Visions of the Way it Was, Circa 1961

Visions of the Way it Was, Circa 1961
The First Pronghorn, 1961

By Tom Dorigatti

I was born and raised in the State of Wyoming.  That offered me the privilege of being born with a fishing pole in one hand and a rifle in the other, ha!  Seriously, I grew up hunting and fishing at every opportunity.  Much of it wasn’t for sport, but rather from the stand point of filling the freezer and providing fish to eat in the summers and wild game in the fall and the winter. The picture below was taken in 1951.  I was 4 years old and had just taken my first cottontail rabbit with a gun.  The gun was a .410 bolt action shotgun and the person in the photo was a friend that was with us.  His name was Jim Sprowell.  He helped hold the shotgun up for me while I aimed and fired the gun.  I got lucky and nailed the cottontail with the first shot!  Danged gun kicked like a mule, too, haha.  I couldn’t hold both the gun and the rabbit, so Jim is holding the gun while I am admiring the rabbit that is nearly as long as I am tall!

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the time frame when I grew up, hunting and fishing in Wyoming was at its apex.  The success rate (for rifle hunting) was 100% for antelope (pronghorn) and mule deer, and 95% for elk.  In the areas we hunted, we normally didn’t have to even ask permission to go into private property to hunt and/or fish.  The only requirement was to leave the place the way you found it and keeping the gate(s) open if they were open, and closed if they were closed.  The ranchers and farmers, of course, appreciated it when you did ask and appreciated it even more if/when you left the Game & Fish Commission tag for land-owner compensation from the State of Wyoming for game harvested upon their land.

How times have changed!  I didn’t go in and do extensive research, but I can tell you that the success rates for rifle hunting, resident or not is no longer 100% for antelope and mule deer, and is way down for elk, too.

My father, now deceased often said that where we used to have to use a 4WD vehicle to get to, a person now drives in with a car.  Where you needed a horse, you now drive a 4WD vehicle, and where you had to hoof it (which is where we normally went), you can easily get to with an ATV.  Back in the 1950’s and ‘60’s of course, ATV’s weren’t around and the trails we used never saw a gasoline powered vehicle due to the Wilderness Area Laws restricting the usage of any gas powered vehicle in a declared “Wilderness Area.”  Obviously, those laws have been relaxed in this day and age!

Antelope Licenses:

Another interesting change is the cost of licenses for residents and the manner in which those licenses are “secured.”  Back in the 1950’s & 1960’s, the resident licenses for antelope were $5.00.  The areas were open on given dates, and a drawing wasn’t required.  To secure a license, the date the licenses went on sale was announced and if you wanted a particular area, you had to be in line early and they were sold on a first-come, first-serve basis!  I remember standing in line waiting for the gun shop to open so that I could try to get the area(s) close to home that my dad and I had been scouting for “big goats.”  We knew where the big goats were lurking, and it was tougher to get the license than it was to get a monster buck.
The State was (and still is) divided up into many hunting areas designated by numbers.  Each area had specific boundaries and specific dates when the antelope season was open. Most of the antelope permits were for either sex, but there were some areas that were buck only or doe only.  One pronghorn per year was the limit, and even today, that holds true unless the permits don’t sell out.  The areas around my hometown are the most difficult to get

This particular article is dealing with my very first Pronghorn (antelope or “goat” as Wyomingites still call them).  The legal age for the taking of big game back then was age 14.  Of course, I had hunted antelope, deer, and elk with my father for many years before turning 14.  In addition, I had purchased my own 30-06 rifle at age 12 and had been taught how to shoot this high powered rifle relatively well by the time I turned the legal age of 14.  I was allowed to purchase an antelope permit when they went on sale even though at the time of sale I wasn’t yet 14.  However, the area that I purchased a license for opened after I turned 14, making me legal to hunt.

The Hunt for that first “legal” Pronghorn.

Antelope season opened 5 days after I turned 14 years old.  We had scouted the area quite a bit right after I secured the license, so we knew there were some big bucks lurking in specific parts of that hunting area South of my hometown.  There was a particularly large buck we sure wanted a chance to harvest!

