Today's hunting

[ndking1126]

Opening day of antelope season was today. Me and my 2 hunting partners all filled our tags (2 does and 1 buck). This was my first antelope and first kill with a rifle (only had success with a bow and arrow before on whitetail).

Distance was 340 paces. Let me tell you it felt like 450 paces dragging her back! I'm pretty tall and my "range walk" steps are pretty darn close to a yard on average. I did fine on judging distance/elevation. Wind doping wasn't quite so hot, as I hit front of the shoulder, not behind. She went strait down even still. I'm new to the area and this type of hunting. I've never had to shoot far enough that wind was this big of a factor.

But it was a great experience! And perfectly timed because now I have a week off of work with nothing to do but spend time with my wife Best of luck to all you fellow hunters getting ready to hit the field in the next few weeks or months!

[Art Eatman]

Very good, sir! Congratulations!

[grubbylabs]

Con grats on the speed goat. I am down to hoping I do good with a rifle this year since I did not seal the deal with my bow. In fact I have been kinda bummed out lately since it has been a two year stretch since I filled an archery tag.

[bswiv]

How do you plan to use the meat?

I ask because a friend came back yesterday from Wy. with one. He goes every year, actually drives from Fl. and sleeps in his truck out on a ranch someplace.

Anyway he always arrives with the meat already ground and mixed with a little beef fat and spice. He says that if you don't do that it has such a strong taste of sage that he does not like it.

I've had the meat the way he brings it a number of times and it is very good, can't taste the sage.

So how will you process yours?

[hooligan1]

Congrats dude!! Hey ain't it cool to be able to spend time with the wife and just goof off a little, lucky dude!!

[taylorce1]

Congradulations! Are you hunting in CO? The reason I ask is that I haven't went out and filled my tag yet in GMU 120 and season opened yesterday as well here. I hope to get out on Thrusday or Friday to fill the tag, shouldn't take me more than one day.

[ndking1126]

bswiv, its funny you should mention that. One of the guys I was hunting with specifically mentioned having a few antelope that tasted like sage and how bad it was. He said none of the antelope he had shot in this area had ever tasted that way. So, I'm not really expecting to have that problem. He also said he uses a little apple cider in his marinades to get out any game-yness taste and also to tenderize it a little. Anybody ever tried that?

taylorce1, yeah I was lucky enough to end up on some privately owned land in 112. The guy had like 8,000 acres and then a 300 (or so) acre plot. The buck was shot on the little plot, I shot mine on the 8000 acres. You need to get out there before they all get spooked! You could tell right away which antelope had already been shot at and which ones hadn't. I was surprised at the difference in reactions. But even the spooked ones aren't any worse than whitetail, I thought.

[taylorce1]

I like to take a couple days off of work at the end of the season. Most of the goats are pushed hard the first two days of season. Pretty much all of the hunters have left the area by Monday evening and I give them a few days to calm down. By Thursday they are pretty calm again and plus then I have a lot more area I can hunt an look for that good goat.

[ndking1126]

The guy I hunted with said basically the exact same thing. If he doesn't shoot something opening day he'll come back on Wednesday and tries again. Definitely good advice I'll remember since 2 good hunters have told me. Thanks!

[kraigwy]

The biggest problem with antelope hunting is people over estimate the range because they are so small. Plus the grass is extra tall this year so it's hard to see the whole animal.

I just spent 4 days out, taking an old army buddy from Alaska 'lope hunting.

I got a kick out of some of those hunters I've seen out there: "That sucker was X yards out there, a heck of a shot". I'd step if off measuring the distance with both a range finder and a GPS, sometimes they were up to 200 yards off.

That's true about "chased and running" prairie goats, but you get away from that getting away from the roads. People don't seem to want to hike across the prairie after them. Horses are best. One of our local ranchers has a poop pot full of them and you can see the goats grazing among the herd. You can ride right up to them.

Got to watch that grass though. I was crawling through the grass to range some 'lopes for my buddy, then walking back to the truck I kicked up a 3 ft rattler. Could have just as easy been where I was crawling.

Main thing about antelope, get away from the roads, watch your range estimation, (remember those suckers are small), watch for snakes, and learn to shoot sitting and kneeling, prone sucks when you can't see over the grass.

A given about hunting antelope, when you set or knell, you're gonna set or kneel in cactus.

[HiBC]

Congratulations!
Sage is the primary browse for antelope.It is what they eat.There liver is adapted to breaking down the alkloids present in sage.
And,in my youth,not knowing any better,I let a pronghorn hang with the hide on.It might be described in any number of uncomplimentary ways,from "gamy" to perhaps "tasting lie sage".I think if you pull off a little sage and chew it,you will find it does not taste like poor antelope.
I have fed pronghorn to unsuspecting folks and they could not identify it as wild meat.I don't buy veal,but I suspect it is close.
1)Kill it clean 2)Dress it immediately,but don't rush the gut job.Be careful.Really try to keep the hair off the meat.I use little wire ties to tie off the bladder and colon.Do identify and surgically remove the bladder.The alternative is meat marinated in antelope urine.Tastes like sage.Get the hide off,and get the meat cold the same day you shoot it.Of course,trim bullet damage away.Do not forget to remove the windpipe.

I advocate boning and processing yourself.They are easy to handle.No bandsaw,please!the bone paste is bad.I make the backstraps into chops.I personally like to slice the hindquarters into very thin round "steaks" then drycure them in Morton tender quick.Next,they are cool smoked till leathery,and finished to jerky in the dehydrator.Sirloin,etc,becomes steaks.Everything else is cut up stew meat size.All in the world you need to do with it is season it,shake it in flour and brown ir in butter in a cast iron skillet.Leave it a little pink.Try that with some trim.Later,try it with tenderloin medallions,Last time I stir fried some portobella slices with some snap peas and onions and a splash of port,plated that beside,and a few spinach ravioli with a bit of alfredo.It was a good dinner.
The liver and some bacon and onions and mashed potatoes is a pretty good camp victory dinner.
kraigwy,I shingled burlap about 4 layrs thick in the knee.shin area and elbow/forearm area of my antelope carharts.You know those cheap grey gauntlet work gloives with leather palms,? I cut the trigger,thumb,and middle fingers off..Makes the cactus a lot easier to deal with.
For the snakes,they are kind of bony,but taste like chicken.

[taylorce1]

Killed my little buck today, got a 300 yard full frontal shot. Not much to brag about and I didn't even take a picture because it was so hot today I just wanted to take care of the meat. Probably the most satisfying kill I've ever had, I took this pronghorn with a rifle I put together myself.

I was very happy with my rifles performance but 300 yards is about its maximum limit for effectiveness on game larger than varmints. The cartridge is 6x47 which was based on a .222 Rem Mag case and launches a 70 grain bullets at 3066 fps. I built the rifle on a Savage Stevens 200 SA .223 rifle, and it has been an extremely fun and satisfying project.

[HiBC]

Now,ain't that fun?!!Good for you!!!

[hooligan1]

Congrats Taylor! There's no end to your gun collection! (showoff)