Articles/Stories 
Here are a few stories about hunts that Team Bonales member Brent Miller has been on and a few articles on Bonales Archery.  Enjoy!

"Under Pressure"

                                                                                 D.I.Y. Montana Antelope

            Last year I was lucky enough to bag my first Antelope Buck with a bow.  I wrote an article about my adventure for EBJ entitled, “The Moment of Truth”.  I defined the moment of truth as the moment when a bow hunter has that long awaited trophy in their sights, and the arrow is set to take flight.  I then went on to compare the shot sequence of launching an arrow to that of a batter in baseball swinging at a pitch.  The muscle memory and second nature of the shot or swing takes over due to hours, months, and years of practice, and your body is on autopilot.  Bow hunting has been a part of my life for about 16 years now.  The passion did not really set in until I finished college, and all the hours, months, and years of practicing baseball were directed at practicing with my bow.  I found that my work ethic and ability to be successful under pressure situations on the ball field translated into a successful equation bow hunting as well.  With more time to practice, I became a much better shooter.  By becoming a much better shooter I became more successful and now the sport has consumed my life 24-7.  I still miss the pressure situations I would encounter during crucial at bats, but I can now experience it again on hunt after hunt during that moment of truth!  

            On August 11, 2005 at 3:30 in the morning my brother-in-law Steve Hoover and I set out again on a 22-hour trek to South Eastern Montana after trophy Pronghorn Antelope.  My year was shaping up quite nice with already having conquered the moment of truth on a wild hog, spring turkey, and a P&Y blacktail deer.  If I could just add a nice Pronghorn to the mix I would be set.  We would be heading back to the same cattle ranch I had hunted the previous year set up by Craig Hueter, owner/operator of Trophies West Outfitters.  Due to work Mark Bonales and Mike Wash whom I went with on our first hunt would not be going for the opener but would be arriving a short time later.  However, Craig and a couple other hunters from California we knew would be joining us.  We had left three days before the opener in hopes of located some good bucks. We stayed the night in Casper, WY on the eve of the first night and received a good nights sleep there and headed out for the ranch early the next day.  The scenery on the drive was spectacular.  Wildlife was abundant and hopes were high for the upcoming hunt.  I was having a blast taking photos with my new Canon Digital Rebel and telephoto lens.  Thanks for the recommendation Cam!  High hopes of hunting water holes became increasingly low as forecasts of thunderstorms and heavy rain became a reality.  We arrived at the ranch around midday where we found plenty of Antelope and darkening skies.  We set up camp then quickly set out to scout and set up some blinds.  On our initial drive around the ranch we set up a couple of blinds, but to our surprise we found that several of the ponds we successfully hunted the year before were bone dry this year.  No problem right?  The Antelope will just come the other available water sources.  Well, go to the water sources they did.  Over the next day and a half we watched hundreds of Antelope water at their convenience at every shallow puddle created by the downpour we had the first night.  I had even managed to find a particular buck from the year before we nick named “The Freak” because his horns protruded straight forward over his nose.  We were discouraged that the water holes were not on fire but deep down I really wanted to take a crack at a Spot and Stalk hunt as well.  Maybe even take my chance at “The Freak”.  The previous year I took my Antelope over a water hole, so I wanted to try something different.  Spot and Stalk would allow me to pick the animal I wanted, not what came to me.  From previous experience I knew spot and stalk in this terrain was close to impossible on a mature antelope buck.  We had four days to hunt so we decided to sit on a couple of water holes we saw some nice buck hanging around during our scouting on opening morning.   We thought with the weather drying out maybe they would return to the ponds to water.  Craig and the other hunters were due into camp on the eve of opening day so I called him to give him a heads up on the road conditions into the ranch.  Due to the rain the roads were nearly impassable.  Craig didn’t show up that night so I knew they might not have been able to access the roads.  Later on we found out they had got stuck in the mud a few miles from camp, so the just set up camp down the road.   

