All posts by Frank Biggs

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Pronghorn & Coyote in Oregon

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The predator and the victim in Oregon and every other Western State!

Coyotes don’t always jump and mouse!

This dog was looking for rodents!

This post is going to be a two (2) information on the Coyote and the Pronghorn or better known to most as an Antelope!

Recently I got off with an old friend from the days of the Burns Bros. Sportsmen Center that was located on S.E. Union Ave in Portland.  The big yellow building with lots of big painted logo’s on the building, it was a meeting place in the old days!

He is now one of the top Biologist in the State of Oregon.   It has been great to rekindle the past on hunting and what he does for the ODFW. 

Does he make book or not is the question of the day!

 

Last year I talked with him a while about a few of the units that I had sent hunters into for Pronghorn and of course the Coyote came up in conversation.  There areas that the Coyote has caused havic on the Pronghorn in Oregon was an issue!

Today while talking with him, I came up with the non science simple cause of areas that the Coyote is reducing the Antelope fawns.  “So the Jackrabbits are down in population and the Coyote is going to take an Antelope fawn during the fawning season?” “Yep! That is the simple cause, but more complex than that Frank.”

There is one unit that comes into play a great deal with fewer fawns than any other unit and that is the Wagontire Unit, especially the South Wagontire unit south of Christmas Valley.   Last year there was on a ratio of 11 fawns to 100 Does, whereas in a unit further south the ratio of 43 fawn to 100 Does.

There is a great deal of B.L.M. to hunt in all of the units and the Wagontire Unit has more than most.  I would suggest getting your mapping and GPS, so you know where you are.

This is what we want to see in numbers!

So anyone that is just wanting to get out and hunt for Coyotes, it is a place to travel to with a great deal of roads to work from in the unit.   We can never stop the Coyote, as they are one of the most resourceful animals, that knows how to survive the elements and man.  Just whittle down the numbers so we have more Antelope fawn survive the first part of their life, once up and going they seem to keep from the Coy Dog!

I am under the understanding that the desert rodent population is making a comeback in the Oregon desert!

Now lets talk a little about Antelope hunting for those that going to hunt Antelope – Pronghorn this year.   I know many feel they are going to get drawn in 2012.  For those that have not applied, you have to decide what you are really looking for a Boone & Crockett or a good Lope to put on the wall.  There are Boone & Crockett Lopes in every hunt unit in Oregon, but some units fewer of course.  Sometimes hunters are overwhelm, as in most cases you get to see a great deal of Antelope bucks while hunting.  I have been told many times how a hunter shoots a good buck they feel and then be walking back to the truck and see the grand daddy.  It is important to know what you are looking at and know how to do a visual measurement.  Then you decide if that is one your going to pull the trigger or release an arrow on.

Sometimes they may just stand there waiting on you!

Oregon does have one hunt unit that the big boys die of old age.   Limited amount of tags for the hunt unit and it takes from 18 to probably 25 points to get drawn.   The problem with the unit is that there is a great deal of “Village Idiots” and they get harvested!  “Village Idiots” is a new word to me representing the youth in the Pronghorn kingdom…

So all of the Coyote hunters & Pro-Staffers for RD Game Calls, get your fannies out there and help the future Pronghorn hunters by taking out some dogs.

Cobra

Hunting Equipment

Hunting with onX HUNT & Garmin GPS

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HUNT with onX HUNT & Garmin GPS Products

