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Successful Hunters 2011

Joshua’s Interrupted Silvies Antelope Hunt

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When a planned trip does not go the way it was expected after 11 years of waiting!

The following story was sent to me by a young man that had drawn a Pronghorn Tag for the Silvies #2 hunt for 2011.   I like that way Joshua hunts and his thoughts about his hunt.   As you can see from the pictures he is dedicated hunter and from the Blacktail buck pictured in this story, he likes to trophy hunt!

Dear Mr. Biggs,
Thank you for your patience regarding the timely delivery of the story of my Silvies Lope hunt. Unfortunately, it is a disappointing story to due circumstances out of my control but there is always something to be learned every time I go out and with that in mind, no trip has ever been a waste.
First of all, let me say that this was the first antelope tag I have ever drawn in Oregon. I have hunted them one other time in Wyoming, where the herds can be seen spotting every rolling hillside and public and private is virtually the same thing. I did not know what to expect on this hunt which is what caused me to begin researching on the internet and eventually stumble on your website which was the most amazing resource I have come across. Everyone’s story updates are pretty cool too. 🙂 Your website allowed an under-prepared outdoorsman feel like he had done a little bit of scouting. You gave me a point of reference to start from and also, I believe, an edge psychologically to know that I was not wandering around in vain.

The night before opening day, I made the 8 hour drive over to beautiful central Oregon from the towering pines of southern Oregon in an amazing heavenly lightening show as I passed through the vast alfalfa fields. Using the coordinates you gave me I was able to find a campsite quickly, near a waterhole southwest of the well. Pulling in the dark, right away on the other side of the oasis, a small black bear was stalking around. I watched it in the headlights for a while, excitement brewing for the hunt to come.

Calling in the dogs in the snow!

The next morning I headed out before daylight and hiked through some of the canyons that were noted on the map you gave as I tried to get my bearings and a feel for the land. Sure enough, around ten o’clock, I was sitting at the base of a canyon taking a breather as the sun had began to heat up past the 75 degree mark, and I saw a lone buck tearing across the plain about a mile off. I watched him as he passed behind a small ridgeline out of site. I decided I was going to sneak up and over the face of that ridge and hopefully pop up directly above him thinking he might have slowed his pace after reaching the safety of the canyon walls. I started putting the sneak on him down across the plain, crossing a deep creek bed and up and over the ridge. Just as I hoped, I crawled slowly over the ridgeline through the sage and there he was standing broadside not more than 75 yards away!!! Here is the complicated part of the story. As I climbed up the ridge and reached the higher elevation, a ranch house came into view a couple miles off to my left and 100 or so head of cattle a half mile off to my right. As, I stared at the small buck in my scope (but the biggest I’d ever seen) the thoughts and voices of my mentors over the years raced through my mind and even as the Lope began to sense my presence and EVEN COME CLOSER, I couldn’t find the peace to pull the trigger. I knew I’d get another chance with 10 days left and decided I needed to really make sure I knew the public land boundaries. Later that evening I received a telephone call from work stating that I was needed for an emergency and that I had to return by Sunday.

Dandy Blackbear, up close with the leveraction!

In the remaining time I had there, I only saw one other group of females as far as I could tell, as they were too far off even with the spotting scope. I was disappointed that I could not finish the hunt as I felt like things were heating up and I was enjoying the challenge of a new species and a different terrain. That’s how life rolls sometimes I guess and I’m thankful for all the memories I had anyway.

BTW, I saw the biggest Muley I’ve EVER seen just bedded in the shade next to the road, an easy 35in wide with velvet hanging.

I wonder if that is a 30-30 or 32 Win Special?

Thank you so much for your help. I am not one to use a gps but I am definitely reconsidering it as I could have found precise spots that you told me about quickly and accurately. I look forward to trading information in the future. Again, thank you for your wealth of knowledge and your willingness to share it and your patience as I finished out the hunting year. I had a chance to guide a hunt in Chesnimus and finished out the year in Grants Pass where I reside. Here are a few pictures of this year other hunts.    JOSH

Boxing the Tom in!

