Antelope or Fast Food you all are right on the money. They are fast. The other thing is they seem to run just for fun. I watched one run about two miles and met up with another group. He walked up and I think I heard them say... " Hey we haven't run for awhile. Why don't we run back to where you just came from". The group was off running back two miles to the place he had just come from. This was an observation that proved invaluable later on.

My hunt started 4:00 Saturday morning. The temperature was about 41 degrees and crystal clear. We had Breakfast and loaded up the trucks for area 67. This being my first Fast Food hunt I was all ears and loving the Wyoming landscape. We arrived about 6:00 and started rigging up and discussing any plans we were to try. The clock turned to 6:30 and we were off. I had never seen an Antelope in the wild so I wasn't sure what to look for. I got my answer at 6:36 when a Female Antelope ( I would say cow but there were cows moo moo all over the place ) ran off to our right side and disappeared before my eyes. WOW! We drove up another 3/4 mile and past an eagle that my guide said was a good sign. The truck crested a small hill and right out in front were 12 standing about 1/2 mile away . We stopped and myself and another first time hunter "J" got out to begin the stalk . We walked and walked down through gullies around mounds up the sides of hills then traversed them to get in position. I was amazed how long a 1/2 mile is in Wyoming. We approached the spot and I hung back as the guide showed the other green horn the way to glory. They got to the top and began to look at each other and look through the binoculars. I new then that the Antelope had done what the first had done and disappeared. There we stood and looked back for the trucks that were no longer in sight. Twenty minutes later we were back at it and spotted "another" group about 1/2 mile away. This time the green horns were going to use a plan . The guide would take J on stalk and I would circle down and around in case they broke . I watched as they crawled in about 70 yards away but couldn't see them. Then I noticed a cow off to the side watching them crawl. She let the others know that two guys were crawling to them and that they had better disappear again. They were off and the guys only saw 50 mile an hour heads blowing by them and POOF they were gone.
I think the guide must have been aggravated at this because the next stalk was going to suck. He said to J that there was a nice group ahead and would be a good stalk. He told me that there was another group off to the right and I should crawl up the slope so my face was hidden by a small patch of brush. They started off and I ( following directions ) crawled straight up the hill. OW! WTF! I was crawling through knifes blades ! What the hell is this stuff? I found out later that those are something to avoid. I approached the top of the hill and sure enough they were standing about 1000 yards away on another hill . I glassed them I was taken by their beauty. This group had thirteen cows a smaller buck and a Great looking black faced buck with nice horns. They never spotted me but had the other two guys all the way. I guessed they would brake down the hill and come right at me. HA! Fat chance of that. I watched as my buds were now about 3/4 mile away and heading for another hill. My group decided to Run down the ridge and across a basin and over another hill and POOF! We gathered again for a planning session.
We decided to move to another area as we had spooked these groups enough. We reached another area dictated by the Antelope and we were off on stalk again. This time the whole group all five of us took part. It was on this stalk I found just how tricky these "fast food" Antelope can be. Their eye sight is fantastic and they have a comfort zone of about 900 yards. They ran us all over the place and at about 11:45 we stopped for lunch. We sat around talking about what to do next and I spotted a group looking at us on a ridge from about 3/4 mile away. I suppose they were planning as well as us.
LUNCH IS DONE!!!