The Winning Team for the Outdoors

(Global Positioning Systems) for many years.  I would have to put myself back to around 1998 with the first being a Garmin XL.  I have had many Garmin GPS’s over the years and still have some that are pretty old.  Those are ones that I will loan out; knowing I might not get them back or in good shape.  A number of months back I bought a new Garmin Montana 600, the latest in technology and very fast in the field.  I loaded it with the onX HUNT software that comes out of the great state of Montana.  One of the reasons I am posting this post is about the great service I received about 3 weeks ago.  I was having problems with the Montana 600 when it came to typing in names of waypoints and locking up while doing so.  It had made it through the fall hunting season which was good.  This is the first Garmin to ever give me issues that I could not fix by doing an update on-line.  I sent an email to technical support at Garmin and told them the numerous issues on the Montana 600 I was having.   When I sent the message off, I got an email back to my home email that it would be three (3) working days for a response on my issues.   The next day I get another email that had someone to call and a name, if I remember it was James M.   In the message I was told that Garmin Technical Support felt I could do a Master Reboot on the device and that should take care of it.  I did the Master Reboot and it helped a little, so I did twice more to see how it would really work.  It did not fix the problem!  Now what was I going to do!  The next day I decided to call the 888 number and explain that the Master Reboot did not work and that it was the first Garmin of the many I have or have had to not work properly.  I got a young man name Chris on the phone within like one (1) minute of the call!  Such a deal someone answers the phone and was very polite.  I talked with Chris for a few minutes and within those few minutes he told me he lived in Salem, Oregon and had worked for Garmin for a number of years.  Now I was floored that I had someone living in the U.S.A., doing support and be able to understand them.   Now here is the good part of our conversation about the Montana 600, Chris felt that I needed a replacement (new), since the Master Reboot did not work.  He told me to get it in the mail and that he had sent all the codes and address to my email with instructions.  The next day I got the Montana 600 into the U.S. Mail to Kansas, yes the U.S.A. Kansas.   Chris told me that it would be about 3 weeks before I would get the replacement in the mail.  Well turn around was 2 weeks total for me to get my hands on the Montana 600 new in the box. Before the Garmin Montana 600 was sent off, I contacted Matt with onX HUNT software Matt let me know that he would give me a new un-lock code to load the Hunt Oregon for Garmin or Hunt Northwest for Garmin on the new Garmin. Two great companies to work with when it comes to GPS products! Garmin makes a superb product for everyone, whether it for the hunting, aviation, hiking, fishing, automobile, motorcycles, Recreation Vehicle and runners.  There is software updates for the devices that are always Free.  You can do this via your computer via the Free Web Updater software.

How to from Hunting GPS Maps

Cobra

Hunting Equipment, Uncategorized, United States - Military, Youth Hunts & Stories

Commander Rod Briece U.S. Navy Retired now serving in GOD’s Navy!

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Commander Rod Briece U.S. Navy Retired was a Believer, a Father, a Husband, a Leader, an Educator, and a Friend. Plus hunting and fishing was a passion for him in his off time.   In the later years Rod, found his grandson to be his new partner in the field.   That will surely be missed forever, but not forgotten for his grandson!

My name is Frank Biggs aka Frank Trumble when I first met Mr. Briece in 1969 at the Naval Security Group Activity in Imperial Beach, California.   He was a young Lt. Jg. Line Officer attached to Admin at the Naval Security Group Activity in Imperial Beach, California.   I was a young enlisted Petty Officer attached to a different Division in COMSEC.  I had heard that we had someone from Portland, Oregon at the site and I just had to meet him.   I was able to see Mr. Briece one day and found out that he love to duck hunt.  Well I knew all of the places to hunt ducks outside of San Diego, plus along the Mexican border.   I quickly invited him to duck hunt on my 80 hours off.   The hunt as an outing was great but no ducks, yet the day before I had jumped more than 500 ducks and geese in the marsh land between the Mexican and U.S. border.

I did not have much time left at that base, as I was going overseas.  I met Rod & Cheryl one day near Ream Field, Imperial Beach.   They had their two twin daughters Janel and Anne with them.  For some reason, that I can’t remember,  I was able to hold both of the girls, one in each arm. In reference to the above sentence, some years later like about 10 years I took my daughter Rebecca to the reserve center and Rod held her, she was about the same age in reference to the time I head Janel and Anne.   Ironic the circle of life and happenings.

