Antelope Scouting Pics

Klamanite · 07-08-2007, 05:31 PM

For starters, I apologize for the crappy photos. I wasn't looking for digital quality re-prints, just something to help gauge the size of the animal. If anybody has any tips on how to make long distance digi-scope photos any better....I'm all ears.

Anyhow, this is the best buck I've seen so far in two trips. I know you can't see squat in the image. If you right-click and "save picture as" onto your pc then open with windows picture and fax viewer (or some other similar program) you can zoom in for greater detail. In all of the pictures, he is broadside to me with his head turned 45 degrees towards me, or to his left side.

I'm no expert on Antelope and I know the image quality is lacking, but do any of you Antelope pro's care to comment about this buck??

The last one actually has the best quality, but obviously needs zoomed to see it.

thehunt · 07-08-2007, 05:45 PM

It's really tough to tell. The first picture makes him look very tall, the second not so much. I can't see enought to call the shot but he looks to have some unique horns which makes him special in my book. Good on you for starting the scouting now!!

oregonmuley · 07-08-2007, 07:29 PM

Looks better than anything we saw - me and Limbhanger spent all day driving some pretty ugly roads trying to find anything with horns. For about 60 miles of gravel the best we could do was 6 does - all but one was running for the next county at lightning speed! Only buck we saw and he looked like a bomber was on private land. Thanks for the pics - I wish you luck, sounds like we will need it this year in this particular unit.
Frank

Klamanite · 07-08-2007, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oregonmuley

Looks better than anything we saw - me and Limbhanger spent all day driving some pretty ugly roads trying to find anything with horns. For about 60 miles of gravel the best we could do was 6 does - all but one was running for the next county at lightning speed! Only buck we saw and he looked like a bomber was on private land. Thanks for the pics - I wish you luck, sounds like we will need it this year in this particular unit.
Frank

They act like the've been hunted recently

I was fortunate enough to get 3-400 yds from this one and look him over for a bit. I could have taken him where he was at, but Aug 18th is still 6 weeks out. :frown:

Rank Amateur · 07-08-2007, 07:47 PM

Pretty tough to tell in the pics, first pic makes him look tall, couldn't tell on the prongs, but did look like they started above the ears. Looks wide. Just can't tell mass.

Hope you are practiced up, that's a long stretch.

Klamanite · 07-08-2007, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rank Amateur

Hope you are practiced up, that's a long stretch.

I could have cut that by a 1/3 to a 1/2, but I didn't want to chance blowing them out of there when it's not even open yet.

Limbhanger · 07-09-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oregonmuley

Looks better than anything we saw - me and Limbhanger spent all day driving some pretty ugly roads trying to find anything with horns. For about 60 miles of gravel the best we could do was 6 does - all but one was running for the next county at lightning speed! Only buck we saw and he looked like a bomber was on private land. Thanks for the pics - I wish you luck, sounds like we will need it this year in this particular unit.
Frank

Here she is.....

I wouldnt be too worried......yet. The bucks should be looking to hook up with the does by the opener and easier to find.........

Klamanite · 07-09-2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limbhanger

I wouldnt be too worried......yet. The bucks should be looking to hook up with the does by the opener and easier to find.........

I hope you're right. I'm a little concerned because of the unusually dry conditions so far. I don't see that part getting any better.

thehunt · 07-09-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klamanite

I hope you're right. I'm a little concerned because of the unusually dry conditions so far. I don't see that part getting any better.

water, patience, water, patience, water, patience

Ras · 07-09-2007, 09:52 PM

K-Nite;

That first pic makes him look alot taller than the ears than the 2nd pic does. Going by the first, damned good goat; next pic makes me question how good. After a couple of days looking at goats, you will know the one when (or after) you see him.

Ras

weekender · 07-10-2007, 06:28 AM

What are you using to digiscope those images? Are the first two cropped and blown up after the fact? The reason I ask is because of the colored ring inside the black area on the last photo. What was your distance?

I can probably give you some pointers based on how you answer the first couple of questions.

If I remember correctly, these Antelope photos came at around 150 yards. The sheep photo at 600.

Klamanite · 07-10-2007, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weekender

What are you using to digiscope those images? Are the first two cropped and blown up after the fact? The reason I ask is because of the colored ring inside the black area on the last photo. What was your distance?

I can probably give you some pointers based on how you answer the first couple of questions.

If I remember correctly, these Antelope photos came at around 150 yards. The sheep photo at 600.

In the first two, the scope was zoomed to 36x with the camera to 8x. They were not zoomed and cropped before posting. The second one the scope was at 18x and the camera at the lowest setting which I believe was 2x

The scope was a low-end Bushnell (borrowed), so I'm sure that was part of the issue. The camera has over 2 megapixel image quality, I don't recall the exact amount.

I don't have a better scope.....soon. I also don't have a camera bracket. I held the camera up to the lens. That is likely the remainder of the problem. Most of the blurriness is probably from me trying to stay still, hold the camera just right........and take a picture without moving.

The distance was approximately 300-400 yards, closer to 400.

Anyway, thanks for checking in and any advice that you can lend would be much appreciated.

I'm just learning at this so just about anything would be helpful.

weekender · 07-10-2007, 08:17 AM

The first thing is that you have to be shooting off a tripod. It's really a must. Those images that I posted came from a 15-45 spotting scope on a tripod and with the camera held up to the scope. One advantage that I had is that I bought a adapter for the camera ( I dont recall what it was made for), but it happens to be about the same ID as the spotting scopes eyepieces OD.

I always shoot with the camera on full zoom. That way you dont get any dignetting (the photo within the ring). Then i use the spotting scope to adjust for distance. Generally I look through the scope until I get the field, zoom, and clarity that I'm happy with then I lock down the tripod, hold up the camera and snap off 10-12 photos. As a rule of thumb I figure one in ten will come out decent. I'll review my photo's make any changes that I think I need and shoot another string. It's generally much less frustrating on bedded animals.

Another thing to remember is that you want an image that is Crystal Clear on your camera viewer. If it isnt, then you know it's going to be blury at 4x6 or larger.

Klamanite · 07-10-2007, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weekender

The first thing is that you have to be shooting off a tripod. It's really a must. Those images that I posted came from a 15-45 spotting scope on a tripod and with the camera held up to the scope. One advantage that I had is that I bought a adapter for the camera ( I dont recall what it was made for), but it happens to be about the same ID as the spotting scopes eyepieces OD.

I always shoot with the camera on full zoom. That way you dont get any dignetting (the photo within the ring). Then i use the spotting scope to adjust for distance. Generally I look through the scope until I get the field, zoom, and clarity that I'm happy with then I lock down the tripod, hold up the camera and snap off 10-12 photos. As a rule of thumb I figure one in ten will come out decent. I'll review my photo's make any changes that I think I need and shoot another string. It's generally much less frustrating on bedded animals.

Another thing to remember is that you want an image that is Crystal Clear on your camera viewer. If it isnt, then you know it's going to be blury at 4x6 or larger.

Thanks for the tips.

I'll make some adjustments before my next trip and hopefully they'll come out better.