I have been guiding free-range blackbuck antelope hunts for the past nine years.

It has also been 9 years since I took my last blackbuck buck so I figured I was due!

I left the house at 4:30 A.M. this morning and arrived at the bump gate right at first light. I pulled up next to the corral, put on my binoculars, and got my AR-15 and shooting sticks ready. It was 42 degrees and clear. In other words, perfect weather for hunting blackbuck.

I headed down the main road and spotted a group of blackbucks. There were three bucks and eight does. One of the bucks looked to be a shooter. I eased out of the truck and started my stalk. I got to within 200 yards and glassed them again. I decided to pass for now and see if I could get on a bigger buck.

I worked my way around to the south end of the ranch along the old railroad bed. I spotted another group of blackbucks containing one nice buck and his harem of six does. I slipped the truck off the two-track and eased out to begin my stalk. I was able to keep some cover between me and the blackbucks. I got to within 100 yards, which is rare. I got on my knees and eased around a bush. The buck was facing away from me. I was able to kneel down and get the AR on the shooting sticks. I waited for him to turn sideways and squeezed off a shot. He pronged straight up in the air about five feet, ran ten yards, and piled up.

I was using the #1395 Sierra 65 gr. SBT that I used on the javelina's a few weeks ago.

I took a few photos and headed over to a friend's new processing business to drop off the buck. My buddy was there dropping off the deer his hunters had shot that morning. He was guiding on a ranch not too far from the ones I guide the blackbuck hunts on.

It felt great to "be the hunter" for a change!!

Bob

My blackbuck.

Nice buck Bob. And with your Preditor Posse AR!

Handsome buck Bob, congrats. He looks to be a whopper, although I am not that knowledgeable about blackbucks, other than that I want to go after a free range one someday myself!

Thanks for the share.

Good job Bob. Very pretty animal.

Great job there Bobcat.
GWB

Bob-

That's absolutely awesome! Congrats on a terrific blackbuck.

But it's too bad neither you nor the blackbuck read the recent .223 thread here on AR. If you had, you'd have been enlightened and known that a wimpy .223 can't kill anything bigger or more tenacious than a field mouse. (You should post this in the small calibers forum just to get the blood pressure of a couple guys up )

Congrats again. He'll look good on your wall.

Awesome!!!
Congrats...
I head your way in March for a free range Blackbuck. Hope to connect on one as nice as that one.
W.

Nice animal.Good shot.I would like to do this someday!!!!!

Congrats Bob on a great trophy. I wanna do that someday. Not to highjack this thread, but I use my .223 on small to medium size plains game in Africa every year; Steenbok, Duiker, Grysbok, Bontebok, Impala etc.
GH,
David

Me too, where is mine?