It was some time later in 1972 that I was able to reconnect with Rod at the Naval Security Group Activity in Portland, OR.  It was a Reserve U.S. Naval Security Communications site at the reserve center doing active military work.   Rod later became my Commanding Officer for the unit I was attached to.   Great Leader of men and women!  I would have to say Commander Briece was hands on Officer.  At this point, I always refer him when on duty as Commander Briece!

Over the years I feel that Rod and I became great friends, nice thing about the reserves you can fraternize in civilian life.   While Rod was teaching Political Science at Mt Hood Community College, Rod helped me with projects with career at Burns Bros., Inc.

There is a great deal that I can tell you about Rod & my relationship over 40 years! I do have to mention that whenever I called Rod, Cheryl normally answer the phone with a great voice and always say I will get Rod for you and “how are you doing”!

During the summer months when Rod wasn’t having to do an Reserve Active Duty Training and the college was close you could find him working at Norm Thompson Outfitters, where he would be working fly fishing or gun section.   In those days Norm Thompson was the place for the best in hunting and fishing.   It is during that time frame that Rod met Jack O’ Connor, the legendary hunter who traveled the world was known as that man that shot the Winchester 270 for everything.   Rod acquired a Winchester Model 70 in the 338 Win. Mag caliber from Jack.   I was fortunate enough to see the rifle on an elk hunt with Rod.  That was Rod’s elk hunting rifle!

He guided me on my first Antelope hunt in Oregon, which was hunt of a lifetime and the meeting of new people. Later Rod introduced me to Wild Bill Campbell on a deer hunt outside of Pilot Rock, Oregon.  Wild Bill Campbell and I would become great friends over the passing years.

This was a great trip with Rod, my GMC truck working the hills and having 3 game plans. Boone & Crockett Pronghorn

Rod was always working on us Navy boys to come closer to God and he introduced me to Good Shepherd Church and the men’s group for early Morning Prayer on Tuesdays.

Then there was the summer that I was invited to the Good Shepherd Camp out at the Fairgrounds (Hunt Park) in Tgyh Valley, Oregon, bringing along my son and his buddy.  The boys camped outside in a tent and I had the luxury of Rod’s Camper.   The boys were able to fish and later we all went on an Exotic Sheep hunt with success.   That was the talk around the campfire that evening after the hunt!

I would have to put the biggest deal in my life when I was invited to the Sportsman’s Dinner at Good Shepherd.   It happen to be the time when Dennis Agajanian came and gave testimonial to all us that were there.   I was very enlightened and when Dennis Agajanian asks of those in the audience who was ready to come to the Lord. Stand and be known, touching Rod on the shoulder and doing so was of great feeling and the great feel of the chill when you touch the Lord.

I thank Rod for everything that he gave out to everyone he touched.   I am sure that Rod will continue on this new adventurer with Jesus! Rod you will be remembered by all of us in our Hearts my friend!   God Bless!

Hunting Equipment

Cathedral Rock & Rock-Horse Heaven Proposed Wilderness – Limited BLM Access

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This is about hunting and trying to find a big buck sometimes

Under this proposed Wilderness Act, BLM Access will be limited access to the BLM lands and the parties involved on the private sector would compromise by having a trail-head  with limited access which would now be on their land and not on the once county road they want vacated.   Just think about having arm guards asking for your hunting liscense before entering Public Land!  

Since this involves everyone that uses Federal Lands for pleasure, sometimes a voice needs to be heard and sent out to fellow outdoor enthusiasts!

Over the course of many years I hunted, fished and hiked a great deal of the Oregon.   Some has been on private land with permission, but the majority of it in the last 30 years has been on B.L.M and National Forest. Many that used B.L.M., (Bureau of Land Management-Public Land) know that B.L.M. has some of the greatest opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, mining claims, or just looking for rocks and fossils.   We are quite lucky in the Western States to have so much B.L.M. to use for outdoor activities.