 

Successful Hunters 2009

Silvies 2009 Oregon Antelope Hunt – Bates

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Bryce’s 2009 Oregon Silvies Hunt Unit Pronghorn – Antelope

The Bates Antelope hunt story started a while back at an RV Show in Salem.  As usual when talking about RV’s one (sales person) likes to find some common ground.  I found that that Harold Bates was an avid hunter and outdoorsman.   I also knew that he had a number of points saved up for hunting Oregon Antelope – Pronghorns.  
Whether he bought and RV from me or not,  I told him when he needed some information on where to hunt when applying for a tag, doesn’t hesitate to call or email me.

Well this year (2009) Harold and his son Bryce both drew the Silvies #2 Oregon Antelope Tag and contacted me.   It was nice to hear from him again and I was glad to see what I could do for him and his son.  

Harold has hunted Antelope in Montana and Wyoming many times, but this would be their first time in Oregon…  So he is a very experienced hunt of great success.

I was able to get waypoints to Harold and he put them on this Garmin Nuvi.   We did have to work on that a bit and came up that the Nuvi works with gpx format extension files.

During Harold and Bryce’s hunt, my son and I were over in the area on the closing weekend I thought we could find them and see what we could do.   The following is the notes that I got from Harold on the hunt.
 
“Our antelope season was not a complete bust!   My son got a nice one, and comparing it to what the guys at the Artistic Taxidermy were displaying, we were very pleased, it was a full 15 inches and fairly heavy with very nice shovels.  Our search for my buck was long!  I had chances to shoot smaller bucks, but was not going to settle for one smaller than my sons.  It’s better to not take one than to take a smaller buck; Dad would never live that one down.  I do have another chance, heading for Montana this week for Antelope and Mule deer.  So I’ll have another chance.”
 

Frankie and I had tried to find Harold and Bryce at Chickahominy Reservoir and could not find them on Sunday.   Sent him a picture of the sign at the lake and said we are here, but your not, so the following is the comment back.   I should have looked harder as we past through Silver Creek on the way out.

“Frank, we moved the Motorhome up Silver Creek to cut down on drive time.  We did run into some Lopes west of Dry Lake, been hunting there for the last couple of days.  We did jump a couple of shooter bucks, and a few does.  I passed on a small buck.  My son Bryce connected on one, you see in the picture.
We checked out the Buck Creek area, spent 1/2 a day there, we did see a few does.  There are a few bow hunters camped in the area.”

I would have to say that Bryce and his dad should be very proud of Bryce’s Lope.  Very heavy horn and great prongs.    The new state record for Montana at almost 92 points has only 14 1/2 horns.   It is not always length that makes a great lope, but mass and prongs.

Great Job Bryce!

Successful Hunters Previous, The Henninger's

2007 Silvies Unit Antelope – Brian Henninger PGA Tour Pro

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 Hunter Henninger with Dad’s Silvies – Antelope

Hunter Henninger already accomplished hunter:  http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20080203/SPORTS02/154881907/-1/SPORTS02

I do believe that this was the first Big Game Hunt for Brian Henninger with his son aboard in Oregon.   What a hunt for Hunter Henninger to go on, but an Antelope hunt with his dad.   He would have the chance to see game and of course watch his dad harvest a nice Pronghorn – Antelope buck.

As with the two Frank’s in another story, I loaded up a Garmin E-Map GPS for Brian with what I thought were the best waypoints for him to hunt the Silvies Unit.   Brian had waited some 12 years with his collective gathering of preference points to materialize into a Antelope hunt.   This was Brian’s first Antelope hunt in Oregon.

Once hooked on Antelope hunting one wants to hunt them forever.  Only problem it does take a long time to get a tag in Oregon.  You have a great chance in Oregon to take a Boone & Crockett Pronghorn.   You just have to wait it out and not get anxious! 

I do remember Brian’s comment to me after he harvest his dandy buck and got it pack-out to the truck.   “Frank after I left and went down the road about a 1/4 mile, I saw the biggest buck ever standing by a fence line.”   This is the typical case when it comes to Antelope hunting, especially in Oregon.  It has happen to me a number of times while archery hunting for Pronghorns.

 Hunter assisted his dad with the GPS and was an expert in a very short while, giving directions to dad in the field.  I also understand that Hunter Henninger could spot the Antelope better than dad in the field.   Kids are always quick when it comes to spotting animals once they have been trained to spot for something out of the ordinary.

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Brian Henninger with his 07 Silvies Antelope & 300 Weatherby

Check out Brian’s Children’s Foundation:

 http://www.brianhenninger.com/

http://www.brianhenninger.com/index.php