The 1 Thing You Learned- ANTELOPE

[Oregon Hunter]

Tagged for reading! Hopefully this year will be my first WY antelope hunt.


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You're going to have a blast! I would suggest reading the Eastman's book on hunting trophy antelope. Great ideas in there, especially for a first time antelope hunter

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Sittin in a blind can get toasty.

My body doesn't allow me to sweat anymore after my spinal cord injury, so keeping cool can actually be a life threatening challenge. I use a mister water bottle like this, and it will make the difference on tolerating heat!

 

[npm352]

I have learned that I love hunting them. Having hunted them in WY, CO, ID, NV and UT, I have realized I actually have more fun on the easier-to-draw tags with less pressure and lower trophy expectations/potential.

 

[Oregon Hunter]

I totally see your point. That's one of the reasons I love hunting varmints. Lots of action with no pressure

 

[BuzzH]

Everyone "saw" an 80+ inch buck...but always shoot something in the 70's (maybe).

Also, lots of 12-13 inch bucks are 14-15 inches on the 'net.

 

[Jsmalls273]

You're going to have a blast! I would suggest reading the Eastman's book on hunting trophy antelope. Great ideas in there, especially for a first time antelope hunter

Thank you! I’ll check it out


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[wweaver]

Best part of antelope hunting for me has been great camping weather and bring less high altitude hunters/friends/family/girls along with - usually.
It coincides with elk archery can get it done in one trip sometimes.
You can do it one day if needed usually, low pressure fun for good meat.
If looking for something big cover lots of ground and remember that mass gets four measurements length only gets one, most of time people describe antelope by 13,14,15,16 inchers but not how heavy they were, that’s the tough part about antelope hunting for something over 80. Big deer are big. Big elk are big, much easier.
phonescope on VIDEO not pics.
random thoughts I know.

 

[MeatMissile]

Thank you all for your posts! I’d really like to hunt pronghorn someday and this gives me things to consider.

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Everyone "saw" an 80+ inch buck...but always shoot something in the 70's (maybe).

Also, lots of 12-13 inch bucks are 14-15 inches on the 'net.

True, that's why reading books and watching YouTube videos on scoring can make you so much better at estimating the size in the field. It's especially tough for us relative newbies!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Best part of antelope hunting for me has been great camping weather and bring less high altitude hunters/friends/family/girls along with - usually.
It coincides with elk archery can get it done in one trip sometimes.
You can do it one day if needed usually, low pressure fun for good meat.
If looking for something big cover lots of ground and remember that mass gets four measurements length only gets one, most of time people describe antelope by 13,14,15,16 inchers but not how heavy they were, that’s the tough part about antelope hunting for something over 80. Big deer are big. Big elk are big, much easier.
phonescope on VIDEO not pics.
random thoughts I know.

Your point about only judging antelope on length is so true. It's like only judging a mule deer on width. Invest the time to learn about scoring and it will help you get much better at deciphering the often unfamiliar job of sizing up a goat in the field

 

[Stalker69]

Ewww that sounds creepy! Anyone have a picture of these Colorado spiders?

I have a video, but believe it’s on an old 8mm camcorder. It s of one we seen crossing the dirt road and my son let it walk over his hand. I had a buddy tell me he seen one the first time we went down south hunting I thought he just meant a wolf spider. I sleep in my bag on the ground that night and in the morning there were a couple right by me in the morning. And a rattle snake under the truck, which was about 8 feet from me, last time I slept out under the stars, unless up on a cot, hammock, or tent with a floor.

 

[Legend]

I've run into that problem being confined to a wheelchair. I hunt from a pickup truck now, which makes getting close tough. Any out of the box ideas on how to fool them from a truck?

Talk to the local farmer or rancher and use one of their pieces of equipment. You can drive right up to them if they know the machine. I heard of a guy in a similar situation who sat in the bucket of a front end loader and lifted him in the air like a treestand....worked like a charm.

 

[Carrot Farmer]

Talk to the local farmer or rancher and use one of their pieces of equipment. You can drive right up to them if they know the machine. I heard of a guy in a similar situation who sat in the bucket of a front end loader and lifted him in the air like a treestand....worked like a charm.

UTV/ATV with a cow silhouette


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[Oregon Hunter]

I have a video, but believe it’s on an old 8mm camcorder. It s of one we seen crossing the dirt road and my son let it walk over his hand. I had a buddy tell me he seen one the first time we went down south hunting I thought he just meant a wolf spider. I sleep in my bag on the ground that night and in the morning there were a couple right by me in the morning. And a rattle snake under the truck, which was about 8 feet from me, last time I slept out under the stars, unless up on a cot, hammock, or tent with a floor.

I feel like a huge wimp when I hear stories like that. You know people have been sleeping on the ground in those areas for centuries, but I wouldn't be crazy about it!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Talk to the local farmer or rancher and use one of their pieces of equipment. You can drive right up to them if they know the machine. I heard of a guy in a similar situation who sat in the bucket of a front end loader and lifted him in the air like a treestand....worked like a charm.

Terrific idea, but you would sure have to find a farmer who trusts you with their equipment. I can see it now.... introducing the new Real Tree pattern, greasy old tractor lol

 

[Oregon Hunter]

UTV/ATV with a cow silhouette


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Did they not get spooked by the noise? Or do you park it and turn it into a blind?

 

[Spence14]

One thing I learned last year during archery antelope is that sometimes you have to leave the bucks alone that are not in a stalkable position. Focus on finding a buck that offers some sort of terrain for stalking or is bedded facing away. We burnt a lot of time stalking antelope that we really had no play on. I was able to punch my tag on the second trip luckily.

And I’ll repeat what a lot of folks have already said, learn to shoot far. I took my buck at 74 yds with a bow.

 

[ganngus]

And I’ll repeat what a lot of folks have already said, learn to shoot far. I took my buck at 74 yds with a bow.

This is true. Closest goat I've taken with a bow was at 75yds and the furthest was at 105yds.

 

[Spence14]

This is true. Closest goat I've taken with a bow was at 75yds and the furthest was at 105yds.

They make a good living on staying far away from hunters... A hunting partner did get to 36 yds once... he got a little too excited and flat out missed

 

[rolocasi]

My advice , or something I have learned with antelope hunting is... Specially on multi-day hunts in Wyoming, is to leave you gun in the car and do not take it out on the first day of the hunt (or give all your bullets to a buddy you can trust), trigger itchy fingers have killed multiple mediocre bucks on the first day/hours of an antelope hunt. All my best bucks have come on second or third dates, all my small ones on the first day. =)

Here is a pic of my best one many years ago in NV (17 inch horns, but skinny, did not net book).