A great problem exists in the Western States with B.L.M., land-locked B.L.M. and private. Specifically, I am referring to a large private landing holding in Central Oregon where this has major problem for almost 30 years Recently I spoke with a person (government employee) about B.L.M. lands that are land-lock on this private holding and lack of access.   He commented that you can work the corners (checker board BLM) by using Global Positioning Systems.  To his amazement I told him that it was against the Law to do so.   Regardless of your ability to jump the corners and work them, you still come in the land owner’s air space.

The particular area I am addressing is east of Madras, Oregon and near Historical Donnybrook and borders the John Day River, with both Wasco County and Jefferson County have county roads in the land area.  To many it is known as the “Big Muddy Ranch” notoriously it was known as the Rancho Rashneeshpuram.    Today it is known as the Washington Family Ranch, which is under the direction of Young Life.

This is the sign of the past that were posted on BLM, just not the private! So now we see NO TRESPASSING SIGN w-Washington Family Ranch! Remember if this Act goes through you will find these signs on the Public Road most likely!

There has been a bill drawn up by a couple of Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to do a Land Swap between a numbers of private property owners with B.L.M. encompassed on their lands. The name of this Bill is S. 2963, Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven Wilderness Act. I believe the idea of consolidating the B.L.M., which has been land-locked since before my time.  I am not sure though that it should become a Wilderness Area.  After looking at the proposed map of the land swap, there is at least one major issue and that there is no public access to Cathedral Rock.

From what I see one Young Life will have greater benefits then the public would with the present proposal.  The greatest concern is the issue with public access to the lands.   Cathedral Rock or Coffin Rock would be the toughest proposal due to lack of road access touching the land.   There would be on river access on the John Day River and that side of the land is extremely steep and if I remember there is only one real slot to come in from the river.   For years now you could have access to the B.L.M. in the area via the N.E. Muddy Creek Rd.  The public could get to Wagner Mountain (Cathedral Rock) and Horse Heaven via the N.E. Muddy Creek Rd.  Understanding from reliable sources; Young Life has tried to vacate the roads.  What his means is that the county road that goes into the area will become a private road.   The result is a portion of the proposed land swap could only be used by Young Life and that would be for hunting purposes most likely.   In a recent land hearing, the comment by the Director of Young Life is that they would regulate the usage of the road at specific times of the year.   The comment was made that the ranch is has youth on the ranch and want to regulate people in the area.   Young Life themselves have hunts going on the ranch during the big game season and bird season.  Since the Washington Family donated the land to Young Life there is great deal of the money generated from the hunting on the ranch!  It was once said when Young Life took over that land that they made comment that to the effect of wanting to put up a game fence 8’ high to keep the game on the ranch.  It is strange but understandable that you can’t find a link on the Washington Family Ranch (Young Life) page for hunting or even fishing, rest assure they have it and there is a Game Director for the Ranch!

I personally believe in Young Life’s mission statement!

At this point there is no real benefit to the public or others such as Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs who might have sites in the old B.L.M. that are cultural importance to them to have access.

According to Town Meeting it was said, Young Life feels that all hunters want to trespass their lands to gain access to the B.L.M. or just trespass to hunt.  Majority of the public does not realize that Young Life has patrollers during the hunting season patrolling their lands and the B.L.M. (will stop you on the B.L.M.) via truck, ATV or horseback.   It should also be known that much of the B.L.M., lands ATV’s are no longer allowed, and you have walk in.   There is a section of land east of Donnybrook on top of Gosner Road (Horse Heaven) that many hunters and hikers will camp at.   During the hunting season patrollers of Young Life will come into the B.L.M. area that hunters camp on and take vehicle license numbers down and sometimes there have confrontations.   This is a known fact, as I myself have experience a number of times of the years. One such encounter was with handgun carrying patrollers on B.L.M. and be accused of trespassing on their lands.  I find that this person(s) are now a private land holder (Jefferson County Fire Cheif) next to Young Life property and has been involved to have the Muddy Road vacated and how the land should be used.   I made a comment to the Director of Washington Family Ranch at the time, “are you planning to shoot hunters”, his comment back was “we will do whatever is nessacary to protect our lands”.  I then asked him why does he feel he has control of the B.L.M. and have gun carrying patrollers on B.L.M.!

