Beginner's Luck Blackbuck
I was fortunate enough to spend my Thanksgiving vacation at Bowhunter's Paradise. In a sit down on my arrival Jim was frank telling me the hunting had been tough, but he would do everything he could to put me on an exotic buck. I didn't come with a very good expectation of harvesting something, in fact I forgot my cooler at home, so I was actually looking forward to some challenge.
The first morning I got to sit absolutely still, ignoring all cramps and itches, as 5 sika does spent 45 minutes around my stand. The encounter left me pumped and confident I could sit still enough and manage scent enough to close the deal on a buck if the opportunity presented itself.
The first evening we dropped another hunter off on the far side of the ranch and on the way back to where Jim was going to drop me off we saw several blackbuck does trot across the road. Prophetically Jim whispered to me there would be a buck behind them. Sure enough second from the end was a mature blackbuck followed by a small buck. Jim confirmed he was a shooter and casually said "You aren't really interested in blackbuck are you?" I quickly corrected that I'd love to have a chance at a blackbuck, even though I had been daydreaming of Axis for a few weeks. Jim said, "I know where they're going", and went on to explain if I was quick and quiet enough to make it to a particular stand I might have a chance. He warned me about a clearing on the walk in where I could get busted and wished me luck. Sure enough I get busted by 3 blackbuck does in the clearing as I glassed the edges before crossing it. Figuring I had blown it I carefully picked my way to the tripod and settled in.
When the feeder went off, the first arrivals were 3 axis does on crack. Everytime they crunched a rock they jumped. Once again I did my best to not even twitch or blink for the half hour they vacuumed corn. With the corn gone and being busted on the walk in I just knew it was over. Then about 4:45pm I hear "clippity clop" coming down the rocky hill to my left. I grabbed my bow and rested the XT's lower cam on my leg as I hooked up my release. Then all too soon blackbuck does started filing past a mere 4 yards from the tripod I'm in. Predictably the buck is bringing up the rear, and I have no chance of drawing without spooking 10 sets of antelope eyes. I must be living right, or God just decided to show some grace; because the train of antelope made a u-turn behind some brush enabling me to draw and then filed back to the feeder. I followed the buck at full draw as he darted here and there around the does. At 22 yards broadside the buck stopped his erratic movement for a second and in that second my Muzzy tipped Axis zipped through the buck. I was in shock. After 20 minutes or so I got down and followed a short but sparse 61 pace blood trail to my buck. Wow. It was amazing.
The green line below is the path of the back before the shot, the red circle is where he met the arrow and the blue line is his escape route.
My hero shot on the hillside where I found him.
The exact spot/position I found him in at the end of the trail.
My advice from TBH'ers had been to hunt tough and listen to Jim. Both pieces of advice were dead on. I can't wait to go back!
The first morning I got to sit absolutely still, ignoring all cramps and itches, as 5 sika does spent 45 minutes around my stand. The encounter left me pumped and confident I could sit still enough and manage scent enough to close the deal on a buck if the opportunity presented itself.
The first evening we dropped another hunter off on the far side of the ranch and on the way back to where Jim was going to drop me off we saw several blackbuck does trot across the road. Prophetically Jim whispered to me there would be a buck behind them. Sure enough second from the end was a mature blackbuck followed by a small buck. Jim confirmed he was a shooter and casually said "You aren't really interested in blackbuck are you?" I quickly corrected that I'd love to have a chance at a blackbuck, even though I had been daydreaming of Axis for a few weeks. Jim said, "I know where they're going", and went on to explain if I was quick and quiet enough to make it to a particular stand I might have a chance. He warned me about a clearing on the walk in where I could get busted and wished me luck. Sure enough I get busted by 3 blackbuck does in the clearing as I glassed the edges before crossing it. Figuring I had blown it I carefully picked my way to the tripod and settled in.
When the feeder went off, the first arrivals were 3 axis does on crack. Everytime they crunched a rock they jumped. Once again I did my best to not even twitch or blink for the half hour they vacuumed corn. With the corn gone and being busted on the walk in I just knew it was over. Then about 4:45pm I hear "clippity clop" coming down the rocky hill to my left. I grabbed my bow and rested the XT's lower cam on my leg as I hooked up my release. Then all too soon blackbuck does started filing past a mere 4 yards from the tripod I'm in. Predictably the buck is bringing up the rear, and I have no chance of drawing without spooking 10 sets of antelope eyes. I must be living right, or God just decided to show some grace; because the train of antelope made a u-turn behind some brush enabling me to draw and then filed back to the feeder. I followed the buck at full draw as he darted here and there around the does. At 22 yards broadside the buck stopped his erratic movement for a second and in that second my Muzzy tipped Axis zipped through the buck. I was in shock. After 20 minutes or so I got down and followed a short but sparse 61 pace blood trail to my buck. Wow. It was amazing.
The green line below is the path of the back before the shot, the red circle is where he met the arrow and the blue line is his escape route.
My hero shot on the hillside where I found him.
The exact spot/position I found him in at the end of the trail.
My advice from TBH'ers had been to hunt tough and listen to Jim. Both pieces of advice were dead on. I can't wait to go back!
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