This is Why We Do It.

After my solo Pronghorn hunt the previous season, I was excited to be able to take my wife and father-in-law out West to fill their Pronghorn tags. The three of us, along with our pup, headed out a day early to try and beat the relentless SD wind that was forecasted.

We arrived at camp in the earliest hours of the morning. We quickly set up our cots in the enclosed trailer we hauled and slept for a few hours.

After a short rest, we decided to part ways for the morning hunt. My father-in-law went south and my wife and I went north. On our way to a glassing knob I previously had success with, we spotted a large herd of speed goats. Assuming there had to be a buck in the herd, we decided to pursue them.

From where they were located and the lack of terrain features it was hard to tell exactly where they were standing. After using my OnX distance tool, I was confident they were on public land. Judging by the wind and the ability to maneuver through the terrain, our best bet was to come in from the north. We hiked 2 miles in until we were able to locate the herd. This herd was smart... They had been hunted by archery hunters and the first week of rifle season had also passed. The pronghorn were sitting in the bottom of a large basin where they could see 1,000 yards in every direction. I thought hard and studied the terrain, looking for a way to sneak up on them. The only way we could approach them to a good shooting distance without being spotted was through a shallow creek drainage. Odds were slim, but we decided to try.

We followed the winding drainage through the vast prairie until we heard a gunshot coming from the direction we were going. It sounded close and we started to assume someone else had gotten to the herd first. Classic public land hunting story right? We decided to keep going... I mean we are already miles away from any sort of road system.

Just then, I glanced over the edge of the ditch and spotted a small herd. We crawled into a potential shooting position about 450 yards away from the only buck in the group. The drainage continued on closer to the buck, but we would risk being caught. My wife decided she would like to try and get a closer shot, so we snuck back down into the creek bottom. Once the drainage wound us back over near the herd, I spotted the buck and ranged him at 350 yards. Once she was comfortable and controlled her breathing... BOOM! One shot with her 6.5 Creedmoor took the buck down. We celebrated her first prairie antelope and gave it some time before approaching.

After packing out the buck, we hiked back to the vehicle and planned to meet up with my father-in-law. During a phone call to find out what he was up to, we learned that he had also filled his tag! Turns out the two of them took their bucks within a half hour of each other and within about a half mile of each other! The gunshot we had heard previously was his! Two antelope tagged and packed out all before noon...

One of the fastest hunting successes I have ever been a part of. This will go down as one of my favorite hunts. Not necessarily because we accomplished our goal of filling both tags or the short time it took to do it, but because of the strategy, hard work, and determination it took to fill both of them and doing it with the people I love.

THIS is why we do it. It's the preparation and planning before you even leave home. The whispering strategies and studying landscapes. Crawling through low lands and sprinting behind hills. The adrenaline that hits when you make the decision to shoot. All this keeps us coming back, keeps us hoping to draw the next tag, and keeps us hungry for the next adventure. And the best part? Sharing it with the people you love most.

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