My experience is on public record in the Wasco County Courthouse in The Dallas, Oregon.

Why should Young Life, or any other major land owner be able to determine who can be on B.L.M.   Far as I am concern, it will lead further to major private land holders having even more control of public land.   Just the fact that Young Life wants the road vacated goes along what has happen in many cases in the west with roads being vacated and Federal Lands become permanently landlocked with no Public Access!

Contact to Comment to:    Greg Walden U.S. Congressman

Doc Hastings U.S. Congressman             Natural Resources Committee

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 2011

Oregon Trout Creek Mule Deer Hunt

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Linda’s 2011 Trout Creek Mule Deer Hunt

I get a great deal of inquiries where to hunt every year and sometime, I am just another lead to the hunter along with the rest of the information they get from others.   It is good that when it comes to hunting that hunters try to gather as much information as they can, including getting information from the local biologist for the area they plan to hunt.  Many biologist are hunters themselves and want to see hunters successful.   In Oregon the ODFW have some very good biologist and a couple I have know for many years.

Getting on with Linda’s hunt, she made contact with me early on about getting a Trout Creek Mule Deer tag.  Tough unit to draw for, as it takes at least 10+ points to get drawn.  The Trout Creek Hunt is in the Whitehorse Hunt Unit, bordering Nevada.    There are some monster bucks that live in the arrid country, but hard to find.

I gave Linda some waypoints that were given to me by an old hunter that I had known for more than 20 years that hunted the Trout Creek Mountain and harvest many a big monster buck.   Bud Lucas was his name and he lived in Klamath Falls, OR. 

Bud Lucas with one of his Trout Creek Mulies that he took over his years of hunting! Miss this man!  Bud still hunted though it took a long time to walk a 10O yards. Had MS…

He shared his stories and pictures of the bucks that he harvest of the years.

L.K.J.’s before 50 Trout Creek Mule Deer 2011

 LINDA’S STORY:

I was Mule Deer hunting in the Trout Creek Mountains.  Got my buck day 2 of the hunt.  It was great! I wish I could hunt there every year.  I went several days early and put bucks to bed.  Found them in the morning.  It was good I got my deer early as it began snowing a couple of days later.  What a great experience I will never forget.  I saved points for 10 years and wanted a tag before I was 50 (next year),  now I think I may get another one before I am 60!

Happy Trails,
Thanks for the interest and encouragement!

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Oregon Blacktail Deer Hunt – Santiam Hunt Unit

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Blacktail Buck in the Unit in 2013!
Blacktail Buck in the Unit in 2013!

THE SHOULDA –WOULDA – I DID BUCK

This hunt took place on the last day of the archery season in Oregon and it was my last and final effort to harvest a Blacktail Buck after a great deal of hunting during the season.  It also would be the first time I exposed my young daughter to an animal of majestic qualities to her dead to look at and touch!

An extremely large buck just stood there looking at me, probably wondering why anyone would be down in a hole like this!   This deer hunt was the end of a long Oregon deer season for me.  Earlier that season, I spent four days at Hart Mountain in southeastern Oregon looking for one of the famous big mule deer bucks that dwell there.  My vacation time had been changed and I was not able to hunt the first part of the season with my group.  So getting that early jump on a big velvet buck was gone.  I’d seen as many as 14 bucks in a group at one time prior to the season.  Truly the big bucks had been stirred up by earlier hunters and were keeping their distance.

