atthewall Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 Here’s a recap of my 2008 New Mexico Antelope archery hunt. I rolled from Kerrville Texas to Socorro County New Mexico Friday August 15, arriving in Magdalena NM at midnight. I was bound and determined to make the 2008 New Mexico antelope bow season opener. Driving pumped up sure keeps one motivated to burn the miles. I get to the High Country Lodge, my hunting partners Tink (NM) and Drake (TX) are sleeping, out like lights. I find my bed and simply toss and turn in anticipation of the next day’s hunt. 4 hours later, Tink, Drake and I are rolling a 26 mile gravel road to the same high country flat I killed last year’s pronghorn. Our opening morning is cool, clear skies, full moon, with temps in the high 40s. Our hunt is kicked off by a 1 mile hike to our respective bow blinds. The week previous, Tink ran out and set 3 tent blinds on 3 water holes, all within several hundred yards of each other. The stock tanks are basically filled by rainwater run off from the nearby mountains and up to mid July, each tank was absolutely bone dry. The pre-opener blind setup helps ease the local pronghorn’s tension with “new-new” their water supply. We arrive to Tink’s setup first and note his tank is now a mud pit. The only water left is surrounded by thick mud and a small puddle now fills the middle. Tink sets up anyway, it’s the first day of the hunt, lopes will hopefully cruise near his scene. My blind is next, located roughly 100 yards further over from Tink, beyond a high dirt berm which separates our two respective tanks from visual of each other. I have water and drop off my hunting gear. I hike up with Drake to his respective water tank, roughly 300 yards further to the west of my setup. This is Drake’s first trip here and he has no clue where his stand is. We find Drake’s setup good, plenty of water in the tank. We wish each other good luck and I work my way back to my blind, noting the sun rising in the east..... OUR HIGH COUNTRY HUNT IS ON! Settling into my blind I quickly change shirts, shifting into a long sleeve black shirt and associated black ninja face mask. My view from my right shooting window is limited and the view is the dirt berm separating Tink and I. On the right, I have the tank's water edge ranged at 38 yards, my longest shot to water there. Further up the berm to the top, the range is a dead on 60. Anything working down that game trail from the top and down into the tank from that will be make for a quick and fast shot setup. From the top of the berm and down to the water’s edge, a well worn game trail feeds down and stops right at the 38 yard mark along the water's edge The view from my left shooting window is a little more open. My farthest water side shot there is 50 yards. The surrounding berm, which works from my left to right out front, goes further out to 100 yards on the left. I note 3 game trails filterting down from the top of the berm to the water's edge. The closest trail ends at exactly 50 yards along the water's edge and hits 82 yards at the top. Looks like my left side is gonna be a little on the long side but that’s ok, it’s spread out more giving me more time to setup the shot. I settle in for a long day’s wait. At 8:30 am I note a pronghorn buck working in from my left window. He’s up above the dirt berm and stops to bed down at 84 yards on the opposite bank side on top. He’s a shooter but I’m reluctant to even attempt a shot this early into the game at that range. He's above me, I can see his entire body, neck and head but he's just beyond the edge of the dirt berm. As he sits and chews, staring to the east, I watch intently with the hope he brings others into my position or simply gets up and comes down to drink. 20 minutes later he simply stands up and slowly feeds his way away....85-86-87-88 yards...gone. So far so good and my wait continues. At 10:20 am, I note a pronghorn coming in from my left side, the same location as the previous buck in my left window. He clears the dirt berms edge and drops down the center game trail like a string headed to water. I realize this is the same buck from earlier. He hits the bottom and walks along the far side of the tank, settles in and starts his drink at exactly 48 yards. The shot angle is not there. I have a left front shoulder, quartering on to me....no shot. So I opt to wait him out. He drinks his fill in roughly 30 seconds, turns and starts his move out, walking out the same direction he came in. I make my draw as he hits my 55 yard mark. As he walks, he moves perfectly broadside to my position slowly...taking his time. It’s here things seem like a dream, I’m at full draw tracking, he is moving to my left slowing down and stops for a brief moment…..55 yards, I’m gapped.....time stands still.....THWACK!!!! He hits afterburner….the acceleration is unbelievable! He barrels up the lower tank flat headed away to the far berm wall which ranges roughly 110 yards to the top. He makes it 20 in a blink and simply flips over in a pile up at the tank berm bottom running at full throttle. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! My New Mexico antelope hunt is over and what a hunt Our High Country Lodge Motel Room Number…OLD LUCKY! Tink and I stayed in this same room last year….I smoked a lope at 71 yards….in the same setup….can’t break tradition Scenes from New Mexico High Country Hatch NM chilis...August is roasting season and these guys make antelope chili the BOMB! Hatch is the chili capital of the world! My setup. The far side, lower tank area was the shot scene. I borrowed Tink's ride to clear the hunt scene. Drake and Tink stayed back to finish their hunts with plenty more lopes giving them fits. Found a nice rock to field dress, quarter and cool. It's probably mid 80s here and getting the job done quickly is key in quality antelope venison. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeck Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 Nice pics, great story. thanks for sharing ATTA-BOY on the goat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 great story and fantastic buck!!! congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Way to go Rob. Great story, great pictures and awesome Antelope :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 great story great pics great antelope! Congrats :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illinois59 Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Great pics, Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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