NV Antelope

wjohnson1983

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
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123
Location
Harvest, AL
Well I hit the lottery early and drew a NR antelope rifle tag. I’ve antelope hunted in other states, but have actually never been to NV.

If some has antelope hunted north central NV and is willing to tag up, PM and let me know. Interested in hotels vs. camping, roads, and talk antelope if you’re willing.

On vacation with the family right now, so will start buckling down on additional research when I get back home.
 
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Just kidding. Congratulations. Hope you have a good hunt. Maybe one day I’ll draw as well 😀
 
Well I hit the lottery early and drew a NR antelope rifle tag. I’ve antelope hunted in other states, but have actually never been to NV.

If some has antelope hunted north central NV and is willing to tag up, PM and let me know. Interested in hotels vs. camping, roads, and talk antelope if you’re willing.

On vacation with the family right now, so will start buckling down on additional research when I get back home.

Congrats on drawing. I hunted a tag near yours in '22, did a writeup on it on here if you want to search for it. In short, out of the dozen or so Pronghorn tags I've hunted, it was far and away the most difficult. Cool area and a good experience, but VERY low population density.
 
Congrats on drawing. I hunted a tag near yours in '22, did a writeup on it on here if you want to search for it. In short, out of the dozen or so Pronghorn tags I've hunted, it was far and away the most difficult. Cool area and a good experience, but VERY low population density.
Nevada is the driest state in the country and we probably also have the lowest average amount life/biomass per acre of all the other states.

Nevada also "has more separate mountain ranges than any other state—over 300". https://allaboutamerica.com/united-states/which-us-states-have-the-most-mountains.html

So its kind of miraculous we have a hunt-able population of pronghorn at all, considering they evolved to live on grassy plains.
 
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Just kidding. Congratulations. Hope you have a good hunt. Maybe one day I’ll draw as well 😀
I know right. Newbie came on here asking for all the honey holes 😁

In all seriousness though, I'll probably never draw another NV antelope tag in my lifetime, but we'll see.

Most likely will do this DIY, especially if my friend in WY wants me to pick him up on the drive through.

If there are guide recommendations, I may kick the tires too though.
 
I know right. Newbie came on here asking for all the honey holes 😁

In all seriousness though, I'll probably never draw another NV antelope tag in my lifetime, but we'll see.

Most likely will do this DIY, especially if my friend in WY wants me to pick him up on the drive through.

If there are guide recommendations, I may kick the tires too though.
Needing a guide for a rifle antelope is almost an oxymoron in a decent area. Unless you just have to kill a bonafide booner, lope are pretty darn easy with a rifle if there are animals.

Yay me, my 300th post on RS. Guess i am now a WKR whatever that is. haha
 
Yeah the only reason to get a guide is for them to scout and sit on a booner since I won’t be able to do anything except e-scout from Alabama.

I’ve already harvested 3 antelope, 2 dinks and a 72. Don’t think 5k is worth 8” 🤣

From what I’ve seen, I assume the hotel options are battle mountain or Carlin. Weather looks like 90s during the day and 50s at night if one is inclined to camp.
 
My wife finally drew a tag south I-80. She had 8 points. We haven’t hunted her units before so I’m going to scout it next month. Shouldn’t be hard to find goats. Seems like they’re everywhere in Nevada.
Battle Mountain will probably have better food and lodging than Carlin.
 
E-scout for springs and watering holes, and have those pinned on your OnX, with travel routes also laid out. Have a plan for hitting several of those and certifying access to them (passable roads, gates, etc) your first day on the ground - that'll inform much of your hunt. As you know, antelope tend to be very ranging, but also need a lot of water daily, very much unlike mule deer. So know the water, drive a lot and glass from high spots with high-powered optics, far out and away from the water too. The herds here are largely centralized on the flats between our literal hundreds of mountain ranges, though in some corners of those geographies the antelope can get up into the draws above the flats, and I've seen some at the top of mountains as well. Glassing here for goats is more about covering distance and letting your optics do your walking, than it is piecing apart hillsides, shadows, and brush like you do with mule deer.

Plan on driving hundreds of miles on dirt roads, largely improved dirt/gravel, so make sure your tires are good, have recovery gear, and always have several gallons of drinking water in the truck at all times. If there's been any notable rain, avoid driving onto the flats - they can have a dry crust inches thick, with literal feet of slimy silt mud underneath.

Think ahead on meat care too - keep a large ice-chest filled to the top with ice in the truck, every day you go out. Especially with NV's heat, remember to gut that goat quickly and get its hide off, and get that meat onto that ice as fast as you can.

Good luck on your hunt out here.
 
There's nothing in Carlin and Battle mountain is barely better.

I was surprised at how pocketed the antelope are in that area. I'd recommend arriving a few days early and sorting out your options.

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk
 
I agree with rockandsage. It’s a good unit with a ton of antelope. Make a plan and cover as much ground as possible. There is certain places in that area where they’ll be higher in elevation than one might expect.
 
Well I hit the lottery early and drew a NR antelope rifle tag. I’ve antelope hunted in other states, but have actually never been to NV.

If some has antelope hunted north central NV and is willing to tag up, PM and let me know. Interested in hotels vs. camping, roads, and talk antelope if you’re willing.

On vacation with the family right now, so will start buckling down on additional research when I get back home.
Which unit? I drew 41,42 (with 5 points NR)
 
I'll join the lucky NV antelope hunt gang: I drew a horns shorter than ears depredation tag, within 1 mile of Great Basin ranch properties. If anyone has experience with this let me know!
 
I'll join the lucky NV antelope hunt gang: I drew a horns shorter than ears depredation tag, within 1 mile of Great Basin ranch properties. If anyone has experience with this let me know!
HSTE dep tag? Never heard of it. Do you mean antlerless elk?
 
Hey everyone -- long time listener, first time caller. Drew a horns-longer archery tag this year. Thinking through my strategy of find/sit water vs. spot & talk and thinking the former is the way to go based on a lot of this conversation.
 
Hey everyone -- long time listener, first time caller. Drew a horns-longer archery tag this year. Thinking through my strategy of find/sit water vs. spot & talk and thinking the former is the way to go based on a lot of this conversation.
I drew a good unit once and even had local Intel, so my plan was similar to yours. I was feeling pretty good about it.

Every single water source had a blind on it when I arrived 3 days before the opener. Just something to keep in the back of your mind.

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