# Pronghorn hunting with the girls



## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Had the opportunity to spend the last few days hunting pronghorn with my daughters. Probably the most fun I've had since last time we did it.---SS


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Those are some great bucks! That first one is a dandy! I have one that looks a lot like him on the wall at my dad's place. The mass below the prongs on the third buck is ridiculous!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

johnnycake said:


> Those are some great bucks! That first one is a dandy! I have one that looks a lot like him on the wall at my dad's place. The mass below the prongs on the third buck is ridiculous!


My 17 year old daughter names every animal we see. She named the third buck down "Gnarles Barkley". I thought it was fitting.-------SS


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I have an antelope hunt with my oldest daughter mid Oct, her tag.

Can't wait. Been finding some real dandy's.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Springville Shooter said:


> My 17 year old daughter names every animal we see. She named the third buck down "Gnarles Barkley". I thought it was fitting.-------SS


Definitely fits that guy! He looks seriously cool. Not sure "what" your looking for in a buck, but if I had just about any UT tag I'd shoot all but #2 opening morning I think. The last buck might be a real toad, but it is a tough pic to judge from. I'd say buck #1 is the top scoring B&C wise and should go somewhere between 80-85", and his mass above the prongs is something special. Gnarles Barkley would also score pretty well as that 2nd mass measurement is gonna be HUGE, with solid flags to boot. That should more than make up for his lack of overall length and the mass above the prong could pleasantly surprise you too. It kinda looks skinny, but that could just be because of how thick he is down low.

Dang, these pics are making me itch for another big 'loper especially since I haven't even chased does the past few years!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Hands down that first goat. Sure, Gnarles has good mass but his tops are weak (he is the oldest goat here by far, that cheek patch is amazing). But for me, that first goat has it all, nice and uniform, good tall and thick tops, great flags. I've killed a dozen pronghorn bucks and never got one even close to that guy.





-DallanC


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Good looking bucks for sure!! I think I’d have to go with that first buck too. I went to Wyoming Labor Day weekend to look for goats myself. Buddy that lives up there has a couple spotted he wanted to show me. First time adventure here for em and man it is going to be fun!!!!!


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Nice pictures. I'll be out helping my uncle and good friend in 10 days from now out in the west desert.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Gorgeous bucks!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Great pics!!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Any chance the first and the last bucks are the same? There angles of the horn tips and top end mass had me wondering if maybe. 

Running the numbers I think Gnarles would score very close to the first buck, if not higher. That 2 mass measurement is just unreal and masks how big his prongs actually are. He'd be my #1 (but I admitted already have one like the first buck, so that character is really tugging hard at me)


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

First and last pics are of the same buck on different days. All photos are taken through my Kowa spotting scope on 20x with an iPhone. Ranges vary from 450-700 yards.


Johnny, you are not the only one who has caught the Gnarles bug. I have been watching him for a while and can't figure out just exactly how big he is. I've sent photos and video to some experienced antelope guys and I have gotten score guesses that vary from 75" to 83". That's a very big gap. Anyway, we might have to shoot him just so we can find out. Regardless of his horns, I don't know if I have ever seen a more handsome pronghorn overall. His cape and head are incredible!----SS


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Don't want to take away from your thread, here is one I found Monday that is similar to yours as far as making a gorgeous mount.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Great looking buck HDE. Definitely an older animal with character and a great looking head. Couldn't go wrong with that one.-----SS


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Here are a few more shots of Gnarles for your size guessing pleasure.------SS


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Great pics and great experience. Your daughters are lucky to go with you, but I think you are luckier to go with them! Either of those would make for some good pics. The other has a nice shape too. (in the first set of pics)

I love antelope hunting. I hate antelope judging! I know what a little buck looks like and what an x-large buck looks like. But the ones in between are all about the same.... My son has a WY tag and it has been rough to even find antelope, let alone deciding on size. I think he will just shoot for shape and cape.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I agree with what Packout said about going with them. Nothing more fulfilling than to watch their excitement.

I decided to sit out this year from OTC hunts so I could better focus and getting them (my two daughters) ready for their hunts. Think I've had more fun this year playing pro-bono guide and outfitter than chasing a cow or spike with my bow.