I found myself seeking a buck to take home on the last day of the late November hunt in the Santiam Hunt Unit in Western Oregon, just west of the National Forest Boundary in the BLM. It seems on the last day we (empty-handed) will do some strange things. The trip in itself was similar to my earlier trips in which I covered innumerable miles looking for greener pastures.  I must have traveled 800 miles in three days only to find myself hunting in dense forest 30 miles from Portland, Oregon my home. On this trip, I was by myself, my partners having had their fill of hunting for one season. With the heavy rain & wet snow coming and going, I’d just about had enough myself. Then by mid afternoon it started to snow and by 3 PM there was about 4 inches of fresh snow on the ground. I was glad I’d missed a 60-yard shot at a small buck I should have not taken with the wind blowing.  The small buck seemed to be playing king of the mountain standing on a ledge overlooking a deep canyon.  If I’d hit him, he surely would have taken to the canyon below – what a pack out that would have been.
So, like any other sane bowhunter, I went down into the canyon. I decided to walk the naked alders and fir trees, which seemed to surround the small creek that wound through the canyon. I noticed some large deer tracks in the snow and told myself they must belong to a big Blackie.  I hadn’t covered more than 100 yards when I just about stepped on a deer. I was so busy stepping over downed limbs and following the tracks that I didn’t even noticed the deer bedded under a fir tree.  The most beautiful Blacktail I’d ever seen jumped up and ran out 30 yards and turned broadside to me and gazed back at me. Not taking time to count points, I was already at full drew with my Martin Cougar Magnum, set the 30 yard pin on the buck’s chest, and let fly. One would have thought I was shooting with fingers, ah I was shooting with fingers.  The buck was no longer just standing, he’d flat busted out of there. He moved so fast I just shook my head and wondered if I’d missed. I went to the spot where the buck had been, no blood. Now the snow was really coming down and the wind had picked up in the canyon. My heart pounding in my chest, all I could do was follow the tracks in the direction he’d gone.  I started to notice some foamy blood spots and walked about 80 yards on the blood trail, stopped, and looked around. There, in the ferns just below me, was the butt of a deer.  He must have taken one last leap in this last breath! The broadhead had done its job; my shot was a bit high barely missing the heart. I was able to find a small road out of the canyon, thus was able to drive my truck with chains forward and aft down into the canyon.  The buck was a heavy load to pull up into the bed of the truck, especially since I was wet, tired and the snow being everywhere.
My Columbia Blacktail had one of the most beautiful basket sets of horns a person could want, a very symmetrical four point with eye guards. He scored officially at 129 7/8 P & Y Net (Pope & Young).  Never wait so long to get an animal scored!  If he had not had a small chip off of the G-4 on left side, it would have made the B & C (Boone & Crockett) book along with the P & Y book during that time frame. Now in B & C is at 135 to be listed.  I’ll bet that a great deal of hunters do not know that you can list your Archery harvested animals in Boone & Crockett also if it meets their standards.  Double the pleasure of being in both Books! Sometimes it pays to do the unexpected at the last minute.  

Hmm! Now I will check out the head!

You can see from the expression on my daughter’s about her thoughts of seeing a dead animal lying on the ground. In the future I found she would not want to harvest an animal, but would get involved with the field dressing of animals on trips that I took her on.  

 

Rebecca wondering what the heck dad!

Have fun hunting!  Bwana Bubba 

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Archery Pronghorn – Antelope Hunting Techniques

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I thought I would do some updating on this post since I did write it in 2011.  I am a firm believer in having the correct equipment and knowledge to keep legal while hunting.  The other benefit of having the following tool, is that you might be able to find a landowner that let you hunt. Most farmers have great feeling about Lopes when they grow grasses…

Everyone should have @onxhunt in Mobile and or Garmin Colored GPS with the #onxhunt chip.

The tool know where you are at all times, boundaries are important to know…

In my time I have done a great deal of scouting and researching of Pronghorn or Antelope as most call this great animal from the past in Oregon and the rest of the Western States, where they roam in hunt-able numbers.

2019 Thoughts: If you have time to scout even 1 day prior, get a game plan of glassing and glassing. Everyone should have at least an A, B and C plan. Glass from afar  and if possible from a rise. Lopes are habit creatures and will work the same water holes and areas.