My father spotted this huge buck with the 7X35 binoculars, but he was in a spot we couldn’t get to for a decent stalk. The buck wasn’t disturbed and was oblivious to our being there since we were well away from other hunters.  He was moving towards a place where we could head him off and surprise him.  My father limited my distance to 100 yards or less even though the rifle was sighted in for 250 yards.  Hey, I was a 14-year old kid, and a 250 yard shot with a high powered rifle was for me or any small kid a “long poke” and too risky!  With that in mind, we got back to the car and drove towards the spot we planed on cutting this monster buck off.

We got a huge surprise!  The buck had moved faster than we anticipated, and we no sooner got to the top of the slope and here stood this monster buck, less than 40 yards away!  He was as shocked as we were and stopped immediately in a quartering towards angle.  I slammed the bolt shut, dropped to the kneeling position, took off the safety, aimed low on his neck and squeezed the trigger.  Shooting animals in the neck had become a habit drilled into me time and time again while hunting rabbits and other game, so it was 2^nd nature to go for the killing neck shot.  The gun went off, and the buck dropped in his tracks! I had my first buck antelope; one shot, one kill.  As you can well see in the photo below, this animal was a “booker.”  Unfortunately, however, we messed up and cracked the pate when we were removing the horns and ruined the entire thing.  All we have is the photo below, and of course the unforgettable memory of the buck that surprised us as much as we surprised him.

Of course, since this was my very first big game animal, my father again “rewarded” my fine shot by showing me how to properly clean the animal!  That would quickly change!

The rifle used was a Montgomery Wards 30-06 sporter with a right handed Mauser 98 bolt action and a 4X Weaver Scope and a standard stock mounted leather rifle sling.  The stock was a standard walnut Monte Carlo stock with the cheek pad on the wrong side for this left-handed shooter.  I never had a rifle with the cheek piece on the correct side for shooting left handed!  I also didn’t like left handed bolts, so we never bothered with that option either.  We also did not use tripods on our guns back then; I had to learn the standing, kneeling, and sitting positions with only the aid of the standard military manner of using the rifle sling to steady the rifle.  It had a 22” barrel on it and for a 120 pound kid, this rifle absolutely kicked like a mule! 

Here are the other specifications for those of you interested in reloading the 30-06 caliber loads.

Bullet: .308 Sierra Semi Point, 150 grains (we used 180 grain bullets for elk).

Powder: IMP 4320, 52 grains, (or 58 grains of IMR 4350 powder). For the above hunt the round was loaded with the 4320 powder.  We kept our loads separate and appropriately marked.

Brass: Military Brass, fire-formed and neck sized only. (Fire-form load: IMR 4320 powder, 49 grains.)

Primer: Winchester C-120, flash hole cleaned before reloading.

Speed: approximately 2950 fps.

Another item you may find interesting is the price of reloading for 100 rounds (excluding brass) was only $11.25!  Yes, you read it right 100 rounds of 30-06 reloaded at a cost of $11.25.

Powder:  Either 4320 or 4350 cost $5.00 a pound.

Bullets:  The 155 grain Sierra bullets were $5.00 per 100 rounds.

Primers:  The Winchester C-120 primers were $1.25 per 100.

Factory Ammo could be purchased for $5.75 per 20 rounds in a box.

In my next blog, I’ll show you a photo of my first “legal” mule deer harvest and relate the story behind this one!  The story is true, and the names have not been changed to protect neither the guilty nor the innocent!  You will enjoy the story behind my first mule deer circa, 1961!

Turkey Hunting Ammo Choices

This is't the only options availble on the market today, but it is what we have narrowed it down to based on value, effectiveness, and our customers response.  Pricing ranges from $14 - $39 per box 

Check out Steve from Presleys Outdoors talks about Turkey hunting ammo now available. From Hornady, Federal, Winchester to Hevi-Shot. We have it all and free shipping on these items for the month of April. As always Like, comment, subscribe to see more of our videos and shop in store or online at www.presleysoutdoors.com

5 Turkey Hunting quick tips

5 quick tips for this turkey season.  

