fourtycal
09-19-2010, 01:39 PM
A few years back, my son Derek (ride on), 15 at the time decided to apply for limited entry antelope. It took until this year to draw that tag and the hunt started Saturday morning September 18th.
Friday afternoon, after work we headed south toward Loa Utah and the Aquarius Plateau. We followed dirt roads turning toward Antelope Spring and found a spot to park and camp.
Saturday morning brought an amazing sunrise and as I stood next to the truck scanning our surroundings, I spotted several small groups of antelope. We stalked a couple of herds but they were on the move and hard to catch up to.
After a short time we decided the bigger groups were headed west so we drove that direction and found a cove to park the truck and hike uphill. As we crested the hill we spotted a decent herd with two bucks, as we moved forward on one ridge the herd headed the same direction on another ridge. They were 650 yards away, a little too long for Dereks .223, the doe's had made us and were moving away but the bucks decided to grapple, while they were fighting we took the chance to head their direction and made some good ground before they split up. DJ set up and made a great shot on the buck that ran closer to our location.
In short time we had it cleaned and dragged to the truck.
As warm as it was we decided to field dress it and head for home where we could cool and process the meat.
Great hunt, though a little short for my liking. A pat on the back for Derek harvesting his first antelope! :cool2:
Picture 1 is DJ and his harvest
Picture 2 is the butcher shop with DJ and his friend Chase (my wife loved us taking over her kitchen)
picture 3 is a batch of jerky already marinating :slobber:
Friday afternoon, after work we headed south toward Loa Utah and the Aquarius Plateau. We followed dirt roads turning toward Antelope Spring and found a spot to park and camp.
Saturday morning brought an amazing sunrise and as I stood next to the truck scanning our surroundings, I spotted several small groups of antelope. We stalked a couple of herds but they were on the move and hard to catch up to.
After a short time we decided the bigger groups were headed west so we drove that direction and found a cove to park the truck and hike uphill. As we crested the hill we spotted a decent herd with two bucks, as we moved forward on one ridge the herd headed the same direction on another ridge. They were 650 yards away, a little too long for Dereks .223, the doe's had made us and were moving away but the bucks decided to grapple, while they were fighting we took the chance to head their direction and made some good ground before they split up. DJ set up and made a great shot on the buck that ran closer to our location.
In short time we had it cleaned and dragged to the truck.
As warm as it was we decided to field dress it and head for home where we could cool and process the meat.
Great hunt, though a little short for my liking. A pat on the back for Derek harvesting his first antelope! :cool2:
Picture 1 is DJ and his harvest
Picture 2 is the butcher shop with DJ and his friend Chase (my wife loved us taking over her kitchen)
picture 3 is a batch of jerky already marinating :slobber: