2014 TPWD Rita Blanca grasslands Pronghorn hunt

After 12 years of putting in for the hunt 2 buddies and I were drawn for the hunt. This is the Pronghorn I harvested. Saw him over 1500 yards out kind of heading my way so I stayed still. Looked like he was cruising for the females and made it about 200 yards from me. He didn't make it any further. Out of respect for my friend I did not post his Pronghorn photo without permission. He harvested a really nice one. Unfortunately our other friend did not close the deal on one. He was having medical related mobility issues. We had a good hunt and met other hunters who had success. Time to start racking up the preference points again...

Congrats on a great hunt with very long draw odds!!!!

Cool! With all your luck I hope you're playing the lotto.

I think antelope are one of the most fun big game species to hunt.

cool and congrats... ! man Ive been wait'n on that draw. I have like 11 or 12 points too.. ugh! thanks for sharing

Congrats on a great hunt plus a hard draw!! My group has 21 points.

What a hunt. Good job.

Very nice! Congrats on the draw and nice work with the speed goat! Thanks for sharing.

Very nice. What type of rifle/setup did you take it with?

Rem 700 7mmag long range. Nikon 4.5-18X40 off of tripod trigger stick. Way too much gun n scope for the 200 yard chip shot I got but I wasn't expecting 200. I was ready for 500...

How long did you hunt before you shot him? How many did you see? Was it guided or did the park staff just turn you loose?

Good job and congrats on the success. Looks to be nice size prize.

You should post that pic on the public hunt pics thread.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u...ng_#Post5313135

Hunted 1.5 days before taking him. Self guided with pretty poor map provided by TPWD. Map had "no fault" clause for inaccuracy on TPWD part. That makes you very wary due to making a "mistake" would end with a federal conviction! If I get picked again I will hold out for a stud...my friend and I tried to help our other friend who had opportunity on 8 different bucks. We set him up in the base of a non working windmill about 500 yards from a 6'-8' high ridge hiding our approach. On other side of ridge from way down the road I counted 57 pronghorn. It looked like a scene of a national geographic show! Unfortunately our friend could not seal the deal... I saw 2 for sure would be B&C or very close to it during the hunt after I shot this one. I could have killed either if I hadn't harvested this one.

Great job!

Good looking goat! Maybe my time will come before I can't hunt anumore.

congrats on a nice buck, looks like you had good weather that day too.

Just received notice myself and two friends were drawn for Rita Blanco pronghorn. Sure have lots of unanswered questions about the area and the hunt, etc. Figure you would be the best to ask. We were drawn after 19 years and are getting older. If you catch this I sure would like to have you call me or perhaps email. I will watch this site to see if you reply. I just joined the forum yesterday.

Drew a mule deer hunt in Sierra Diablo years ago on the first attemp. That was a great hunt and so looking forward to the pronghorn. Done elk, mule deer and whitetail, a bunch but never pronghorns. Any help, particular involving Rita Blanco would be wonderful.

Larry

One day maybe

You will receive everything in the mail for the hunt. We did not have an orientation, it's a show up and go. Hold out for a big one, if you can hunt you will kill a big one or at least have opportunity. If you can shoot to 500 yards it'll be easy. We stayed in Dalhart but there is a primitive campsite you can camp at. It has charcoal grills and a toilet facility only. There is a small restaurant in an old gas station in Texline, food was awesome! Not much out there...Be conservative on boundaries, this is a National Grassland and a Federal crime for any broken laws. Wardens were plentiful but very nice.

Nice Goat, good job on trying to help your buddy.

