NM Goat Down

[ganngus]

Got an absolute toad of a New Mexico public land pronghorn yesterday. Seems like antelope numbers are down this year in New Mexico. Is anyone else seeing the same?

 

[Short Track]

I hunted 16a and saw ZERO Antelope. Maybe 1 or 2 mule deer.

 

[wytx]

Well at least you didn't say Gig'em, lol !

Great buck, congrats !!
He's going to score well, just lacking a little mass at the bases. He looks to be at least 15 1/2" or more .
However I suck at judging by pics, don't mean to diminish him by any means.

Nice shot and great pics too !

 

[Mturney]

I drove from Dalhart to Raton last week and saw as many or more goats as I have the last 6 years. Maybe none as nice as yours but lots of water and grass. Congratulations.

 

[Oregonmuley]

Congrats - beautiful buck!! Especially with a bow really fantastic. Wish I had a tag anywhere this year for antelope but no luck so next year maybe

 

[butcherboy]

Just finished my sons youth muzzleloader tag. Saw lots of goats. Quite a few big bucks. Stalked one that was probably one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen. Perfect stalk but ended up spooking two mule deer does in some trees and they spooked the buck. Had many other multiple incredible stalks but were messed up by unseen antelope, other hunters, or wind. He missed one shot at 300 yds which was a long poke for him. This hunt really needs to be a rifle hunt instead of a muzzie hunt. Over all, lots of goats and we had a blast!

 

[ganngus]

Well at least you didn't say Gig'em, lol !

Great buck, congrats !!
He's going to score well, just lacking a little mass at the bases. He looks to be at least 15 1/2" or more .
However I suck at judging by pics, don't mean to diminish him by any means.

Nice shot and great pics too !

Pictures didn’t do him justice. He’s 16 7/8 on one side and 16 3/8 on other green.

For scale, here he is next to my P&Y from two years ago that is in books at 78 5/8.

 

[Mt Al]

Ganngus, that is a HOG and, were it me, it would go straight to the taxidermist. Congratulations on getting a speed goat that big with archery tackle! Well done!

Always impressed by how big NM antelope are.

 

[rclouse79]

Dang

 

[Sportsman247]

Beautiful buck! Congrats on your hunt

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Congratulations! That is a dandy for sure and with a bow? Just wow.

Would love to hear some details of the hunt if you felt comfortable sharing?

 

[D_Dubya]

Congrats! Awesome buck!

 

[ganngus]

Congratulations! That is a dandy for sure and with a bow? Just wow.

Would love to hear some details of the hunt if you felt comfortable sharing?

It was the hardest pronghorn hunt I’ve done. A lot of the county roads I was planning on using for access were abandoned by the county, resulting in me not being able to get to about half of locations I was hoping. Compounding the issue further, the goat numbers seemed low and the bucks were insanely skittish even at over half a mile away.

For him individually, I was making a move on a pronghorn about 1000 yds away across a ravine from me. While working way to it, crested a hill and he spotted me. Squatted down and he was fixated on us about to bolt. In act of desperation, grabbed a game bag out of my pack and flicked it in the air to make him think he saw a doe. Luckily, it worked and he dropped down into draw. Was able to see him working towards my direction towards a saddle. Got a quick range at 70yds. In short order, he crested and I sent it. Next thing I knew I had my biggest goat to date.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Being the hardest hunt has to make it that much sweeter. It definitely sounds like there were some curveballs thrown your way but some quick decisions on your feet made all the difference. And a heck of a shot at 70yds!

Congrats again and thanks for sharing.

 

[ganngus]

Being the hardest hunt has to make it that much sweeter. It definitely sounds like there were some curveballs thrown your way but some quick decisions on your feet made all the difference. And a heck of a shot at 70yds!

Congrats again and thanks for sharing.

In addition to it being a hard hunt, it was the most amount of rattlesnakes I’ve seen since I was a teenager. Unit was crawling with them.

 

[Loco4dux]

No gracias on the rattlers, damn.

Stud buck!

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Holy chit, I would have lost my marbles! No way I could have been on a stalk and not been worried about that.

 

[downthepipe]

Wow crazy hunt. Sweet.

 

[stonewall]

That’s an awesome buck. Congratulations! Amazing accomplishment

I drew an archery nm tag a few years ago. I spent a week crawling all over the prairie unsuccessfully. Wish I could have a do over one of these days

 

[WMag338]

Fantastic!