Patience, sharp eyes, and a yucca-covered stalk turned a cold New Mexico morning into an unforgettable first big-game hunt for this 11-year-old.

By Emily J. Curry 

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In October 2018, I drew a very good youth pronghorn tag for western New Mexico. I was so excited to potentially harvest my first big game animal at the age of 11. This hunt followed a successful turkey hunt the year before.  

The day before, my younger brother, dad, grandpa, and I drove four hours from southern New Mexico to the high desert plains that are home to many big, mature pronghorn. That first morning of the hunt started cold, with 15 mph winds. As we glassed from a high point at the edge of the plains, there was no shortage of bucks.  

Many of the pronghorn we saw were “shooters” in most units, but I held out for a special one. Later in the morning, while the guys were looking at two bucks that weren’t quite big enough, I raised my binoculars and looked in the other direction. “Dad, I think I see a good one over here.”   

The lone buck bedded as the guys turned and faced the direction I was looking. Dad and I decided to sneak in on the buck and take a closer look. It was close to half a mile away and partially hidden in the tall grass. The buck was upwind and facing the other direction. A yucca plant provided just enough cover to allow us to sneak within 175 yards.  

After getting set up to shoot, my dad whistled, which brought the buck to his feet. As it stood up, we knew it was the one. I squeezed off a shot from my 7mm-08. The hit was a little far back, but a follow-up shot anchored my first big-game trophy. “I just shot an antelope! That was so fun!” I yelled  as we walked up to it. I will have many more great times hunting with my family but will always remember my first pronghorn—what a special hunt it was.

The Future of Fair Chase 

We know that the future of conservation rests squarely on the shoulders of tomorrow’s hunters. That’s why we’re celebrating the stories of our youth hunters in this section called The Future of Fair Chase. Many of these stories are plucked straight from the pages of our 32nd Big Game Awards Book. Other stories have been submitted by young hunters, who are rightfully proud of their achievement. If you are a young hunter or know a young hunter who might like to submit a story, please email it to [email protected].