Finally thought to check this site for your reply. Sure do appreciate. Some very good insight. I know, after 19 years we may be anxious to take the first good looker, just hope we can hold off till the "right" comes along. I have studied the maps and Google satelite maps and have a pretty good understanding of the lay of the land. Looks like the boundaries on most units are fenced, just from the aerial view. Also received today a map of the motor vehicle roads. I have an older 4 wheel drive pickup and a regular one. Is there any place we would need 4 wheel drive? As of now we are planning to take the standard pickup. One more thing, pretty important. Can you advise the best unit where you saw the most antelope or does it matter? I assume you probably had the same information we had in which units are the best. As for shooting, I have never fired at 500 yards. Using a 270 with Federal Premium 130 Nosler I shot a 3 inch group at 300 yards, but from a homemade bench rest. I am about 4 low at 300. Hope to get at least that close. Can't say how excited we are. Have a spotting scope but not a very good one. Plan to take it and a tripod. I will post after the hunt.

Those antelope move around a lot so you'll just have to locate them. Unless you have experienced the type of terrain it will surprise you. See for miles with no elevation change and nothing taller than grass. Other areas have elevation and some brush. My buddy crawled and killed his at 175, I let mine come to me and got 200 yard shot. Make sure you take range finder, good binos and snake boots. We encountered some angry prairie rattlers.

Enjoy reading your posts. Never hunted anything like the terrain you describe. East Texas and Hill Country whitetails, Colorado Elk and Mule Deer but never antelope. Have watched a dozen or so pronghorn hunts on you tube, etc. Have a pretty good idea what to expect and some idea of how we will hunt. Basically I guess it is just drive and spot, then stalk or get lucky and wait till they come to you. When I first applied I held a lot steadier than now but from a good bench I shoot 3 inch groups at 300. A little, well a lot more spread out from the shooting sticks so plan to get as close as possible. I can still crawl but the angry rattlers give me some concern. Anyway, we are excited about the opportunity and plan to heed your advice to be patient.

Awesome

Where are this years harvest pictures?

We had three permits but one guy had to miss to stay home and care for his wife who had surgery the same week. My brother and I made the trip, however, and had a grand time. We scouted on Friday, mainly two areas, one with an adjoining corn field, unit 7 and another we considered remote, unit 52. We were not impressed with the corn field as it was fenced in with electric. Then it rained Friday night. We found the roads, even the so-called county roads almost impassable after the rain. So after nearly sliding in the ditch on Thompson Grove Road we headed to 296 and headed north, then back east. Soon we spotted a little herd sky-lined on a ridge. There was a large open field between us and the ridge so I decided to drive far enough past the antelopes to be out of sight, then cross the open pasture in an attempt to get to the base of the ridge and hopefully make a sneak. About half way across the opening I glassed the goats and discovered they all had come over to my side of the ridge and were watching me intently. I then redirected my stalk parallel to the herd but only briefly as the pronghorns started in my direction. I was camo so I sat dawn on the ground and placed my shooting sticks between myself and the PH. They made a bee line toward me, so straight in fact that the buck was almost directly behind the last doe, of 5, until they were about 150 yards or less from me. At that point he made a slight turn to the left, stopped and put his head down as if to graze. He never knew what hit him. The time, about 8:00. After getting the animal back to the pickup another truck stopped with a man and his wife, of which he was also hunting with a permit. He had actually gotten stuck on Thompson Grove Road. He advised us of a game processor near Texline that would have one ready overnight so my brother and I decided to take mine to the check station in Dalhart, then on to the processor. Before we got out of the area and still running down Unit 22 we spotted another head, this also with one good buck. My brother did much as I did, crossed and walked in the general direction of the animals. They did not react as the first herd but did not actually just run off. My brother eventually got in position and using the shooting sticks was able to hit the buck. It took another shot to finish him off but the first shot was a long ways and got the job done. After the game warden went in after my brothers buck and brought him back to the highway, we field dressed it in he ditch and headed to the check station. When we started rolling it was 11:58.There is a whole lot more to this story, but it was so exciting and just plain awesome. I have pics but at this point have no idea how to post them so hoping some one will advise. Both the bucks were exceptional.

Great narrative and information. Congratulations. I've been trying for 18 years so maybe next year!