            Opening morning we awoke to better weather conditions and snuck out to our blinds before daylight hit in hopes of not being detected by the very territorial animals we had been watching.  I had been sitting in my blind for about two hours when Steve called on the radio announcing he had stuck his first Antelope.  Apparently there was one antelope on the prairie still accustomed to drinking from a pond and Steve was there to capitalize.  Two hours later the buck I had been watching showed up on the horizon and started heading straight for me.  He was a heavy buck with massive cutters.  I really wanted him and my heart started to race.  My pulse slowed when he drank from a small puddle and bedded down 150 yards in front of my blind.  For two hours he laid there, then when I looked up from the article I was reading he had disappeared.  Steve was watching from a far vantage point and informed me had moved off in another direction.  Seven hours in the blind and my buck showed up but proved there was no need to come in for water.  After taking some pictures with Steve and his Antelope I headed out to a different location to sit for the afternoon.  Temperatures were climbing and I hoped the Antelope were getting thirsty.  No dice, day one had produced a 67” Antelope for Steve and he couldn’t have been happier.  I however, still had a tag and was back in the blind with Steve the next morning before daylight.  He was going to try and get my hunt on video.  We always take our video cameras with us when we hunt, the footage isn’t the best but we always look forward to the playback when we get home.  After about five hours of sitting and watching antelope water at small puddles I laid my head back to rest.  I felt something slither off my daypack and looked over to notice a snake crawl over my ear and out the side of the blind.  I exploded up, woke up Steve, and the both of us gave up on the blind for the day.  Snakes are not my favorite no matter what the variety.  It was time to pursue the idea of spot and stalk.  The antelope were just not coming in.  We drove to a few vantage points and spotting a buck to my liking was not a problem.  Finding one in a suitable position was.  That afternoon I made about five stalks on different bucks to no avail.  I was a little discouraged, tired, and full of cactus!  We headed back to camp to regroup and get some lunch.  On the way we spotted a nice buck in a stalkable position not far from camp so I hopped out and gave it a try.  I think he saw me get into a little drainage and he was long gone by the time I got to where I wanted to be.  When we got back to camp I remember sitting in the chair wondering how anyone ever has got close enough on foot to kill one of these things.  Craig and Ron showed up on his quad with news of Austin (another hunter from California) killing his first antelope buck.  It’s amazing how spirits are lifted when news of success is heard.  About and hour later Austin pulled up on his quad with a nice buck.  We took some photos for him and he proceed to clean his animal.  A short time later we spotted the same buck I had attempted to stalk last near a small drainage in the distance.  He was a nice buck with heavy horns and good cutters.  The best part was he looked within range of the break in the land.  If  he would just stay put, and I could crawl down that drainage, I just might have a chance.  When he buck put his head down to feed I took off for an old shed that was halfway in between the buck and where I stood.  I made it to the obstruction without being detected.  There was about 15 yards between where I was and where I needed to be to get down in the drainage out of sight from the buck.  I waited patiently for the right opportunity.  It was then I felt the pressure.  I had a number of guys watching from a distance, rain on the forecast again, a nice buck at about 300 yards, and only a day left to hunt.  I have always thrived on pressure situations, so it was time to step up to the plate again.  I continued to wait, but the buck would not turn and give me the opportunity I needed to cross the open space.  I knew he was in a good spot for a shot but I didn’t know how long he would stay put.  I decided to try and crawl to the ditch.  Slowly I inched my way forward without being detected.  Once in the ditch I still had to crawl, but I could crawl at a faster pace to close the distance.  I had closed into about 150 yards when three whitetail does that were bedded in the ditch erupted out of the drainage and bounded away.  My heart sank because I knew I had just blown the stalk because of the unseen deer.  To my surprise I glassed back up to Craig and the group who informed me my buck was still there.  Game back on!  A small bank up ahead was my destination.  If I could make it to there, I believed I would be in range.  Upon making it to the bank I raised my binos to take a look back at the group of spectators in the distance.  Craig motioned me to shoot and I knew I made it within range.  I slowly peered up over the bank to try and get a range on the buck, but he had me pegged.  I estimated 40 yards, sank back down to pull my bow back and rose slowly again at full draw.  The buck froze, amazed that something had stood up from behind the bank.  The moment of truth had arrived.  I drew a bead on the buck’s chest but noticed some barbed wire and a fence post dangerously between my arrow and his vitals.  I tried to figure a way to sneak an arrow through but took too long.  The buck bolted, but stopped again to take one last look.  I told myself if he’ll let me range him I may still have a shot.  My rangefinder read 60 yards on the button.  It just so happens I have a 60 yard pin on my spott-hogg and I am comfortable at that range due to many hours of practice.  At this range I could clear the barbed wire so I released.  The buck turned to bolt before my arrow struck him and placed the shot farther back than I would of liked.  I immediately heard cheers from the crowd above who could see the whole thing unfold.  The buck raced off down the drainage, and appeared again about 150 yards away from where I stood.  I always worry about shot placement even if it appears to be perfect.  When the buck bedded down I knew he was hurt bad.  I met up with the group who couldn’t believe what I just pulled off and we could tell the buck had expired where he bedded down.  I also found out that Steve had videoed the whole thing!  We gave him about 20 minutes and went down to take a look.  Upon arriving I couldn’t have been happier.  He was heavy and tall with excellent cutters.  After taking some photos and sharing stories from the hunt we took care of my buck and joined the guys for dinner at their camp that evening.  My Antelope scores well over 70” and makes two P&Y trophies in two years!  One on a water hole and one the hard way, Spot and Stalk. 

