Our season for antelope started the 25th. I drove us straight there, 21 hours. We arrived around 3am Saturday. Legal shooting time on Sunday was 6:26am on Sunday, half hour before sunrise. At 7:10am, my WY antelope hunt was over. 211 yards, Knight ML, 285 ultra slam Barnes/Knight sabot bullet, 150 stick American Pioneer powder. My brother (the Redhead) dumped his the next morning at 91 yards with his 270 and the 110 grain TSX I loaded for him. This bullet was 3/4" high at 100, Zero at 200 and 3" low at 300. I do not have pics from my friend yet. He shot his at 9:30am Sunday. We spotted him and had to sneak up a hillside and shoot down at him.

I got my kill and Les' kill on film. If anyone knows how to download a video, I'll try and post it. Here's the pics:






Our hunt was another do it yourself hunt. I told the guys not to expect big trophy goats. But we'd still have a lot of fun none-the-less. We actually could have been done by noon opening morning if my brother hadn't kept missing with the ML at 150 and 172 yards. But, in his defense, the wind was terrible. He wasn't sure where to hold for crosswind compensation.

Our total gas was $566
Hotel was $42 each total
Food: about $100
Plus tags and a few odd things we bought. Total trip was well worth the minimal expense. This was the first antelope for both guys.

Les and I bought Doe tags OTC for unit 31. We drove out with our rifles, gained permission on some private land in about 10 minutes, and had 2 Does on the ground about 5 minutes later. We were invited back "anytime" and were instructed to "kill them ALL."

I shot my Doe with my latest Lilja/Rem 270 and 150 Ballistic tips. Shot was 234 quartering away. Passed through, and she did the traditional antelope backwards death roll. I've seen that so many times. Les dumped his with some loads I did last minute: 95 grain Btips in his 243 with VV N560. His shot was 191. Cut her heart, and severed her aorta from her heart. Bullet was recovered. Lead core separated from jacket which was fully mushroomed, but she died fast.

We have those on video too.

Very nice goats. Sounds like a great hunt.

Good shooting to the lot of ya! Wind can be a PITA, esp if ya don't practice in it much. (I don't typically have the oppurtunity to myself)

Nice antelope. Where were you hunting? We were just North of Casper all weekend. LaRita got hers on Friday and I got mine on Saturday.

We were about 10 miles west of Casper on CY 220 for the bucks. We went about 6 miles east of Casper and roughly 1-2 miles south on 253 I think for the Does.

Doc: Congratulations on the Trophy Antelope! Way to go!
Sounds like you guys had a blast and got some great meat to eat as well as the Trophies!
My family loves Chilli, Spaghetti and Tacos made with Antelope burger!
I am just curious as to why you guys chose to go with the muzzle stuffers for the Buck Antelope and then used your centerfires for the doe Antelope?
Looks like you are in first place in our informal contest for now, with your wonderful Trophy!
Any measurements for us?
Glad you got home safe!
My trigger finger is REALLY twitching and I can't wait for our opener here in Montana!
Your Buck Antelope is going to look good on the wall!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
PS: I have Hunted in the vicinity of Casper (north of, east of and west of Casper) many times over the years for both Antelope and Mule Deer - its grand country and I have seen lots of Elk in the hill country around Casper! I may just try Wyoming next year myself for Antelope! I miss Wyoming's Big Game Hunting!
PPS: Does that red "R" on your hat stand for Remington by any chance? Can't quite read the word there!

The R does stand for Remington. We used our ML's for the bucks because that is all the landowner permits other than archery for 99% of it.

No measurements yet. But since we used our ML's, then that goes in our favor for our little competition here at AR.

Antelope hunting is a TON of fun !! Conglads on the speed goats. Sounds like you all had a good time. IMO an antelope makes the prettiest mount of them all. CB

Hey Doc, good on ya! You guys must have had a blast. You always do a nice job on the photo's too. I need to get better at that myself, I always seem to forget my camera, and then buy one of the little portables, and then forget to bring that to the field.

Congratulations--Don

Good job, Doc.

Actually both my brother and Les admitted having a fantastic time. We've hunted plenty of times together on Les' place. If you remember about a week or 2 ago, I posted some trail pics of some Ohio deer where I hunt, well, that is on Les' place.