1. When you think you’ve waited too long for a gobbler to come into range, wait 10 more minutes.

2.NEVER move or reposition your firearm when you can see a gobbler’s eyes. Wait for the gobbler to pass behind a tree or brush then move quickly and deliberately.

3. When calling to a gobbler, less is always more.

4. You’ll call in more gobblers than you’ll ever see, so remain still and observant if a gobbler attempts a silent approach. 

5. There may be less gobbling in the afternoon, but if you can get one to gobble, there’s a good chance you’ll share the ride home.

Also support you local NWTF Chapters 

NEW Avian-X Decoys for 2015.

TOPFLIGHT EARLY SEASON MALLARDS

Avian-X Early Season Mallard Pack will offer you the early season look that mallards are dying for. Avian-X has had many requests from northern hunters that wanted this touch of realism and they listened! They have perfected this look with these early season mallards by duplicating young drake mallards and combining them with the ultra-natural AX Hen Mallards. Sold in 6 packs.

Includes:

• (2) Swimmer Drakes
• (1) High Head Drake
• (1) Feeder Drake
• (1) Swimmer Hen
• (1) Feeder Hen

TOP FLIGHT GADWALLS

Avian-X presents their newest series of true, custom-style painted gadwall decoys. Gadwalls or gray ducks as most call them, can be some of the South's wariest ducks. Come late season, these birds will circle your spread many times and a lot of times gain altitude with every pass. Level the playing field with Avian-X Topflight Gadwalls. Take advantage of the master pieces, created with the attitude of fully plumed, late season gray ducks. Their short robust body shape was captured and decorated with the spot of silver-gray sheen of a real gray duck. Sold in 6 packs. 

Includes:

• (2) Rester Drakes
• (2) Swimmer Drakes
• (2) Rester Hens

TOPFLIGHT WIGEON

Avian-X presents their newest series of true, custom-style painted wigeon decoys. Avian-X Topflight Wigeon project the color, attitude and posture of a real flock of Wigeon on the water. They spent countless hours watching these birds in their natural environment so they could better understand the bird and select the correct posture to create the best wigeon decoys ever created. Avian-X added bold, like-like color to these creations that project from a great distance to lure these birds into your spread. Sold in 6 packs.

Includes:

• (2) Rester Drakes
• (2) Stealer Drakes
• (2) Rester Hens

Duck "Tenderloin Style" Sandwich

I made this yesterday for dinner with a few ducks from a hunt the day before and it was tremendous! Try this some time.  It's super easy and one medium to large duck will make 2 sandwiches.

1.  Take half a duck breast and butterfly cut it in half 
2.  Season with cracked pepper and sea salt
3.  Pound it out flat with a tenderizer mallet to about 1/4" thick
4.  Cover in breading ( I used Hamms Breading )
5.  Pre-heat a pan with about an 1/8" or more of oil
6.  Pan fry the duck about 2 min. a side until crispy
7.  Place on a paper towel to cool and soak up some grease.

While the duck is cooking prepare the rest of your sandwich.   I like to lightly toast my bread if I don't have any buns and top it with lettuce, sliced red onions, pickles, and mustard.   Slap this all together with some french fries, and I promise it will not disappoint.

Make your duck decoy spread STAND OUT

Every backwater and pothole along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers has the standard 24-48 mallard decoys huddled in a "J" hook with a spinning wing decoy in the hole.    This season take a step back, think outside the box to add something different to your spread that can make you stand out. The best thing you can do is to look at real ducks, watch how they loaf and feed in the situations you are hunting and try to mimic that setting with your decoys.   Watch ducks, listen to ducks, read ducks as they approach and land into other ducks.  This really is the best advice someone told me years ago when I was first starting out.

Rig'em Right Jerk Rig $29.99

Every situation is different but for smaller back waters I could take or leave a spinner decoy but I always have a Rig-Em-Right Jerk Rig   in my pack.    For me,  movement, realism and concealment is the most important things for a small water setting.  I like to mix some pintails in with my most realistic mallard decoys and will even bring some coots for confidence decoys placed near me on the edge.  

