Pronghorn Doe Wyoming

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

See if you can find one with pronged horns, that will make it more challenging and the fun of a hunt.

talking about the horned does? I've dropped a handful of those, daughter was on the hunt and wanted me to skull cap one SO I have a tiny set of doe prongs in the garage lol.

 

[RSather528]

Do not stress too much about the bullet and meat loss. It'll be fine.

You will read a lot about shooting really far for antelope which can be true for when you are hunting a unit with poor access or you are trying to kill a specific buck. With a doe tag and decent access, you will find as close of a shot as you want. You should essentially be hunting for the best shot/stalking opportunity and not the best animal.

For sure. I think just a good experience overall will be the end goal. If she fills the tag awesome, if not it’s still something neither of us has done before and should be fun.

My son and I went to WY with 4 doe tags to fill last year. He was shooting a Savage 7mm-08 with 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and punched his tags with shots at 154 and 309 yards. Your wife's rifle is plenty to get the job done. Use the ammo that shoots the best and practice for long shots. It doesn't take much to bring an antelope down, but you have to hit them where you're aiming. Best of luck and I hope to see some "grip and grin" pics!

That sounds like a great time! The only thing that may dampen her enthusiasm is getting caught in bad weather or some random event we hadn’t planned on.

 

[RSather528]

Whichever is flatter/faster presuming it shoots well. They're pretty easy to knock down. I use 145 barnes LRX from a 280AI at 3130, that gun has dropped a couple dozen nicely. Winds can be bad yes, often its calmer at dawn though so you get windows. Shouldn't be an issue getting into a couple hundred yards on does, I've popped them close and some rather far but usually those far ones were chasing heavily pressured lopes in flat land or taking out the second or third in the same shot string (if they don't know where you are they'll often run a couple hundred yards then stop trying to figure it out, re-range/fire/repeat).

We will be there a day or two before the season starts so we should hopefully get an idea of where they are in the unit. We haven’t experienced the famed WY plains winds so that will be different. If she misses a first shot it will be interesting to see how she handles that stress and if a follow up will even be plausible pending that initial distance.

See if you can find one with pronged horns, that will make it more challenging and the fun of a hunt.

A doe pronghorn with horns??

talking about the horned does? I've dropped a handful of those, daughter was on the hunt and wanted me to skull cap one SO I have a tiny set of doe prongs in the garage lol.

I didn’t know those were a thing. I know of like bearded hens but that would be fun to target a horned doe.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

A doe pronghorn with horns??

I didn’t know those were a thing. I know of like bearded hens but that would be fun to target a horned doe.

Oh definitely, they are shorties usually 2-3" long but technically they can get longer. The biggest tip off between bucks and does is the black cheek for anything that isn't obviously a buck. The buck fawns won't have much horn and at a distance look like a doe but they have some black on their cheek.

Not the best photo angle but here's a small horned doe.

 

[sndmn11]

Yeah, they look cool

 

[RSather528]

Oh definitely, they are shorties usually 2-3" long but technically they can get longer. The biggest tip off between bucks and does is the black cheek for anything that isn't obviously a buck. The buck fawns won't have much horn and at a distance look like a doe but they have some black on their cheek.

Not the best photo angle but here's a small horned doe.

That is cool! Well for a Midwesterner who only sees turkeys and white tails for the most part. I think at least trying to find out with horns will make things more interesting. Is that normal or more of a genetic oddity?

Yeah, they look cool
View attachment 301751

That euro mount is pretty sweet!

 

[sndmn11]

That is cool! Well for a Midwesterner who only sees turkeys and white tails for the most part. I think at least trying to find out with horns will make things more interesting. Is that normal or more of a genetic oddity?


That euro mount is pretty sweet!

I think it is probably over half of what I have laid eyes on have horns, Finding one with prongs to shoot would be the game. Not so much because they are rare, but because those prongs are hard to spot and doing so would mean you guys did your part on the stalk to get into position and spy an undisturbed phorn.
Do the googles for doe pronghorn images.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I think it is probably over half of what I have laid eyes on have horns, Finding one with prongs to shoot would be the game. Not so much because they are rare, but because those prongs are hard to spot and doing so would mean you guys did your part on the stalk to get into position and spy an undisturbed phorn.
Do the googles for doe pronghorn images.

