10 months ago I put together a "budget" hunt and it was to be my first trip out of state hunting and my first trip out west. The first thing I learned about budget hunts is, you'll probably blow the budget unless you have everything you need and you buy a lot of stuff you won't need.
Tim, Kevin and I set out from Michigan on a 20 something hour drive to Wyoming to chase Antelope we had public land to hunt and one ranch to try. When doing a 20 hour drive you learn everything gets more funny the farther into the trip you get, and South Dakota has to be the LONGEST state to drive through!! But we made it with no issues and soon found ourselves on a ranch with quite the "colorful" rancher. Kevin managed to put down a great Antelope on the first day and we saw more animals than we thought was possible.
Antelope seem almost out of place like something that belong in Africa, but you soon get use to them and stop slamming on the brakes every 20 yards with binos and cameras hanging out the truck windows. I can't say the same for Mulie bucks though, I'd gladly get yelled at for holding up traffic to glass them. :D
I learned quite a bit about wind and arrow flight, as I missed one antelope buck due to a 30-40mph "breeze". I also had one hit that was terrible due to the antelope either catching me moving or just jumping the string it seemed to me they are much more skittish in the wind then a whitetail or mulie. I watched as I wounded a nice buck, which after looking for a full day went unrecovered. (Much thanks to Tim and Kevin, who hiked their butts off helping me look) I spent some time in camp shooting and getting in tune with the wind.
The next day I managed to get a clean 17 yard shot at a nice Antelope as he came through a gate. Quartering away my 51# Selway Lil Magnum pushed a CE150 with a Abowyer "bonehead" through him entering behind the ribs taking out his liver and everything in it's path, upon exit it sliced the front leg bone almost in half! My buck expired in a few second and 58 yards from the spot I shot him.
I was a little nervous shooting a single bevel broadhead and not getting a decent blood trail but my fear was put at ease with the path I had!
I spend a few days hiking public land, found a nice mulie shed (a prize to me!) almost had a shot at a mulie doe, and throughly enjoyed learning to spot and stalk in areas with almost no cover.
I can't thank my buds enough for putting up with me that long, and those that helped and gave advice!
Wyoming is a beautiful state, and I think those Mulies got in my blood and I'll be back!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Drewsifer/DrewsAntelope.jpg)
KME sharpened Abowyer Bonehead did the job!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Drewsifer/Sept2009Wyoming016.jpg)
Wandering in the Bighorns, at least at the elevations my lungs and legs could handle. :eek:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Drewsifer/Sept2009150.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/Drewsifer/Sept2009171.jpg)
That's awesome! Congrats and nice pictures.
Man what a riot it was spending time with great friends hunting out of state. Like Drew this was my first out of state and hunt my first time west of Chicago. It is like a whole nother world out there and one that I will be back to visit as soon as I can.
I was the only one of the 3 of us that came home empty handed. But the company and the experience more than made up for that. I took more pictures while out there then I ever thought possible. My first night in the blind when I had a animal working my way I reached for the camera instead of the bow. I learned the hard way that an antelope at 60 yards can hear the shutter on my camera!! But I would not have changed a thing.
I will try and make work of getting some of my pictures loaded and posted here. Thanks again Drew and Kevin for the awesome company for the week. I dont think I could have had better guys to spend the week with. I am looking forward to deer camp in a little more than a week. Also thanks to Pat Estes for the help with the area and everybody else I bounced questions off of for the last few months.
Fantastic. I'm trying to set up my first western hunt (probably to Wyoming) for 2010 and I really appreciate these threads and your thoughts.
awesome stuff man.
Good stuff!!! I love huntin those dudes!!!!
Great stuff guys, looking forward to the pics. Would've been sweeter to hear that you scored Tim :banghead:
You'll have a couple of months to get it done on a whitetail....
Ah you know how it goes Dave. Just couldnt get in the right spot at the right time!!
Sweet pics Drew,, Nice buck too.. Congrats buddy,,JB
JB- yup Tim is a good photographer he had to almost eat alfalfa to get the hero pic!
ganggreen, get some great optics you'll need them!
Anything for you Drew!! :thumbsup:
Great picture...Congratulations that's a great buck!
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/timf24/Wyoming_2009-312.jpg)
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/timf24/P9241517.jpg)
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Beautiful pics! Congratulations on the buck Drew - antelope are hands down the most beautiful animals in North America!
Sounds like you fellows had a heck of a great trip :thumbsup:
Hey Drew and Tim,
A lot of those pictures look pretty familiar! Glad you guys had a good time. Come back and spend some more of that Michigan money in Wyoming!
Wow...awesome pictures and stories. I'm trying to line up some hunt ideas for next year. Was planning antelope again for 2011 cause I hope to have a special bow by then but now your wetting my appetite.
Pat, thanks again for all of your help with the area. Sorry we didnt get to spend more time with you while we were out there. I will be back out there hopefully sooner than later. Take care and go get that elk!! :thumbsup:
WOW Fantastic guys...
Those are fantastic photos and sounds like a great hunt.. Next year I'll be thumbing along in MN, Pick me up...
Sounds like you three amigos had a ball...
:wavey:
Thats all good!
Mike
Great pics guys!
Congrats Drew!
