August opened the annual big game hunting in Nevada with the limited entry Antelope season. With tag in hand it allowed me, once again, to pursue these beautiful and tasty speedsters.
I was able to follow and observe dozens of these wary animals, but wasn’t able to find the individual and situation I was looking for, to harvest one of them.
It was, however, a great hunting adventure, one of the best with warm days and clear skies. The message is, it’s not the blood that makes a great hunt, but each thrill of the chase, the campfire, spotting, packing, being part of others’ success and continuing the tradition of being part of our hunting heritage.
However, sometimes it all comes together as it did with my young friend Mallory Genet. This is Mallory’s story of adventure.
The Librarian and One for the Book
This is the story of a librarian, an archer and Einstein.
It began several years ago when a twelve-year-old girl sat in my hunter safety class. Her name was Mallory Genet, and I wrote in an earlier article how she shot her first deer.
Well, she is a young lady now and married her high school sweetheart who was at the time a foreign exchange student from Argentina. I have also known her parents, Mark and Nicole Genet, for many years and they are fellow hunting fanatics. I guess that’s where she caught the bug.
Since that first story, Mallory has gone on to become a proficient and successful hunter, has the trophies to prove it, and now hunts exclusively with a bow and those pointy sticks. Those are the characters of our story and where the adventure begins.
Last year Mallory drew an antelope tag near Pioche, Nevada, and took up the challenge of arrowing one of these shy speedsters.
While doing their pre-season scouting they noticed a particularly outstanding antelope buck. He was spookier than the rest, wouldn’t come as close and just seemed a lot smarter than the others – thus he gained the name Einstein and became the huntress’ goal.
On the first afternoon in the blind – nothing; on the second day, there were lots of antelope, but no Einstein. Then on the third morning only one antelope came to water – Einstein. He came to just within range, but Mallory, patiently and wisely, waited for the broadside or quartering away shot, but he spun around and was gone with that distance burning speed for which the species is known.
The final afternoon, on the third day, found father and daughter once again in the blind. Dad, not unexpectedly, decided to nap a bit while waiting, but was awakened by the feel of a scorpion walking across his bare shoulder. It was just as antelope where coming in, so he froze and let the critter crawl off and into a hole at the side of the dug-out blind. I think that would have ended the hunt for me, but as I mentioned, these guys are hunting fanatics.
Mark then started to move and get a better look at the incoming antelope when Mallory says, “Dad, don’t move.” “I think I should take a peek,” he says. Mallory reiterates, this time with resolve, “Dad, don’t move.”
It was the last day and a nice buck offered a side shot and she was going to take it. She released an arrow; a double lung shot and the antelope staggered and fell. They then looked out the window and a short distance to the right, but previously out of sight – Einstein. He didn’t move for a while, then just turned and wandered off as if he knew her tag was filled, and he was good for another year. The antelope was a Pope and Young record book animal.
By the way, she and Tomas were married the following week. They had postponed the wedding until after the season, and I’m guessing most of their anniversaries will revolve around their new passion, hunting and adventure. Argentina has good hunting and fishing, so the door is wide open for this charming couple.
Epilogue: This year Mallory drew a bull elk tag and her father drew an antelope tag. Guide Shane has been enlisted, the blind is in place and Mark will be waiting, and watching, for Einstein.
The saga continues (as it always does).
If you have a story or comment about this or other articles, please contact me at sportsmansquestdan@gmail.com.