Archery Antelope Tips and Tricks

Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
37
Hey guys,

My father and I are locks to draw archery antelope tags in Alberta this year. Having never hunted antelope with a bow before, I am just looking for some insight from those of you with sone experience. I picked up a montana buck decoy off camofire, but not really sute the strategy to implement it. Water is not really an issue where we will be at, so sitting water is not really a viable option.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2020
Messages
29
If you're planning on using that type of decoy, bring knee and elbow pads. If you aren't hunting over water, then I suspect you'll be taking turns low crawling while taking turns holding the decoy. It's possible that they could come to you from a distance, but I haven't seen it work that way.
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
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If you're planning on using that type of decoy, bring knee and elbow pads. If you aren't hunting over water, then I suspect you'll be taking turns low crawling while taking turns holding the decoy. It's possible that they could come to you from a distance, but I haven't seen it work that way.
Ok thanks. Have you or anyone you know had experience with one of those be thebdecoy outfitts?
 

hutty

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
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maryland
Second the knee pads and gloves. I've done spot and stalk (no decoy) on my last two antelope hunts. Frustrating, a lot of work but a lot of fun and when you are successful its a great feeling. All about cover and breaking up form.
 
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
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Wyoming
What are your season dates? I shot a goat at 29 yards from behind a full-body buck decoy on Sept. 29 in Wyoming.

Basically just used the terrain to get 100-150 yards from the herd and popped up that decoy and he came running in to scare me off.
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
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What are your season dates? I shot a goat at 29 yards from behind a full-body buck decoy on Sept. 29 in Wyoming.

Basically just used the terrain to get 100-150 yards from the herd and popped up that decoy and he came running in to scare me off.
Nice! September 2 - 21 is our season. Did you work your way towards him at all, or just setup the decoy and he came running. How far away was he before he closed the distance? I assume the closer a guy can get the better, but she is pretty flat county in South East Alberta.
 
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Dec 3, 2018
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North Dakota
From my experience you can hunt them basically however you want to but you will slowly figure out what works and what doesn't. They are extremely curious critters and they will walk at you if you have a decoy but they will try to keep a 100+ yard buffer until they know for sure its safe, if you can find a lone buck they will be a little more reckless to find a doe though. Just be aware that slow and steady wins the race, unlike many animals their means of survival comes from their eyesight. If you are exposed at all they will see you and they will run, it is said they have something like 8-10x vision so they are basically looking at you through a natural pair of binos. I thought that was ridiculous until they pick you off time after time through the tall grass from hundreds of yards away. The best advice I can give you though is to make sure you can hit high pressure shots at 50+ yards as it is very tough to get closer than that, spend your time on the range and you'll be fine. They are very jumpy too, so if they know youre there and its a longer shot, don't take it, odds are they will be long gone by the time your arrow gets there or you will make a bad shot and waste a day tracking an animal that's probably miles away. Either let them calm down or move on, be smart, be safe, have fun, and good luck!
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
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Second the knee pads and gloves. I've done spot and stalk (no decoy) on my last two antelope hunts. Frustrating, a lot of work but a lot of fun and when you are successful its a great feeling. All about cover and breaking up form.
Thanks for the advice. I have not used knee pads before, but I get the appeal. I blew a stalk last season on a great mule deer and in my frustration plopped down aggressively on a coullee ridge. Was picking cactus out of my ass for the next couple days.
 
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Nice! September 2 - 21 is our season. Did you work your way towards him at all, or just setup the decoy and he came running. How far away was he before he closed the distance? I assume the closer a guy can get the better, but she is pretty flat county in South East Alberta.
I started using it the weekend of the 7th to get across wide-open slots and behind terrain features closer to goats, so it can help for that early on. Just like Tanner said, especially in the early season they can be curious and come in to the edge of range. That said, I missed a couple of those high pressure 50+ yard shots thinking I was more proficient than I am...now I know not to take them.

So we spotted the herd about a half-mile out, dropped into a shallow wash and belly crawled to within about ~150 yards of where the buck was rutting (chasing does, bucks, etc.) and popped that decoy up right there from the edge of the washout. When the buck realized he had a new intruder in his zone, he came to run me off. I only notice it working once you were inside that buck's "zone" whatever that may be.
 
OP
A
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Definitely knee pads... they’ll help you get permission on good private land where antelope go once season starts.


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As fun as I am sure antelope will be, every man has his limits.

In my experience, landowners are generally super willing to let a guy on the property, particularly if you are bow hunting. I personally have not been turned down in years and at least half my hunting is on private (Where are you in the states? I get the sense permission can be harder to come by down there. We have a turkey hunt in Montana this spring, and we ended up avoiding the Northwest corner of the state because most of the birds are on private and I was not willing to hang the trip on being able to get permission around Eureka, Whitefish or Kalispell.
 
OP
A
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I started using it the weekend of the 7th to get across wide-open slots and behind terrain features closer to goats, so it can help for that early on. Just like Tanner said, especially in the early season they can be curious and come in to the edge of range. That said, I missed a couple of those high pressure 50+ yard shots thinking I was more proficient than I am...now I know not to take them.