                                                      My Gear

Bowtech Samson

Spott-Hogg Real Deal Sight

Ripcord Arrow Rest

Winners Choice bowstring

Vibracheck Stabilizer

Limb Saver Vibration Dampeners

Bohning Lynx Detachable Quiver

Scott Mongoose release

PSE Radial X Weave 400’s

Mar Den Vortex Broad heads 100’s

Carbon Express Weight tubes

True Sage Camouflage

Under Armour Heat hear

Busnell Rangefinder

Leopould 12x50 River Olympic Binos

Danner Elk Hunter Boots

Canon EOS Digital Rebel

*Special Thanks to Bonales Archery and Trophies West Outfitting

Moment of Truth Preparations

(Possible Sidebar?)

            I spend many hours every year preparing for the moment of truth.  Practice alone does me no good if my bow and arrows are not set up just right.  I always paper tune my bow before any hunt.  I build my own arrows and weigh and name every one to ensure I have consistency within my hunting arrows.  Naming my arrows and writing the weight on them lets me know of any tendencies a particular arrow may have.  I shoot a high poundage bow so I use arrow tubes to give my arrows some added weight for maximum kinetic energy.  A spin test is the final cut for all of my arrows.  I practice as much as possible, and for an Antelope hunt I practice my long range shooting even more.  Shooting groups at 40, 50, and 60 yards gave me the confidence I needed to master the moment of truth on this hunt. 

Last Updated: 08/01/2006
Thank you for Mark Bonales Archery Shop.
Drop By again and watch it gro

                                                                                                       Montana- D.I.Y. Antelope

By Brent Miller

  “The Moment Of Truth”

            There is a moment of truth that arrives when an archer is at full draw and has that long awaited trophy in the sights.  There are a million things racing through your mind, but focusing and making a clean shot is the only one that matters.  For many of us this exact moment has ended up with less than desirable results, and has left us with thoughts of confusion and bewilderment.  Many experts and fellow hunters say there is not a practice situation in the world that can mimic this scenario. I agree, however I feel one can prepare by trying to create every shot possibility imaginable in practice sessions.  The repetition and second nature of the shot is what one strives for.  Just like a batter in baseball, you can practice your swing from here to eternity but when you get up there to face that pitcher it’s a whole new ballgame!  It’s the muscle memory from practice that enables us to be successful in a tough situation.  Looking back on many of my kill shots, I cannot remember many of the details.  Whether it was the excitement, the shaking, the nerves, or for whatever reason I believe the shot was successful because the shot was automatic.  On this hunt that was exactly the case.  I can attribute summer long practice session from my double bull blind to mastering the moment of truth on this Montana antelope. 

                It was May 2004 and my buddy Mark Bonales and I were looking for a bow hunt to go on sometime in early August.  After some research I found out Montana had an archery antelope season opening August 15.  Perfect for the end of my summer vacation off from teaching!  Not to mention that a big buck antelope was very high on my list of dream hunts.  With plenty of tags available and a guaranteed draw we hooked up with a friend of Marks’ who guides in Montana and Wyoming.  He put us on a great D.I.Y. hunt on a cattle ranch in South Eastern Montana. 