We had planned to drive around this group and come at them from the rear side of the ridge. We arrived at our spot and stopped the trucks a good mile away from the group. Four of us started off and one stayed behind at the vehicles to pick our sorry asses up after we completed the task at hand. We would split up after we made contact and it was decided that I stay to the far right and we would drop another off a 1/2 mile or so down to my left. The guide would take J to another long stalk to the basin. I was sitting around looking at Jack Rabbits and Coyotes when I decided to have a drink of water. I took my glove off and took a big sip when I saw the horn of a buck off to my right. I kneeled down and OW! WTF! I put my hand down to stop my descent and OW! WTF ! I had just been introduced to Prickly Pears. I sat for a moment after that pulling thorns out when I glassed to see what was going on. I saw J and the guide laying on their stomachs and J was aiming his 7mm short mag. I said to my self "finally one of us is going to shoot". I listened for the report but heard something odd. I hadn't seen a road near by but I definitely heard the sound of a highway. It got louder and louder and then I recognized the sound as wind. I watched J and he was still laying and aiming and then the wind hit me and was on its was to J. I watched and then I saw the smoke off his short mag and then the report. I glassed as they lay still and J still aiming as before. They stood and I watched for the high five and shake of the hand. The were not shaking hands or giving high fives. I waited for about 20 minutes for them to get to my position and the guide asked me if I'd like to give it a try. They had stopped out of my sight line and we could get their by a cut to get close for a shot. Off we went and as we rounded a mound We saw them and they saw us. We decided to walk as if we were on a hike to the next mound. It worked! That is until we vanished behind the mound and they were off POOF!
The time was now 2:00 P.M. and we gathered at the trucks once again. The guide suggested we try a spot they had hunted last year but said that the Antelope have been spotty. It was agreed to give it a shot and we loaded back into the trucks and were off. I noticed that we were not too far from the spot we had first stalked in the morning and I watched the familiar ground pass by. "Holly Shit!" The guide remarked and he floored his truck and shifted. I looked out to see "fast food" numbering about 14 running off to the left of the drivers side. I watched as he said "get ready you wont have allot of time". I grabbed four 145gr Remington 280 corelock and sat in wonderment. He made a sharp left turn and said "They have to be here" in a confused voice. " Are they on your side?". I said "no' and then He stopped and said "here they come"
The whole group toped the rise and stopped. He said the get out and get him. I asked for the range and he said "at least five hundred". I rested the Ruger and got comfortable with the shot but the shot was not there. The cows kept walking in front of him. Then it happened ... One of the ladies decided that she was going to run again and my hart sunk. The buck however would have no part of it and turned her back to the others. He then presented the perfect broad side shot. I put the cross hairs on the top of his back and I heard everyone say "SHOOT". I did and as I listened to the bullet travel down range I heard the report of a hit. My guide said "He's hit". "Put another one in him". I let another one ignite and again heard the bullet hit home. The buck was still standing in the spot I had first shot him. The guide said " Shoot again .. higher and to the left". I did and listened as the bullet missed but jacked another, corrected and shot. This one hit home but he still didn't move. I pulled another and last one from my pocket and loaded. This time I put it forward and let it go. The kick of Ugly Sue knocked my hat off into my eyes and I heard the guide say "That did it". I looked up and didn't see him? I asked "were is he?" They said he went down in his tracks. YIPPEE! I was no longer a virgin. It turns out that the shot was 520 yards and all for shots were kill shots. Why he didn't fall down is still a question but what a great day it was. I remarked that I thought this was the same buck as this morning but the group was minus the little buck that was hanging around. We loaded back into the trucks and started down the road when we saw a young buck standing broad side right in front of us. J got out and let that 7mm Short Mag go and at 385 yards he was not a virgin any longer. I do not have the mesurements or weight but will let you know. I beleave he was 127lbs and 15 inches but I'll have to verify this.

Please let me add that the People of Wyoming are the best I've ever met. I thank you all.

I will be posting pictures taken when I can figure out this new XP system .

The meat will be here today so
Back To The Stove
Turtle

Great story BB - can't wait to see the photos - KMule

Yeah...that was a good read.
Thanks
Jeff

I'll be leaving on Oct 2 for my fast food order. I'll be placing my order with a 257Wby and 115gr NBT.

Turtle -

Sounds like you had a grand time. Glad you connected with your goat.

Elkslayer

Elkslayer -

I had a great time . I would have been happy even if I had not connected but it was a very nice animal. I am still trying to upload a picture but I need to bring the size down as they keep blowing up with a message that says they are to big . I think I have cropped them enough but it takes forever at modem speeds .

I'll keep on the energizer bunny

Back To The Stove ( Antelope is pretty good )
Turtle

BB, when you are cooking the Antelpoe, try grilling the shoulders whole on the barbeque. I cook then that way with only salt and pepper on them. Have not had any copmplaints as of yet.
Great story, and yes they do go POOF don't they.

mike338 -
I am going to try cooking it that way this weekend . I will be in Pa for Archery Whitetail and the guys asked me to make up some eats for the evening.

And yes POOF!

Back To The Stove
Turtle

Hey Turtle! Congratulations on your lope! I hope we get to see some photographs.

Big wonderfull "windy" Wyoming. Best speedgoat hunting on the planet. Congrats BB.

[ 10-04-2003, 19:56: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

Good on ya!

Is there a limit on the size of pictures on hunt101?

PS;
Very good on the grill.

Back To The Stove
Turtle