In planning our western travels this year, Tigger and I got to brainstorming about what we'll face for shooting obstacles when chasing antelope in eastern WY.

Beng easterners, we spend most of the time shooting deer/critters from a standing position and resting from whatever is available...trees, rocks, or resting on nothing. There is very little opportunity to shoot prone or any kind of modified prone position...just too much low laying cover.

So, while it is well below zero outside, we are trying learn what type of shooting obstabcles we will be facing and trying to figure out some practical field shooting positions.

I know we have a substantial WY presence on the board. So, let yourself be known! Any input?

For starters, Cactus and rocks can be a problem when laying prone or trying to crawl, thus some knee pads and heavy gloves for protection/cushion are nice to have around.

CACTUS~CACTUS~CACTUS!!

You will learn to always look for cactus. Knee pads and leather gloves are great. However, last year while handgun hunting with a bunch of guys I took a cactus to the nuts and it is not a pleasurable thing......

What!! Nut attacking Cactus!! Tigger...did you read that?!?!That was not in the travel brochure!!!

That would be wonderful...a mule ruined my elk trip...a cactus to the nuts is all I would need for the wifey to end my western trips.

Shawn,
With that experience in mind

, how to you intend to guard/protect yourself?

be lucky it wasn't chain cholla or teddy bear cholla, I believe you have a form of pickley pear up there in Wyoming. Pickleys are straight , cholla's have hooks. Sometimes the pliers don't work

Makes me wonder what you boys from NY do with your cacti.

An adult diaper??

for the dog's feet hunting quail we use rubber booties Hell of a confinement

Owwie! Hurts just thinkn about it.

Hi Dan,

Well, you don't need anything special in the way of guns...I've taken about 15 or so antelope now with everything from a 10" 6.5TCU, 30 Herrett, a M/L rifle and my Contender in 30 Bower AK. Yes the cactus are a B*TC*! I use the plastic capped knee protectors like you'd use for laying tile, elbow pads and gloves to crawl into position....any believe me you WILL be crawling! I have used Stony Point Shooting Stix's the last couple of trips. Because they are jointed you can shorten them to assist with prone shots or just shoot over your backpack. A good spotting scope and binoculars are a must. I like the new Prairie Ghost Camo in the sage pattern.

Bill in Bend

I believe there is tin pants,cordura, or kevlar similiar to the snake boots material should work okay. Just in case Iron Maiden underwear should work if you can find a blacksmith to make you a pair DON'T loose the key!! Or be careful where you sit in high grass. I have felt your pain 7STDUBBERU it isn't pleasant.

Ok, here is the story.......

I was hunting with Miceli and he was the shooter and I was running the camera. We had located a real nice buck and stalked to within around 400 yards. We had taken a prone postiton on a small hill and he was waiting for the goat to offer a shot. As we layed there I was going over the shot senario in my head then relized that I was in the direct blast zone of his muzzle brake. So, I grabbed the tri-pod and flopped myself to the right to "get some space". Yup you guessed it, flopped right on the cactus. Instant undeniable pain. But I just held my ground until Doug got his shot. When I got up my groin looked like a pissed off procupine. Got them all out except for 3, wich I had to use the pliers on when we got back to camp. But Doug got his goat...
Over 400 yards with his 7 SAUM Custom XP.

I call that sacrifice.
Now would you do it again for Doug?

Here is Dougs 'lope. Hurts everytime I look at that picture...

The real question Ernie, is would Doug do it for me!!??

I'm not sure Tig and Dan will need any protective gear down there. If they're anything like me after reading this story, my "boys" have retreated back up into my abdomen!

Good question

Wow...ain't that the truth!

Man… I have been worried about snakes and wild pigs… never thought about the prickles.

Dan… I have a friend that makes "chain male" dice bags. If you want a pair for your boys let me know and I will give you his number.

Duane

Hey Dan - you shouldn't worry about the cactus I heard you were used to knee pads.

....DANG....

Along with the prickly pear, and rocks............you might have to watch out for the rattlesnakes that are migrating back to there denning area at that time of year.

BTW a sports cup might be in order along with the gloves, knee and elbow pads!!!!

ouch!

Well Shawn, I am sure you and I know the rest of us, are waiting for Doug to respond

Yeah, I aint signing up for that!!!

I've got some kevlar chaps for running chain saw. That might work.

I smell… I smell… I smell chicken! Anyone else.

Catus thorn in the ball wood hurt and not very good for Hunlee!!!Hunlee wish youin best of luck an keep watch for them rattler snake as they be worst over the catus thorn if they was to bite in the ball!!!!!If wood be very hard for someone to suck the poison from a bite like that in the ball,,,,not a job for Hunlee!!!!!!!!

hunlee

Sweett!!...well maybe not all that sweet.

Dan when i hunt the prairie i'm usually walking miles in it. I always hydrate myself at the truck, and then i take a small bottle of water i can fit into my BDU-style leg pocket, and a couple energy bars. I can go for a half a day like that and still feel comfortable enuf for hunting.

I always wear knee pads, but they're around my ankles until i need them, then just push'em up. TAKE A PAIR OF TWEEZERS WITH U, cause u will be pulling cactus out of u, mostly those tiny 1's u can't really see--they're a nuisance.

For many years we would just use the std. slings, but the handguns would always be dangling around, sometimes hitting the ground, so i devised a system for my slings that works great for crawl stalking. Just take a std. sling that has some 1" webbing, cut it, and install an additional snap-buckle in it just like a backpack waist buckle. It adjusts quickly, can be tightened around your back/belly, and unsnapped when u get into shooting position without using excessive movement by contorting to get it off. Also allows for over the opposite shoulder carry. Use a tall Harris bipod as it will usually get u over the prairie grass u'll be shooting in from prone.

Better check the eye relief on the 3-12x Burris to be sure u can shoot prone with it if on a center grip @ 12x. The eye relief is too long for me and most everyone else i know, and i've missed opportunities before because i didn't have the right mount on it.

Gee sounds like we're getting ready a Rocky Mountain Oyster Fest!! In all honesty have you thought of using the chaps for the legs and heavy leather shorts(lederhosen) for groin area. If you got some elk hide should be able to have the kevlar lined front set of chaps and a double skin pair of leather shorts problem solved, also works great for horse riding and motorcycling for those crispy fall/winter rides 0 degrees at 70+ MPH

well my plains hunting isn't quite that exciting although rattlers and fire ant nests can make things exciting if you happen to crawl into ones space.

I have a quilt out of a moving van I use. I also like milk crates they work great as a small table with bags and you can store stuff like sand bags in them.