bzzboyz
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- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
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Well, I made it back. What a trip, even with the 11 hour drive. I ended up bagging the biggest pronghorn I have ever taken at 6:30 Saturday evening.
He didn't have the length I was looking for, but he more that made up for it in mass and the size of his prongs. He measured 15-3/4" on the left horn and 15-1/4 on the right. His left horn has a weird bend in it. I'm guessing he damaged it before it hardened. He had 9" bases and the prongs measure 4".
It was one of the hardest hunts I've had in a long time. You have to remember, I'm a Texas boy, and we're used to sitting in a stand over feeders all day. We spotted him at about 2:30, but he was on someone elses land with a herd of about 30 lopes. He was the biggest of the herd, so I decided to wait him out. I had to lay in a culevrt on my belly for about two hours, (only 2 ant bites) just watching him in my binoculars. The herd would move , but wouldn't cross the fence. I was close to giving up when something spooked them and they started to move. Probably other hunter, but I don't know for sure. I would like to thank them if it was.
The entire herd moved under the fence, but they were still a good 900 yards away. I worked my way down the culvert to get a shot on him. I got within 250 yards and decided to take my shot from there. Just as I shot, he lunged foward toward another buck and my shot landed square in his butt. This is when the work started. I ended up having to follow him on foot for 3 miles. I say followed because you don't have to really track anything in that land. It's so wide open you can see for miles and miles. We couldn't follow in the truck because New Mexico law states you can only take a vehicle off an established road to retrieve your game. And of course he didn't decide to go anywhere near a road.
Anyway the shot in the butt didn't slow him down for the first couple of miles. He was runnin like a spotted ape. (Or a wounded pronghorn).
He crossed under another fence but was still on our property. I made it to the fence, used a fencepost as a rest, got him in my sites and was ready to shoot, but I was breathing so hard I couldn't keep the rifle steady. I had to sit for a minute and catch my breath and then took the shot. My Remington 25-06 broke his back, and he dropped on the spot. I had to put one more in him when I reached him to put him out of his misery.
All in all it was a great time. We were lucky we were able to shoot out on Saturday because big storm came in Saturday night. The whole area must have been a huge mud hole for the guys that had to hunt this morning. My buddy got one that is about the same size and time as mine, but I think mine is bigger.
I'm sticking to that till the taxidermist gives us an official measurement.
The 3rd guy that went with us was on his first pronghorn hunt and his was about 14". He got his my 7:30 AM Saturday and drove back to Houston as soon as he had it in the cooler. That was bigger than my first and he was very happy. He can't wait to go back nect year. This will probably be my last goat for a while. I've got three now and I'm not gonna have much room on the wall for much more. I think I will take my 13 year old son (14 then) next year and give him a chance to take one.
Next time I go hunting though I won't tell anyone, so I don't end up being the subject of another campfire post.
It was one of the hardest hunts I've had in a long time. You have to remember, I'm a Texas boy, and we're used to sitting in a stand over feeders all day. We spotted him at about 2:30, but he was on someone elses land with a herd of about 30 lopes. He was the biggest of the herd, so I decided to wait him out. I had to lay in a culevrt on my belly for about two hours, (only 2 ant bites) just watching him in my binoculars. The herd would move , but wouldn't cross the fence. I was close to giving up when something spooked them and they started to move. Probably other hunter, but I don't know for sure. I would like to thank them if it was.
Anyway the shot in the butt didn't slow him down for the first couple of miles. He was runnin like a spotted ape. (Or a wounded pronghorn).
All in all it was a great time. We were lucky we were able to shoot out on Saturday because big storm came in Saturday night. The whole area must have been a huge mud hole for the guys that had to hunt this morning. My buddy got one that is about the same size and time as mine, but I think mine is bigger.
Next time I go hunting though I won't tell anyone, so I don't end up being the subject of another campfire post.
