TannerLunzman
FNG
I have hunted archery antelope OTC the last two years on public land, without guidance. Between the three of us that often hunt together we have harvested 3 Antelope in two years with a bow. A task that can seem impossible, but is far from it. We used many strategies from sitting water holes, spot/stalk, decoys, and everything in between. I don't want to dive to far into strategies because I am certainly not a professional but I do want to go over the pros and cons of DIY on public land.
Pros:
-There is plenty of public land full of antelope opportunities, not having a spot to hunt antelope should almost never be an excuse.
-The pricing, My tag was around the $300 mark and bought over the counter, meaning this was a hunt I could do every year if I want to.
-Early season, most antelope seasons are open in August, which is often times before any other seasons for deer, elk, etc..
-The meat, this might be the best part of the whole deal, antelope is a very tender and great tasting meat, just be sure you are prepared to take care of it when you do find success as it is often times very hot out still.
-All day hunts, you can pretty much find antelope all day long, which means you can hunt all day long, so there is no waiting until the first and last hour of the day to find animals.
Cons:
-The biggest con I have found to this point is other people, while typically everyone I've met in the field has been helpful and polite, it is still frustrating for all parties when you run in to someone around every corner, however after opening weekend this tends to get better.
-The difficulty, you have to be persistent and open minded to hunt this animals on public land, you must be willing to adapt and handle failure appropriatly because you will likely encounter many road blocks
-Small target, long shots, you will need to be able to make shots beyond fifty yards if you want realistic odds of harvesting an Antelope, assuming you get that close without them knowing that is.
-Terrain is flat and they have incredible eyesight, so patience is a must, while this isn't really a con it might be a deal breaker for someone that wants an easier hunt.
All in all, its a fun and reasonable hunt that can be done in many different fashions. You can use this hunt to sharpen up your skills, get some meat in the freezer, and to start the fall a little sooner, who doesn't like the sounds of that? Let me know what some of your experiences have been and whether you agree or disagree. This was the kind of stuff I liked to read on when preparing for my fall so I love to return the favor!
Pros:
-There is plenty of public land full of antelope opportunities, not having a spot to hunt antelope should almost never be an excuse.
-The pricing, My tag was around the $300 mark and bought over the counter, meaning this was a hunt I could do every year if I want to.
-Early season, most antelope seasons are open in August, which is often times before any other seasons for deer, elk, etc..
-The meat, this might be the best part of the whole deal, antelope is a very tender and great tasting meat, just be sure you are prepared to take care of it when you do find success as it is often times very hot out still.
-All day hunts, you can pretty much find antelope all day long, which means you can hunt all day long, so there is no waiting until the first and last hour of the day to find animals.
Cons:
-The biggest con I have found to this point is other people, while typically everyone I've met in the field has been helpful and polite, it is still frustrating for all parties when you run in to someone around every corner, however after opening weekend this tends to get better.
-The difficulty, you have to be persistent and open minded to hunt this animals on public land, you must be willing to adapt and handle failure appropriatly because you will likely encounter many road blocks
-Small target, long shots, you will need to be able to make shots beyond fifty yards if you want realistic odds of harvesting an Antelope, assuming you get that close without them knowing that is.
-Terrain is flat and they have incredible eyesight, so patience is a must, while this isn't really a con it might be a deal breaker for someone that wants an easier hunt.
All in all, its a fun and reasonable hunt that can be done in many different fashions. You can use this hunt to sharpen up your skills, get some meat in the freezer, and to start the fall a little sooner, who doesn't like the sounds of that? Let me know what some of your experiences have been and whether you agree or disagree. This was the kind of stuff I liked to read on when preparing for my fall so I love to return the favor!
