During several days of looking over the goat population, Joe and I saw only two prong-horns which we believed would top 15" . . . and that was the initial day. So, we passed, thinking it would be no trick to relocate them later; either some of the other hunters got those two, or, we were simply unable to hunt them up again. One of them had a little more mass, length and higher "cutters" than the pictured 14 &1/2 incher, which I decided to shoot. Both this one, and "the one that got away", had exceptionally nice shape: the "hooks" curve(d) both back and in, with 6"cutters, located above the ear-tips, and which also curved nicely inward. Since I had no antelope mount, I was looking for something the taxidermist could work with - this goat fit the bill nicely: viewed from the front, both the cutters and "hooks" are clearly visible, forming a heart shape.
Late in the afternoon, I glassed this goat, lying in the middle of a 10-day old burn (caused by a lightening strike) and decided we'd better get a closer look. As we dismounted our four-wheelers in a shallow draw, a small band of does, fawns and Mega-dink bucks stood up at the head - on the burn edge! We had not detected them, as they lay tucked out of the incessant wind! :( GARN - we were busted before the stalk began!
Since we were in plain view, we simply sat still until the goats grew weary of staring at us, and decided there was better grazing over the hill! :) I headed straight for the saddle, through which the band had departed - with luck, the buck I wanted to check-out would still be bedded below the saddle - and, should I opt to shoot, within easy rifle range . Joe opted to board his quad and back-track to our last observation point (higher and "west of the slight divide") to watch the show and, should things go sour, keep track of the bigger buck.
As luck would have it - I got lucky! The fire had singed the cactus thorns sufficiently to make for easy crawling! Further, the goats were more concerned with munching the [de-thorned] prickely-pear and fresh green grass shoots than they were over a fat old man crawling on his belly!:) When I crested the divide, the biggest buck was a mere 50 yards to my left (S/SW), while his cheer-leading squad was "dead-ahead" at about 70 paces! At this distance, I quickly decided that this buck would go at least 14 inches and guessed the cutters to a right at 6 inches (later, a tape would prove these guesses correct and then some) - I was going to shoot! About then, I looked back to see if Joe was tracking me in his Lica binocular - Hoy - he was on his "bike" and headed West, only 300 yards to my North ! The goats heard the engine and decided to head South! Joe, unable to see any prong-horns from the knoll, had decided that the entire band had "hauled ass" and disappeared over the ridge line, a mile to our West!
Meanwhile, "my goat" was getting extremely nervous - and moving off to the S/SE! I stood up, then hit the deck as if pole-axed! Fortunately, Joe happened to see this action and stopped! The goats also observed my fit . . . typical of the unpredictable nature of prong-horns, they began milling about and wondering whether to flee of feast . . . it was all the break I needed. The buck stepped out of the pack and began feeding directly away from me - as soon as he truned, providing a line which would avoid the paunch, and, hopefully, exit at the point of the off-shoulder, the trigger broke. BOOM - WHUMP - the solid sound of a chest cavity hit! The "hard" cored 110 entered between the last two ribs and exited at the point of the off-shoulder: just the shot angle I had hoped for! Sans ruining a bunch of meat and/or breaking open the digestive tract, about as much of a penetration test as a prong-horn will aford. At the impact the buck staggered, walked in a circle and collapsed. Later, Joe ranged the distance at 278 yards. The hard cored 110 held together much better than did the 1% (antimony) core, making a golfball sized exit-hole, sans excessive "blood-shotting". Thus concluded yet another good day's hunt on THE RANCH. RG