Let me start by saying that I am the proudest papa out here right now. Gregg Richter will vounch for that and unfortunately for me, he has the proof on video.

My daughters, Taylor (15) and Abigail (13), and I were lucky enough to accompany Gregg and his son Joe to the Durham Ranch outside of Wright, Wyoming to enjoy the sights, sounds, comradery, friendship, laughter and the making of memories that came with the trip. And let me tell you, it was a trip.

We left Iowa Friday morning to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, literally. We didn't make it 15 miles before it started to rain, not a good sign after Wyoming had recieved 9 inches of snow the weekend before and South Dakota got clobbered. We pressed on and within 10 more miles, they were both out like lights. At least with them sleeping I got to listen to my music.

The trip seemed to go fast, but with just as many stops as I had feared, and we pulled into Wright in the dark. Waking up to sunshine and a world we hadn't seen yet, I ate breakfast while they slept, and was greeted with antelope out the window as I ate. I may have found heaven. I went back to wake up the girls and as they looked out the window, several antelope walked past the motel 200 feet from us. Now they were believers too.

But, enough about the lead up to event, let's get to the event. After meeting Gregg and Joe, we drove to the Durham Ranch, got sighted in, and started out the search for the perfect buck for Abi. Abi drew the first shot as she had never had the opportunity to harvest any big game animal and Taylor had shot her only Iowa whitetail at the age of 10. We drove the ranch, saw some animals, failed on a few stalks, and despite my frustration, Abi and Taylor had such a relentless positive attitude that we pressed on. Armed with that positive attitude and a Colt AR15 chambered in .223, we pressed on. The girls had practiced a lot, they were confident, and that bled over to us. How could we miss?

It got to be pretty late in the day when it all came together for Abi. A good buck came into view with several does and a small buck, and best yet, they were within range. Abi put a shout out there, but it was low. I forgot to range it one last time right before the shot. Apparently I was a little excited... But Abi kept her chin up and we pressed on. Five bucks strolled out of nowhere, and the stalk was on again. Fortunately for us, it was a short stalk and we were set up on the best of the bunch. The shot broke and it looked good, but the buck ran out of range and didn't go down. We bedded the buck, and decided to come back after him in the morning.

The next day found us back out after him and we were lucky to locate him again, but he looked awful healthy. A couple of shots were passed that were just too long, but we were able to catch up with him on a high flat and closed the distance to 151 yards. A perfect shot later, and the buck was down for good.

After a few pictures (maybe just short of 100) we headed off to locate a buck for Taylor. The looking didn't last long as we eyed a bunch of about 40 antelope on the hillside, but it was not to be. They were initially in range, but just wouldn't hold still long enough to get a comfortable shot. However, all was not lost, as we watched them trot off, I looked behind us and noticed 2 does and a nice buck running towards. They were about 1/2 mile away and we didn't think this would work out, but we just held still and prayed. It worked! The does got to 87 yards before they veered off while the buck made it to 143. As the does veered, so did the buck, but he made a fatal mistake, he stopped. That was all it took for Taylor and she sent the 62 grain bonded SP perfectly and the buck never took another step. Lots of high fives, hugs, more pictures, and the video evidence that a proud Dad can blubber. Wow! I can't wait to do this again!

Abi's on the left and Taylor is on the right. I'm a very lucky father. Oh, and there are two more just like these two coming soon, ages 7 and 11. More to come.

Congratulations!

Two nice bucks and two beautiful daughters. You sir are indeed blessed.

Wonderful! Congratulations to all!

Wonderful story and adventure. If there is a better species to hunt for new hunters, I am unaware of it. Don't have to be out in the dark, can be hunted mid-day and in a decent area a busted stalk does not wreck the day. Are you going to have to make some wall space back at home?

Craig

That is great!!!!!!!!!

Great story, great bucks, and dang, what a great father those girls have! Congratulations on the hunt, and keep up the good work!

