Opening morning, which was a wednesday, in August found me in the buggy well before sunrise on the way to the prarie. Just before legal light I spotted a few deer as well as a few antelope does in the field. I parked the buggy, gathered my stuff and off I went. Right at legal light those three does came trotting in to about 60 yards, not much I could do but hope they blow out in a good direction. Later that morning I saw a few more does and fawns, with the largest being around 15-20. Had one old doe walk within 41 yards but I was caught flat on my belly with no real option of drawing without getting busted. Wow, 25 or 30 antelope on the place and not a single buck. Walking back to a small stash of gear I see a runner out of the corner of my eye, now two. One has a real dark face and I know even without binos its a buck. Not a great one, but I shooter for sure with my bow. Did I mention I have a problem with patience?
Just 15 minutes before I was tucked in to some hay bails with 2 does hanging around within about 70-80 yards-two live decoys, I guess. Stay put, I told myself. Much to learn I still have about patience, who knows, if I stayed put the other two may have come right in....Idiot.
Had another couple of blown stalks later in the day, and one in the following days, lots of little bucks with does. Had some does from a group of about 25 jogging to the decoy, thought that might fire up the buck a little bit, but didn't get much but a stare. He wasn't but a little bigger than the decoy anyway, can't blame him for not wanting a tussle. I am hoping the the rut picks up and they start moving around and getting in to smaller groups. Its tough to make a stalk on 20 sets of antelope eyes.
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