Photos: New Mexico Antelope with Federal Premium, Savage Arms and Bushnell

For this particular excursion, we joined Steve Jones and his team at Backcountry Hunts. Steve offers a bevy of big game hunts in New Mexico and Texas.

The "backcountry" nature of our hunt was reinforced by the teepees we called home while in the desert. They provided ample comfort—and a unique, refreshing atmosphere—during our stay.

We may have been sequestered out in the desert by ourselves, but that didn't stop use from finding the tallest stick we could and flying the flag.

Federal Premium's Trophy Copper line of ammunition has been a staple in the hunting industry since its introduction, so it came as no surprise when the company added a 6.5 Creedmoor offering to the stable earlier this year. I used it to knock down my goat, with devastating results.

Though I didn't make use of it on this particular trip, some of the other hunters in camp used Federal Premium's new Edge TLR bullet. The Edge TLR bullet uses Federal's Slipstream tip to initiate deadly expansion after penetrating at long range. The tip is crafted from some of the industry's most heat-resistant polymer. At close range, the bullet's copper shank and bonded lead core retain weight for reliable penetration.

I wasn't in New Mexico long before killing my very first pronghorn—I tagged out at 8 a.m. on the first day. A beautiful first speed goat. That's the Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x 40mm Creed Riflescope mounted to the top of my MSR 10 Hunter.

Alongside the aforementioned AR Optics riflescope, I was sporting a set of Bushnell's new Engage binoculars. Released earlier this year, the Engage series boasts a feature-packed lineup at a budget-friendly price.