Colorado OTC pronghorn

[PredatoryProwler]

For those of you who have done OTC archery pronghorn in Colorado, how was it? How bad is pressure on public lands on the OTC units east of I25? Are some of the units out west of I25 worth it? Is it hard getting permission for private lands? I'm not looking for anybody's spots nor units just general advice would be appreciated. How far is the the average shot/shot opportunity?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I assume you are talking about Archery....as they are the only ones available otc.

 

[PredatoryProwler]

I assume you are talking about Archery....as they are the only ones available otc.

Yep

 

[Coveyleader]

I used to hunt OTC up north, it was great, easy access. Since then, it went to draw, and I've taken a drive around the OTC units in central east CO and from what I've seen the antelope are in pockets and it makes it harder to figure out where one should try and ask permission etc. I gave up, and I'm not one that normally gives up on anything hunting related but in the areas I drove, I just didn't see the numbers that would even drive me to sitting a waterhole.

 

[PredatoryProwler]

I used to hunt OTC up north, it was great, easy access. Since then, it went to draw, and I've taken a drive around the OTC units in central east CO and from what I've seen the antelope are in pockets and it makes it harder to figure out where one should try and ask permission etc. I gave up, and I'm not one that normally gives up on anything hunting related but in the areas I drove, I just didn't see the numbers that would even drive me to sitting a waterhole.

How bad was pressure back then on public lands? For private lands about how much were trespass fees?

 

[Coveyleader]

How bad was pressure back dthen on public lands? For private lands about how much were trespass fees?

No clue, on paid access, I have always got on just being myself. I rarely getvturned away for deer or antelope, but these days I don’t have a good antelope place. OTC here is a far cry from WY, There are very few properties out east that have real numbers from where I’ve spent my time. Up north in the 2000s it was nothing to see 100 or more antelope in a short drive. Now? If I see 10 it’s a good trip

 

[PredatoryProwler]

No clue, on paid access, I have always got on just being myself. I rarely getvturned away for deer or antelope

Noted. Would you usually stalk them or wait in a blind? Was there any problem with them jumping the string like you sometimes see with whitetail? If you did wait in a blind what would you look for in a good watering hole for them.

 

[Coveyleader]

I did both but most of the ones I killed were over water.

The number one thing to look for is a waterhole that is absolutely smashed with tracks. You’ll know when you find it. My days of sitting a blind on marginal setups are long gone. Sitting on slow days is torture, and I always try to sit when there is a series of hot days in a row, with no rain.


Antelope are very jumpy. I bet “jumping the string” was coined after hunting them early on with bows and arrows. Make no mistake their reflexes are impressive.

 

[BustedRagHorn]

I have hunted OTC antelope archery in CO for the past few years. In terms of pressure, the places I have hunted (both east and west of I-25) have significant pressure. Most of the places that hold antelope are not far from the road, maybe 3 miles over mostly flat ground, so you can't get away from pressure with your feet like you can hunting other big game. It is normal to see two trucks looking at one buck while someone else is stalking it. I have had more stalks busted by other hunters chasing the buck I am going after than anything else. Setting up a blind over a water hole would probably be your best shot, but I have never done it personally. Related to shot opportunities with spot and stalk be ready to crawl and get cactus in places there should never be cactus. I also run a lot, those antelope in the sun like to keep moving. Be ready for long shots from your knees with wind. I have found if you don't silhouette yourself and can use subtle terrain features to close the distance that is your best shot. Even with army crawling if the speed goat can see you don't expect to get within 100 yards. It can be a pain in your ass, literally... but it can be a blast to break out the bow 15 days before most other seasons and challenge your sanity.

 

[HNTR918]

I hunted OTC Colorado archery pronghorn last year. It was my first year with a bow for pronghorn. I scouted for two weekends two weeks before the season. Rancher moved cattle the week before and they destroyed my blind. My #2 area was blown out opening day by two hunters being to aggressive. After that I saw alot of people driving but very few hunting as the temp was ~113 degrees. I got 6 different stalks in all under 80 yards. After that I sat water and had a pair of hunters drive a vehicle within 50 yards of me to put a stalk on antelope I was watching come to the same water I was sitting, that annoyed me. I decided to spot and stalk the next weekend and had 4 more sub 80 yard stalks. Took a shot at 50 yards and the pronghorn ducked the arrow. After that it was elk season.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

For all you antelope archery hunters. The picture shows an antelope I shot (with a rifle) during rifle season that has a broadhead imbedded in it's horn about 2" above the base. Bet that hit knocked this antelope on it's but and it got up and ran away. The archery hunter probably didn't know where the arrow hit and no blood!

 

[PredatoryProwler]

I have hunted OTC antelope archery in CO for the past few years. In terms of pressure, the places I have hunted (both east and west of I-25) have significant pressure. Most of the places that hold antelope are not far from the road, maybe 3 miles over mostly flat ground, so you can't get away from pressure with your feet like you can hunting other big game. It is normal to see two trucks looking at one buck while someone else is stalking it. I have had more stalks busted by other hunters chasing the buck I am going after than anything else. Setting up a blind over a water hole would probably be your best shot, but I have never done it personally. Related to shot opportunities with spot and stalk be ready to crawl and get cactus in places there should never be cactus. I also run a lot, those antelope in the sun like to keep moving. Be ready for long shots from your knees with wind. I have found if you don't silhouette yourself and can use subtle terrain features to close the distance that is your best shot. Even with army crawling if the speed goat can see you don't expect to get within 100 yards. It can be a pain in your ass, literally... but it can be a blast to break out the bow 15 days before most other seasons and challenge your sanity.

How are the populations in the otc units west of I25? I was looking at a few of them using the CO hunting atlas and some other tools and it seemed like all, except for a few of them either have no population or just some on the edge of the unit, mostly on private land.