GHG Oversized Canvasbacks  $54.99 per 6 pack

On the river or bigger water I like to add GHG Oversized Canvasback Decoys on the tips of the decoy spread.  The white really adds to the visibility and pulling power from a great distance.  I also like to use a few spinning wing decoys in the landing hole.   I like to set the majority of my decoys behind me upwind (if possible)  and set my best decoys on the front line of the spread.

GHG Pro-Grade Full Body Snows $129.00 per 6 pack

For field hunting ducks I like to have as many full body duck decoys as possible right next to my blind.  That being said,  the most important decoy for a duck field hunt is a motion wing decoy.  I have had great success harvesting ducks in the field over only spinners and I say the more the merrier.   Usually when targeting ducks I will use snow goose decoys off to the side for better visibility.    This is not a numbers games on how many you you can put out like late season or spring snow goose season.  I like a few dozen high quality snow goose decoys like the GHG - Full Body Snow Goose.

Good luck this year and I hope next time you are setting decoys you can benefit from these tactics.  If anything watch the ducks, listen and learn.   

Pro Hunters Avoid These Whitetail Hunting Mistakes.

Advice on effective whitetail deer hunting by the pros at Knight & Hale Game Calls.

The white-tail deer rut is the single most talked about aspect of hunting, yet may also be the most commonly misunderstood. The rut can be broken down into three distinct phases: the pre-rut, peak of the rut and the post-rut.

Pre-Rut Phase

Prior to the increase of deer activity leading up to the pre-rut phase, bucks will spend the majority of their summer in all-male groups of three or more, commonly referred to as 'bachelor groups'. These bachelor groups will most often be seen late in summer evenings feeding together. As autumn nears and the velvet begins to peel from the bucks' antlers, hormone levels in each buck begin to spike, and the group's collective tolerance begins to wane. It as during this same time, when the antlers cease growing and begin to calcify, that the bucks begin sparring with each other to vie for hierarchy. As hormone levels continue to increase the bucks break out of their groups and spread out in search of their own turf.

Top Pre-Rut Mistakes

1. Leaving the rattle calls at home during the early season. "What most hunters don't realize is that rattling is very effective in the early season, because bucks are doing a lot of sparring at this time," said Chuck Tiranno, an Ultimate Hunting Team member of the Knight & Hale Game Calls pro staff. This is not the time to mimic a violent battle between two 140-class bucks, but instead lightly tickle the antlers to create an image of two bucks testing each other.

The breaking up of bachelor groups signals the approaching pre-rut. During the pre-rut, does are not ready to be bred, but bucks will keep tabs on them. Bucks go about their business of making scrapes, rubs, feeding and occasionally checking out the does.

When the bucks disperse from bachelor groups, each usually stakes out a territory to call home. Each buck will create a series of rubs, or a rubline, on trees surrounding the perimeter of its home turf.

2. Hunting a perimeter rubline for more than a day or two. "If you find a fresh rub, look around to see if you see more through the woods," Tiranno said. "If you see more and they appear to be in a line, often this is the buck's perimeter and not his bedroom. A cluster of rubs, and not a line, is indicative of the center of a buck's home turf."

Likewise, there will often be a series of scrapes along this perimeter rubline. "The scrapes - called secondary scrapes - will be fairly small and don't feature a licking branch. Primary scrapes most often will also have a licking branch, an overhanging limb that the bucks rub their heads on, and primary scrapes are where you want to be."

3. Not hunting a primary scrape. Primary scrapes are visited by bucks of all ages. Look for a larger-than-average scrape that features a licking branch. If it appears fresh, with few leaves over the soil and a pungent musky odor, it's a hot spot. "When hunting a primary scrape, freshen the scrape with some buck or doe urine, and be sure to bring a deer call. Primary scrapes are like a website's message board. All kinds of deer troll by and check to see whose been by, and leave a message or two of their own." As the pre-rut continues, bucks will pay more and more attention to the does and will begin the chasing stage. The does still are not ready to be bred, but the bucks will begin trailing them sometimes to the point of chasing.

