As all of you know Kelly and I love to hunt. People always ask if I hunted before Kelly and I got together. The answer is no, but I have loved it since the first time he took me. I am grateful that I have a husband who likes for me to go with him and doesn't make me stay home. For those of you who aren't familiar with the hunting rules, you can't just run out there and shoot whatever you want. Although there is a general deer season, Idaho doesn't have a general season on antelope. You have to put in on a draw for which ever area you want to hunt and hope you get drawn. There are some areas that have a general bull elk hunt, but the area we like to hunt in does not. So once again you have to put in on the draw and hope you get lucky. Some people seem to draw all of the time, but some of us don't. After 7 years of putting in on both, antelope and elk, I finally drew. Not just one, but both of them. I was so excited I took tons of time off of work. The antelope hunt was first, in the last week of Sept. Kelly and I put in on the draw together so we both got to hunt. We went up on opening day, and took Tyree with us. Antelope hunting is not like deer hunting. They live in the high desert so it is just open range and sage brush, or farmers grain fields. That makes it easy to take Tyree, because you just drive around on these back roads until you see some in the distance and then get out and try to sneak on them close enough to get a shot. We saw my antelope in the morning so Kelly dropped me off and him and Tyree sat in the tahoe and watched. I was able to get on the buck and dropped him with one shot.
I was so excited my first antelope. He is 14 1/2 in. tall with 4 in. cutters (the part of their horn that comes out on the front).
That is a really nice one for around here. Not a record book maker, but definitely really nice.
Unlike deer and elk, antelope horns don't get different points. They all look similar has far has they all go up and have cutters on the front. They way they do differ is the mass of the base, the length of the cutter, and how much the horn curls at the top. Kelly had said they he would like to find one with a lot of curl at the top. Later that day we spotted this antelope with all of Kelly's criteria. It just so happens that Kelly knew the guy who owns the grain field. So after getting permission we drove out there and I sat with Tyree while Kelly got his buck (one shot too).
His measured in at 14 in. with 5 in. cutters. Another really nice antelope.
Although mine looks bigger it's not. The curl on his is deceiving so it looks shorter, but he has more mass and longer cutters. They actually score the same.
Kelly's right tip has an inch broken off, if it didn't his would have out scored mine. Anyway it might seem odd to some people, but it was a great family outing and we had a lot of fun. Two weeks ago deer season opened and right after that my elk hunt opened. I was able to hunt both at the same time. I took the whole 10 days off of work. My inlaws and Tyree went with me since Kelly had to work and could only be there on the weekends. Tyree stayed back at the ranch with her grandparents and great-grandparents, while I went out hunting. Every time I would grab my gun to leave she would say " Mommy go shoot the deer". This kind of hunting is a lot of work. We don't just drive around. You either ride horses clear up onto the mountain, or you hike your butt off. I did both. On opening day Shane ( a friend I got to go with me for a day) and I hiked 6 miles. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to some, but let me tell you it is not 6 miles on a road. It is uphill, over trees, through thick brush, packing your gear and your gun. It wears you out fast. My hunt opened on Tues. and by the weekend I still hadn't shot anything. I had seen a few animals though. This grouse,
and a bear track.
I had a bear tag just in case, but luckily I never ran into him. Kelly and I also got close to some porcupines one evening. Did you know they make a noise? Well they do. Saturday Shane, Kelly, and I were out all day and finally we got on a buck. We had seen a glimpse of this buck the weekend before but he got in the trees before we could get close. I am very glad we saw him again. I got a shot at 267 yards. I am so excited again because he is so awesome!
I can't believe I got such a nice buck.
The rest of the weekend when Tyree would walk by him she would say "Mommies big buck". All I needed after that was a nice bull elk to top off my year. All the hunting was taking it's toll though and I was exhausted. I know the nice bulls were out there, but I never could get one in my line of sight. So Sunday night I ended up settling for this little guy.
It is my first bull elk ever so I am still excited. At least I got one. Kelly got to be there for all of them, so that made it even more awesome. There is something so awe inspiring when you are up on the mountain top. You really learn to respect the animals when you are out in their element.
It is very satisfying to know that I worked so hard for it. In between hunting we played cards, and Tyree fished a lot with her papas. She got to herd cows which she loves, and ride horses.
All in all it was a great hunting season. I filled all my tags, and we have tons of meat.
Yes I looked like a total redneck coming home with the dog, a toddler, an elk, and a deer all in my tahoe. Not to bad for a pregnant lady ;)!!!
I was so excited my first antelope. He is 14 1/2 in. tall with 4 in. cutters (the part of their horn that comes out on the front).
That is a really nice one for around here. Not a record book maker, but definitely really nice. 
Unlike deer and elk, antelope horns don't get different points. They all look similar has far has they all go up and have cutters on the front. They way they do differ is the mass of the base, the length of the cutter, and how much the horn curls at the top. Kelly had said they he would like to find one with a lot of curl at the top. Later that day we spotted this antelope with all of Kelly's criteria. It just so happens that Kelly knew the guy who owns the grain field. So after getting permission we drove out there and I sat with Tyree while Kelly got his buck (one shot too). 
His measured in at 14 in. with 5 in. cutters. Another really nice antelope.
Although mine looks bigger it's not. The curl on his is deceiving so it looks shorter, but he has more mass and longer cutters. They actually score the same.
Kelly's right tip has an inch broken off, if it didn't his would have out scored mine. Anyway it might seem odd to some people, but it was a great family outing and we had a lot of fun. Two weeks ago deer season opened and right after that my elk hunt opened. I was able to hunt both at the same time. I took the whole 10 days off of work. My inlaws and Tyree went with me since Kelly had to work and could only be there on the weekends. Tyree stayed back at the ranch with her grandparents and great-grandparents, while I went out hunting. Every time I would grab my gun to leave she would say " Mommy go shoot the deer". This kind of hunting is a lot of work. We don't just drive around. You either ride horses clear up onto the mountain, or you hike your butt off. I did both. On opening day Shane ( a friend I got to go with me for a day) and I hiked 6 miles. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to some, but let me tell you it is not 6 miles on a road. It is uphill, over trees, through thick brush, packing your gear and your gun. It wears you out fast. My hunt opened on Tues. and by the weekend I still hadn't shot anything. I had seen a few animals though. This grouse,
and a bear track.
I had a bear tag just in case, but luckily I never ran into him. Kelly and I also got close to some porcupines one evening. Did you know they make a noise? Well they do. Saturday Shane, Kelly, and I were out all day and finally we got on a buck. We had seen a glimpse of this buck the weekend before but he got in the trees before we could get close. I am very glad we saw him again. I got a shot at 267 yards. I am so excited again because he is so awesome!
I can't believe I got such a nice buck. 
The rest of the weekend when Tyree would walk by him she would say "Mommies big buck". All I needed after that was a nice bull elk to top off my year. All the hunting was taking it's toll though and I was exhausted. I know the nice bulls were out there, but I never could get one in my line of sight. So Sunday night I ended up settling for this little guy. 
It is my first bull elk ever so I am still excited. At least I got one. Kelly got to be there for all of them, so that made it even more awesome. There is something so awe inspiring when you are up on the mountain top. You really learn to respect the animals when you are out in their element.
It is very satisfying to know that I worked so hard for it. In between hunting we played cards, and Tyree fished a lot with her papas. She got to herd cows which she loves, and ride horses. 
All in all it was a great hunting season. I filled all my tags, and we have tons of meat. 
Yes I looked like a total redneck coming home with the dog, a toddler, an elk, and a deer all in my tahoe. Not to bad for a pregnant lady ;)!!!