For archery hunters in many of the Western States you have a chance to hunt every year for Antelope.  Where as with a rifle you might have to wait some 12-25 years to draw a tag, at least in the Oregon.  I have hunters in Oregon that are now hunting almost every year with the bow.   A  great challenge to hunt with the bow, but what a rush and accomplishment to harvest up close and personal.  You’ll find hunting with the bow for Antelope a great sport that you won’t be able to stop doing.   I have been told by my hunters that they have had the best experience hunting Antelope over anything else they have hunted in North America.  It could be that they see a lot of Antelope while hunting them.

Picture taken at 30 yards from a 500 yard stalk!

I one thing I do know after all these years and not even being in some of my old haunts for many years, is that Pronghorn are animals of habit from generation to generation.   They cover the same ground and do the same things from one generation to another.  Most of the land in which they live never changes.   There was one buck that my friends & hunters chased for about three years and never got.  I really wanted him for myself is what all thought.  He would be located in the same spot within a 1/4 mile and escape basically the same way.  His escape route was not one you could cover and he knew it.  Now if we ambushed him in his normal spot he could have been taken.  He was one of the biggest Antelope I ever hunted.  I did get one hunter on him at very close range with a standing broadside at 40 yards.  He missed the buck and the hunt was over for him!   He had told me that he was the greatest shot with bow and arrow!  A few years back I went back to a spot which I hunted and guided about 20 years ago.  The only thing that had changed is the B.L.M. put a solar power water pump on a water hole in one of my favorite spots.   Even the old ranchers sign was still there and he had been gone for a long time.  The sign had stated in so many words that you were crossing into his lands.  This happen to be B.L.M. that he leased, but did not own.  I have that sign now in my loft.

I once heard on a hunting program on cable that Pronghorn don’t jump through barbwire fences!  Well I have to tell you that they do got through the middle at times and not always under the bottom wire.   I have a blurred picture in of a buck Antelope jumping over a five strand fence!  YES I DO!

Ah! They do jump fences with ease!

I have seen mature bucks standing in the middle of a back country road in B.L.M., marking the road.  No, not by scratching but by urinating in the middle of road.   Once someone knows some of the peculiar habits of Antelope, you can use it to your advantage.   Such is the case a couple of years ago when I spot a group of Antelope in a 5 tag unit.  I wanted the picture of the buck and just knew he would go around the mountain and want to get back into the hole.  He did just that and my son asked how did you know?

I ambushed this buck as he came around the mountain!

I have taken a great deal of Antelope with the bow and all but a rifle kill has been from stalking.   A great deal of the bow hunters I know do wait on water, but you have to have patience.  One of my GPS Hunters sat for two (2) for more than 12 hours.  He as been successful two (2) years in a row.   I do love to stalk them and arrow them before they know I am there.  

This was stalked while at a waterhole and taken at 50 yards.

Antelope do lay in the sagebrush flats and with a lot of glassing from a vantage point you can find them and stalk within bow range easily.

I followed these bucks for some time and close the distance, wind to my face!

Many of friends think I am off the wall with some of my mannerisms when it comes to all types of hunting.  First off I would never relieve myself in an area that I hunt and I am going to have a wide stance so none of my scent is getting on my boots or pants. Then there is the issue with sunglasses, I will always wear sunglasses (favorite are Ray-Ban Wayfarer-easy to lift with bino’s with no bind) during the day and “Photo Grays” for the evening hunts.  I felt if the game, especially Antelope can’t see my eyes or movement then I could close the gap on them even easier once spotted.  I always wore a hat and a backpack with the spotting scope & tripod sticking out of the top.  It is what it is with habits and wearing the same pants on every hunt!  Terrible that it may be I wore blue jeans as my basic pants! Once in a while I will go full Camo, but that is on my son’s request.  It has never been about hiding from animals!

Good thing I had Top Secret Clearance on this shot! This picture was taken on a military missle site. This white buck was later taken out by a car as he crossed a highway.

Most experience hunters have there ways to hunt game, whether it is from stalking, waiting, ambush or just being lucky and walking into a shoot-able animal.  It is whatever works for you that makes the hunt!