Everyone wants to go back again. I'm all for it. And yes, antelope do indeed make very attractive displays when mounted.

On that private land in unit 31, we saw several bigger bucks and we were told to come back and have fun. I think next year, we'll lock in this other place and put in for buck tags there since we saw at least 100 or more goats on this private ranch and no one is hunting it. So sad, huh.

Have the hides tanned and gloves made. They're so thin and such beautiful things.....but extremely fragile.

Great hides.....

Hey Doc, Congratulations to you and your brother. Great flicks too.

You mentioned "other guys", how did they do?

What kind of Loads in the Black Powder rifles?

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey Doc, Congratulations to you and your brother. Great flicks too.

You mentioned "other guys", how did they do?

What kind of Loads in the Black Powder rifles?

"Other guys?" I thought I only mentioned the 3 of us. At the top of my first post is the ML load.

I was shooting 150 grains of American Pioneer Stick powder and the Knight/Barnes 285 boat tail hollow point sabot. Les was using the Hornady XTP 240 grain packaged by T/C and 150 grains of Pyrodex.

My bullet is shooting 2" high at 100 and 5 low at 200. Les had one of his ML's 5" high at 100 and dead on at 200. His second ML was about the same trajectory but dead on at 100.

Hey Doc, I'd seen your post on the Reloading Board and thought it was the same thing here. Just "skipped over" the beginning because I thought I'd already read it.

A buddy of mine over in Raleigh was telling me about how much he likes that American Pioneer Powder. Obviously you like it too.

Did you get good groups from the very beginning as he did?

He also mentioned he had noticed his Knight Disc Rifle is much more accurate when he uses the Plastic Primer Holder one time only. He was telling me if he tries to reuse them for a second shot that the groups open considerably.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

Did you get good groups from the very beginning as he did?

He also mentioned he had noticed his Knight Disc Rifle is much more accurate when he uses the Plastic Primer Holder one time only. He was telling me if he tries to reuse them for a second shot that the groups open considerably.

Yes, my groups were exceptional with the Pioneer powder vs. 777 or Pyrodex Select pellets. Best at 200 yards was 3.5" with 3 shots.

The 777 came in second with a 6.5" group. I tried 4 different bullets and 3 powders and 2 versions (pellet/loose).

Of all, the American Pioneer was far superior in stick form, 50 grain equivalents. I had heard of it before, but I think I saw a commercial where Jim Shockey is now promoting it. Plus, it is very easy to clean...VERY easy.

I won't buy the Hodgdon stuff anymore, no need. I like it and have had success with it, but the American Pioneer is just that much better in my rifle. Who knows, I may sell it before ML season in Ohio and go with the Savage smokeless ML. I keep hearing good things about it.

I have never reused a plastic disc. Those are a One Trick Pony so to speak.

I did have excellent groups from the get go.

Bass Pro, here in Cincinnati, cannot keep up with the demand. You can go to Wal Mart, or ANY sporting goods store and find boat loads of Hodgdon's powders, but this American Pioneer stuff is sold as soon as it sits on the shelf. I have 3 containers on hold the moment they arrive at Bass Pro. Now I'm told it will be 2 MORE weeks before the next shipment.

Going to Savage's website to look at the smokeless version.

Hey Doc, Sounds similar to Phillip's discussion as to how well the American Pioneer worked for him.

During the conversation, he also mentioned the Savage. He said he had looked at it, almost went with it and that it appeared to be well made.

He also said that either the Salesman, one of his other Raleigh buddies or something he spotted in the Owner's Manual mentioned that there is a part that needs to be replaced ever so many shots on the Savage(maybe 100 shots). He could not remember what the part was, but we both "guessed" it had to be the part that holds the Primer (if it screws into the Breech Plug) or maybe the actual Breech Plug (if it is all one piece).

It didn't concern him much until he found out the Store didn't have the replacement part on-hand.

Do you know what he was talking about?

Hey Doc,

Congrats to all of you!! Those are nice speed-goats! It sounds like y'all had a good time!

Good shot with that smoke pole!!

Good Hunting,

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

Do you know what he was talking about?

No, I sure don't but that is something I'll certainly look into before I buy one.