Steve O's goat in TBM

[steadman]

Steve great antelope in the new TBM harvests. Now where's the story? Way to go!  

[tradtusker]

not seen it yet, but lets have the pics and story up here common Steve    
and Congrats

[Guru]

[Over&Under]

Way to go Steve!!!!!  

[Steve O]

Well, since you asked...  


This is the first guided hunt I've been on in over 5 years.  Seems the older I get, the more I like to do things on my own.  One of the guys at my archery club has been going to this place in Wyoming for about 10 years.  I figured that was a good enough reference.  It sounded like a good hunt for a very fair price, so I joined the group...


This is the photo in TBM:





And here is another view:




It was the very first animal I took with my new Ebony Silvertip:





I just had him scored for P&Y and he was 72 6/8 net.  I mention that because I always like to guess scores when I am looking at animals.  Not because I am a "trophy hunter" but because it is a nice reference system.

I'll get together a few more pictures...

[Java Man]

Way to go Steve.  

[Bjorn]

Very nice! Congrats!!

[vermonster13]

[Hot Hap]

Very nice!! Hap

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

great goat superb looking bow

care to share the name of the outfitter?

[Toklat1]

Very Nice. Congratulations are in order.

[pronghorn23]

Beautiful!

[Steve O]

The name of the outfitter is Sage Creek Outfitters in Glenrock, Wy.  They did raise their prices for this coming year, but I think they are right in line for a quality hunt.  Of the 5 of us, we all had a chance at a 70"+ antelope.

EXCELLENT Outfit!  Great food, clean living quarters, and Rob and Pete KNOW antelope.

Like I said, I haven't been on a guided hunt in a while...I guess I don't like people telling me what to do anymore         But really, the guiding for this hunt is in the preparation; the guides just drop you off at the blinds.

So, I have these great friends...they drive 20 hours out to Wyoming with my gear in the truck and THEN pick me up at the airport in Casper at 11 pm the same night so I can save a couple vacation days.  We need to be up for hunting at 5am!

We drive RIGHT UP to the "treestand" and this is what I see:

 


Not really what I was expecting to see and a wave of panic sets over me as I get into the blind and stew!  What did I get myself into      


But, with age comes a little wisdom I guess because after about 10 minutes I realized these guys did this for a living and this must be how it is done!  Once I got my attitude adjusted, things went just fine.  I saw at least 20 mule deer and dozens of antelope that first day including a few nice buck goats.  


Look at these cuties:

 

[bowhunterfrompast]

Congrats  

[tradtusker]

very nice Steve very nice!
congrats again on a fine animal and the bow is a beauty!

keep it coming        

[mmgrode]

Congrats on an awesome antelope.  Keep the story coming!

[Ron Foley]

Nice goat way to go. congratulations

[pacopperhead]

cool.............congrads

[Steve O]

So, after we filled our buck tags, the outfitter let us go after a doe.  The next morning I was dropped off at a Double Bull on a waterhole.

I heard some rustling behind me...six sheep.

Next thing you know, they are everywhere!




I can see antelope all over, but they won't come into the water with all the sheep there.  Finally it was just too much for one of the does.  She came in at a quick pace and I had a split second to shoot thru one of the portals in the blind...perfect.  She looked around, took 5 or six steps back in the direction she came from and tipped over!




The outfitter had given us radios to use when we needed something.  I gave a call to let them know I got one, but he was already driving to me.  He was watching from a couple miles away thru his spotting scope.  All of us in the group were shooting stickbows and they were pretty happy with us and our shooting    

I have to say, to me, there is no animal I can think of where there is such a dramatic difference in the appearance of the male and female.  A buck pronghorn is sleek yet plump; their black cheek patch and horns are a beautiful contrast to their rust and white bodies and flaring white rump.  They just about shine out on the prairie.  They are beautiful.  The does are just about the homeliest things I have ever seen.  They are all drab and look so thin.  Those fawns must take a lot out of them!

[Whip]

It's about time you got around to telling this tale Steve!  Guess you just needed a little push!
Congratulations - Great shooting!     And like usual, beautiful pics!  You took your time to put them together and the effort shows.