Writers Hunt: Redemption Day

2011 Ryan Outdoors Writers Camp is Sponsored by: ATSKO, Grim Reaper Broadheads, ThermaCELL, HECS – Human Energy Concealment and outfitted by Trophies West Outfitters.

Day 4 started off like the others. Up at 4AM to have a quick breakfast and out the door to get in my Double Bull Ground Blind. Bob Humphries was hunting out past me again, so he dropped me off again. It was still dark when I got to the blind. I set down my Badlands pack with the days essentials and got my camera’s ready to go. It was a cool morning… but it would not last long.

I decided to take a small nap before the sun was up. The long days can sure get to you! I dozed off for a bit. Before I knew it, the sun was cresting over the ridge east of me and I snapped a few pictures.

day-4-sun — Another beautiful morning in God’s country!

It was starting to get hot in the blind quickly. I layered down from my top layer of Sitka Gear down to my HECS energy cloak. I then sprayed down with Atsko N-O-DOR. Not only does N-O-DOR help me stay scent free, but it also cools me off – perfect!

Before I knew it, I had a speed goat out in front of me. He was looking to come in for his morning drink of water! This was the hottest morning so far and this got me excited. I felt like today would be a good day for redemption.

This antelope was a stud buck. Like a few other goats that were on the other side of the fence in front of me over the last few days, this goat didn’t know where to cross to get to the water. He just walked back and forth on the wrong side of the fence. I was hoping he would find the spot where the fence was down. He continued to walk back and forth and of course feed. Then he did something I would never expect – he laid down, straight in front of me! It was like he was trying to tease me. Unbelievable.

This nice speed goat wasn’t more than 200 yards directly in front of my laying down and he had his eyes closed as I looked at him through my binoculars. There was no way I could make a stalk though. I would have to wait him out. So I did what any other person would do – I decided to take a quick snooze also!

Before I knew it, 20 minutes had passed and this buck was back on his feet trying to find a way to the water. And he finally did find where the fence was down and crossed it. He was coming in quickly now, feeding all the way to the waterhole.

crossing — The antelope buck crosses the downed fence

The stud buck eventually made it 130 yards from the blind. But, then put on the brakes. He didn’t like something and I have a feeling it was the birds splashing around in the waterhole in front of me. They were making all kinds of ruckus. They eventually flew out of the water and right as they did, the buck said, “see ya later” and was on his way also. “No way” I thought.

I glassed the fields around me as the stud buck went out of view. He was headed towards a large group of antelope on the ridge in front of me. “I just need to stay patient,” I thought to myself. “They will need to come in for a drink sometime.”

I continued to glass the fields around me and decided it was time for a drink myself. I had a premixed bottle of water and Wilderness Athlete’s Hydrate & Recover and fueled up quickly. As I put the water bottle back in my pack, I saw a quick movement out of the corner of my eye. A buck was coming in fast!

I turned my camera on and got ready. The buck didn’t make much of a hesitation. Water was on his mind!

With the camera just out of view of the buck, I decided to focus on the shot and not turn the camera on the buck. I quickly ranged the buck as he dipped his head down for a drink. “35 yards…” I grabbed my Alpine F1 Fireball and pulled back slowly. I settled my 30 yard pin a touch above the antelope buck’s vitals and let the VAP arrow fly. Whack! The arrow made a clean hit and I watched the goat run about 150 yards away and die. I was pumped up now! I had finally got redemption on my missed shot earlier in the week!

I waited a little bit and recovered the antelope and took some pictures. He wasn’t the biggest goat around, but he was a great buck to me and I knew how good he would taste. I put a tag on him and knew it was time for the real work; gutting and cutting up the antelope and getting it on ice as fast as I could.