Details of the hunt....

Thursday morning came after a somewhat sleepless night. During the night, I'd awaken repeatedly, tossing and turning, all during the night. I awoke at 6:30 AM, and realized that the wife and I needed to get up and get around if we were going to do any hunting that opening day of the Antelope Season.

We rolled out of camp shortly after daylight, and headed south to the landowner property we had permission to hunt some twenty miles south of the Black Mesa State Park where we were camping for the week.

Arriving at the destination roughly half an hour after sunup, we began our search for antelope. I was looking for the buck we'd seen the previous two days while scouting that seemed to be hanging out in the same location on those days. This buck had horns that had some decent mass at the base, with length that was well above the ear, and curled in towards the center reminiscent of a heart shape.

As we continued on our trek, I suddenly saw movement. Quickly stopping, I grabbed my binoculars. Two bucks. Both young with one having horns shorter than the ears, and the other having horns just longer than the ears. I decided to pass on these two young whippersnappers, since they were young. Although it was tempting, since I wasn't seeing many antelope in the area. Not near the numbers from my previous trip in 2008. But pass I did.

We continued on, still searching for the buck we had seen the previous two days. Finally arriving in the general area where he'd been spotted the two previous days, I carefully scanned the area with my binoculars. Much to my disappointment, I could not locate him. Apparently, he'd moved on.

As my wife and I continued on further into the property, we suddenly saw a group of antelope several hundred yards away. Of course, they saw us about the same time we saw them. They turned and headed away from us. I watched them thru my binoculars. There was one decent shooter buck and several does.

The terrain we were in had quite a bit of roll to it, and the animals went over a rise and out of site. I continued to watch thru my binoculars, hoping to see what direction they were headed and perhaps try to intercept them or head them off.

As I observed the antelope, I realized they were seemingly headed to the southern portion of the property I had permission to hunt and if they stayed on the same travel vector they were on, I might be able to arrive at the same general area they would be in about the same time.

Hurriedly, we scrambled get to the area I thought the antelope were going to. Shortly, we arrived. Scanning the area, I could not locate any animals. Disappointed, I just sat there, pondering my next move. Surely, I must have overlooked them. Suddenly, my wife pointed and said "There they are." I looked the direction she was pointing, and sure enough, they were there, 5-600 yards behind us. Somehow, they'd turned and slipped behind us.

As I observed the antelope, it became apparent that the buck was "herding" six does, trying to keep them all close to him. One would take off from the group, and he'd round up the doe and keep her in check. We watched this behavior for several minutes. It was pretty amazing watching the buck herd the doe antelope like a border collie herding cows.

We doubled back, finally getting abreast of the animals. The does seemed intent on trying to run from us, while the buck was intent on keeping the does rounded up. It became apparent that every time the does would attempt to flee from me and my wife, the buck seemed to think they were attempting get away from him.

Having come to that conclusion, I decided to change my angle of approach and veer more towards them, finally heading almost straight at them. This caused a flurry of activity from the does and buck. The does attempting to flee, the buck scurrying about rounding them back up. I realized my tactics may just work.

My wife and I cut the distance to 400 yards. Then to about 300 yards. The small herd of 6 does, and one buck seemed rather confused. The busy activity of does attempting to flee and the buck aggressively rounding them up seemed to stall out, with a lull in the activity.

My wife asked "Do you think you can hit him from here?" I replied, "Yes, I think so, although I'd rather get closer."

Realizing that my window of opportunity was probably now or never, I hurriedly set up my camera tripod with my homemade rest attached to the top of it. I'd used the exact same rest to shoot an antelope buck in 2008, so I would again put it to use on this buck.

Without any wasted movement, I hurriedly placed my T/C Encore 30-280 AI on the rest and lined up the Burris 3x-12x scope. Looking thru the scope that buck looked like it was a long ways away to me. I reached up and turned up the scope from 3x to 12x. Again reaching up I turned it back down some to help me eye relief and giving me some more forgiveness in eye placement. Later, I realized I'd set it to 10x. I quickly put my ear plugs in. Gotta protect that hearing.



Knowing the antelope buck was about 300 yards or so away, and realizing I have a tendency to overanalyze things, I tried not to think too much about what I was doing. If I did, I'd certainly mess things up :).

I knew my bullet would drop about 8" at the distance the buck was probably at. Carefully lining up the crosshair of the scope on the point of the bucks shoulder, I held about what I estimated to be 2" over the back of the antelope, which was quartering hard towards me. I told my wife I was ready to get the shot off so that she could get the video camera going. I heard her say something. Thinking she was telling me she was ready, I proceeded to start squeezing the trigger. So focused on the buck, it didn't register with me that she was telling me there was something wrong with the camera. Maybe next time.

As the trigger broke, the sound of the shot seemed faint to me. I don't recall the gun recoiling and kicking the snot out of the palm of my hand. As the sound of the shot's percussion faded, I distinctly heard the sound of the bullet hit the animal. That was a first for me :).

Does scattered, but the buck just stood there. Uh oh, I must have missed. No I heard the bullet hit the buck. What seemed like a long time to me, but was probably just 2-3 seconds, the buck finally bowed up his back, reared up on his hind legs, and fell over on his left side.

Then it hit me. I really did just kill my second Oklahoma antelope! The shakes began to set in.

I told the wife, I had to step this one off. That was a long shot for me. So, I began to pace off the distance with some long manly strides, trying to step a full yard. 287 paces later, I arrived at the buck. He sure looked nice to me.

I had really done it! Taken my second antelope from the panhandle of Oklahoma! Something I wasn't sure would ever happen again since the Controlled Hunts are a one-in-a-lifetime draw. Thank God for landowner tags! Thank you Jesus! I was happy.


Regards,

Roger Carlton