1st Time Antelope Hunt

[H.T. Outdoors]

Been lurking here for a few weeks and finally decided to make a post. I just put in for an Unlimited Archery Tag in Idaho. The unit I put in for is only a 15-20 minute drive from my house and had a 30% success rate last year. I figured for an archery tag that was decent success rate. Any pointers for a first time antelope hunter?

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[Sled]

what is your hunt strategy? spot and stalk or sit water?

 

[H.T. Outdoors]

I'll be spot and stalking for the most part. Don't have a blind plus that just seems like boring as all get out to sit the same spot for hours on end.

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[TreeWalking]

Spot and stalk is very difficult unless you have terrain with gullies when are finding small groups or solo bucks. A group of 10 pronghorn or more are virtually impossible to stalk when bow range. Lots of eyes. I have used a cow decoy to get closer when out in the wide open and if the pronghorn are not pressured sometimes you can place a white rag on a short pole and wave it to get a buck to come in close to investigate.

Hunting water is your best strategy for filling the tag even if that seems boring and requires you get a pop up blind which should last years though can get very warm if is 80F or more outside on a sunny day.

 

[Sled]

I agree that sitting water is boring. If you can't use the terrain and wind then spot and stalk is useless. It's a fun learning curve though. Bring some good knee pads and don't shoot at an antelope that is even remotely alert to your presence. It'll be gone before your arrow leaves the string.

 

[Sled]

A bow mounted decoy helps a lot. Remember their eyes work best at long distances. Below 100 yards they are looking at you through coke bottles. Don't give their other senses any reason to bolt.

 

[Rich M]

Pattern them and then hunt them in the area that provides you with the best opportunity.

 

[rfertig]

Sitting water is boring...but in my view is MUCH more mentally challenging than spot and stalk because it requires such patience and disciplined focus However, as stated above, unless you have very stalking-conducive terrain you'll just have to hope to get lucky. I tried for 10 years trying to spot and stalk in the sagebrush flats of WY, but didn't start killing goats with my bow until I buckled down and sat water. I tried a blind but it just spooked the antelope. I ended up being successful by using the natural features around the water to conceal myself, then I set up a decoy 180 degrees from where I was hiding; when the buck was distracted by the decoy, I had just enough time to get a shot.

 

[H.T. Outdoors]

Awesome, thanks for the tips guys. I am excited to start some scouting in August before my hunt opens. I don't have very high expectations but am stoked to give it a shot.

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[Gumbo]

A group of 10 pronghorn or more are virtually impossible to stalk when bow range.

While good stalking terrain is critical (as you mentioned earlier in your post), once you get the hang of playing the terrain and when and how to make your move, stalking within archery range of 10 or more antelope is far from impossible...I do it regularly. Just be patient, be persistent, don't half-a$$ the stalk, and once you decide to go then go, don't dawdle! Finally, stalk to where the antelope will be, not where they are.

I committed to spot and stalk archery antelope 4 years ago because of the opportunities and quality of hunt in MT. I've shot 4 bucks over those 4 years, 3 of them went P&Y (largest netted 78 0/8) and 2 of them were on my first day of hunting (the other 2 took about 10 days of effort each). It can be done, you just have to believe and follow the above guidelines, and it is a blast!

 

[H.T. Outdoors]

Thanks for encouragement Gumbo

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[Planopurist]

I’m planning for both this year. Sitting water is not unlike my sitting in a whitetail ground blind in Texas. This spot/stalk will be a welcomed new adventure to fill a second tag or a change of pace if there’s water everywhere or nothing comes I. After a couple of days.


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