To buy a tag or not buy a tag, that is the question??

[Where's Bruce?]

If it's too easy for ya, forget the rifle and go for the more challenging hunt.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

If it's too easy for ya, forget the rifle and go for the more challenging hunt.

View attachment 158790

I do archery hunt, but with a compound! I pretty much have only hunted whitetail with a bow in PA and Ohio. I have been acquiring everything i need for some backcountry hunts, so hopefully I’ll be after some western animals with a bow within the next year or so, we have had a few gun hunts on the books for a number of years.


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[Dead eye BT]

I’d apply for the antelope tag.

 

[brad407210]

It might be worth asking the locals when the bucks typically shed their horns, I've added a pronghorn tag onto a deer hunt in Montana before in late October and I was having trouble with bucks already dropping one or both horns. I was stalking a nice buck and in the half hour it took to loop around he managed to drop one side, but luckily he found a buddy in that time that still had both his horns and I ended up with a 79" buck. I met a few guys driving around that had shot bucks that day and they had already dropped their sheath. If the ranch is filled with pronghorns you should still find ones intact so I'd get the tag, but want to make sure you know what you might find when you get there.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

It might be worth asking the locals when the bucks typically shed their horns, I've added a pronghorn tag onto a deer hunt in Montana before in late October and I was having trouble with bucks already dropping one or both horns. I was stalking a nice buck and in the half hour it took to loop around he managed to drop one side, but luckily he found a buddy in that time that still had both his horns and I ended up with a 79" buck. I met a few guys driving around that had shot bucks that day and they had already dropped their sheath. If the ranch is filled with pronghorns you should still find ones intact so I'd get the tag, but want to make sure you know what you might find when you get there.

I appreciate the info. That would definitely be disappointing, but if the numbers are there that i saw last time (big if) shouldnt be an issue. Rancher made it seem like no big deal, so fingers crossed.

I did end up applying for the tag, which with 3 points i imagine I’ll get.


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[jrmcmaster]

Agree with above. Hunted 705 many times. When we’ve waited until November in the past we’ve noticed a surprising number of bucks who’ve already dropped a horn or two. Definitely makes it a little more challenging!

 

[PablitoPescador]

I killed my Montana buck on November 3 last year and he still had horns but a lot of them definitely start dropping them late October-early November

 

[VenaticOppidan]

Im still waiting on the draw results, it appears the latest date they'll post is Aug 6th

 

[jrmcmaster]

That drawing date has always annoyed me. Does anyone know why MT FWP waits until then to draw antelope? You'd think if it was to finalize antelope numbers they would have it done sooner than that?

 

[VenaticOppidan]

the deer draw was several weeks before the posted draw date i remember

 

[VenaticOppidan]

looks like i dont have to worry about it... applied with 2 pts and bought another point with the app this year, didn't get drawn.... good luck to all you folks who did

 

[hobbes]

looks like i dont have to worry about it... applied with 2 pts and bought another point with the app this year, didn't get drawn.... good luck to all you folks who did

I'd look the antelope over this year and see how many have both horns still on. A fairly high percentage of them are missing at least one side by that time.

 

[SpookySpectre308]

Would love to hear how this is going. Just got back to Wisconsin from Ekalaka area myself.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

Just sitting in the camp now having some whistle pig. Saw 2 good bucks on the way in and a ton of doe, got to camp right before dark. The ranch manager says last week was real hard hunting, but the bucks are now starting to show and the major temp drop Sunday- Monday should really help things get going. Have high hopes. I’ll keep you posted!


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[VenaticOppidan]

Would love to hear how this is going. Just got back to Wisconsin from Ekalaka area myself.

I saw about 120+ antelope from sat to Sunday, with a bunch of good bucks with horns, wish i woulda drawn the tag!

I tagged a nice muley buck Monday morning. The story of the stalk is where it’s at. Spotted him from 1.2m away, then crawled to within 130yd when he was bedded, waited an hour on my stomach for him to stand up. 4x4 w double brows.

3/4 of us ended up tagging out. Just finished the last evening hunt with the one guy who struck out, but he shot at and missed a good buck Tuesday.


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[VenaticOppidan]

Here’s the deer

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[BRTreedogs]

Well looks like the deer hunt was fun.
Sweet buck.