Peak-Rut Phase

Key to this buck activity is another key whitetail hunter word, "estrous." "The word 'estrous' means that an animal will stand for mating and not run away," Tiranno said. "So the peak of the rut is when most of the does are standing where you hunt." As the peak of the rut nears, bucks will spend their time near does, keeping constant tabs on their receptivity. At the peak, a buck and a doe will travel and bed together for a day or so, then the buck will move on to find another receptive doe.

Top Peak-Rut Mistakes

1. Hunting a buck's home range during the peak of the rut. "Hunting a buck's bedroom during the peak of the rut a hit or miss situation," said Tiranno. "A buck may not return to his home range for several days. It's old advice but it rings true: hunt the does during the peak of the rut to find the bucks."

Hunting big bucks during the peak of the rut features an air of unpredictability. When a doe is receptive to a buck, the two will remain together for eight to 24 hours, then the buck is off to find another doe. This makes funnels and "shortcuts" important hunting location. Shortcuts are void areas such as an open pasture between two patches of doe-rich woods or cover. Old country cemeteries are classic shortcuts. Whereas a buck normally would use a drainage or thin line of timber to travel from one patch of cover to another, at the peak of the rut that same buck may cut straight through the short cut.

2. Not utilizing calls, scents and decoys during the peak of the rut. The time just prior to, during and just after the does are standing for bucks in your area - a span of about 10 days to two weeks - is when hunters should use all of the tools the hunting industry has provided to draw in mature bucks. These tools can work anytime during the season, but mature bucks may be more receptive during the peak of the rut. Here are a couple of considerations concerning using these tools.

"Anytime you use a deer call, you're positioning the deer downwind of you, so you'd better be as scent-free as possible. And, if you're not using scent in combination with calling, you're going to cut your chances of getting that buck," Tiranno said. Tiranno is a pro staffer for Code Blue Deer Scents, and swears by Code Blue's one-deer-to-one-bottle guarantee. "Nearly every other scent company's urine is a blend of urines from many different deer. Code Blue's urines are from a single animal.

"When you call, the buck usually heads downwind to scent check. If you don't have some buck urine or Tarsal Gland out, your calling won't be as effective."

Post-Rut Phase

Peak breeding activity often dies out just as quickly as it starts, which is literally overnight. Cruising, trailing, chasing all abruptly and suddenly come to an end. Big bucks that were extremely visible during the previous two weeks have now disappeared. Heck, you're not even finding any fresh rubs or scrapes - or any other fresh sign that could indicate where the bucks might have gone. Now what do you do? Hang it up for the season?

Top Post-Rut Mistakes

1. Putting away the deer hunting gear after the peak of the rut. Bucks return to their home territories and recuperate after the physically demanding peak of the rut. Feeding is important during the post-rut, as is resting in a secluded area unaffected by hunting pressure. A mature buck may move its home range if hunting pressure during the peak of the rut has burned out its original home, which happens often on public land or other areas with heavy hunting pressure. However, studies have shown that bucks often don't move to the next county, but will stay in smaller secluded spots near where they were lived before the craziness of the rut.

2. Not using peak-of-the-rut techniques during the second estrous cycle. Most does were bred during the peak of the rut, but the bucks still maintain some contact. About a month after the peak of the rut, does that weren't bred come back into estrous, causing a smaller, less activity charged rut peak. Use the same tools and tactics used during the peak of the rut to take a mature buck during late post-rut.


3. Watching football during extreme cold. While the suggestion of shunning the race or the National Championship seems absurd to many, horrible weather during the late season may be the very best time to score a monster whitetail. Chris Parrish, better known as the guy whose won two Grand National and two World Championship turkey-calling contests, lives for single-digit-temperature deer hunts. "You don't have to be out there before dawn, freezing your tail off," Parrish said. "Deer will feed every four hours or so during super-frigid temperatures, and that means that sometime during the day they will have to feed. Wait until 11 a.m. or so and hunt a secluded food source for several hours during midday." He's not suggesting heading out in a snowstorm, but just after the precipitation ends, mature bucks will head to the food.