Well, we just got back from NM, where I hunted for the second year in a row for Antelope. Me and my partner both scored on a nice buck. There had been an incredible amount of rain the past year, and the country was a whole different color than usual, GREEN everywhere, really cool.

The bucks had really great mass, and although I don't know if this is accurate or not, our outfitter told us that when they have so much food, (due to the great rainfall) they carry excellent mass, but less length typically. That sure seemed to be the case, as the average bucks horn length was less than the ranch average for the past 3 years, but the average scores were actually higher. As usual the hunts were very exciting, and we had some great stalks and failures, as well as successes.

Both me and my hunting partner shot our goats with .270 Win. with 130 grain pills, me the CT ballistic tip, and him the Hornady custom ammo with 130 SST's. Mine wouldn't have mattered what ammo I used much, I missed him at about 200 yards in the high wind & high grass mucking up my sight picture, but then shot him offhand as he ran closer to us, and I hit him it the head! Quick kill!

My partner shot his at 289 per the laser, after missing his offhand at 35 yards! The buck ran across the canyon, stopped on the other side, and he had had enough time to get set up really well on the bi-pods.

I'm theorizing about a better alternative to the bi-pods in terms of flexibility, when my buck ran nearer, I couldn't make a quick adjustment to aim LOWER, which was what was needed, thus the need to shoot offhand--albeit with the bi-pods still on my rig. When a stalk works out great, it sure is an advantage over the sticks to have the bi-pods, but the setup doesn't allow as much flexibility if you're pressed for time, which obviously happens all the time.

Here's mine, only 14 1/2" long, but awesome mass, green scored at 79 1/2", Whopper cutters!



My partners' is a little under 14", but very symetrical, and good mass too, green scored at 73.



We'll be going back next year!

fantastic goats! makes me want to finish building my goat rifle that much quicker...

Great Pronghorns!!

Those are extreme hooks on the main beams - you could land a catfish with those.

Good looking goats. Which part of N.M. were you hunting?

Don, that is a heckofa goat! Weidmannsheil!
- mike

Hey guys, thanks. We were hunting in an area near Moriarty, which is a small town about an hour east of Albuquerque. The rancher whose property we hunt on has 71,000 acres!

I met an old acquaintance on the flight out to NM, and they hunted about 3 hours south of Albuquerque, near white sands missle range. their hunt was a little pricey ($7500) but he shot a goat that scored 92, and his son shot one that scored 85&7/8----(B&C min is 82),
so there are sure some great goats in NM.

Riodot, have you gone on your antelope hunt yet? Good luck when you do.

Mike, Rod Rogers is supposed to send my first Sauer 202 restocked in another week, he said the tolerances were so tight on that rifle, that we shouldn't Cerrakote it as it could cause some binding! I like knowing a rifle is that tight--just wish they didn't have the challenge in getting new barrels. (just thought you'd find that interesting).

Fantastic goats...congrats!!!

I know what you mean about the sticks and the bipod

Fish
Nice job those are great Antelopes, hope you enjoyed the trip as well as the hunt. Score is only a number the hunt will live on in your stories longer than you'll remember a score.

I've only used a bipod for hunting one time and it worked pretty good on that Antelope hunt but I wouldn't use them or sticks for anything else. I can't get used to them they don't seem to accomodate ever changing shooting conditions like you described so I don't like them. My standby is to shoot nearly everything from the seated position using my sling around my left arm and lock myself up with a combination of knee and forearm pressure. For me this is rock solid and I've shot game to 400 yards this way. The trick is to practice as many shooting positions as you can envision ever using. The shooting from the seated position, prone using a backpack as a rest, kneeling and leaning against a tree or rock etc.
I've watched people "fiddle" around with sticks and bipods trying to "setup" and the game just walks away, then they end up trying to take a fleeing shot and bugger the whole mess up, not for me.

Don, I actually saw and handled your (unfinished) Sauer just the other week. Looked like a nice piece of wood. Gene said he had shipped it to you for verification of shape and size.

I happen to agree about the Cerrakote (sp?) issue. At least, you would have had to lap in the bolt/lugs after the coating. In contrast to blueing, Cerrakote takes up quite a bit of room. I think Rod was worried about was what other parts might be too tight after coating. It would start at the bolt, go over the magazine and end who knows where. I would personally not worry about blueing as rust prevention, it still works really well.

About the "challenge in getting new barrels", are you referring to difficulty in obtaining new Sauer factory barrels?? Or the fact that you can't use custom barrels??

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:

Riodot, have you gone on your antelope hunt yet? Good luck when you do.

Yes, Thanks for asking and givin' me a chance to post the picture again.

Arizona Pronghorn taken on Anderson mesa SE of Flagstaff.



Green scored 79 SCI and 77 B&C.
Sorry

Snellstrom, you are right on the changing conditions in the field. I need to practice sitting as you described, sitting with the bi-pods is what was needed to have a shot over the tall grasses this year. The problem is when you need to shoot very much lower than that it would require an adjustment of the legs, maybe if I had started with them a little lower that wouldn't have been necessary as it always seems easier to aim a little higher.....I need to get more proficient at field expedient positions, and versed in shooting with a sling as you described also.

Mike, yes I did check out my Sauer and sent it back for a few final tweaks, I'm looking forward to it being finished, and shooting her soon. My barrel issue is both of your points, very difficult to get, and no custom options!

Riodot--great goat!!!