Planning My First Antelope Hunt

[Munkish]

I just applied for my first antelope tag after a couple years of research and getting preference points. Two friends and I are applying as a group in Wyoming for a unit that looks doable on public land if you are willing to hike a ways after you leave the roads. This will be my first western hunt (other than accompanying a relative on a black bear hunt in Alaska where I didn't have a tag). We're hoping to use this as a test for the logistics of western hunting (all of us are east of the Mississippi) before we come back for more hunts in the future.

 

[long hunter]

Good luck, we are doing the same thing only this will be our third trip, go every other year the first two years was no problem with tags but with point creep and herd reductions and reductions for tag allowances it may a difficult issue drawing tags.

 

[Munkish]

Yeah. We started planning on it a couple of years ago and it would have been much easier to just go then. But life got in the way. We're all young so finding a year where no one is having a baby or starting a new job has been hard. Hopefully this will be the first of many trips out west. We're looking into other trips for black bear, mule deer, and elk as well.

 

[Scorpion]

Good luck with your application.

Pronghorn is a great first hunt for a group as it is not as physically or logistically overwhelming as a rut elk hunt.

You have good optics?

 

[long hunter]

Get comfortable shooting at different distances. This will not be like hunting eastern whitetails. Also invest in some good optics if you don't already have them. And prepare for the weather, our first hunt was blue bird weather the second time out the first day was good weather, rain, sleet and snow mixture the second day, next two days was a blizzard. And expect wind.

 

[Rich M]

A lot of stuff will come into sharp focus when you get there and see the critters and the terrain.

Dont lock ourself in to any specific trchnique. I bern once and saw sntelope while sitting, saw some near dome trees and walked over for an in yo face encounter, then later stalked within 75 yards of a buck.

You should have a lot of fun. They are very predictable and lots of folks pop outta the woodwork on opening morning. Be a little aggressive and go have fun.

Oh the shot opps i had were 25, 75, 175, 200, 250, and 350 yards. Shoot out to 300 if you can. Good groups at 300 mean you can stretch it a little.

 

[Munkish]

Good luck with your application.

Pronghorn is a great first hunt for a group as it is not as physically or logistically overwhelming as a rut elk hunt.

You have good optics?

I've got some good binoculars. None of us has a spotting scope yet. I've been debating about if it's necessary. My inclination is that for a first hunt where we don't care about trophies, that binos should be enough. But I'm open to advice on it. I've got the money to get a lower end one, but I'd rather not get one it the hunt can be done without it.

 

[Scorpion]

Low end spotters are worthless. I would argue there is no reason to even have one until you have the absolute best binoculars you can afford.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Hope your group draws out for this fall. This will be a great hunt to experience your first time out west.

 

[ocurtis]

speed goats blend in surprisingly well. I love antelope hunting. Its extremely low stress low excursion hunt with fun rewards. Be prepared to shoot to 300 yards and be prepared for wind. Also, antelope have incredible eye sight and not the best sniffers. They are extremely curious until they make you for what you are then they can be gone! My most successful hunt, I shot 3 in one day! the unit i was on was great because you could pretty much drive up tot hem. 15-20 minutes to meat out in the cooler and looking for the next!

 

[voltage]

I went on my first antelope hunt in 2019 and have been on one a year ever since (Wyoming, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada). In my opinion, you don’t need great optics to have a fun and successful antelope hunt.

That being said, I have really enjoyed my “low end” spotter (Athlon Ares 15-45x65) with a phoneskope as I have learned how to judge pronghorn over the past few years. All of these photos are from 500-1000 yards and have really helped me with making a decision to take the animal or not.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I’m a fan of the Leopoldo 25X gold ring spotting scope
have been using them for pronghorn, Alaska, Texas mule deer

 

[longhornq]

Goodluck man!

 

[Bob58]

I have done several DIY pronghorn hunts in Wyoming, the units I liked to hunt used to have left over tags, now they are taking 7+ points to draw. My next pronghorn hunt will be with an outfitter. To me, decent optics are a requirement, with tags so hard to get now I look over a lot of bucks before making a stalk. Some of the other lessons I have learned (usually the hard way) over the years , a 4 wheel drive is good if the weather turns bad, chains for all 4 corners are a good idea too, along with 10 ply tires. Once your buck is down get him quartered and on ice ASAP, be very careful not to get anywhere near any scent glands with your knife, I use a different knife to skin than I do to cut up the carcass. BLM maps for the unit you are hunting are good to have, ON X is a very good tool also, watch corner crossing, not sure where the case is at the moment but some guys from this area were charged with trespassing for using a ladder to climb over a corner. I have heard a lot of recommendations to hunt later in the season and avoid opening day, I have done it both ways and I can say without too much doubt that the guys who recommend waiting are the ones who hunt opening day. My strategy is to get to my unit at least a couple of days prior to the opener and look over all the bucks I can find, I try to put one to bed the night before and shoot him at daylight opening day. I carry a day pack big enough to hold the boned out meat, game bags and a light weight tarp to lay the animal on while I'm cutting him up. Stay well hydrated and have a great time, pronghorns are my favorite North American hunt!

 

[bkjastrebsky]

Good luck to your group on drawing this year. Antelope is probably my favorite hunt. Only thing i know of that you can all share a truck and still all be successful on a couple day hunt. While a spotting scope isn't necessary it can save you many miles of hiking if you are looking for a trophy antelope. Nothing like cover a mile just to turn around and leave because the goat wasn't what you thought. If you do draw the tag study maps, check out the county maps to verify your intended road access is in fact public. Most of all have fun and enjoy the experience