# Wyo doe antelope fun-hunt



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I just got back from a fun antelope hunt in Wyoming. My boy and I had a blank spot in our hunting schedule so we scored some antelope doe tags in Evanston last month. His buddy Jake had a couple tags so he tagged along too. We stayed in Marbleton which is just below our unit, (88), in the downdown motel. It snowed like a dirty bugger until about noon. As soon as it cleared the antelope were out in force. They have so many freakin goats in that unit. No wonder they give out so many tags. Anyway, I've been coaching Jake on his longrange shooting so he was pretty excited about trying out his skills on this hunt. He has been hitting a killzone out to 600 on the first shot so we set that as his outer limit on this hunt, (as long as conditions allow). He made a great one-shot kill at 615 yards with a three mph, 1/4 value wind. Pretty good conditions for longrange shooting. My boy, Shaun, made a DRT hit on a doe at 150 yards. Two down, now I can quit coaching the shooters and do some shooting myself. About a mile down the road we spotted another band. I threw my dragbag down in the snow and layed on it. I always shoot with a tripod and a backrest too. My boy checked the wind with my Brunton meter and told me my come-ups for that range and I just dialed it in. He'd make a good military spotter, and I've had some great spotters too. Anyway, one shot, 660 yards and it was teats-up for her. We packed out goats with snow and headed off for home. We still have another tag each but I'm not sure when I'll have time to go back up. I had a great time with my boy and his buddy and we got some goooood meat.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

sounds liek a great hunt. I think those are some of the funnest hunts to go on.Nice job.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

That is a fun hunt to go on great job getting them thanks for the post.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Nuthin like a good meat shoot! My dad, my son and me all have doe deer tags this winter. Can't wait.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

660 yards!!

nice shooting....well....ah....you didn't use one of my tape measures to measure the distance did ya?


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

> you didn't use one of my tape measures to measure the distance did ya?


No, but I've used that kind of tape to measure other things,  .

What we used to measure is a Leica 
1200 rangefinder. We also use a Brunton ADC for wind, elevation, humidity etc. With the .257wby and a quite stout load with 100gr TSX, I really only need to account for range and wind out to that distance.

By the way Goob, we met many locals and even knocked on a few doors. Every single person was friendly and helpful, (even with our Utah plates). Wyoming's a great state. 
Chuck.


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

I'll be up there this weekend doing that. I'm taking a buddie that has never made a harvest. Should be a fun trip.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

If your going to unit 88 give me a PM. I'll let you know where we went. If not, just stay on BLM close to the bottoms. Some locals let us hunt their property and some didn't. The ones that didn't let us hunt had livestock and they didn't want to let someone they didn't know shoot around their cattle, which is understandable. Have fun and shoot straight, Chuck.


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

Sounds like an awesome hunt! I'm jealous. I don't want to sound like a hater, but I think part of the fun of hunting lopers is getting in close. So to hear about a 660 yard clean kill is impressive as hell, but I would have rather heard that you were able to sneak within' 100 yards. That's one of the challenges of hunting antelope in my opinion.....because of their eyesight.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Your right duckhunter1096 and no offense taken. This wasn't a challenging hunt to say the least. Our origianal intentions were to shoot them with our bows but the weather turned bad so hunting waterholes was out of the question. Also, I've shot three with a bow, (two bucks, one doe), so this was my first with a rifle.
Your also right about a close shot being more challanging, and more ethical, I might add. Maybe we'll see how close we can get with a muzzleloader. I've never shot anything with a muzzleloader.


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

longbow said:


> If your going to unit 88 give me a PM. I'll let you know where we went. If not, just stay on BLM close to the bottoms. Some locals let us hunt their property and some didn't. The ones that didn't let us hunt had livestock and they didn't want to let someone they didn't know shoot around their cattle, which is understandable. Have fun and shoot straight, Chuck.


We hunt 89. Thanks for the tips


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

660 yards? I would say that is a serious challenge. I doubt that I will ever be able to achieve those distances. Good on you. Seems like you really know your shooting. I have never attempted a shot over 300 but lopers are the way to go to achieve distance. I to have shot them with a bow and it is an awesome experience. Did you purchase the reduced price tags?


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

duckhunter1096 said:


> I think part of the fun of hunting lopers is getting in close.


And I think part of the fun is making consistent 1-shot kills at over 600 yards.

I envy anbody who can shoot like that. Longbow, I'd love to hear you talk about what's required to make those kind of shots.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

> 660 yards? I would say that is a serious challenge. I doubt that I will ever be able to achieve those distances


Yes, it is a long ways to shoot and yes it is a serious challenge. But you can do it too. Just don't try it unless you know what your doing. It takes a capable gun and shooter that can stack bullets on top of each other and knowledge of your trajectory. I've entered all my balistic mumbo-jumbo into a program and gone out and verified the trajectory in the field. I also have a Defensive Edge level and cosine/angle indicator afixed to my scope, a Lieca1200 rangefinder and a Brunton windmeter. Even if you don't hunt past your gun's pointblank range, which most people shouldn't, it's fun to turn rocks into gravel out to 1000 yards. Or even try for that one mile two-foot gong.
With a little bit of practice and coaching you could do it too.

I'm not sure if Wyoming has reduced doe antelope tags or not. We just went into Wallmart in Evanston and bought two $37 tags and a $12.50 habitat stamp.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Here's what I think is the bare minimum for shooting, say, 1000+ yards.
A capable rifle and load with high BC bullets.
A verified drop-chart with widage holdoffs.
A quality rangefinder. One with BDC is best.
A tripod AND a rest for the butt of you stock.

Next, find someone to walk you through how to use the above gear.

One thing you might consider is going out to Wendover Airforce base next May 25 and take the two-day tactical shooting course. It's only $320 and there were only four students this year. PM me, I can hook you up.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> > you didn't use one of my tape measures to measure the distance did ya?
> 
> 
> No, but I've used that kind of tape to measure other things,  .
> ...


I have one of those .257 Weatherby magnum thingies. Can't hit poop with it...yet. The scope I put on it cost more than my camper. Have to carry the scope instruction CD and a laptop with me hunting to use it. Geeze the screen on my laptop is lousy in the bright sun.

Yeah, yeah, Wyoming is full of friendly ********, porno, cheap high-point beer, cheaper smokes and we can hunt deer right in town. They say our gasoline is cheap too. I don't know, I buy mine in Randolph, don't have to wait in line.


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