Tim,
Fill me in with a few details about your camera.... I am looking at getting a Nikon D90.
I have a couple of older Nikkor AF lenses, and want to get a better camera than the sony I currently have. Pretty much have the wife on board, just need to convince her to let me dip into the savings a bit to make it happen. It should be everything I want and then some.....
Wonderful photographs, there, and well-done on the antelope!
Dave, Kevin has a D90 and it is an awesome camera. I am shooting an Olympus E-510 and am looking at upgrading to the E-3 or new E-30. The D90 is a fantastic camera and takes awesome pictures. I played with Kevin's quite a bit and the HD movie mode is awesome. But I have always been partial to Olympus cameras so that is what I seem to stick with.
Thanks for the info. I'll get ahold of Kevin when I have ????'s.... I'm thinking I'll be making the purchase from B&H in a couple of weeks.
Great goat! Congrats to you fellas!
Awesome!!!!
Alright boys, I'll be adding my stories and pics a little later tonight :D
Still trying to get caught back up with family and work... and the family decided to give me a nice cold for a welcome back present, LOL!
Best trip I have ever had by far! :thumbsup:
It's about time you showed your face around here!! Get to posting some pictures before I do!! :bigsmyl:
same cold here bro maybe we're allergic to SD?...man up Clam and show us the BIG goat!
great guys keep it up!!
Awesome guys! We love hunting Wyoming, it spoils you for hunting back here in Michigan.
OK, sorry for the delay! What an awesome hunt. Tim and Drew are 2 great guys to share a camp with... Tim can even sleep through my snoring, I can't say the same for Drew though, LOL!!! Sorry bud :D
This was my first hunting trip outside of Michigan. I have been out West in the mountains a few other times fishing though, so I new the beauty that was about to unfold. I never expected the amount of game that we saw though!! I was even able to take a nice Antelope Buck and a whitetail doe :thumbsup:
Anyways here are some pics:
Tim at his Cheesey best in the camper!
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/1wyoming.jpg)
Drew trying to figure out where he is... where he's been... or where he is going...
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/2wyoming.jpg)
A very welcome sign after an eternity driving through South Dakota
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/3wyoming.jpg)
Bout time you got to this Clam!! :bigsmyl:
The antelope were plentiful in Wyoming
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/4wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/5wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/6wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/7bwyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/7cwyoming.jpg)
There were some nice whitetails around too :)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/8wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/9wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/10wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/10zwyoming.jpg)
This is the setup that I shot my buck out of (Drew used the same setup 2 nights later to take his buck... still waiting on my guiding fees, LOL!)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/11wyoming.jpg)
Here is my buck, they are an absolutely beautiful animal! Jason Bobb (whitebuffalo) has him now and is going to turn him into a work of art for my Family Room!
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/12wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/13wyoming.jpg)
Spent one day checking out the scenery and doing a little fishing. Here I am adoring the beauty of the Big Horns... OK, this is Tim taking a pic of me relieving my self :D
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/14wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/15wyoming.jpg)
(http://www.pixofnature.com/photos/wyoming/16wyoming.jpg)
I could not have asked for a better time!! I will definately be making the pilgramage out west an annual affair with the bow now!
Thanks again for putting up with me guys!
Anytime brother and congrats again on the beautiful animal!! :thumbsup:
Thanks Mother Quail :D
Next time let me finish posting before butting in, LOL!!
I don't know what people think that say Antelope tastes aweful... I have had it a couple times now and it is FANTASTIC! I'll get you some steaks when I get your cooler back to ya!
Sounds good man!! :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by luv2bowhunt:
(Drew used the same setup 2 nights later to take his buck... still waiting on my guiding fees, LOL!)
Dude, I sent Pops Waite a check for the "extra" holes in the mesh, and YOUR case of FAT TIRE is boarding a plane tomorrow, but I can't be responsible for what happens to it while it's in my garage fridge! :D
Damn sweet pics bro "You did good Clam, but dem fancy blue shoes gotta go" :biglaugh:
Post them up boys "B&G!!!"
:scared:
I forgot to tell ya, I am getting you a pair of those for Christmas :biglaugh:
You can't go walking around Buffalo without the Blueshoes and glass cutter nips, LMAO!!!
:bigsmyl: :thumbsup:
QuoteI forgot to tell ya, I am getting you a pair of those for Christmas
I'll wear them with pride bro, unless it's to the sports bar in Buffalo, then it's full on turkey gear. :D
Look at the turkey hunters!! GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!! :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Sounds fun, and looks beautiful! Congratulations, love the pics!
just got done reading it
awesome congrats on a great trip
nice photo's too
:notworthy: :clapper:
Thanks Andy!! My pics dont hold a candle to some that I have seen come from your way though!! :thumbsup:
Alright, enough drooling over the pics from MY new camera.... I'll be headed up to Leota on Saturday after my sons football game to make the purchase from Kevin..... :thumbsup:
I PM'd Jason to see if he'll have a tree picked out for me to hunt that night. I'll throw the hunting stuff and my lone wolf system in the truck if he says he has a spot for me. I'll let you guys know when I hear back from him.....
Awesome Dave!! I am looking forward to finally getting to meet you!! :thumbsup: