Quick antelope hunt

[Joe2Kool]

First thing, congrats on a nice speed goat!

Second, you realize antelopes are the gateway drugs to western hunting? You're addicted now!!

 

[Specializedjon]

What a cool story. You both will be telling that for years to come. Congrats to Ethan and especially to you for taking the time to invest in your son and make lasting memories. It's priceless.

 

[cmn]

congratulations! Great hunt and great story

 

[megalomaniac]

Awesome! Congrats to your son! We're headed to Gillette next Tuesday for 4 days. Make sure and check out Jackson Hole and the Tetons.

We skipped Jackson Hole and came into the Teton from the east. Impressive formation, but the rest of the park we drove thru was somewhat boring except for Jackson lake.

But old faithful and lower geyser meadows are spectacular on Yellowstone. Saw a few bison, haven't seen a single elk. Can't primitive camp on Yellowstone with the fresh meat in the cooler (my wife will kill me if we get attacked by a grizzly and survive), so we are living large in a 2star hotel in west Yellowstone. Rangers say there are a pile of elk up toward mammoth springs, so we are headed there early, then checking out the east side of the park tomorrow. Will prob head east toward Devils tower tom afternoon and camp on a block of BLM away from the bears.

 

[megalomaniac]

First thing, congrats on a nice speed goat!

Second, you realize antelopes are the gateway drugs to western hunting? You're addicted now!!

I'm already addicted. Hunted archery elk 10x DIY and killed 3. Hunted antelope 3x before DIY.

DIY Alaska moose is my trip for next year, then I'm burning my max antelope points in WY in 2024.

 

[megalomaniac]

Congrats.

I just got back Sat night from my first antelope hunt. I had the best and worst time all on the same hunt. I had multiple opportunities to fill my tag, yet still came back with an empty cooler.

All I will say is those things make for a small target and I cant seem to get closer than 400 yards to them.

The first thing my son said when we got to him was he was bewildered they were so small. I bet his buck was only 110lbs.

And I knew full well that just a few hours later the antelope were going to become scarce. Once the shooting starts, they flip into scaredy cat mode and it's very hard to get within 300y unless there is a terrain feature you can use to sneak into position.

But jeez, they sure are fun to chase.when you are in the middle of a pile of them!

On the way to Yellowstone, we drove thru some other units I had considered applying for... not sure if they were laying low, but I was VERY disappointed at the scarcity of antelope.in the other units. We saw far more in the area we camped than anywhere else we have driven thru.

 

[762hunter]

Priceless
That's awesome

 

[gtk]

But jeez, they sure are fun to chase.when you are in the middle of a pile of them!

I had such a good time, I'm thinking of flying back to Denver and hunt them again before season closes. We hunted just across the CO/WY line just east of Cheyenne. This are is supposedly known for big speed goats.

On the way to Yellowstone, we drove thru some other units I had considered applying for... not sure if they were laying low, but I was VERY disappointed at the scarcity of antelope.in the other units. We saw far more in the area we camped than anywhere else we have driven thru.

The Antelope population is at an extreme low. WY cut some 30k tags this year I believe. The unit we hunted usually is an easy draw for buck and doe, but we only got buck tags.

 

[Crappieaddict]

Awesome!

 

[Bass1090]

Congrats on a great trip! What memories!!

 

[ROVERBOY]

I'd love to do a Wyoming antelope hunt but, the points system kinda irks me. To many hoops to jump through.

 

[TNJones4530]

Very neat!

 

[AT Hiker]

Fantastic! Congrats to you and Ethan. Holding out on antelope is the hardest part in a good unit, I would have likely blasted that one that came through camp at first light! Made my coffee and had tenderloin for breakfast

I just got back from YNP and the Tetons. The elk in Mammoth weren't as fired up as they usually are this time of year but the ones down around Grant were. I watched a bull 380"+ tend his cows, I was waiting for him to let out a scream but he didn't want to show boat for me.
The weather Friday in the Tetons was perfect, almost made it up to Solitude Lake but ran into what looked like a grizz cub....luckily Mama Black Bear popped out of the willows and not Mama Grizz. Turned around after getting a good view of the North Face of the Grand and decided we didn't want to test our bear spray.

