IN THE BEGINING

What a crazy idea, chasing antelope with a bow I mean. Geez, I have trouble getting close enough with a rifle. What possible chance is there getting into bow distance, which for me is around 20 yards. Further proof that this is ridiculous is the fact that ND Game and Fish sell the license “over the counter” to anyone who wants one, including non-residents. I can only figure they simply don’t consider bow hunters a legitimate threat. Let the knot heads have their fun while we pocket the change. What can it hurt, certainly not the antelope population.

This all started back in 2006 with a simple, cheap fold out decoy partnered with naïve hope. Bowman is situated in the south west corner of the state and is command central for the next week of operations. My hunting partner is Jesse, my oldest boy, who is 10. He will be handling the decoy, I’ll be doing the shooting, that is if there is any.

The idea is to drive around and use the spotting scope to locate likely looking antelope herds. When we find a buck with a group of does we do an evaluation to see if they are sneakable. Sneakable means I can crawl on my belly and knees through broken rock, scoria, dust, snakes and cactus and be in decoy range before dark.

Funny thing about hope. How can an emotion this powerful and gripping disappear as fast as an antelope over the horizon. We are into day 4 of the adventure and it is going exactly as expected if you are a rational human being. Each morning we gas the truck, fill the cooler and begin the search. Same story, same pattern, same results.

Goes like this, we find a nice group of antelope and from the looks of the terrain, wind, and cover we can get within 150 yards or so. Sneakable. We get ourselves in position for the stalk. Stalk is code for the above mentioned obstacle course complete with the camouflaged prickly pear waiting in anticipation for the next victim. While crawling and then sliding over the prairie the antelope begin to notice something funny is going on. Ignoring the obvious, the stalk continues until we can’t get any closer without spooking the herd. With bow ready Jesse slowly lifts the decoy into position and a small cloud of dust appears where there used to be a nice herd of antelope.

Prickly Pear were originally designed by God to keep his antelope safe from would be assassins thinking they could do a sneak if they really applied themselves. They cleverly embed themselves just deep enough to cause the most pain, then when you try to pull them out they quickly break off under the skin and spend the rest of their life reminding you antelope hunting is a waste of time.

When planning a hunt be sure to locate command central within driving distance of a drug store. Remember only half of your stalk will have to be on your belly crawling in the dust. The first ½ mile you can glide along on one hand and two knees. Kind of like a 3 legged cow glides across the prairie. This would be easier with all four but your other hand is needed to carry stuff like the decoy and bow.

This is where the drug store comes in. You just witnessed what appears to be a vapor trail of dust disappear over the horizon and on the way back to the truck your pants keep getting stuck to your knees. That night when you get back to camp to take a shower you realize the burning sensation was cause all of the skin is missing on both knees. You now need to find the drug store in order to purchase new skin to replace the skin that was worn off while gliding across the prairie.

Day four and I tell my son, “This is absolutely stupid, what were we thinking in the first place.” Hope is long since been lost in the maze of reality. Reality is we sneak, slowly raise the decoy and wave goodbye to our vanishing opportunity. Predictable, certain, every time, no exceptions, same story.

Need an example, here is the sneak preview of the last stalk of 2006. We spot a very nice group of antelope in an alfalfa field and they just happen to be in a low spot. With some clever maneuvering, gliding I mean, we are able to get within 80 yards. Perfect set up, right distance, right wind, buck with a group of does, perfect. Jesse slowly raises the decoy and not a single antelope sees the event. I get the bow ready, anticipation full throttle, adrenaline surging. DUST. Good Grief, anyone with a brain can figure that if it happened this way the last 12 times it likely will be the same story next time. “This is absolutely stupid.”

We begin the walk back to the truck and notice an antelope buck chasing 3 does about a half mile away. We stop in our tracks and just watch for a while. Before long they have made a half circle and are coming our way. As they run down a butte and hit the low ground I look at Jesse and say, “Why not?”

They are in a low area and completely hidden, no stalking needed, we hit high gear and move straight at ‘em. We gain a couple of hundred yards and I decide this is where they would likely come out. We are still in the alfalfa field and have no place to hide.  We drop to our knees, or what’s left of them, and wait.

Three does show up right in front of us at 50 yards and make a quick turn to blast past us on the right. High alert, where is that buck? I catch a flash out of the corner of my eye to the left and there he is coming straight at us. Jesse moves the decoy so Mr. Big Buck can get an eye full, he continues the approach and offers a perfect broadside shot. Don’t ask me why I don’t take it.

Before decisions can be made he is walking and stops next to a fence quartering to us at 20 yards. The shot is off, arrow hits and Mr. Big Buck does an about face at mach 5 and drops dead 50 yards away. Jesse and I look at each other in amazement. Can’t believe it, did you see that? I can’t believe it. How could we be so lucky? Perfect, just like we planned it.