Antelope behavior in late summer

[PhillyB]

Hi all. I’m looking for advice from the antelope gurus.

I drew my first antelope tag in NV. It’s a rifle tag that starts late August and goes through mid- September.

I spent the weekend scouting and found a few animals, but to me, it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to their behavior or location, at least when I compare it to what I know about deer and elk.

It was 95* in the middle of the day and the best buck I saw all weekend was in the middle of the flattest country in the unit, just baking in the sun, all by himself. Just chilling with nothing around in any direction for at least a mile. It was so open I thought I was in the book Little House on the Prairie.

My questions are… do big antelope act like big muleys in they too like to be in remote stretches, away from people? The more remote the better and as far from roads as possible?

Or do they generally hang out where the other animals are despite the pressure?

I found some animals this weekend, but nothing big and I suspect it will be a popular spot for most hunters given how easy it is to access.

 

[ElDiablito]

No, big buck antelope are where you find them. Although there may be a greater chance of finding big bucks in less accessible areas - this isn’t always the case.

I’ve been hunting them in multiple states for 40 years. Best advice I have for new (trophy) antelope hunters is spend a lot of time learning to judge them and don’t shoot the first decent one you see on opening day.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Antelope bucks are very territorial and predictable early. If you find a buck now, that’s his home range, which is generally just a few square miles. Spook him? That’s ok, he’ll be back… while seasonal movements can be great among antelope and the rut can move them quite a bit, generally bucks are in the same few square miles this time of year.

 

[PhillyB]

No, big buck antelope are where you find them. Although there may be a greater chance of finding big bucks in less accessible areas - this isn’t always the case.

I’ve been hunting them in multiple states for 40 years. Best advice I have for new (trophy) antelope hunters is spend a lot of time learning to judge them and don’t shoot the first decent one you see on opening day.

Great advice. Thanks

 

[PhillyB]

Antelope bucks are very territorial and predictable early. If you find a buck now, that’s his home range, which is generally just a few square miles. Spook him? That’s ok, he’ll be back… while seasonal movements can be great among antelope and the rut can move them quite a bit, generally bucks are in the same few square miles this time of year.

@HiMtnHntr that’s good to know.

The best buck I saw this past weekend was in the middle of nowhere. Knowing this is his spot helps quite a bit.

 

[huntngolf]

No Antelope don't behave anything like deer. While they do have a general core area (couple miles) that they spend their time in, they will move get up and move within that area middle of the day for no apparent reason. And you seeing one out in the middle of nothing is exactly what they like to do, their eyesight is their best defense. In my experience antelope are easy to find and hard to get close to, while deer are hard to find but easier to get close to if you do find them. Luckily you have a rifle tag so getting "close" will depend on how far you can comfortably shoot