My 2009 Utah Pronghorn

utahpredator_7

New member
I drew this tag on the Plateau unit in Utah this year. The DWR has beat this unit to death, and it's pretty rough now. We were looking for waterholes with good bucks and lots of goats on our scouting trips, and we found a good spot and set up a blind. First day, saw a badger and lots of sage chickens. A real nice buck came in. I just grazed his back at 51 yards, bad buck fever! The next day we only saw a doe and two fawns at that hole, so I bailed early and went and laid down in the sagebrush at a hole where a bunch of goats were. My dad of course lectured me about being patient but ya gotta hunt em' where they are. I saw two bucks coming in, then a bunch of does and fawns. They were getting rutty, and the bigger of the two bucks ran the does around at the hole just 15-20 yards from me. I set my sight for 20, drew and sat up. The does ran away, but the buck stopped at what I would later find to be 42 yards, but I shot for 50 and missed. We set the blind up there after dark that night. Next morning a nice buck came by, but never came to the hole. A group of does and a nice buck came and looked at the hole, but the shiny top of the Ameristep blind spooked them. Next a lone doe came in and drank. We then proceeded to sit for 10 hours without seeing a goat and I had finished my book the day before
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At 7 PM my dad and I were standing up getting ready to leave when we heard a buck snort. I said "That's a goat!" I sat down, picked up my bow and nocked an arrow. He came on a dead run all the way to the water, then looked at the blind. I ranged him at 40 even, drew, and my dad lifted the screen out of the way. My sight was set on 40 yards and I drilled him. You gotta love that sound! He turned and ran 70 yards and keeled over dead. I shoot a Bowtech Old Glory (2006 with Speed Modules) at 65 pounds with Goldtip Expedition Hunters, Starrflight FOBs, and Rage 3-Blade Broadheads. It went through part of his shoulder blade, center punched a rib and left a gaping hole through his lungs, cutting the pulmonary arteries and veins and all that good stuff. On the exit side, one blade took out half a rib. The FOB popped off, the arrow exited and went 10 yards further. Left a sweet blood trail too, and the head was completely undamaged. I resharpened it and put it back in my quiver. It was a way fun hunt, but those hours in the blind are very long ones if nothing is happening. This was my first big game kill with a bow.

Rage 3-Blade Entry Hole
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Me with Goat
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Dad with Goat
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Sage Chickens at the first hole
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Nice way to pop the 'ol "first archery big game" cherry! Range finders are key to the long range archery success, as you've learned.
Congrats!!
 
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