Guys, I am excited! I have been drawn for an antelope hunt in the panhandle of Oklahoma for Sept. 4-7. There was only 20 openings and I got one of them. This is a once in a lifetime hunt, once you get drawn, whether you go or not even if you don't get one, you can never put in for this hunt again. Now the planning starts.

Congratulations and good luck!!!!

Congratulations ! I drew in 2009 for the area around Guymon. It was for a doe. My neighbor drew last year for the Boise City area. I found a land owner that let him hunt and we stayed in one of their rent houses. He had a doe tag and on the second day I found a group with 8 does. He took a nice horned doe at 275 yds with his rifle. He had it mounted.
You will enjoy the hunt.
Three of my hunting buddies drew McAlester Ammunition Depot for Traditional archery and my neighbor drew a Bull elk tag for Wichita Mountains in Dec. I hope he draws the same unit I hunted. I might be able to put him on some elk. I shot one there in 2010 after putting in for 31 years. I took a nice 5x5 bull in a crazy canyon and had to carry him out in pieces.
Good luck with the hunt. Which county did you draw?

Mike

Thanks. This hunt is on my bucket list. I got drawn for a buck around the Boise City area. My brother got drawn for the same hunt about 6 or 7 years ago. He gave me the contact info where he hunted and I called them last night, but haven't decided on anything.
I hunted in McAlester with a guy I work with in 2010. He was drawn for an early hunt there this year. You're right, you will see some great bucks, getting one is another story.

Which county did you draw? If Cimmaron there is a guy in Keyes Oklahoma with thousands of acres I may be able to hook you up with. I was successful on his land a few years ago.

Don't you have the whole county, not just around Boise City?

It's for Cimmaron Country. I'll have to find a place to hunt.

PM sent

I went this past weekend to talk to a landowner and do some scouting. Thanks to Hank for the information. While I was there I shot some prairie dogs with my 14 inch TC Contender 22 long rifle. I have two pictures on the bragging board.

Ok guys, I'm probably going to end up using my 26 inch 25-06 Encore but am going to take my handgun in case one gets close enough. Which one should I take? All of these are 15 inch barrels using Nosler Ballistic Tips, 100 grain 25-06, 140 grain 7mm-08, or 125 grain 308?

If both 25-06 shoot the same load that simplifies the choice of ammo, if not take the one you shoot the best as all should work very well. The 7-08 140 may buck the wind better?

Take the 7-08. I took a buck in Wyoming in 2008 with my 7-08 using 140grn Ballistic tips at 240 yds. No wind adjustment and held dead on with a 200 yd zero.
Drop him right there. Have you decided where you are hunting. We hunted on the Strong Ranch, about 10 mile north of Boise city and then back to the west 2 miles across the rr tracks near a mesa.
I'm working up there right now and will be back west of Guymon on Friday. Last week a saw a few west about 3 miles and then back north at a huge equipment barn.
Good luck.

Mike

Hank gave me the name of a guy. He has land spread out from east of Boise City and into Texas County.
Both the 15 inch and 26 inch 25-06 barrels use the same load. I too was thinking the 140 grain 7mm-08 may buck the wind better.

I've been on two panhandle hunts (one was a landowner tag). Both were taken using my T/C Encore handgun (280 Ackley and 30-280 Ackley).

My first was @ 165 yds and second was at 287 yards.

If you really want to take one with your handgun, leave the rifle at home. It's very doable.

My first was taken within about 1/2 hour after first light opening day. Second was mid morning of opening day.

It's a four day hunt, so you have plenty of time.

Take one with your handgun. You'll be glad you did.

I was shooting my 15 inch 25-06 thursday and one of the locking lugs broke. Friday I called TC and Ed's Contenders and both said they would send some. Saturday I received Ed's and monday from TC. Had a friend help me put them in yesterday. If you have ever changed these out you know why I needed help.

I downloaded the instructions and ordered some trigger springs from Mike Bellm. I'm no gunsmith but his instructions made it easy. Now I have less trigger pull, zero creep, and a better understanding of the internal workings of my Encore.

Well guys, I got my antelope! He measured 13 1/4 inches on one side and 12 inches on the other. The 12 inch side had the tip broken off. Thanks again to Hank for the info. I ended up using my 26 inch 25-06. The first day the wind was blowing 30+ mph and it rained all day the second. The people around there said they had never seen that much rain. I killed him on the second evening while the rain had slowed down a little. This will probably be the only antelope hunt I will ever get to do. Thanks to everyone that helped and gave much needed information.

Congrats! We need to see the evidence.

Congratulations on your 'goat'.

Thanks guys. KRal, I started to upload a pic but didn't since it wasn't shot with a handgun.

Roger. Post it in "Off Topic".

I tried to upload the picture, but it keeps coming up sideways.