The CO 2007 antelope season ended quite well for my son this year.....except for the fact that he neglected to respect the recoil and eye relief of a .300 Win Mag.

This is Sunday afternoon, winter wheat on the farm and we had my son staked out in a fence post weed clump next to a two track field road. His mother and I position our selves about 1/2 mile away to watch the action and not mess up the shot. A herd of about 12 is moving in his general direction and we are excited for him. I just know he's going to bust one. The herd stops about 250 yds. out and I can tell there is one decent buck in the group. At the shot I notice that buck doesn't move but the rest scatter. Buck falls over...boy gets up in a daze. Seems he had crowded the scope on the .300 Win mag a bit close (he forgot that he had switched from the 6mm)and it clocked him. I had already got my buck earlier in the day but it didn't have the symetrical rack like his does. Not a huge buck but this one is very nice for the area and the shot was perfect.

260 yds. in some pretty rough wind -

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Outstanding job...Hows the black eye???

Split the top of his nose and forehead. Once he regained his faculties he was fine. Had blood running down both sides of his nose when we drove up. Scared the hell out of me 'cause I thought the gun blew up. Jacked up his glasses.
Still ended up being a much worse day for the buck. And a proud day for dad.

Well, there's a lesson well learned for him, bet he'll know next time and a shot to be proud of, congrats to your son.

Great Job Congrats to you and your son. Hope he's not hurt too bad.
Joe

Boy will be fine except he will hear about it for the rest of his natural life. We, as hunting companions never forget those kinds of things.

This one is mine the same day (notice I don't have a split forehead). His had a better rack, mine a bigger body. Mine was shot at 507 yds. his at 260 yds.

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Well done to both of you. They are certainly attractive looking animals. I could see one of those skins on my floor as a rug. Very pretty.

Will the young fella carry a nasty scar for life, or will Dad just not let him forget it?

Cheers, Vince

He'll have a small scar to be proud of. Maybe a little embarassed right now but years from now he will remember everything about that day. Except the part about being dazed..........

I'am shooting a 300 and i know exactly what ur son went through! dont have a scar but i sure had a big bruise for a long time!

Hey those are fine speed goats. I've always loved hunting them, I concider them north-americas "exotic" critter, reminicent of the beautiful marked animals in africa.

Where were you hunting? Its obvious by the facial coloring they are younger goats, just good genes to grow horns that big. I've shot really old goats, nose as black as coal, huge cheek patch... horns smaller than yours LOL!

Vince wrote:

Well done to both of you. They are certainly attractive looking animals. I could see one of those skins on my floor as a rug. Very pretty.

Antelope are beautiful in their markings. Unfortunately they have incredibly brittle, coarse hollow hair. It will break off very easily so they dont make for good rugs of any sort. Looks great mounted though!


-DallanC

Dallan - these came from southeastern Colorado off my sisters farm property (actually her neighbors) close to Lamar. That area has never had big 'lopes and I have yet to see one taken over 15". Its all farm land, flat as a pool table with little cover and very spooked animals. Its very rare to get a shot under 300 yds. and a 'doe' antelope is nearly impossible to get. (this area always has leftover licenses because few will challenge them there) Especially if she is with a large group, they are far too wary to allow you that. Often they will spook at a passing vehicle at over 1/2 mile.

Not at all like the animals we hunted in north eastern CO and WY that were often curious enough to walk up to see you.

I took my first pronghorn in Wyoming last week. What a great hunt!
Our guide put us on a nice buck first thing in the morning. I am not able to walk, but can crawl to make the stalk. I crawled about forty to fifty yards up the hill to get on him. 258 yards way and one shot, he was down for the count.
I had the best time. Hope to get a chance to do it again.

Wildhorse, you da man!!! Wow, that is a nice buck. I hope to be able to do the same someday. BTW, were you using any type of gun rest for the rifle? Without my shooting sticks, I have a hard time hitting anything over 200 yards.

I was using a 25-06 Ruger M77 with 117 gr hornady bst bullet and a 3X9 Simmons Atec scope. I and my guide were laying on the side of this hill and I just laid over my guides middle and used him for a rest.

Well done Wildhorse....a nice lookin' critter.

You have a very trusting guide too.

Cheers, Vince