This is Part 3 of a three part blog about my 2009 pronghorn hunting trip to Montana. You can find Part 2, here.
Day 4 – Action?
Tim took me back to the same stock tank location as Day 3. As on that day I was concerned that we were setting up a new blind on a new waterhole and that the pronghorn would need time to get used to it. The reason we hired and used an outfitter was to set us up on established, blind equipped waterholes that the animals had already gotten used to, but I was happy to be there. A long sit in a comfortably set up Double Bull Darkhorse was much preferred to one of peeking out small cracks along windows in the box blind. Tim and I agreed to disagree on window arrangements.
A chair and bow on the stake.
Eventually a doe and two fawns showed to water. The doe was calm, but the fawns were cautious and skittish. She drank, allowing me to practice drawing and snap pictures. Of course, the action had been slow so I’d left my video camera behind. Additionally, despite my checklist I’d left the mounting adapter for my tripod attached to the chronograph in the basement. So, as they fed and the fawns eventually bedded by the tank I snapped pictures with my camera and phone. I sent some pictures to Mrs. dustyvarmint. One bedded fawn issued an extended goat sounding bleat to its mother as if to say, “I’m comfortable here and I don’t want to move.”
Other groups poked their heads up over the hill as on Day 3, but wouldn’t come to water. I glassed long-range bucks and tried to will them to come in. Apparently, pronghorn mind control is a myth. A yearling appeared near the tank and kept looking behind it, bleated to its group once and eventually left. Later in the evening a small six to eight inch buck came to 36 yards, but wouldn’t come to water. He also kept looking behind himself. Considering the weather and the luck we’d had thus far I contemplated taking this buck, but he’d need to clear some tall weeds first to give me a clear shot. I called Gary on the cell phone to see what he thought and we agreed it was a tough decision I’d have to make. The buck never cleared the weeds and eventually fed away. A rancher on an ATV rode through with a dog on the back. Although valuable work tools I despise ATVs in my hunting so it spoiled my mood. After it went by two smaller bucks ran by at about 150 yards. Tim picked me up a short time later and the day was done.
Day 5
It stormed heavily over night and was raining when we walked to breakfast. Without the possibility of spot-and-stalk hunting our prospects looked bleak. The group looked to draw upon Gary’s experience for advice. With great trepidation and contemplation he told us he thought we should head home. We agreed. Our pronghorn hunt was over.
A Look Back
On previously unsuccessful hunts I’ve harbored some ill will about the outcome. This time it was different – I didn’t take an animal. That was that. Was I maturing as a hunter? I don’t know. I am certain the majority of the party would have been successful had the weather cooperated. What I do know is that I made some critical mistakes before and during this hunt.
Mistake #1: I didn’t call, talk to and ask questions of the outfitter. I was in constant contact with Gary, our booking agent, and discussed things like the number of blinds available and spotting-and-stalking considering the weather. However, I never talked to the outfitter myself. Nothing prevented me from doing so. I recently saw an archery forum post that said, “You can never ask enough questions,” and I believe this to be true. It is also impossible to know all the questions to ask. Who would have thought to ask if the box blinds had peep-holes or if an alternate hunting method was used in the case of inclement weather? Both seem pretty elementary and common sense to me.
Mistake #2: When it was obvious we should have been spotting-and-stalking or hunting funnels and fence crossings or even using another pronghorn tactic I’d been successful with I didn’t communicate this well to the outfitter and guide. Rather, I relied on what I considered should have been a common sense reaction to the weather to ensure we were successful. Additionally, this mistake is tied to Mistake #3, below. Learning from a previous unsuccessful hunt I had sworn that I would adapt my tactics to the hunt rather than stick to a pre-conceived notion of what it should be like. I had brought a decoy along and could have used it in two situations; Mistake #4, below. Additionally, for comparison purposes note that a group of three hunters we were acquainted with hunted twenty miles north of us and endured the same weather. Two of the three chose to spot and stalk while the remaining hunter chose to blind sit. The two spot-and-stalkers were successful the first day while the remaining hunter went home empty handed. Another outfitter I know just a few hours away adapted to the weather by hunting from blinds in alfalfa fields and fence crossings. His two hunters took a buck and a doe each.
Mistake #3: I allowed camaraderie to interfere with my success. After an unsuccessful 2007 South Dakota hunt for turkeys I had sworn to myself that I would never let social considerations interfere with my hunting success again. I know there are many people who enjoy the social aspect of hunting. While I enjoy some of that my main purpose going hunting is to hunt in the great outdoors and be successful. As Mrs. dustyvarmint succinctly says, “You can go to Yellowstone if you just want to see some animals.” And, I could go with her and Lexus vice a bunch of beard-wearing dudes. Unfortunately, either for financial or legal reasons, it just isn’t always possible to go it alone.
Rather than talking to the outfitter and guide when it became apparent neither was interested in employing alternative methods I relied on a friend and booking agent to settle the problem. From the outset I had decided to let Gary handle business as I wanted to see just how he did it. I also didn’t want my decisions to affect the other hunters. Had I insisted on something how would it have affected them?
Mistake #4: I didn’t employ all the tools I’d brought along. I have a pronghorn decoy that would have been a great confidence booster at the waterhole on Days 3 and 4.
I look forward to future pronghorn trips and wish they came along every year. I hope this blog was both entertaining and helpful to you in your own hunting endeavors.
happy hunting, dv
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