The drive from Moran to Shoshone provided some excellent antelope rut viewing. Every buck/doe group we seen had bucks pushing hard, closer we go to Casper the less rutting we seen. That was the most interesting part, the rut was staggered across that section of the state.

Congrats again, prairie lobster is some gooood stuff.

 

[megalomaniac]

Fantastic! Congrats to you and Ethan. Holding out on antelope is the hardest part in a good unit, I would have likely blasted that one that came through camp at first light! Made my coffee and had tenderloin for breakfast

I just got back from YNP and the Tetons. The elk in Mammoth weren't as fired up as they usually are this time of year but the ones down around Grant were. I watched a bull 380"+ tend his cows, I was waiting for him to let out a scream but he didn't want to show boat for me.
The weather Friday in the Tetons was perfect, almost made it up to Solitude Lake but ran into what looked like a grizz cub....luckily Mama Black Bear popped out of the willows and not Mama Grizz. Turned around after getting a good view of the North Face of the Grand and decided we didn't want to test our bear spray.

The drive from Moran to Shoshone provided some excellent antelope rut viewing. Every buck/doe group we seen had bucks pushing hard, closer we go to Casper the less rutting we seen. That was the most interesting part, the rut was staggered across that section of the state.

Congrats again, prairie lobster is some gooood stuff.

Yellowstone was incredible. Only disappointment was that I didn't realize you could only camp on designated campgrounds. And all were full we found. Upside... we stayed the night in West Yellowstone and ate out a local pizzeria. They had Moose Drool on tap... drank it on your prior recommendations, and it's GOOD!

Elk at Mammoth Hot Springs were screaming early am, but herd bull was just 270in or so. Small 6x6 he was pushing all around. Traffic stopped on the way to the falls for a herd of bison. We pulled off the top to the Jeep and sat on top while the whole herd of 40 animals walked by a couple feet from the truck.

Hauled across the state to hit Devils tower and Rushmore today. Going to Fort Robinson and Carhenge tomorrow on the way back to Ft Collins. Thank goodness the rental had unlimited miles

Staying in Hot Springs SD tonight, and we completely deboned and trimmed the meat so we can fit under the airline 50lb wt limit without incurring massive overcharges. It's been a great Father-son senior trip for the both of us

 

[AT Hiker]

You two have surely lived it up the past week! Your raising a fine young man, kudos to you. Ethan is one lucky dude too!

I know exactly where that pizzeria is. First time Ive had Moose Drool on tap was there, the only two other places I've seen it were inside YNP at Old Faithful Inn Pub and a brew house in Bozeman.

As for camping inside the park, it's unfortunate because September rushes in the closing of most things there, making camping a PITA. Mammoth used to be first come first serve but of course it's closed due to the flood and I believe that made it reservation too.

Drop us some coordinates on the Turks while y'all are out there in SD

 

[DoubleRidge]

What a great trip! Thanks for sharing!
Making some amazing memories together!

 

[EastTNHunter]

If you go as far as Rushmore (underwhelming, BTW), go to Needles Highway

 

[megalomaniac]

If you go as far as Rushmore (underwhelming, BTW), go to Needles Highway

Aww, too late, we are about to head to the airport.

We took him to Rushmore (I've already seen it twice), then down thru wind cave and Hot Springs. Hit Carhenge in Alliance, NE... its actually pretty cool.

Funny thing is... didn't see a single antelope on the side of the road from Hot Springs all the way to Cheyenne.

 

[41Magnum]

Congratulation!!!

 

[ROVERBOY]

Sounds like you both had a great time and hunt. Congratulations.