Hunting pronghorn over water for the first time - any tips?

[Marmots]

Hello Rokslide,

I have been gearing up and scouting for Idaho Controlled Hunt 4035 - Either Sex Pronghorn in unit 46-1, 9/10-9/24, Archery Only. I'm tempted to try a decoy because the hunt takes place during the rut, but the biologists and local sporting goods store owners I've talked to have all told me that sitting water is usually the best way to go.

I've been scouring maps and hiking to scout locations that will likely still be holding water in September. The more legwork I do, the more I realize that there's a hell of a lot to learn about hunting pronghorn from a blind over water, and I have some questions for anyone who has experience doing it.

1) Do you folks have any suggestions for what to look for in a ground blind? In Idaho, you can't dig pit blinds. I want a cheaper portable blind because I plan to leave it out for the week before the season starts and realize that it might walk away.

2) How far do you want your watering hole to be from other water sources? Some of the spots I'm looking at are within a couple of miles of centerpivot irrigated fields by Bruneau, and others are within a couple of miles of Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. Is there a rule of thumb for distance from other water and the likelihood that pronghorn will regularly visit that particular water source?

3) How far should my (bright white) truck be from the blind so as not to spook the animals?

4) How committed are you to one waterhole? When do you say it's time to move on? Do you folks ever hunt a combination of blind and decoy? Do you split the season or the day between the two methods? How do you determine when to use what method?

I am very excited for this hunt. I've hunted pronghorn with a rifle in Wyoming before, but the idea of whacking one with a bow so close to home has me feeling like a kid on Christmas eve. I'm eager to hear anything you folks have to say.

 

[KHNC]

One thing i can tell you is Antelope could care less when you put up your blind. Just take it out and setup the morning of your hunt. I have done this several times. They still come on in. About 25 yards is the distance i usually setup from water. It will be super hot most likely. Be prepared.

 

[Trial153]

Bring a book.

 

[Bubblehide]

I did a dried grass blind decades ago out of necessity after trying to get ahead of herd and set up on them. Needless to say, you will never be able to keep up with a feeding herd, let alone get ahead of them. Long story short, it got dark on me, and I had just rolled in on a barely visible (during the day) two track road. I got to my destination and spotted the heard straight off. So I grabbed my bow and was off. I was much to overconfident and it simply got dark on me. I was headed back to the truck and realized that I could easily pass the two track road. So I looked for a place to spend the night. I found a pound with a knowl that had dried tall grass. I ripped up a bunch of grass, piled it up, about the size of a truck with a camper. Got in the center and pulled it down over me, and made a hole in it for unobstructed breathing and star gazing. Once I got used to the prickly feeling, I slept like a baby. I awoke at first light and just sat there. About 15 minutes later, in came a small herd. They watered and left, never knowing I was there. I sat there for a couple more hours. Funny thing is that once I got going again, I was on a direct route to my truck. My point here is don't overlook a natural blind.

KHNC is right, it will likely be hot, so ventilation in a blind will be important. Many guys I know just pick a low spot in the sage and bivy it there. They generally get dropped off so no vehicle is around to spook the pronghorn, as they will just try another waterhole. I;ve done the same, effectively. I think a blind would simply be too hot to sit in past the first morning hour or so, unless it will be in the shade. The problem I have ran into (I haven't hunted pronghorn in years), was that you can only take so much of laying in the sun, waiting for them. The smart guys sit solo.

#2). as far as possible, but distance is not always possible given the area. So try to chose the most undisturbed water holes. As once the season is underway, they will seek solitude and being undisturbed to the degree possible. Others will chose un-huntable lands, like private. Not knowing the area your hunting, you will need to figure this all out. Which may only happen while you are there. The American Indian learned to hunt pronghorn by watching wolf packs hunt them, by stationing pack members at all the water holes in the area, and running the pronghorn into the ground by keeping them from water. Keep this in mind and try to use other hunters to your advantage, by being hidden at a water hole not being covered by other hunters.

3). As far as I am concerned, yes your truck will spook the animals, unless they are used to seeing a truck where you park it, and when it is parked there. But, on the other hand is that pronghorn are very curious animals, so they might investigate it a bit also, but they will be cautious if they do. If your going with someone, Switch on and off on who does the pick-up of the other person. If permitted, radios would help with this (get some cheap Baofeng HAM). Bottom line is that you do not want the pronghorn to see your vehicle.

4). This is a loaded question. What I mean is that it depends on the conditions in your area. If I know the area, and know the waterhole is generally used on a daily basis, I am committed. If I know the area, and know that other hunters will change the waterhole use pattern and the pronghorn will be using my chosen waterhole, I stick with it. It is a matter of reading the situation as it unfolds. Such as if some hunter(s) are on a preferred waterhole, but have parked in sight of it, and eventually abandon it for another, it might be a place to sit with an unexposed vehicle. It will be hot, so you will most likely not be spending all day sitting at a waterhole, unless you really like to suffer. So use some of that down time to drive around and read the situation. As far a decoys, I'd recommend getting one of those light weight bow attachable decoys. This way you can use it to make it appear like a bedded pronghorn when you do move and look around; and you can shoot from behind it, stalk with it... This type of decoy will allow you to integrate the two without worry.

 

[timbrhuntr]

Bring a book.

This I have 7 books on my phone lol

 

[Cornhusker]

I decided I'd get started on Rokslide registered years ago and don't believe I've posted so hello all.

My hunting partner and I have been archery hunting Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado pretty hard for antelope the last few years and have taken them both stalk and sitting water and I cowed one once.