I do sorta wonder if its pocketed genetics a bit though but haven't heavily paid attention. Cool that you got a prong'd one though.

 

[Rich M]

I hear ya, it’s about the experience as well especially being a first time trip. If it’s possible to not take out a shoulder I’d opt for that but know things happen. If I looked at cost per pound of meat from a financial perspective I wouldn’t be bird hunting as much as I do lol.

2 cents that say just go have fun - it is a great experience and a wonderful time. very neat trip. Well worth the $1500 even if you tag a shoulder.

If you can hit devils tower and mt rushmore before you go home. Worth the effort to see them if you haven't already.

I'd rather hunt upland birds than about anything else.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

That euro mount is pretty sweet!

His doe is a nicer one, here's that one from the above photo skull cap. (Ex-boy friends in the backgroud )

 

[wytx]

Doe with horns are pretty common , that is our first criteria when looking over a herd for a shot.

 

[RSather528]

His doe is a nicer one, here's that one from the above photo skull cap. (Ex-boy friends in the backgroud )

Nice pile of antelope euros!

 

[RSather528]

2 cents that say just go have fun - it is a great experience and a wonderful time. very neat trip. Well worth the $1500 even if you tag a shoulder.

If you can hit devils tower and mt rushmore before you go home. Worth the effort to see them if you haven't already.

I'd rather hunt upland birds than about anything else.

If all goes well we could have plenty of time to roam and check out sites. Devils tower didn’t allow dogs last time we were out there so we might have the opportunity this go around. Not sure if the area we will be in carries much for sage grouse but that’d be cool to chase!

 

[RSather528]

I think it is probably over half of what I have laid eyes on have horns, Finding one with prongs to shoot would be the game. Not so much because they are rare, but because those prongs are hard to spot and doing so would mean you guys did your part on the stalk to get into position and spy an undisturbed phorn.
Do the googles for doe pronghorn images.

Yep just picked up a spotter from a guy on the forum we will be bringing along and probably upgrade the binos before then. Most likely be a prone shot or should a have some sticks and have her practice sitting shots?

Doe with horns are pretty common , that is our first criteria when looking over a herd for a shot.

That sounds like a pretty good game plan, find one with horns and/or prongs before having her just shoot any doe.

 

[sndmn11]

Yep just picked up a spotter from a guy on the forum we will be bringing along and probably upgrade the binos before then. Most likely be a prone shot or should a have some sticks and have her practice sitting shots?

A phone skope or other brand didgiscope adapter is invaluable. It will let you both view the same image real time, you can digitally zoom beyond the optical zoom of the spotter, and you can review stills/video on the spot to confirm what you are looking at and that you are both looking at the same.

I'd practice off a tripod on top of the spotter or in a V saddle, or get one of those trekking pole attachments that connects them to a V.

 

[RSather528]

A phone skope or other brand didgiscope adapter is invaluable. It will let you both view the same image real time, you can digitally zoom beyond the optical zoom of the spotter, and you can review stills/video on the spot to confirm what you are looking at and that you are both looking at the same.

I'd practice off a tripod on top of the spotter or in a V saddle, or get one of those trekking pole attachments that connects them to a V.

Perfect! Yep picked up a nova grade adapter right after the spotter and tested it out a bit at the range and around me. I have one of those bog pod tripods but not sure if I want to carry that around. Might sell that and upgrade the current tripod.

 

[fightthenoise]

Prone is dang near impossible because of all the sage brush.

 

[RSather528]

Prone is dang near impossible because of all the sage brush.

Gotcha. More of a sitting position more than likely the scenario? Standing would be pretty tough for her unless it was under 100 yards.

 

[OXN939]

talking about the horned does? I've dropped a handful of those, daughter was on the hunt and wanted me to skull cap one SO I have a tiny set of doe prongs in the garage lol.

Super interesting, and brings up some interesting questions. Anyone ever used an NV "horns longer than ears" antelope tag on a doe? Doe tags in states like WY should be good to go on any doe regardless of horn length, right?

 

[sndmn11]

Gotcha. More of a sitting position more than likely the scenario? Standing would be pretty tough for her unless it was under 100 yards.

The prarie we hunt on is dirt and 1/4" grass, crawling and prone is the name of the game.

The best answer is that there is a huge variation and you should practice all.