This Saturday was opening day of rifle season for pronghorn, and I only had a week to fill my tag. I have been determined to use my crossbow since my tag came in the mail. Nick had an archery tag he filled in August, so we were able to each have our own separate hunts.
I broke my radius and scaphoid bones in my right wrist/arm. I haven’t been able to update the blog or do much at all since. A few weeks ago the doctor took my cast off, but nothing had healed. I had it imaged again a few days before the hunt, but everything was still about the same. Thankfully, I am in a removable splint and could actually go out and hunt. I wasn’t sure about crawling around out in the plains on it, but it held up for me.
I spent the morning stalking a group with one giant buck. Every time I would get about 90 yards out from them I would spook a couple does, and they would run off. The buck would run off to herd them back in, the whole group would move farther away, and I would start all over again. The group finally ran off too far, so I called nick to come pick me up.
The afternoon was full of failed attempts until the sun started to set behind the mountains. I came up on a group, they all started walking away, but a single buck stayed and looked back in my direction. He was at about 70 yards quartering away from me. I took the shot, and he was down within a few seconds.
I am so thankful for this hunt. I did not think I would be able to harvest a buck with my crossbow out in the plains. It was such an awesome experience. I am still getting thorns out of my hands and the rest of my body, I got my hair stuck in more bushes than I could count, my shirt ripped, everything including my ears were filled with dirt, but it was absolutely worth it.
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