1. Bring a book and be prepared to sit is the best advice and already given last year i read Lonesome Dove before I killed one.

2. Heat is a problem for me in a blind I like a blind that allows you to open up the top. I usually sit in shorts and drink a lot of water. I like a Double Bull for the room it provides make sure it's tall enough depending on the shooting position you prefer. ( Pee in a bottle every time you get out you bugger one.)

3. Keep the interior of the blind dark as they pick out your face shine when they pick up their head from drinking. I prefer to shoot through netting it doesn't work with an expandable.

4. I always make sure my pickup is out of sight of the blind use the terrain.

5. Distance from other water is funny we set up relatively close to a large reservior in Wyoming and the antelope usually prefer to drink out of a mudhole we're sitting instead of clean water.

6. If you're sitting water where you know a big buck is watering I sit at least 2 days I don't believe they water much at night.

I will differ on when to put up a blind I don't think that big antelope come to water readily with a new blind we put up mock blinds of burlap and then put the real blind inside it or beside it they can't count. We get does and small bucks with a new blind but seldom a big one we have had an exception with a good buck coming in 30 minutes after a blind was set.

Good Luck

 

[timberland]

If at a tank, they would rather drink the spill out of a hoof print vs the tank. Set up so you can shoot the spill best and the tank second.

 

[Chugaglug]

is spot and stalk plus decoy an option? there's so much water, at least by us this year, that sitting water might be tough. I think watching a buck til he beds and then making a run at him is a blast. If he gets up while you are moving in or you run out of cover set the decoy so he has a focus. Throw out a call if you need to get his attention to the decoy. He will likely move towards it so close as much distance as you can and get off to the side of the line he will take to the decoy. at least that's the theory.... We've never had problems with a buck getting spooked by the blind. We always park the truck in a dip in the terrain so it can't be skylined at least. In dry years we commit to one water hole, a year like this we spot and stalk.

 

[kcm2]

Waterholes are like Starbucks....half the town will stop there if you wait long enough. Bucks in the rut will be defending a territory.

Our experience in heavily hunted Moffat County was that you should set up your blind at least a week before the season. They'd snort at it and not come in same day.

The truck needs to be invisible to them. If that means a 2 mile walk, so be it.

 

[Tsutton1]

Just pick a water hole that has fresh sign and sit and wait. Definitely brig a book as others have mentioned. Goodluck

 

[kcm2]

i brought a book when bowhunting until I looked up to see a massive buck leaving the waterhole butt to me. He cam in and drank when I was reading, and I never saw him or heard him. Since then, the books stay home.

 

[lintond]

Currently sitting in my blind for the 7th day. Here are my thoughts:

1) Cover your face either with paint or a mask.
2) keep your blind closed up as much as possible to keep it dark so they can’t see you.
3) Buy a cheap portable fan off Amazon. That thing was a life saver!
4) Sit all day if you can. The time they water is unpredictable at best.
5) if out of cell service download audio books, games, whatever will keep you entertained!
6) Bring a small carpet or moving blanket for your blind. Best advice I got! Keeps it clean, quiet, etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rizzy]

I have done the unit 45 archery a few times, sat on a waterhole once. I just sat on the ground in a low spot from before light until they came in at about 230 in the afternoon. Coyotes came in all through the morning. Lots of sitting....

 

[Lookinfor30]

Hello Rokslide,

I have been gearing up and scouting for Idaho Controlled Hunt 4035 - Either Sex Pronghorn in unit 46-1, 9/10-9/24, Archery Only. I'm tempted to try a decoy because the hunt takes place during the rut, but the biologists and local sporting goods store owners I've talked to have all told me that sitting water is usually the best way to go.

I've been scouring maps and hiking to scout locations that will likely still be holding water in September. The more legwork I do, the more I realize that there's a hell of a lot to learn about hunting pronghorn from a blind over water, and I have some questions for anyone who has experience doing it.

1) Do you folks have any suggestions for what to look for in a ground blind? In Idaho, you can't dig pit blinds. I want a cheaper portable blind because I plan to leave it out for the week before the season starts and realize that it might walk away.

2) How far do you want your watering hole to be from other water sources? Some of the spots I'm looking at are within a couple of miles of centerpivot irrigated fields by Bruneau, and others are within a couple of miles of Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. Is there a rule of thumb for distance from other water and the likelihood that pronghorn will regularly visit that particular water source?

3) How far should my (bright white) truck be from the blind so as not to spook the animals?

4) How committed are you to one waterhole? When do you say it's time to move on? Do you folks ever hunt a combination of blind and decoy? Do you split the season or the day between the two methods? How do you determine when to use what method?

I am very excited for this hunt. I've hunted pronghorn with a rifle in Wyoming before, but the idea of whacking one with a bow so close to home has me feeling like a kid on Christmas eve. I'm eager to hear anything you folks have to say.

How'd your hunt go last year?? I hunt this unit occasionally......

 

[Marmots]

The weather kinda screwed me. The week I had off was very rainy, and just about every pothole and rut filled up with water. With a million different places to drink from, the pronghorn weren't too keen on coming in to any one specific water hole.

I did some driving and did find groups to put a stalk on. I probably didn't pursue this method as hard as I should have because the weather turned a lot of the roads to gumbo and I felt bad rutting them up for the folks who have to use them the other 360 days a year.

I still learned a lot and saw some nice ones. I'm excited to try again this year, but I'll be sure to have a decoy and to scout out more contingency areas just in case the weather repeats itself.

 

[ghenson82]

3) Buy a cheap portable fan off Amazon. That thing was a life saver!

Tell me more about this fan- which one did you buy and was it quiet enough? Thanks