Thanks to Redmule for the advice in the other thread! Does anyone else have any pointers for hunting pronghorns? I drew for Texas county which looks to have fewer numbers than Cimmaron but tickled to death anyhow.
Good optics are absolutely essential to antelope hunting.
They're probably the most difficult animal in America to accurately field judge. Tony Grimmett has a video to help judge them. If you're serious about having a good hunt, order the video. The Grimmett family is royalty in the antelope hunting world. http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/video.html
Antelope aren't like deer, you don't have to be up at the butt-crack of dawn to get on them. Most are usually killed during the day when they go to water.
For as small as they are, they're pretty tough critters.
They're probably the most difficult animal in America to accurately field judge. Tony Grimmett has a video to help judge them. If you're serious about having a good hunt, order the video. The Grimmett family is royalty in the antelope hunting world. http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/video.html
Antelope aren't like deer, you don't have to be up at the butt-crack of dawn to get on them. Most are usually killed during the day when they go to water.
For as small as they are, they're pretty tough critters.
Put an ad in a local paper and ask for ranchers that will allow access to their property. Often they want you to get rid of them because they are a nuisance. Some know that they can get a trespass fee and others just want them off their land. I would give you names but my hunts were in Cimmaron county. I got 5-6 ranchers off of one newspaper ad. Some also will let you shoot all the prairie dogs you want. You have to use rimfire though or the Game wardens will cite you.
Is this only during the controlled hunt? Just curious as I really want to go get some Pdogs.
Posted a reply on the Controlled hunt thread for you. Don't limit yourself to grassland. Around here there are a lot of antelope that live most of their lives on the CRP and crop land. One of best ways to hunt that I have found is to drive around the land you are able to get permission on then once find some, figure out how to sneak up close enough to them to get a shot. Not always important to have lots of cover, because antelope are really curious. First time I went out, saw 4 does, and just got out of the pickup and bent over as far as I could, and started walking right up to them. They saw me after I had went a couple of hundred yards and started watching me. After another 100 yards, they started coming to see what I was. Just laid down and they came within about 200 yards. Could not get the shot I wanted at the antelope I wanted, so passed them up. Shot the one I wanted about 2 hours later about 2 miles away.
J.T.,
I went antelope hunting last year in Wyoming and was lucky enough to kill my first one. A good set of binoculars is a must. I used a pair of 10x42 made by Vortex (can't remember the model off the top of my head) and they worked great. We mainly glassed the area, and used the terrain to try and get in front of them, set up, and waited.
Looking back on it, on the specific ranch we hunted, after watching them move you pick up on an area of the field were the like to travel. .i.e. they would cross a fence line at a corner, or use a depression in middle of the field to move from one end to the other. I'd try to pattern them and probably sit and wait instead of moving around as much as we did.
We hunted in September and it was hot. I expect similar conditions in Oklahoma. Having enough water if you are away from a vehicle is important.
Angsniper,
I drew a doe antelope tag in Cimarron County this year and am looking forward to my second antelope hunt. Do you still have your landowner contacts up there?
I went antelope hunting last year in Wyoming and was lucky enough to kill my first one. A good set of binoculars is a must. I used a pair of 10x42 made by Vortex (can't remember the model off the top of my head) and they worked great. We mainly glassed the area, and used the terrain to try and get in front of them, set up, and waited.
Looking back on it, on the specific ranch we hunted, after watching them move you pick up on an area of the field were the like to travel. .i.e. they would cross a fence line at a corner, or use a depression in middle of the field to move from one end to the other. I'd try to pattern them and probably sit and wait instead of moving around as much as we did.
We hunted in September and it was hot. I expect similar conditions in Oklahoma. Having enough water if you are away from a vehicle is important.
Angsniper,
I drew a doe antelope tag in Cimarron County this year and am looking forward to my second antelope hunt. Do you still have your landowner contacts up there?
There are a lot of prairie dogs to be shot. Most view them as a nuisance. The rimfire part I have not heard of before. If that is right, I have been doing it wrong for years. Will have to check on that!
Can I tag along with someone who got a tag? I miss antelope hunting.
Yes. During the controlled antelope hunt the wardens will fine you for being in the field shooting dogs with anything more than a rimfire. I guess they figure if you saw a goat you would take it. Any other time you can use whatever you want.
I second the fact that they are curious. My dad hunted them back in the '50s and they would take a strip of material or bandana and tie it to a fence or bush. The antelope would see it flapping in the breeze and get closer for a look.
Ever see the photos or paintings of Indians with a feather on the top of their bow? I was told that was to attract game especially antelope.
I once saw a herd of elk below me but could not get closer, no cover. So I crawled along an elk trail above them out in the open. Made myself look and act like a coyote, even sat back and scratched like a dog does with my hand. They watched me for a few and then went back to grazing. I crawled to within 67-70 yards of the herd and busted the 5x5 bull.
As long as you don't look like a human (vertical) and look more like one of them (horizontal) you can get away with being seen....sometimes!
