Walking through antelope country in the dark, does it spook them off?

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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There is an area I think I'd like to try hunting that has a limited access point. Ideally I'd like to get on the far side of it for first light on opener. Can I make my way through it a few hours earlier that morning without blowing the animals out? I'm not really sure how pronghorn handle sounds and/or a headlamp moving along open country in the dark.
 
I would not worry about it much. They don't spook easy in the dark. They like to lay down and stay down. Fwiw. My experience is that I've walked right past them and had them be behind me when the lights come on.


Stupid Hurts
 
I would disagree some. I have walked into them at the water going to my blind in the dark. On the up side I don't think they go far since they rely on sight so much. Hasn't seemed to be an issue but we are careful to stay in gully's and take the most discreet route in, well away from where we saw them last the evening before.

I remember an article about a WY resident who had killed some booners archery. He wrote about a particular buck that was only drinking at night that he had on camera. I think that pressured they can be more nocturnal than we give them credit for.
 
For clarity I'm not trying to creep into a water hole or such, I just want to walk into a back corner of a land plot and won't specifically be trying to bust through their beds or such. If they bump off my path my a couple hundred yards that isn't of concern, I just don't want to push them a mile or two away.
 
I think the risk is low that they blow out of the area. If you know where they bed even better. Spooked antelope should be back shortly any way. I have more than once returned to same location that I spooked an antelope earlier in day and found him there again. 2 in particular that I remember were B&C bucks. 1 my son killed and the other was a client I had. Antelope tend to be in almost the same spot at the same time each day. They may travel several miles in a day but will be same to the same location at certain time. good luck.
 
Obviously antelope are at full alert in daylight and after dark. They are constantly on guard against coyotes and other predators. Antelope have similar noses to deer. You should keep wind direction in mind on the route you take. Obviously if you can remain in a gully they will likely have less chance of spotting you in the dark. Quite a few years ago I set up a waterhole blind for a particularly big buck. It was the only water source in the area but he never showed up during daylight. I finally raked the area around the waterhole just before dark. Sure enough there were antelope tracks where I raked (he was watering at night!). There are so many factors that it's hard to predict what would happen at your particular area. Hunting pressure and other factors play a big role in how spooky bucks are in any particular area. Your best bet is to think through all the factors in your particular area and figure out a strategy that makes the most sense. Stick with it and you will likely be successful!
 
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