Good story!
Enjoyed the time we were able to spend together.

PH,

Absolutely fantastic!! Congratulations to your girls, and to the proud Papa!

Thank you all. I am truly blessed and cannot wait until the next adventure. I told my wife, jokingly and yet somewhat seriously, that I was already planning next year's trip and she laughed, got suddenly serious, and said that she had final say before I got too crazy. Woohoo!

Bearbait, I am not needing to clear out wall space. The girls have asked to hang the european mounts in their rooms. They will hang next to the Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift posters. They are all girls for sure, but as Gregg said, "Huntresses."

Your girls might get a kick out of this image:

I hope the link works. It took me a bit to find it, but when you mentioned posters in the girls rooms, I thought of this add I saw in one of my gun mags. Huntresses with AR's ;^)

The add kinda creeps me out, but it is very "compelling"

Craig

I thought this was a "Handgun" hunt.... ?

It's OK, Buttermilk. It is my hunt and I call the shots, so to speak...figuratively anyway!

...

When I was booking this hunt and had little interest from you guys (HANDGUN HUNTERS---DO YA GET IT BUTTERMILK???

and Greg contacted me with his dream of having his teenage daughters hunt antelope, I said "OK; as long as it is legal and you want to enlist my services, then let's do it."

And guess what else: if you haven't gotten the drift of this hunting trip by reading the posts, hear this LOUD and CLEAR: I would not trade it for ANY of my other 26 "Handgun Hunts" there on the Durham.

Not saying the others weren't fantastic; I am just sayin' it the way it is.

Oh, and BTW, in case you did not read the rest of the story, Greg killed his antelope buck with his Encore handgun after his daughters were successful; what a great ending to a great trip.

Gregg Richter

OK I got a bit hot under the collar there but it seems that the subject of "handgun hunting" is always being scrutinized one way or the other.

Oh and BTW my son Joe also killed his buck on the hunt with a handgun. I was only guiding.

I'll bet anybody a hand full of bullets that those girls will be hunting with a handgun someday when dad gets them ready. Kudos to their dad for not rushing them into it.

Congrats to the daughters of python hunter! I think it's great that they each got an antelope!

I should have stated that in my first posting. In no way am I dissing any efforts of those two girls.

Gregg, I am a bit surprised at your response to me. I'm a handgun hunter and am not attacking/questioning handgun hunting.

I was simply surprised that there were rifles involved in a hunt advertised as a "Little Gun" hunt. Simple as that. Nothing more nothing less.

I also have no idea as to what kind of response you may or may not have gotten from this site or others for a handgun hunt. I seem to recall it was a very limited hunt with only a very few openings... I would have been interested but family needs, work schedule, among other things prevented me from inquiring about this particular hunt.

My statement in my first post wasn't meant to be inflammatory, just inquisitive.

I'm sorry that you took it that way.

Best regards to you, Gregg

Roger Carlton

Roger, thank you sir. No hard feelings. But let me explain a few things.

In reality, Roger, Python Hunter started the first post under his chosen title "Little Gun Invitational Handgun Hunt." Maybe at that time I should have set the record straight, but did not. Forgive me.

For real, the t-shirts say:



"Little Gun Invitational Antelope Hunt."

And from the beginning, when I started this 'new' hunt, that WAS the name of the hunt, as I am a business man and do not want to curb or limit my possibilities.

On the other hand, when I ran the hunt for Handgun Hunters International, it was (obviously) dubbed a "handgun hunt."

And By The Way: I PLAN to host the

"25th Anniversary Handgun Hunters International Antelope Hunt"

at the Durham Ranch; possibly as early as 2014 (next year.)

Everybody: Stay tuned if interested, or PM me.

Best,

Gregg Richter

congrats to you and your girls pythonhunter,and to the rest also

Hey I am pretty sure I saw a pistol grip on that AR. Congrats to the two young ladies for their first pronghorns.