Tag: Arizona Pronghorn Antelope Hunt

AZ Archery Pronghorn Epic Hunt

Cody Conklin 2013 Arizona Archery Pronghorn Antelope
Cody Conklin 2013 Arizona Archery Pronghorn Antelope

The 2013 Arizona Archery Pronghorn Antelope season was an EXTREMELY wet hunt.  Although this hunt historically is held right during the middle of the Monsoon season, typically you will catch a few days of dry weather.

Cody Conklin booked with us & he was wanting to best his 78″ buck from earlier in his bowhunting career.  This was a challenge we were looking forward to conquering, but we knew it would be difficult as the conditions were not set-up to sit water and pattern a big Arizona pronghorn.

As the wet weather pounded us on this hunt, we could only hunt a few of the places we wanted to.  During pre-season scouting we had found a buck around the 79″ mark, but was just pretty as hell.  Once Cody saw the buck, we headed out after him.

This buck was light on mass, but was a pretty 79"+ archery pronghorn.
This buck was light on mass, but was a pretty 79″+ archery pronghorn.

We crept close to this buck and actually got a shot, just before a huge thunderstorm chased us back to the truck.   Bowhunting pronghorn antelope can be very frustrating, because so many things have to go right and then they are EXTREMELY quick animals.  It’s super important to shoot at the bottom third on pronghorn, because they will move!

The heavy "Wavy" buck we wanted to kill.
The heavy “Wavy” buck we wanted to kill.

A few days later, we found a TANK of a buck, but he was in a horrible place for any bowhunter. Fortunately for us, we located another buck we knew of and he was in a great spot. This was also a stud pronghorn, although he wasn’t as flashy looking.

A big heavy Arizona Pronghorn we hunted.
A big heavy Arizona Pronghorn we hunted and almost killed. 

We had a couple chances at this big pronghorn, but unfortunately it got dark & then the RAIN came again! This time it rained so much we had to hunt off of the main drags, thus it limited how many big bucks we could hunt.

We crept to within 40 yards of 18 head of pronghorn, while waiting for this buck.
We crept to within 40 yards of 18 head of pronghorn, while waiting for this buck.

We found a herd of 18 pronghorn, which had one high 70’s type buck in the bunch, but he was real unique. As time was winding down, Cody decided he wanted to get a closer look. We got real close, but things just didn’t go our way and the buck escaped.

Heavy buck whipping up on a smaller buck.
The mid 70″ buck whipping up on a smaller buck.

On the second to last day, we caught a REAL big break. We found a buck we had been looking for and he was in a great spot. We hung with the buck and his does all day. After we bumped the herd, they held up and Cody was able to get a shot, but the buck just ducked in the nick-of-time.

Cody's 83" gross buck from the day before we killed him.
Cody’s 83″ gross buck the day before we killed him.

On the last day, we relocated the big buck and shadowed the herd for a few hours.    We kept creeping and then, the EPIC  Pronghorn Antelope fight happened and the rest was history…

Watch:  **Uneven Fight

Cody with his big archery pronghorn.
Cody with his big archery pronghorn.
Cody was extremely happy to kill such a great pronghorn on the last day.
Cody was extremely happy to kill such a great pronghorn on the last day.
We were pretty happy to! We love to help hunters achieve success!
We were pretty happy too! We love to help hunters achieve success!
Cody, Craig & Lee lived an awesome last day bowhunting moment.
Cody, Craig & Lee lived an awesome last day bowhunting moment.
This buck unofficially gross green score 83"!
This buck unofficially gross green score 83″!
The feeling we hope every EPO hunter gets to experience.
The feeling we hope every EPO hunter gets to experience.