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MT Antelope Hunt - A family affair

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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Joined: May/07/2009
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    Posted: October/22/2009 at 10:56

The 2009 rifle season is off to a good start.  I took my 5 year old son out on his second hunt (The 2008 antelope hunt was his first).  This was the first day of our hunt north of Fort Benton, MT.  This country is some of the flattest in MT.  The wind blows angry and often.  Shots are looooong.

We had been watching herds of goats break and run at 1000+ yards.  This buck was with a group of 12.  We spotted them at about 2000 yards.  I put the Diascope on them and recognized immediately one of the two bucks was a shooter.  We did our best to look like wheat farmers while we drove up to a grain bin.  We were still 1200 yards away and I knew if I made any attempt to stalk from there, the jig was up.  So we risked it and drove towards one of the few topographical dips between us and the goats.  The antelope were still standing there when we disappeared down the dip.  Now about 900 yards away, I got out and started the long, slow belly crawl towards the goats.  My son stayed at the truck with his godfather.  They crawled in the pickup bed, which allowed them just enough elevation to look over the topography and see both me and the goat.
 
I made it to where there was absolutely nothing between me and the buck.  I could crawl no further.  I pulled out my Elite 1500 and got an immediate range on his white side hair:  507 yards.  Yikes, that is a long ways.  I got two more ranges, still 507.  I had been practicing a lot with this rifle.  I had the Rapid Z fine-tuned for the 140 grain accubond coming out of my 7-08 at 2690 fps.  I had verified the 500 yard crosshair on targets many times.  The wind wasn't too bad.  I popped on the bipod, cradled the stock, and settled the 500 yard crosshair.
 
The trigger broke clean and I heard the WHOP come back from the hit.  The buck kicked up, ran 20 yards, and hit the dirt.  My boy told me it was the biggest buck that ever lived.  Sharing experiences like that is what hunting is really about.
 
Equipment:
Rem Model 7 7mm-08, Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40 Rapid Z 600
Stoney Point Rapid Pivot (prone model) bipod
Zen Ray ZEN ED 10X42
Zeiss Diascope 65FL w/ ZOOM
Bushnell Elite 1500 (non-ARC) rangefinder
 
Here we are:
-Matt
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jonoMT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 11:26
Matt,

Nice account and a great shot. Your practice and hunting technique really paid off. That's one happy looking kid there. I'm going to take my 5-year-old along deer hunting the first weekend of November.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 11:42
Looks like your son had as much fun as you, well done Matt.
 
.............and undoubtedly the biggest buck that ever walked!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 11:57
Excellent
“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ckk1106 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 15:43
Excellent.  I've also had good results with the 140 grain accubond.Thunbs Up
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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 15:59
Terrific story! Appreciate you sharing that with us!
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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/22/2009 at 17:34
Thanks guys! We had a great time.
Smile
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Terry Lamb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/23/2009 at 10:42
That boy will be the greatest thing that has ever happened to your hunting. I am an old Montanan, (Glasgow) but now live for my days afield with my grandson. Those smiles in the photo tell it all! Good Hunting.
Terry Lamb
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/23/2009 at 11:16
Great story.  Thanks for sharing.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/23/2009 at 18:06
Some of my fondest memories of my Dad are spent kicking up pheasants on snow covered, Iowa fence rows......
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/23/2009 at 20:06

Great story, BB!  Those are priceless moments that your son will remember fondly for the rest of his life!

 
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/24/2009 at 12:31
 
Great photo and story, and that is a very nice heavy-horned, and big-bodied buck!
  Antelope are so cool! I just love hunting them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Texas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2009 at 10:41
Great story! It is always great to see young men learning the hunting traditions of the fathers. I could never seem to get my three daughters interested in shooting sports, they always seemed to like hunting clothes at the mall better. But now I have two grandsons!
 
I took Gage, the oldest,  my 9-year-old grandson, down to our Sonora whitetail lease last weekend for the first time (his momma my daughter would never let him go before). That youngster had a blast hunting rabbits, rocks and prickly pear with the 17HMR Henry I got him for Christmas last year... I can't wait until he gets to hunt whitetail with me during his Christmas break from school. Gage is actually pretty darn accurate with my 700 Classic 220 Swift. I sure do look forward to "painting" him up and high-fiving with him after he takes his first deer, hopefully this season. Those times make memories young men never forget.
 
Good Hunting!
 
Tom


Edited by Texas - October/25/2009 at 10:42
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2009 at 10:35
Originally posted by RONK RONK wrote:

 
Great photo and story, and that is a very nice heavy-horned, and big-bodied buck!
  Antelope are so cool! I just love hunting them.
 
Thanks Ron,
 
Antelope are a great time, and a great introduction to hunting for kids.  A warm pickup is never far away. 
 
Interesting how you noticed the body size of that buck.  I've killed antelope that I could field dress and throw over my shoulder.  Not so with this guy.  He was a big one.Smile
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JF4545 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2009 at 13:12
Great Story! I read it twiceSmile
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