White flag?

[SmokeNFeathers]

Has anyone actually had success using a white flag to "decoy" antelope? I've tried it with a white handkerchief on several bow stalks and the best I've gotten is some curious looks, but nothing aggressive or posturing like they're coming to fight. I think the closest I ever had one come to it was about 100 yards. Is this all rut dependent? For those of you that use it, do you just keep it up, or flash it above the sage/concealment every so often? Seems like you need to have a lot of antelope to finally get one to commit and be successful... thoughts? Comments?

 

[GuyinIdaho]

Did you try it during the rut? I haven't had success with the white flag decoy but I also haven't tried it during peak rut.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I always thought it was just the locals messing with people when they told them to go wave a white flag.

 

[ndhtr]

A white flag will get their attention and may bring them in if they are curious however you are probably going to have a hard time getting them within bow range doing so. Their eyesight is too good for that.

 

[TaperPin]

I always thought it was just the locals messing with people when they told them to go wave a white flag.

It‘s true - honest! Best to do a chicken dance while waving a flag in each hand, alternating with a snow angel in the dirt.

 

[505Wapiti]

All joking aside, they are/can be very curious. I had several young immature bucks and does come to writhin 40 yards of me and my buddy while we were belly crawling super slow in 6” grass. They came a really long way to check us out. I’ve heard about the flagging but haven’t done it. I think it’s illegal in some states but not 100% sure.

 

[WCB]

IMO it is kind of like how my dad used to use white sand bags for snow goose hunting back in the day....just throw a sand bag on the ground and a clump of dirt or small rock on it to hold it down or paper plates with a stick in them. Old school tactic for very unpressured species. Doesn't work anymore.

The white hanky trick used to work. But imo anymore it may work to freeze them or keep them around but not a tactic I would use for bow hunting as a go to. Guiding I used to wave my hat or vest above us and most times it would pull an antelope to the top of a ridge or bank where we could just see their heads. Never had it bring them in any distance that amounted to much.

 

[Laramie]

If done at the right time and place it can get them curious enough to come in some but as other have mentioned, it is not a good tactic for archery. A guy is much better off not letting them know you are there until they get in a position where a stalk can be made.

 

[cnelk]

Never used the white flag trick but my buddy showed me this one.

Turn your rifle upside down with the bipod up.

This brought in a buck from over a 1/2 mile away.

Fun times

 

[sndmn11]

R

Never used the white flag trick but my buddy showed me this one.

Turn your rifle upside down with the bipod up.

This brought in a buck from over a 1/2 mile away.

Fun times

I'm convinced the buck I shot a few years ago saw my spotting scope on the tripod and that's why he walked right to me.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Never used the white flag trick but my buddy showed me this one.

Turn your rifle upside down with the bipod up.

This brought in a buck from over a 1/2 mile away.

Fun times

lol that's hilarious. That bipod and rifle combo do kinda look interesting.

 

[TaperPin]

Ive got to try the bipod thing! We’ve been shooting antelope off bipods since 1980 - why have none of my buddies thought of this! Lol

 

[SmokeNFeathers]

@GuyinIdaho, the one time I tried it last year it was early rut. The does were more curious about it than the bucks, but I really didn't have anything to lose. They started feeding away from me after a two hour crawl... and I got to where there was no cover left to crawl in, so I figured "why not?".

@505Wapiti, I've had the same experience, but wasn't able to seal the deal! I heard him trot up before I could even see where he was. Sneaky little buggars when they want to be.

 

[t_carlson]

It probably worked before bowhunting was so popular. You know, back when they would make weird noises into a piece of vacuum hose and have every bull in the drainage coming in.

Antelope are pressured enough now I'd be surprised if you could get a shot.

Mule deer don't always stop and turn around for one last look either these days, but those old tactics die hard.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I think it was always more of a bring them from 600 yds to 200 yds kind of tactic rather than a bring them into bow range tactic. Nowadays everybody just shoots them at 600 yds


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[Andrew12gauge]

All joking aside, they are/can be very curious. I had several young immature bucks and does come to writhin 40 yards of me and my buddy while we were belly crawling super slow in 6” grass. They came a really long way to check us out. I’ve heard about the flagging but haven’t done it. I think it’s illegal in some states but not 100% sure.

I think that the illegality of flagging antelope is a rumor, I’ve heard it’s illegal to wave a white flag in Idaho numerous times but yet to see that in the regs. Also heard it in Wyoming and SoDak when I’ve antelope hunted there, couldn’t find that in the regs either


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[zrodwyo]

You would think they learned to ignore stuff like that. Imagine if they got excited about every white oil and gas truck hauling ass across the horizon.

 

[npm352]

I've never tried this. But I have had a good number of young bucks just walk over to me when they can't figure out what I am, often when I'm boning out another antelope.

 

[GuyinIdaho]

I tried it this weekend with no luck. They stopped and looked at it for a while but continued in the direction they were already heading

anyone have any luck using decoys?

 

[CobraChicken]

I tried it this weekend with no luck. They stopped and looked at it for a while but continued in the direction they were already heading

anyone have any luck using decoys?

I've had luck during pre and actual rut utilizing a decoy but not stationary. Getting their attention and acting like the deke is feeding or moving over the hill from them.

I've had two large groups get within 40 yards coming to say hello while I was hidden