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Big Prarie Goats II
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Here is another try with photos

Antelope Hunt 2004

Here are two bucks both taken with Bucks and Bulls Guides and Outfitters this year. We hunted in August and had a great time as well as harvesting great bucks. Both bucks were taken with D�Arcy Echols Long Range Legend Rifles. Both rifles were chambered for 300 Weatherby Mag shooting 200 grain bullets at 3000 fps. My rifle has a Leupold 4.5 x 14 scope with stadia wires and Bob�s has a Lecia.

I have worked as a guide with D�Arcy for last ten years on a ranch in Utah. I swore that I would never own a rifle that heavy and that cost that much. After thirteen years of trying to find the perfect hunting rifle and buying six custom rifles and not being completely satisfied, I finally gave in and ordered a rifle from D�Arcy. I have read and researched this issue for a decade. 300 weatherby for antelope?? Yep. 200 grain bullets for goats?? Yep. I believe the goal is to dispatch the animal in a quick, efficient manner and whether the bullet is 140 grains traveling at 3600 fps or 200 grains at 3000 fps, the effect is the same. Quick and lethal.

My goat was taken at 400 yards using a 200 grain accubond. My groups at 100 yards are under .250 inches regularly. I have seen capes more damaged from a 7mm 08 than with my 300 win or 300 weatherby, both of which have taken book goats.

We had seen this goat the first day in what we call the spectacle. 60 antelope ran past us at dusk. 30 of them were bucks and we guessed four of them would book. It was quite a sight. Sunday I did not hunt by my choice, but we took a drive up through the north pasture. We saw three book goats including mine and the buck posted on this site by Bryan W. Monday morning we parked the truck and walked a mile up into this pasture. At first light we spotted this buck at about two miles. We knew he might be the one we were after.

We moved positions about 400 yards the set up to look again. To our surprise this buck had run a smaller buck (about 82) to within 800 yards of us. The smaller buck crossed in front of us at 250 yards. The big buck peeled off North. He dropped over a small nob nearly a mile away. We went right at him. The last part of the sneak was tense knowing we may bust him and never catch up to him again.

I spotted his horns over the brush at about 400 yards. We had a clear shooting lane to our left at 200 yards, and 400 yards in front of us. We sat down, set up on my Tony Diebold shooting sticks with D�Arcy (my guide for this hunt) under my right elbow. About ten minutes later the buck walked out in the flats at what we guessed was 400 yards right in front of us. We learned that laser range finders don�t work when pointed directly into the sun (which was right behind the buck). I had little lens flare and felt calm. I put my 400 yard wire just in front of his shoulder as he was quartering towards us. I squeezed off, the rifle jumped and the buck tipped over backwards, kicked once and it was over. What a buck, what a hunt, what a rifle!

The autopsy revealed I hit him about two inches higher that my aim point, taking out the top of his heart and great vessels. It was awesome. This buck is a cranker.

Bob�s buck was taken with a 200 grain nosler partition. Dangerous game? No. Big, big prarie goat? Yes. Dead goats? Yes. This rifle has provided me with the confidence of long range accuracy that I haven�t had in all my other rifles. I returned to Utah the following week and harvested another book antelope at 455 yards (story to follow).
 
Posts: 51 | Location: Utah | Registered: 29 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Posts: 51 | Location: Utah | Registered: 29 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Those goats are absolute PIG'S... congrat's!





Nice Photo's... what'd they tape?
 
Posts: 3526 | Registered: 27 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I'm not a lope hunter (don't have them here in British Columbia), but those are BIG goats! Great pics.

Turok
 
Posts: 219 | Location: Prince George, B.C | Registered: 07 March 2001Reply With Quote
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BEAUTIFUL GOATS! I just took two prarie goats at just under 400 yards with a Kimber 84M in 7-08 and they never took a second step. I was using 140 grain NBTs at about 2900 fps - to my amazement, both rounds exited. The rifle is a pleasure to carry. Although I believe everyone should carry whatever makes them feel good,I could not imagine carrying a heavy 300 mag for speed goats. I bet it will be great for ground squirrels as well.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: USA | Registered: 15 November 2001Reply With Quote
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Quote:








Any idea what he green scores? He sure looks good.
 
Posts: 1172 | Location: Cheyenne, WY | Registered: 15 March 2001Reply With Quote
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I'd be happy if I get one who's tips go out as far as the prongs on these ones! Good golly those are huge.
 
Posts: 1077 | Location: Bozeman, MT | Registered: 21 October 2002Reply With Quote
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Beautiful animal.........I get my chance this weekend...in fact I am leaving this afternoon. I don't expect one that nice but one can always hope.
 
Posts: 901 | Location: Denver, CO USA | Registered: 01 February 2001Reply With Quote
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Those are some exceptional Antelope!

Congrads!

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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WOW! Whay a great buck! Nothing wrong w/ your choice of rfle/cart. either.
 
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001Reply With Quote
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Wow.

What did he eat ... Miracle Grow.

He is huge.

Congratulations on a fine goat.
 
Posts: 513 | Location: MO | Registered: 14 March 2003Reply With Quote
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Mr. Pepper, and D'Arcy Echols, what a pig!

Where are the pictures of that rifle?

What a hog!

Chuck
 
Posts: 2659 | Location: Southwestern Alberta | Registered: 08 March 2003Reply With Quote
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Man are those huge goats!!! Congratulations!

I love the rifle too!

Regards,
Dave
 
Posts: 1238 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 31 December 2001Reply With Quote
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Pepper, I think it would be prudent for you and your guide and hunting partners to have yourselves checked for nuclear radiation exposure. Those goats must be mutants of some type, or a bit of Caribou blood in them perhaps--Whoppers!
How exciting to execute a great shot and harvest such a monster to boot. Congratulations,

Regards-Don.
 
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004Reply With Quote
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