4:45 AM rolls around again and the experience from yesterday has worn off and I have a renewed excitement for the day. Of course I wouldn't be a hunter if I didn't think I might have blown my best chances. The cereal goes down quickly and we hustle to the car.
The drive to the blind is refreshing. The air is cool, actually cold. It's amazing the mood swings of the desert. The high could hit 100 at the heat of the day and then swing down to the 40's at night. On our way I have a couple of gates to tend to. These are the lesser things I like to do, but since Steve is the man behind the wheel it's my job!
We arrive to our parking spot and slowly head to the blind. While walking I wonder if or when I will get another shot. With yesterdays hot activity I am not too worried.
We settle in and begin the traditional wait for the day to heat up and the antelope to start moving. Steve looks out the window at 6:55 and says, "We have rimrocks!" Which usually mean we have antelope on the ridge looking down at the water. Excited I walk over, as I peer out I realize Steve is pulling one of his many pranks, this a new one, and as I glance at him he quickly says, "I said I saw rimrocks and if you look you will see lots of rocks!" He laughs with with a sense of accomplishment. I smile and return to the window to make a sweep of the land and as I scan the ridge we were just joking about I see an antelope coming!
Steve! Antelope! Amused he looks toward the direction of the ridge and says, "Acosta you are one lucky punk!" I let Steve look him over because he is coming hot and heavy. He says he looks like a good shooter. Having confidence in Steve I ready for the shot.
The antelope continues his course right to the water. He closes the 400 yards in a hurry and stops for a moment at 75 yards. He is near the same spot Steve's antelope died and I am worried the blood may spook him. We both hold our breath. Quickly he turns toward the waterhole and he knows exactly why he is there.
As he cautiously approaches the water I focus on the spot I am going to shoot at. I don't even look at the rack because I want to make a good shot. I have decided to aim 4 inches higher due to the shots yesterday.
He is now just 3 steps away from the water. I feel my heart pounding and have yet to take my eyes of my target. He takes his final step and puts his head down to drink.
I raise my bow and draw back. He is contently drinking from the water. I relax and make sure I aim a little higher...one...two...three...release...SWOOSH...THUMP!!!
The arrow flies true to where I was aiming! Which means I shot higher than where I wanted it to go. I watch as the buck races off 100 yards in a heartbeat. Steve videos the event and watches as the antelope labors to catch a breath. As the buck disappears below us Steve rewinds the tape and looks at the shot.
"Pat he's breathing heavy and the angle of the shot really should have hit the lungs." Steve replies. Having lost my confidence from the day before I am about to throw my bow as far as the antelope ran, but I am more upset with myself.
Steve remains calm and tells me to crawl to the edge of the waterhole and look downhill to see if I can see what he's doing. I agree and go. I scan the desert floor below me and can't see him. This worries me. Steve comes and joins me and we both walk to the edge now because we can't see him.
I catch movement to our right and there is my buck struggling to keep his head up. Steve tells me to put a sneak on and finish him off.
I grab my bow and head on the predetermined course, which will lead me above him and come right down to where I can get a clean shot. As I am about to make my descent from the ridge I hear a snorting sound. Now if you think deer make a loud snort when spooked or alarm wait until you here an antelope. It's like a high pressured hose!
The snort worried me and as I found the owner I realized it was not mine because this buck was huge, well over P&Y requirements. To make sure I glassed his side and he was clean. He quickly left the area warning every other creature around that there was danger.
Steve was guiding me with hand signals towards my buck and when Steve stood to see where the other buck went my buck tried to stand but was too weak and so I hustled my way down to him and put another shot in him which took care of him.
Autopsy on my antelope showed that the first shot hit both lungs high. This shot would have killed the antelope had we given him a few more minutes.
I roughly, and I am talking very roughly scored the buck and it should score around 68 P&Y which would make it my 3rd buck eligible for the book. The buck had very thick bases, almost 7 inches, nice prongs with one prong slightly chipped. The length is where I am lacking. Steve and I feel that this buck was in regression. He had a large body, very large and dark face. When I get the European mount back from the taxidermist I will be able to age him.
Steve’s buck will make the book and like mine it was roughly scored and I believe it will be around 70 P&Y.
This year was a great hunt and Steve and I were glad that we could hunt together for the short time we did. We had seen more antelope in 1 day than we had seen the past 2 years during opening week. We only hunted 8 of 15 hours in a day. Sometimes hunting can be tough and frustrating and sometimes the hunting gods look down on you. This trip there were nothing but smiles!
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