I would guess "Gnarles" to be mid to high 70's. He carries the mass out well.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Heck, I still cant even figure out if he's 13" tall with normal ears or 15" tall with big ears. 


Don't get me wrong......his chances of making it past Sept 15 are very slim regardless. Just fun to guess. I'll definitely update the post if I get a chance to put my hands on him. --------SS


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Thanks for the confirmation that I wasn't just seeing things on the first/last buck!

Gnarles is awesome, plain and simple. Those last pics show his above prong mass and prong length really well. First, I think he's about 14" long, which isn't huge but length isn't what drives a high score for pronghorn. Here's how I see him: 
L: 14
Prong: 3-4
M1: 8
M2: 10 (I know that's crazy, but I just can't see how it is smaller!)
M3: 3
M4: 2
Total one side: 40-41" 
x2 = 80-82" 

And depending on the grain of the prongs those lengths might be better, and he could also be 15" or 13"... Now I'm invested, so I really want to see him on the ground!


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

15 w/small ears lol


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

The avg age/size goats in our taxi shop that come through measure 5" from the bottom of the opening to the tip. That seems pretty consistent anyway.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

High Desert Elk said:


> The avg age/size goats in our taxi shop that come through measure 5" from the bottom of the opening to the tip. That seems pretty consistent anyway.


Much truth here. I think pronghorn are the hardest of critters to judge.

My wifes first buck antelope we figured was fairly large based on relative ear size. Shot it, she was happy... measured the horns... woah. Measured the ear size... tiny! Threw off every other measurement. She was still happy with it though.

2 years ago my wife had a buck pronghorn at 125 yards for 5 minutes as she hem'd and haw'd over it deciding if she wanted to shoot it or look for something bigger. By the time she decided to shoot it, it had moved off another 100 yards. *BANG* he jumped and went on a death run out of sight. We found it... it had the biggest noggin I've ever seen on a pronghorn. It was by far, the biggest buck she'd ever killed... and she watched it for 5 minutes trying to decide if she wanted it or not! Its huge head made the horns look average.

Like packout said, shoot for shape and cape. Eat some snacks, blast some music she likes and have good memories of it to last a lifetime.

-DallanC


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I'd heard you use the 5" ear measurement and that pic explained my confusion. I've always used the base of the outer ear (the muscular joint that moves the ear) to the tip as a ~7" measurement viewed from the side. Learn something every day! And plus one on the shoot one for it's overall look. Sometimes a buck is just too pretty


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

That cape and cheek patch on Gnarls is just awesome. I would have a really hard time letting him walk. I'M not sure he makes 80, but he is close. Hope she shoots him so we can see!

I'm with Packout and others here and absolutely love hunting antelope. I struck out on tags this year, but my wife and daughter pulled doe tags, so i still get to go and play guide! 2 weeks!!!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Well, we weren't able to close the deal on Gnarles, but my daughter was able to take a really cool old buck. All of his teeth were worn down to the gum line and he only had a couple stubby front teeth left. His body was large for a pronghorn and his cape is amazing. Believe it or not, we put the tape on him and he measured a perfect 10!

More importantly, I spent some really great time with my 17 year old in the field. Anyone who has had a teenage daughter will understand the value of this. It was so much fun. We talked about school, boys, her future aspirations, and anything else she wanted. We ate some snacks and even blasted some music as was suggested by Dallan.

In the end, she made one incredible shot with her 7-08 (as usual) and the hunt was over. Memories, memories, memories!--------SS


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

That's a great looking buck! Congrats!


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

stud of a buck! congrats to you and your daughter.


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## callofthewild (Sep 7, 2007)

very nice. congrats on the hunt and the bonding which is better than the success.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Beautiful buck SS, big congrats to you and the young lady, well done!


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Way cool!

I will post up my daughter's goat on a new thread when she goes in a couple weeks.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Way cool buck congrats to both of you 

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Nice SS! I love hunting antelope. We struck out on buck tags this year, but had doe tags. I need to post that story...

Good job - that buck is nice but time with your daughter was even better, I imagine.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Great job, nice goat. 
They are sooo much fun to hunt.


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## neverdrawn (Jan 3, 2009)

You are dead right on the score, that is a perfect 10!


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