                Our departure date of August 12 came quick and we picked up another friend who wanted to pursue the wary prairie goats, Mike Wash. A lengthy 30 hour drive from California straight through put us at the ranch mid day on Saturday August 14, the day before the season opened.  We saw antelope everywhere from Wyoming to Montana and they did not appear to be very skittish.  Once we entered the gate to the ranch it was as if someone told these antelope the season opened the next day, because they lived up to their nick name “the fastest land animal in North America”, as soon as they saw our truck approach they were out of there!  Luckily for us there were too many antelope to count and they were hitting water holes pretty frequently.  Upon arriving we met the landowner and set up camp.  That afternoon he showed us around the place and some good water holes around the ranch.  After that it was up to us to pick where and when we wanted to hunt.  We were rookies at antelope hunting, and since the terrain was flatter than a pancake we decided to sit on water holes in our double bull blinds.  We returned that evening with our blinds and set them up on three different water holes.  I was the first to select my pond and decided to sit in it while the other went to set up their respective blinds.  I really did not expect much since we had been driving all over and the antelope had obviously noticed our presence.  Not long after Mark and Mike left I could see a nice buck approaching the water in front of the blind.  Along with him came a bigger buck into water.  I watched and was filled with excitement for the following day.  The antelope were hitting my water hole and did not seem to care about my blind!  When Mark and Mike came back I told them about the good news and we returned to camp for the evening. 

                The next morning we took our time and got out to our blinds around 9:00am.  As soon as Mike dropped me off and I got settled into my blind for the day I spotted a group of antelope in the distance feeding across the sage.  They were about 800 yards out and did not show any sign of coming in.  I could tell they were all bucks but at that distance I could not tell how big they were.  I made preparations for a possible shot by checking yardages across the pond to all sides.  My closest shot would be 30 yards straight across, then 40yd. to where the bank met vegetation, and 50 yards to the top of the pond levee.  All shots I felt very comfortable taking after many hours of practice.  I sprayed down the blind and myself with carbon blast scent eliminator, took my boots off to eliminate excess noise from situating myself, painted my face, and put on my black under armour to increase the effect of the black back blind I was sitting in.  I settled in after making all my preparations and noticed that two of the bucks had broke off from the group and started feeding my way.  They were still a long way out but appeared to be headed straight for the pond.  It seemed like an eternity for the bucks to get to me.  They would feed, then stare at my blind, walk a few steps, then repeat the process all over again.  Finally they had made it to within 100 yards.  I had already readied myself for a possible shot.  I could tell one buck was a lot bigger than the other and he was the one I wanted.  As the bucks approached 80 yards I could hear a breeze hit the back of my blind.  I thought they were gone for sure when they turned and walked away a few steps.  I guess their urge to drink was more overwhelming than my blind and they circled straight in front of me and very cautiously moved in.  By this time my legs were numb from kneeling and I can remember telling myself no matter how bad it hurt to not move!  My heart was pounding and I was shaking a little.  As the big buck approached the waters edge he appeared to be very nervous.  I can remember talking to myself through a possible shot opportunity.  Stay calm; pick a spot, smooth release, 40 yards.  The buck walked to the waters edge to drink and the material in between my blind windows blocked him.  I didn’t dare move to look so I watched him through the reflection on the water.  The buck suddenly took a few quick steps to my left and into my left hand blind window.  He was about to get out of there so I decided to try and pull back.  My efforts to enhance the effect of the back blacked blind paid off because he never saw me draw back my 90 lb. Bowtech Samson.  This was the moment of truth, I steadied and released.  The arrow struck home with a complete pass through of the carbon force arrow tipped with a 100 grain vortex.  The high-strung buck streaked across the prairie.  As he bolted off I grabbed my glasses to confirm the hit.  A blood spot behind the shoulder confirmed the inevitable.  The buck swerved and zigzagged for about 500 yards to his final resting place.  As the buck went down so did I.  I fell down to the ground in disbelief.  My first antelope buck!  I could not believe the events that just unfolded, not to mention the size of the buck.  Even though I knew he was down I waited in blind a while before collecting the blood soaked arrow and walking out to the buck just to make sure.  I could see his white rump sticking out of the sage and the double lung shot surely did the job.  Upon arriving to the buck I was amazed at the beauty and the size of my antelope.  He had very good prongs, pretty good height, and a lot of mass.  The coloring of these animals is awesome and I sat there and enjoyed my trophy for quite some time before taking some photos and calling Mike to let him in on the good news.  Little did I know but Mark was enjoying some success of his own on his first antelope buck.  Our threesome on antelope was concluded the next evening when Mike scored as well.  Three antelope in two days!  My buck gross scored 75 P&Y pts.  He had 5” prongs and 14” inches of length on his horns.  I could not be happier with my first antelope.  Marks buck also should make the Pope and Young record books with a gross score of 70pts.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Brent’s Gear:

-Double Bull T2 Blind

-Bowtech Extreme VFT Samson

-PSE Carbon Force Arrows 400’s/Flex Fletch Vanes/Eze-Crest arrow Wraps

-Vortex Minimax 100gr. Broadheads

-Trophy Ridge Drop Zone Rest

-Scott Mongoose Release

-Spott-Hogg Real Deal Sights

-Bohning Lynx Detachable Quiver

-Vibracheck Stabilizer

-Sims Limb Savers

-Bushnell Yardage Pro 400 & 10x42 Binos

-Badlands Super Day Pack

-Under Armour Hat and All season loose gear/Prairie Ghost Camo

-Carbon Blast Scent Blocker

-Special Thanks to Mark Bonales Archery Ceres, Ca.

-“Wont leave home without my Bowtech Bow!”

Author Info.

-Brent Miller, Currently reside in Bethel Island, Ca.

-Elementary Physical Education Teacher Valley View Elementary Pleasanton, Ca.

-27 years old Bow hunting for 15 years

-Married 1 year to my very understanding wife Alison.

                                                                                                              “Family Traditions”

Brent Miller

California Public Land D.I.Y.

            In extreme north central California, just a few miles south of the Oregon border lies the town of Yreka.  This is where I grew up and where I established my hunting roots.  With hundreds of thousands acres of public land to hunt and wildlife abound I honed my skills hunting the Columbian Blacktailed Deer.  Like many other sleepy little towns across the west many of the families in Yreka and the surrounding area hunt.  Family tradition runs deep in our neck of the woods and hunting has been a part of my family’s heritage for generations.  I started tagging along on hunts as soon as I was able to keep up.  I have fond memories of many family traditions we enjoyed while hunting.  Traditions such as a fresh batch of deer jerky for my pocket, cheese, crackers, and cold drinks waiting in the truck after a long hunt, Bruce Springsteen in the stereo on the way down the Klamath River to hunt (a tradition started by my uncle), and great stories of the good old days and how good it used to be told by my grandfather!  I think I’ve heard every story he has at least ten times but somehow they just never get old.  Like many other families and hunting camps there just always seems to be that guy who is always in the right place at the right time.  No matter where the group sticks him the bucks just always pop up in front of him.  Luckily for me that person seems to be me in our family.  On this hunt I was honestly hoping it was going to be my dad or my brother.  

