My first Pronghorn hunt

[Headhunter]

Well gents, I’m super excited that in mid-August I’ll be going after my first pronghorn with a rifle.
I’ve got great rifle setups for it. Binoculars and basically everything else covered.
Question though... is a good spotter necessary or will 10x binos work in their place?
Also, would a cow or doe decoy really increase my chances of closing the distance?
Any other info you’re willing to share I’d appreciate it.
Thanks

 

[NEWHunter]

I wouldn’t say a spotter is necessary. If you’re just looking to tag a decent buck you don’t need a spotter. The 10x will work just fine. If you’re looking to try and decide if he’s low 70s or high 70s at several hundred yards, then yes, you need a good spotter.

 

[Jordan Budd]

On the spotter, I would say if you are wanting to size a buck up then I'd certainly take a spotting scope. Typically antelope country is so open and you can look so far that a spotting scope is really nice to have even when you don't care about sizing an animal up.

With the decoys it seems like one day they will work okay and the next day they'll run as soon as they see them. I think it depends the area you are going in and what it's like for pressure, plus the time of year. We've had the worst luck with cow decoys compared to a doe or buck decoy. If anything, I would get a pop up antelope decoy and only use it if you absolutely need to. I wouldn't expect to pop up a decoy and have a buck run in. With that rifle I'd try to glass them up, stealth stalk as close as you can and in the event you just cannot get close enough for a shot then whip the decoy out and it may let you slip in close enough for a shot.

 

[Headhunter]

I wouldn’t say a spotter is necessary. If you’re just looking to tag a decent buck you don’t need a spotter. The 10x will work just fine. If you’re looking to try and decide if he’s low 70s or high 70s at several hundred yards, then yes, you need a good spotter.

Thank you,
I’m not necessarily looking for a BC buck, but I don’t want to shoot a young immature one either. Think I’ll take your advice and get a spotter.

 

[Headhunter]

On the spotter, I would say if you are wanting to size a buck up then I'd certainly take a spotting scope. Typically antelope country is so open and you can look so far that a spotting scope is really nice to have even when you don't care about sizing an animal up.

With the decoys it seems like one day they will work okay and the next day they'll run as soon as they see them. I think it depends the area you are going in and what it's like for pressure, plus the time of year. We've had the worst luck with cow decoys compared to a doe or buck decoy. If anything, I would get a pop up antelope decoy and only use it if you absolutely need to. I wouldn't expect to pop up a decoy and have a buck run in. With that rifle I'd try to glass them up, stealth stalk as close as you can and in the event you just cannot get close enough for a shot then whip the decoy out and it may let you slip in close enough for a shot.

Thank you

 

[Couture]

Thank you,
I’m not necessarily looking for a BC buck, but I don’t want to shoot a young immature one either. Think I’ll take your advice and get a spotter.

I had one on my first goat hunt and it was nice. That said I found I could determine a “shooter” or not at a 1000 yds with my binos. That said I wasn’t terribly picky

 

[Rich M]

Have a great trip - antelope hunting is a lot of fun.

Don't forget to put a bit of time behind your rifle - that's what separates the successful hunt from the one that got away story.

As for the whole trophy aspect of it all - can you tell what a trophy antelope looks like or is there a certain configuration to the horns that you'd like best? If it is gonna hang on your wall - shoot one that you want to look at day in and day out. They are beautiful.

Found 10x binoculars to work well for me. On my 2017 hunt we saw 2 larger bucks - they were larger bodied, had more mass than the smaller ones and could be ID-ed easy enough with binoculars. I'm considering a upgrading my 10x binoculars and adding a tripod adapter for the next trips. For right now, collecting points...

 

[Headhunter]

Have a great trip - antelope hunting is a lot of fun.

Don't forget to put a bit of time behind your rifle - that's what separates the successful hunt from the one that got away story.

As for the whole trophy aspect of it all - can you tell what a trophy antelope looks like or is there a certain configuration to the horns that you'd like best? If it is gonna hang on your wall - shoot one that you want to look at day in and day out. They are beautiful.

Found 10x binoculars to work well for me. On my 2017 hunt we saw 2 larger bucks - they were larger bodied, had more mass than the smaller ones and could be ID-ed easy enough with binoculars. I'm considering a upgrading my 10x binoculars and adding a tripod adapter for the next trips. For right now, collecting points...