So we spotted the herd about a half-mile out, dropped into a shallow wash and belly crawled to within about ~150 yards of where the buck was rutting (chasing does, bucks, etc.) and popped that decoy up right there from the edge of the washout. When the buck realized he had a new intruder in his zone, he came to run me off. I only notice it working once you were inside that buck's "zone" whatever that may be.
Perfect, man. Exactly what I was looking for. I am with you on shot distance. We live on an acreage and I have the luxury to practice out to 100 yards, but under the gun is a different ballgame.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2020
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Ok thanks. Have you or anyone you know had experience with one of those be thebdecoy outfitts?

I use it. The best reaction I've received was creeping up on a pronghorn buck who was trying to keep a harem intact. I tried shooting from behind it, but was busted. If I had a buddy, it might've worked a little better.

I've used a whitetail one where it was stationary.

So far, my only complaints are when it's very windy.
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
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From my experience you can hunt them basically however you want to but you will slowly figure out what works and what doesn't. They are extremely curious critters and they will walk at you if you have a decoy but they will try to keep a 100+ yard buffer until they know for sure its safe, if you can find a lone buck they will be a little more reckless to find a doe though. Just be aware that slow and steady wins the race, unlike many animals their means of survival comes from their eyesight. If you are exposed at all they will see you and they will run, it is said they have something like 8-10x vision so they are basically looking at you through a natural pair of binos. I thought that was ridiculous until they pick you off time after time through the tall grass from hundreds of yards away. The best advice I can give you though is to make sure you can hit high pressure shots at 50+ yards as it is very tough to get closer than that, spend your time on the range and you'll be fine. They are very jumpy too, so if they know youre there and its a longer shot, don't take it, odds are they will be long gone by the time your arrow gets there or you will make a bad shot and waste a day tracking an animal that's probably miles away. Either let them calm down or move on, be smart, be safe, have fun, and good luck!

Thanks for the insight, man. I happened to have a client in the office today who was taken two antelope with a bow....one spot and stalk from 74 yards and the other with a decoy from under 20. He suggested one scenario that works well is if a buck chases another antelope off to deliberately run in and spook the does away (opposite direction of the buck) and then set the decoy up where the does were. Obviously a tough scenario to pull off, but he said he had bucks come running in several times using this method (missed one and arrowed the other). Not something I would normally consider (deliberately spooking game), but he swore it fired the bucks up in a way he had not seen.
 

Jimss

WKR
Joined
Mar 6, 2015
Messages
2,074
I would definitely try to get in as close as possible before propping up the decoy. Also, a decoy likely works best in the heat of the rut. In Wyo and Colo this is usually around the 3rd to 4th week in September. A decoy may not work that great if they aren't rutting. As mentioned they may be curious but they may not come in before the rut kicks in.

Another strategy where there are lots of cattle is to use a cattle decoy to stalk close. I would suggest stalking at an angle rather than going directly at them. Slowly but surely make your way closer.

There are several YouTube videos of bowhunters walking behind a horse and making their way within bow range of antelope. Not everyone has access to a horse!

I'm not sure what the country you are hunting looks like. If it is sage, rimrock country spot and stalking is a viable option. Definitely keep wind direction in mind....antelope have incredible noses! Sometimes the rut can help a lot and you can get between a buck and his does....when he's chasing another buck from his does. They do some squirrely things when in rut and that's the time when they are most vulnerable.

If antelope are feeding in particular fields it's possible to set up along fencelines or other funnels.
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
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I would definitely try to get in as close as possible before propping up the decoy. Also, a decoy likely works best in the heat of the rut. In Wyo and Colo this is usually around the 3rd to 4th week in September. A decoy may not work that great if they aren't rutting. As mentioned they may be curious but they may not come in before the rut kicks in.

Another strategy where there are lots of cattle is to use a cattle decoy to stalk close. I would suggest stalking at an angle rather than going directly at them. Slowly but surely make your way closer.

There are several YouTube videos of bowhunters walking behind a horse and making their way within bow range of antelope. Not everyone has access to a horse!

I'm not sure what the country you are hunting looks like. If it is sage, rimrock country spot and stalking is a viable option. Definitely keep wind direction in mind....antelope have incredible noses! Sometimes the rut can help a lot and you can get between a buck and his does....when he's chasing another buck from his does. They do some squirrely things when in rut and that's the time when they are most vulnerable.

If antelope are feeding in particular fields it's possible to set up along fencelines or other funnels.
Thanks, man. I have seen them in the past run up and down a fence line and then end up crossing at the same location, so if we strike out on decoy and spot and stalk that could be a potential.

The area we will hunt is basically bald ass prairie, but it has subtle contours and folds. Often getting within 400-500 yards is not going to be a realistic option, but if they are in the right place we may be able to get really close. I am sure we will learn a ton. Everything I have read says our Alberta antelope our rut during a similiar time frame as you have experienced in Wyoming and Colorado.
 

Jaker_cc

WKR
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HondoArcher

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Messages
102
Last year the BLM blocked my route to the water hole I wanted to set a blind on so I had to spot and stalk the whole time. Yes, belly crawl is your only option unless you have some cover to move behind. Here is a video of my hunt from last year. Lots of blown stalks but it was a blast.
 
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