Then changed my mind again, hoping i misjudged where they would be. Decided to continue on, in case they were ahead of me a little further. Whenever i made a ridge top, i slowed a way down, and glassed into the dips, before proceeding taking great care not to blunder into the missing antelope.
One minute i was discouraged; then next minute i spotted 4 bedded down below. They looked to be all doe, but then i was able to see one of them was a very small buck. This was good, because there are so few antelope this year, i didn't feel right about killing a doe; would have aborted. Getting down on my hands and knees, very carefully, i crawled toward them. Cactus everywhere dictated my path. Finally i gained enough, so then i had to crawl on my belly, so for to get a prone shot, using the bipod. Leaving behind my water, gps, and cap, i moved forward like a snake, weaving around cactus, until it seemed i could make a shot from my belly. It seemed like i might be able to hit the buck in the back of his head, but i didn't relish that too much. Then two doe stood, and began grazing away from me. Rangefinder say they were out 288 yard. My knee got entangled in a cactus. Wasn't too bad. The buck stood up, and began grazing away. All stood up, and there were six.
Opened the bipod; ranged the buck at 310 yard, turned the cds dial to 31, and aimed, and waited. Wind was substantial with a vector from left to right, and from behind me. He stood there, and grazed with his butt toward me, and grazed, and grazed. Then he turned kinda broadside with his butt into the wind; i aimed, and shot right now. He fell at the shot, which surprised me; i figured he would run aways. The other 5 doe ran right at me, and stopped 50 yard in front of me, looking back at him. The buck didn't move; i waited for the does to wander off, but they stood there. Then i stood up, and it was poetry in motion. One went North, the others went South. Wow, their speed, and smooth was amazing. Walking toward the buck, i cut a two track, and was quite excited i might be able to drive real close. The bullet hit him further forward than i would like, but i didn't aim into the wind, and was satisfied.
The rifle is by Eben Brown (eabco.com). Cartridge is his 6.5 caliber. Load was 120 grain Ballistic Tip, 37 grain H4350, CCI 200 primer, and Winchester 30-30 brass. The antelope were bedded to the right of the truck, out of the photo. The photo of the map, shows government land in green, and deeded land there along side. The red track is me walking Northeast from the truck parked on the county road. The sharp jog in the track is where i gave up, and then didn't. The distance between the waypoint hunter, and waypoint animal was a way less than what the gps say. After gutting the goat, i followed the two track to where i was sure i could find, then cut off to the truck. The violet track is the truck driving to very near, and me walking, loading, and carting the goat to the truck.
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One minute i was discouraged; then next minute i spotted 4 bedded down below. They looked to be all doe, but then i was able to see one of them was a very small buck. This was good, because there are so few antelope this year, i didn't feel right about killing a doe; would have aborted. Getting down on my hands and knees, very carefully, i crawled toward them. Cactus everywhere dictated my path. Finally i gained enough, so then i had to crawl on my belly, so for to get a prone shot, using the bipod. Leaving behind my water, gps, and cap, i moved forward like a snake, weaving around cactus, until it seemed i could make a shot from my belly. It seemed like i might be able to hit the buck in the back of his head, but i didn't relish that too much. Then two doe stood, and began grazing away from me. Rangefinder say they were out 288 yard. My knee got entangled in a cactus. Wasn't too bad. The buck stood up, and began grazing away. All stood up, and there were six.
Opened the bipod; ranged the buck at 310 yard, turned the cds dial to 31, and aimed, and waited. Wind was substantial with a vector from left to right, and from behind me. He stood there, and grazed with his butt toward me, and grazed, and grazed. Then he turned kinda broadside with his butt into the wind; i aimed, and shot right now. He fell at the shot, which surprised me; i figured he would run aways. The other 5 doe ran right at me, and stopped 50 yard in front of me, looking back at him. The buck didn't move; i waited for the does to wander off, but they stood there. Then i stood up, and it was poetry in motion. One went North, the others went South. Wow, their speed, and smooth was amazing. Walking toward the buck, i cut a two track, and was quite excited i might be able to drive real close. The bullet hit him further forward than i would like, but i didn't aim into the wind, and was satisfied.
The rifle is by Eben Brown (eabco.com). Cartridge is his 6.5 caliber. Load was 120 grain Ballistic Tip, 37 grain H4350, CCI 200 primer, and Winchester 30-30 brass. The antelope were bedded to the right of the truck, out of the photo. The photo of the map, shows government land in green, and deeded land there along side. The red track is me walking Northeast from the truck parked on the county road. The sharp jog in the track is where i gave up, and then didn't. The distance between the waypoint hunter, and waypoint animal was a way less than what the gps say. After gutting the goat, i followed the two track to where i was sure i could find, then cut off to the truck. The violet track is the truck driving to very near, and me walking, loading, and carting the goat to the truck.
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10-06-2016 | 12:28 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
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