            It seems like over the past five years our family tradition of hitting the woods for a good old fashioned rifle hunt has gone by the wayside.  I have become pretty much strictly a bowhunter, my brother plays for the Detroit Tigers in their minor league system, families have been started, and things just aren’t the way they used to be.  California has a generous tag system of two tags per hunter in the general areas.  My 05’ season started out well taking a Pope and Young Blacktail with my bow early and then holding out for a real monster with my other tag that just never materialized.  The opener of rifle season came and passed and I didn’t even think much about picking up my rifle and heading out.  News of good weather and some big bucks being taken back home inspired me to plan a last weekend hunt with my dad and my brother back home.  We have some good late seasons spots if the weather cooperates so I took three-day weekend off of work and drove the five hours from my house to my parents in Yreka, Ca.  I wanted this hunt to be a traditional hunt just like we used to do when I was young.  With pockets full of jerky, the ice chest loaded up at the bottom of the hill, Springsteen on the stereo, and my grandfathers stories of how good this area used to be running through my head we started our hunt. We like to spread out across the hillside and still hunt our way across the hills trying to spot something before it spots us.  I killed a real heavy 5x4 in 98’ on this same ridge, under the same conditions so I was optimistic.  I sent my brother down low, and my dad stayed in the middle of us.   I was picking my way slowly across the steep rocky, cedar-covered hillside not seeing the type of sign I wanted to be seeing.  I noticed my Dad and my brother had got way ahead of me and I realized how much being a bowhunter has slowed my hunting style down.  I used to just rush through the valleys to get to the top of the ridge and then do it again.  Little did I know it was about to pay off big time!  An hour had passed and I still had not even seen a deer.  I reached the exact spot on the ridge where I took that great buck in 98’ and spotted a doe up on the hillside feeding, totally unaware of my presence.  The wind was great and she was about 150 yards out.  From my experience in this area the big bucks are rarely with the does this time of year so my expectations of a mature buck being with her were low.  I still snuck my way into position to watch and see if any more deer fed out.  I sat for about a minute and I noticed two deer with her.  Another doe, and one I couldn’t tell what it was because it’s head was up in a tree.  The body size was considerably bigger so I waited in excitement for the deer to move so I could see what it was.  It must have been five minutes before that deer moved and my initial assessment was that it was another doe but I couldn’t be sure until it moved some more.  The deer finally started to feed up the hill I could tell this was definitely not a doe!  It was a buck and a nice buck at that.  Immediately I went into a zone.  Somehow I don’t seem to get buck fever until after I have shot.  At the moment of truth I become calm collected and everything seems to slow down for me.  After the shot is a different story.  At about 125 yards the buck moved broadside from right to left and gave me shot I needed.  My .300 roared and the buck reacted to the shot by sliding down the hill on his back legs as if he was shot in the spine.  I knew I was holding low on his chest tight to the shoulder but I jacked another shell into the chamber and let him have another one.  This time he toppled end over end down the hill and the excitement set in.  Big Buck Down!  It was then it hit me that I had taken two great bucks in the exact same spot seven years apart.  As I made my way up to the buck I realized I didn’t know if he was a three, four or five point I knew he was big and that was all that mattered.  He fell down the hill farther than I thought and after rounding a tree there he was.  A beautiful 4x4 with great fronts and long eyeguards!  The body size of this deer would rival any of the previous big bucks I have taken if not bigger.  I estimated his live weight near or above the 200lb.mark. Upon further inspection my shot placement was great with two holes grouped about 2” apart in the heart!  I heard a faint yell in the distance and knew my dad and brother heard the shots.  My brother yelled out, “Is he down”?  I replied with a, “yes”.  He hollered back, “is he big?”  I replied with an, “oh ya!”  What he said next is indicative of the luck I’ve had in the past.  “That’s odd!”  he said.  It took my brother and dad quite a while to make it up to me because they were a ways ahead of me but when they did it was all laughs and congrats.  We spent the next hour taking pictures and setting up a shot I really wanted to get of my brother, dad, and myself looking over the Klamath river with the buck for my trophy room at home. As the light hit the mountain just right we got our shot and proceeded to clean and pack my buck back to the truck.  My brother and I took turns packing the buck on our backs to the truck, which was grueling to say the least.  My family has developed a way of packing out deer over the years that works really well by making a backpack out of them.  This works great, but remember to wear blaze orange or tie some ribbon to the antlers to avoid any hunting accidents.  My grandpa was unable to make it on this hunt, but we pulled up with the buck in the back of the truck he could see the antlers sticking up out the bed of the truck a big smile came over his face and I had a story to tell him.  My buck ended up scoring 135 2/8” just squeaking by the Boone and Crocket minimum of 135”.  I would venture to say that a book blacktail is just as tough to obtain as a book mulie.   B&C has lofty minimums and any record is a true trophy.  I could not be happier with my buck and I look forward to passing on the Family Tradition to my kids!  I would like to thank my dad and my brother for joining me for an unforgettable weekend of hunting like we used to!

Brent’s Gear:

-Ruger .300 Winchester Mag.

-Leupold 3x9 Scope

-Leupold 12x50 binos

-Federal Ammunition

-Badlands Super-Day Pack

-Camelback Hydration

-Danner Boots

-Under Armour

-Cabelas Outfitter Blaze shirt

-Canon EOS Digital Rebel

-Knives of Alaska

About the Author:

Brent Miller, 28 years old

Reside in Discovery Bay California

Wife, Alison  Brand new Daughter, Emma

Physical Education Teacher, Valley View Elementary, Pleasanton, Ca.

Two previous articles in EBJ

Official California Bow hunters Scorer

Last Updated: 08/01/2006
Thank you for Mark Bonales Archery Shop.
Drop By again and watch it gro