MT Antelope Hunt - A family affair

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:

 

.............and undoubtedly the biggest buck that ever walked!