Thanks
As far as time behind my rifle, I’m at the range either every week or two weeks. I’ll continue to do so to make sure I’m ready

 

[wytx]

Yes on the spotter, it will save miles on your boots. Get a window mount for the truck. We take our 10x42 binos and a spotter for every pronghorn hunt.
Pronghorn can be very skittish after the season opens, practice getting setup quickly and getting off a quality shot.
I have a bipod that never leaves my rifle and it comes in very handy.
Knee pads and leather gloves are a must.
You'll do a lot of crawling, I like an orange vest for antelope, no orange hat peaking over the hills that way. They will notice.
Your shots could be under 50 yds or out to several hundred. Learn to shoot in the wind. Have made many a long stalk just to get the wind right for a non cross wind shot on windy days.

 

[Headhunter]

Yes on the spotter, it will save miles on your boots. Get a window mount for the truck. We take our 10x42 binos and a spotter for every pronghorn hunt.
Pronghorn can be very skittish after the season opens, practice getting setup quickly and getting off a quality shot.
I have a bipod that never leaves my rifle and it comes in very handy.
Knee pads and leather gloves are a must.
You'll do a lot of crawling, I like an orange vest for antelope, no orange hat peaking over the hills that way. They will notice.
Your shots could be under 50 yds or out to several hundred. Learn to shoot in the wind. Have made many a long stalk just to get the wind right for a non cross wind shot on windy days.

Thank you for the advice

 

[Majestic A.F.]

This is all great information, I too am going on my first speed goat hunt this year. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Couture]

This is all great information, I too am going on my first speed goat hunt this year. Thanks for the advice!

Have a great trip, I’m awaiting results as well!

 

[6mm Remington]

Thank you,
I’m not necessarily looking for a BC buck, but I don’t want to shoot a young immature one either. Think I’ll take your advice and get a spotter.

See one like this shoot him! He was 16" on both sides.


Two decent bucks. Mine is on the left.

Good luck on your hunt.
David

 

[160andup]

No way I would go on a pronghorn hunt without a spotter! Unless it's a doe hunt.

 

[John Jason]

You can glass all day, but never see over the next hill, or what's in the draw and in creases and folds of the land. There has been a few times when we come over or around a hill and they are standing there 50 yards away just as shocked as we were. I use 8× binos but I'm not a trophy hunter measuring inches. I have seen enough bucks to know what to go after or leave alone with 8's. Remember to check your 6 they sometimes show up unexpectedly.

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[Headhunter]

You can glass all day, but never see over the next hill, or what's in the draw and in creases and folds of the land. There has been a few times when we come over or around a hill and they are standing there 50 yards away just as shocked as we were. I use 8× binos but I'm not a trophy hunter measuring inches. I have seen enough bucks to know what to go after or leave alone with 8's. Remember to check your 6 they sometimes show up unexpectedly.

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Funny you say that; I was actually talking on the phone with the gent that runs the hunt and he mentioned the same thing about topography hiding pronghorn in almost plain sight.
Thanks

 

[gadrahthaar]

Yes on the spotter, it will save miles on your boots. Get a window mount for the truck. We take our 10x42 binos and a spotter for every pronghorn hunt.
Pronghorn can be very skittish after the season opens, practice getting setup quickly and getting off a quality shot.
I have a bipod that never leaves my rifle and it comes in very handy.
Knee pads and leather gloves are a must.
You'll do a lot of crawling, I like an orange vest for antelope, no orange hat peaking over the hills that way. They will notice.
Your shots could be under 50 yds or out to several hundred. Learn to shoot in the wind. Have made many a long stalk just to get the wind right for a non cross wind shot on windy days.

This is all great advice.

If you want an excuse to buy a spotter this hung is a good one, but if you want to save $ adding a cheap tripod and adapter will add lots of "range" to your 10x binos because the reduce shaking.

 

[generalist]

Also, would a cow or doe decoy really increase my chances of closing the distance?

Are decoys safe during rifle season? I'd be worried being anywhere near one with the ranges guys tend to shoot antelope at.

 

[John Jason]

I wouldn't hunt with a full blaze orange decoy during rifle season. The private land I go to sometimes gets out of control.

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[MTJake]

For a rifle hunt I would not use a pronghorn decoy at all, even if you are on private.