Two Antelope Hunting Trips Provide Hunter His First Kill

Choosing the Animal

The Indian blackbuck antelope - I never knew such a gorgeous animal existed until I watched an antelope hunt on one of the outdoor/hunting channels.

The dark or black color phase of a mature Blackbuck, featuring a white under belly, eye patches and spiral horns, got my attention. I just had to hunt one, and Texas was the place to go.

Choosing the Rifle

I chose to bring a muzzleloader rifle on this antelope hunting trip. I have harvested many whitetails with both my half-stock Hawken percussion rifle and .50 caliber Knight DISC rifle. This hunt called for my Knight DISC, since I retired the Hawken long ago.

Choosing the Scope

Here in South Dakota, we cannot use scopes during the muzzleloader hunting season. My vision has diminished with age, and I struggle with iron sights. I needed a scope for this antelope hunt, knowing the antelope's keen eyesight and fleeing nature. I chose a Weaver 6x. (I also keep all of my variable power scopes on 6x.) With a straight power scope like this, you are not fooling around with the magnification and forgetting to turn it down for closer range shots.

Choosing the Ranch

My search for a hunting ranch in Texas began with the push of a button. On internet I could search hunting websites, request brochures, check references by e-mail, and already feel as if I was there hunting.

I was looking for a hunting range that was small enough to cover by stalking in a day's time, stocked with many animals, and that included airport pickup and return, lodging and meals.

There are tons of places to choose from in Texas, ranches and outfitters - big and small, full-time or part-time. They also have a wide range of prices. It reminded me of looking for an African hunting destination.

I prefer the smaller outfitters who do not run so many hunters through their ranches or leases. I like the more personable, family-feel approach. Most of my hunting adventures are solo, and I do not want to be competing with others for the same game I am hunting.

The Antelope Hunt

My search landed me at a small ranch at Cross Plains, Texas, in October. It was just before the whitetail season and the animals were on high alert. In Texas, you can hunt exotics year round. In 2 1/2 days of hunting, I saw one mature Blackbuck - and that was from a window in the house after breakfast.

The Return

I returned to South Dakota disappointed with my hunt and outfitter. I will not elaborate here on the negatives of this hunt. If you hunt long enough with outfitters, sooner or later you are going to have an unpleasant experience. But, I still wanted a Blackbuck!

Choosing the Next Ranch

I went back to the list of outfitters from my previous search, plus added a few new ones. This next hunt would have to wait until after the New Year. I am a taxidermist, and when South Dakota's deer seasons get under way, with the rifle season starting in November, it gets very busy. Anyway, I narrowed my search down to the RRR Ranch near Goldthwaite, Texas. This is a small 400-acre ranch, with nicely wooded rolling hills, 3 fishing ponds and the Lazy W guest house down the road - with all the comforts of home.

Trying Again

Friday, February 27th...I'm off again to Texas. I couldn't fly with my box of Pyrodex pellets, so my first order of business was to pick up a new box at the Goldthwaite Hardware Store...where they cost me $10 more than what they sold for back home.

Saturday morning, while headed to the blind, Warren (owner and guide) and I came across two Blackbuck antelope males and a few does. That in itself was already a big improvement over my previous antelope hunt. The first hour in the blind and a nice male Blackbuck shows up. I let him go, being it was so early in the hunt...and I wanted a chance to see if there was anything nicer. I knew this could haunt me when the end of the hunt rolled around, but it seemed like a good call. We left the blind at around 11 a.m. for a late breakfast, and returned at 5 that afternoon. Close by 7 small Blackbuck antelope fed, and 6 whitetails and an Axis deer strolled past the hunting blind. Then, right at 6 p.m. a very nice, long-horned male appeared from out of the low land and chased away the 7 smaller males - but didn't return to feed. We didn't see him again that evening.

It rained early Sunday morning. On the way to the blind, we crossed paths with a nice male, but he was on the move. It rained until mid morning, then I stalked a buck to within 115 yards - but he proved too small. Back in the blind by 3:30 that afternoon, we hoped the animals would move early to dry off and feed. Nothing happened until around 5 p.m., when 4 does showed up. Then about a half-hour later, a nice shooter male antelope appeared. We let him feed to see if any other males would join the others already feeding. Warren estimated the buck in sight to be right at 20" on a straight line measurement - only about 1" shorter than what I was hoping to take. With time running out and not wanting to make a third trip to Texas (or my wife letting me), I raised the Knight DISC rifle and found the buck in my 6x Weaver scope. (I just love how the thumbhole stock makes this rifle so steady.) Pushed by two 50-grain Pyrodex Pellets, the Harvester Muzzleloading saboted "Scorpion" Funnel Point Mag Tip bullet caught the sweet spot. The 85 yard shot was easily made with the rifle and load. The buck went only 20 yards and went down.

Warren and Doris own the RRR Ranch. It is laid out very nicely, and has many animals traveling inside its boundaries. A limited number of Axis deer hunts are also available.

My Blackbuck ranked #16 SCI at time of harvest, but #17 by the time of scoring and getting the paper work submitted.