On the Hoof

[Fishinsimpson]

As a first time tag holder (Oregon Maury unit) I'd love to see some real world photos of lopes and how you would judge them. I've read the articles on rokslide and online, Ryan Avery did a great job getting the conversation started.

But I've always found pictures to be the best resource for someone as new as myself.

Throw up some photos and let's see how people would judge them.

If you're putting up a number please explain how you came to that conclusion so others, myself included can benefit from your trained eye.




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[BuzzH]

I never did get a chance to score this buck, but its a tough buck to pass and I have a guess on the score.

Had this one pretty much right on the button for score, my Dad killed this buck shortly after I took the photo.

Glad I did get to score this one, but truthfully, one of those bucks that score just doesn't seem too important on. My wife shot it within about 10 minutes of legal light opening day.

Don't know what ever happened to this buck...decent buck just no mass above the prong.

 

[BuzzH]

Very solid buck from last year, I had to talk myself out of shooting this one several times and I know I wouldn't have been disappointed if I would have shot it.

The only reason I didn't shoot him, is because a good friend found this buck and had sent me a lot of pictures of it. Another buck that score doesn't really seem that important on.

Another look at the same buck...I ended up killing this buck about mid-way through the season.

If you're hunting pronghorn for meat, this one would be it...big body, big head.

 

[BuzzH]

This buck had a tank of a body as well...and a big noggin'...

This buck looks better than it is I think, but still OK.

 

[BuzzH]

Swollen gland on the face, common for mature bucks. Probably as good as this buck ever was.

This one looked good, but prongs are low. Pretty solid mass above the prong, decent prong, fairly good length:

Same buck:

 

[Fishinsimpson]

Buzz great photos and angles.

To my untrained eye. Your first and third bucks were the best of the lot. The third being top. The mass goes all the way up past the prong, prong looks just under six inches. Looks like 14-15 inches tall.

I bet I'm way off

Beautiful animal. Is that third lope the one your wife took?


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[Scotch]

I hope some more people chime in and venture some guesses. I wish I could, but I don't have a clue. My antelope last year suffered some ground shrinkage, and I never did bother to measure it. Maybe I will now, just as a learning experience. I drew another tag this year and I'm studying up. Good luck on the Oregon hunt.

 

[Scoot]

Buzz, those are great! I'd shoot every single one you posted a picture of and be happy with any of them.

 

[blackdog]

Google is your friend. There are many different 'how to judge antelope' articles on the web. The Eastman's antelope book also has a section or two on judging them. I borrowed this from a buddy and it was somewhat helpful. Generally speaking, if you have to wonder if they're BIG or not, they're probably not.

 

[kcm2]

The face of a mature buck, when he is looking at you, looks all black from a distance. You haven't told us where you're hunting. Some areas, shoot the first 13" buck you see. Others, you have a good shot at a 15-16" or better buck. If you're holding out for a whopper in a unit that doesn't have any, you'll go home without. I'd suggest you learn what an average mature looks like in your area, and shoot the first one that gives you a good shot. Learn how to hunt them. I've killed upwards of 40-50 antelope in my life, and love the meat. More does than bucks, because it's easy to get tasty doe tags.

 

[Fishinsimpson]

Great info guys!

I'd love to see more scouting photos you've taken over the years. Big or small, they're all helpful. The articles and google are one thing, but seeing scouting photos of what people are seeing is better IMO

I'll be hunting the Maury unit in Oregon this year which depending on the years water can have some good size bucks. It's not a world class unit for Prongs but decent bucks can be found.

I'll be posting up scouting pictures in the beginning of August when I get back from scouting.


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[Scotch]

Great info guys!

I'd love to see more scouting photos you've taken over the years. Big or small, they're all helpful. The articles and google are one thing, but seeing scouting photos of what people are seeing is better IMO

I'll be hunting the Maury unit in Oregon this year which depending on the years water can have some good size bucks. It's not a world class unit for Prongs but decent bucks can be found.

I'll be posting up scouting pictures in the beginning of August when I get back from scouting.


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I just started looking around my unit. I went out for two evenings at the first of the month. This is the best buck I found on day one.
TD4A4515 by Ryan Brown, on Flickr
TD4A4513 by Ryan Brown, on Flickr
Not sure on score, but maybe a 12-13"er with decent diggers. Still had a month to grow at the time of the photo.
Here is the best one I found on day 2
TD4A5015 by Ryan Brown, on Flickr
TD4A5007 by Ryan Brown, on Flickr
Looks to me like better mass and height, weaker prongs.

 

[hunter4life]

Here is one where the score doesn't matter. Taken behind my house this May.
View attachment 54068

 

[Fishinsimpson]

Great quality photos Ryan!

What are you taking them with?

If those two bucks were side by side I'd be tempted to take the shorter buck with better prongs. That's a pretty buck.


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[Scotch]

Thanks Fishin, landscape and wildlife photography is a hobby for me. I used a canon dslr and 400mm lens with 1.4x extender. I agree with you on the first buck, I might check back in on him next month to see how he has filled in.

 

[Randy Newberg]

Three guys passed this buck. All three photos are of the same buck from 800 yards. Note how much different he looks from each angle. And his body size was way outside the bell curve for antelope.

DSCN1136 - Copy by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

DSCN1134-001 by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

DSCN1135-001 by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

I shot him later that day.

 

[Fishinsimpson]

Doesn't look like your photos loaded Randy.

I'd love to see the examples though if you can get them reloaded.




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[Fishinsimpson]

Photos are up now! That there's a buck! Third picture shows it the best to my eye.


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[LIWolverine]

Three guys passed this buck. All three photos are of the same buck from 800 yards. Note how much different he looks from each angle. And his body size was way outside the bell curve for antelope.

DSCN1136 - Copy by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

DSCN1134-001 by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

DSCN1135-001 by Randy Newberg, on Flickr

I shot him later that day.

What a smoker buck. Third pic definitely shows him off. That your WY buck?


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[Randy Newberg]

What a smoker buck. Third pic definitely shows him off. That your WY buck?

Yes, 2014.