Kansas Antelope

[TDG15]

Planning an archery antelope hunt later this year in September, and looking for some guidance. I've read through the older threads on this, but they are all pretty outdated. Has anyone done this hunt recently? Any advice on gear must haves, places to stay. or resources to look at for scouting/permission access?

Just trying to get my feet under me in order to hit the ground running in September. Any and all advice is much appreciated!

 

[Dos Perros]

I see them in a lot of the same places pretty routinely. Like I'm going down the road and think "wonder if I'll see the antelope?" and boom there they are, close to where I saw them last time.

It would not be unusual to look at 30 or 40 animals all together and not see a single buck, or maybe one dinker. Maybe that's just how it goes in November when I'm out there?

Doesn't matter where you stay, you're going to be doing some driving finding animals, and then some driving to ask permission. I would be sure to be in a local restaurant each night and every morning just to talk to folks. I wouldn't pass up any opportunity to talk to folks. Like if you see a dude fixing fence pull over and chat him up.

 

[S.Clancy]

It would not be unusual to look at 30 or 40 animals all together and not see a single buck, or maybe one dinker. Maybe that's just how it goes in November when I'm out there?

At least in MT, basically all the bucks have shed their horns by the 5-10th of November, so maybe you are just missing the bucks?

 

[TDG15]

I see them in a lot of the same places pretty routinely. Like I'm going down the road and think "wonder if I'll see the antelope?" and boom there they are, close to where I saw them last time.

It would not be unusual to look at 30 or 40 animals all together and not see a single buck, or maybe one dinker. Maybe that's just how it goes in November when I'm out there?

Doesn't matter where you stay, you're going to be doing some driving finding animals, and then some driving to ask permission. I would be sure to be in a local restaurant each night and every morning just to talk to folks. I wouldn't pass up any opportunity to talk to folks. Like if you see a dude fixing fence pull over and chat him up.

You're just a stones throw away from me across the border in Lenexa! You make a great point about the local places being great places to gather intel from people in the area. Have you also had luck with calling landowners for permission where you're seeing these animals?

I've been doing a fair amount of e-scouting, as well as reading harvest reports on KDWP. Any other resources you recommend? Also, a lot of reports show a lot of activity in Wallace & Sherman counties. Any insights on those?

 

[ElkArcher918]

Seriously look at the Crispi lineup. I use the Laponias for deer, elk, antelope in early season warm weather.

 

[Dos Perros]

You're just a stones throw away from me across the border in Lenexa! You make a great point about the local places being great places to gather intel from people in the area. Have you also had luck with calling landowners for permission where you're seeing these animals?

I've been doing a fair amount of e-scouting, as well as reading harvest reports on KDWP. Any other resources you recommend? Also, a lot of reports show a lot of activity in Wallace & Sherman counties. Any insights on those?

I've never hunted antelope, but just shared my experience because I thought it was relevant. I think my point is...you can't count on them being on public. They're going to be where they are, and that is most likely private, so you're going to need permission. I have had luck asking for deer permissions but I don't try very often because I can usually find deer on the public. I am most successful when I drive to someone's residence and knock on a door. I think I am 0% success on cold calling or FB messages.

 

[mlevimadden]

There is a reason those tags are OTC for residents and it's a tough hunt. I did it a couple times when I still lived in Kansas. There isn't a ton of public but landowners are usually not terrible about giving permission for pronghorn.

That said after doing the hunt a couple times, I would not do it again. My biggest issue with the hunt is the amount of pressure from those tags being OTC. This is worse because of the low density of pronghorn in Kansas. It was tough to find pronghorn on public, if you did, the terrain is pretty difficult for stalking into archery range. There were two separate times that my buddy and I found pronghorn, were actively stalking, and another group of hunters would come down the road and just start walking at the pronghorn we were already closer to and spook them.

It was a total cluster. It looks like you're a nonresident, so you can't put in for the rifle or muzzleloader tags and that's the only way I would do the hunt again. I harvested a decent 70" buck on a muzzleloader tag in 2014 as a resident. If you actually want to harvest a pronghorn, I'd start building points and hunt WY or CO. If you want to pay $300 for some practice stalking pronghorn in very difficult terrain and an exercise in patience dealing with other hunters, it's a great hunt for that.

 

[TDG15]

There is a reason those tags are OTC for residents and it's a tough hunt. I did it a couple times when I still lived in Kansas. There isn't a ton of public but landowners are usually not terrible about giving permission for pronghorn.

That said after doing the hunt a couple times, I would not do it again. My biggest issue with the hunt is the amount of pressure from those tags being OTC. This is worse because of the low density of pronghorn in Kansas. It was tough to find pronghorn on public, if you did, the terrain is pretty difficult for stalking into archery range. There were two separate times that my buddy and I found pronghorn, were actively stalking, and another group of hunters would come down the road and just start walking at the pronghorn we were already closer to and spook them.

It was a total cluster. It looks like you're a nonresident, so you can't put in for the rifle or muzzleloader tags and that's the only way I would do the hunt again. I harvested a decent 70" buck on a muzzleloader tag in 2014 as a resident. If you actually want to harvest a pronghorn, I'd start building points and hunt WY or CO. If you want to pay $300 for some practice stalking pronghorn in very difficult terrain and an exercise in patience dealing with other hunters, it's a great hunt for that.

I understand the tradeoff of access/cost and pressure/opportunity I'm making, but you bring up a very valid point. I have read similar comments in the harvest reports and on here of landowners being fairly open to hunters helping thin out the antelope numbers. From similar research, it seems as if there is similar sentiment regarding the competition between hunters and stalks/shot opportunities being blown because of it. Your experience also supports this.

I am not a resident of KS, and that is part of the appeal of the OTC tag. I have been building points in a few different states for Elk/Mule Deer/Antelope, but obvious budgetary constraints make it difficult to apply to every state for every species. As you mentioned, WY and CO are on the short list for this. This is a trip for a few buddies and I to get our feet wet in "Western game" hunting without a huge time or financial investment.

 

[KcRoyals85]

There is a reason those tags are OTC for residents and it's a tough hunt. I did it a couple times when I still lived in Kansas. There isn't a ton of public but landowners are usually not terrible about giving permission for pronghorn.

That said after doing the hunt a couple times, I would not do it again. My biggest issue with the hunt is the amount of pressure from those tags being OTC. This is worse because of the low density of pronghorn in Kansas. It was tough to find pronghorn on public, if you did, the terrain is pretty difficult for stalking into archery range. There were two separate times that my buddy and I found pronghorn, were actively stalking, and another group of hunters would come down the road and just start walking at the pronghorn we were already closer to and spook them.

It was a total cluster. It looks like you're a nonresident, so you can't put in for the rifle or muzzleloader tags and that's the only way I would do the hunt again. I harvested a decent 70" buck on a muzzleloader tag in 2014 as a resident. If you actually want to harvest a pronghorn, I'd start building points and hunt WY or CO. If you want to pay $300 for some practice stalking pronghorn in very difficult terrain and an exercise in patience dealing with other hunters, it's a great hunt for that.

I can second this as well. My father grew up in the dodge city area and both him and my grandfather worked at the grain elevator. When my grandfather was still alive he was able to set me up with farmers and people who knew people. It sounded even tougher hunting for non nepotism folks but the landowners were generally pretty giving for the few we had to ask.