How Many Days

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I’m planning my vacation time for the year...last time I went antelope hunting I killed my buck and doe the first day. I’m not sure if that’s typical since it’s the only time I’ve been. If I give myself a full day of scouting, and 3 days for hunting, is that enough or should I allow two more?
 

j_volt

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It just depends... spot and stalk archery in a low quality area can take A LOT longer than a rifle hunt in a high quality area.
 
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I think it depends on if you are holding out for a mature animal or just looking for a nice representative of the species. For myself I would easily expect to be done in 3-4 days. But I wouldn’t be looking for a big mature goat either.
 

Rich M

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I wouldn't go for less than a week. Traveling to hunt is a big deal to me and if I tag out there is still sight seeing to be done and enjoying the trip itself.

Might take a couple of days, most likely gonna be a first light on opening day kind of thing.
 
OP
C
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I’m trying to optimize my time and get as much travel hunting as I can in. Right now I have 10 days counting travel for an archery elk hunt, this trip a day to rifle hunt here, and if I get done early with antelope I’m thinking about tentatively penciling in an archery deer trip. October is pretty tough here unless everything is right. I’d like to give myself a higher odds option for my trad bow, but also look at how much time I need to have a decent chance. Might be able to get some comp time or move things around if I get my antelope quickly. It seems to tough to balance opportunities with ample time. I guess that’s the battle right? Good problem to have. Thankful to have time off, funds and a wife that doesn’t stand in the way.
 
OP
C
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I wouldn't go for less than a week. Traveling to hunt is a big deal to me and if I tag out there is still sight seeing to be done and enjoying the trip itself.

Might take a couple of days, most likely gonna be a first light on opening day kind of thing.
Yup lots invested in these trips don’t want to spread too thin
 

BuzzH

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I’m planning my vacation time for the year...last time I went antelope hunting I killed my buck and doe the first day. I’m not sure if that’s typical since it’s the only time I’ve been. If I give myself a full day of scouting, and 3 days for hunting, is that enough or should I allow two more?
If it were me...I'd rather get 2 full days of scouting in and then a couple days to hunt.

Find a buck you want, watch him until dark, then get him killed right away on opening day.
 
OP
C
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If it were me...I'd rather get 2 full days of scouting in and then a couple days to hunt.

Find a buck you want, watch him until dark, then get him killed right away on opening day.
Last time I broke up the 18 hr drive in two days with about 8hrs the second day. Got on the road early and had a half day before the whole day. So 1.5, would you still go for more? I had about 6 bucks found and some boys from Nebraska beat me to plan a, so I moved onto b and had him dead at 9am. When I was headed to plan c for does a guy from Minnesota told me he missed that herd buck from a skinny section of blm and they went on to private. This year I’m gonna take a better tent setup now that I know a better spot to camp in shelter. I had ended up staying in town an hour away cuz everything was drenched in rain/snow and all I had was a backpacker setup right on the ground. I was a little slow on the draw leaving a warm bed in the motel.
 

BuzzH

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Last time I broke up the 18 hr drive in two days with about 8hrs the second day. Got on the road early and had a half day before the whole day. So 1.5, would you still go for more? I had about 6 bucks found and some boys from Nebraska beat me to plan a, so I moved onto b and had him dead at 9am. When I was headed to plan c for does a guy from Minnesota told me he missed that herd buck from a skinny section of blm and they went on to private. This year I’m gonna take a better tent setup now that I know a better spot to camp in shelter. I had ended up staying in town an hour away cuz everything was drenched in rain/snow and all I had was a backpacker setup right on the ground. I was a little slow on the draw leaving a warm bed in the motel.
Whatever you think you need, but I would rather hunt 2 days and scout 3-4. Pronghorn don't move around much until the shooting starts. Even if they get run around a bit, they always come home.

Knowing where those bucks like to spend their time before the season, and sorting through all you can, is always a good idea, IME.

I probably scout 2-3 times more days than I actually hunt. In fairness, I'm pretty picky when it comes to pronghorn.
 

NEWHunter

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Where are you hunting and how many points are you burning? But as others have said, I’d scout for two and hunt for two on a four day hunt without knowing more.
 

rharbaugh

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If it were me...I'd rather get 2 full days of scouting in and then a couple days to hunt.

Find a buck you want, watch him until dark, then get him killed right away on opening day.
I'm piggy-backing on this thread.

Planning my first pronghorn hunt to WY this fall. How much time before first light should a guy be in position on a buck he put to bed?
 

BuzzH

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I'm piggy-backing on this thread.

Planning my first pronghorn hunt to WY this fall. How much time before first light should a guy be in position on a buck he put to bed?
I usually get there with enough time to be on a vantage point as its getting light, usually walk out in the dark. Get the buck found right away, and make your move.

My wife and I spent 3 days before the season scouring the area she drew some years back. We looked at a lot of pronghorn, found maybe 3 that were good-very good.

Decided on this one.

IMG_0668.JPG


IMG_0660.JPG


Watched this buck off and on for 2 days and the night before opening day watched him until it was too dark to see. Went back the next morning, got on a slight high point, located him right away almost exactly where we left him the evening before.

Made a quick stalk and it was all over within 1/2 hour of the season opening, 83 and change:

IMG_0705.JPG


This buck was just a couple years ago...got a tip from a friend that was hunting the area about this one:

IMG959168.jpg


Watched him for 2 mornings and 2 evenings. Each morning he would come to water about 9 AM from a big flat area. Decided to pop a blind about 130 yards from the water the evening before. Got in the blind just before light and found him right away out on the flats. Watched him doing pronghorn stuff for just about 3 hours and he finally came to the water at about 10 AM.

Done deal...80 2/8 net.

IMG951269_2.jpg


Lots of ways to do things, but if you want the best buck in the area, you have to spend a lot of time finding them and knowing what you're looking at. After that it's just putting a plan together based on where they are, other pressure, what they're doing, etc.
 

rharbaugh

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311
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E. Iowa
I usually get there with enough time to be on a vantage point as its getting light, usually walk out in the dark. Get the buck found right away, and make your move.

My wife and I spent 3 days before the season scouring the area she drew some years back. We looked at a lot of pronghorn, found maybe 3 that were good-very good.

Decided on this one.

IMG_0668.JPG


IMG_0660.JPG


Watched this buck off and on for 2 days and the night before opening day watched him until it was too dark to see. Went back the next morning, got on a slight high point, located him right away almost exactly where we left him the evening before.

Made a quick stalk and it was all over within 1/2 hour of the season opening, 83 and change:

IMG_0705.JPG


This buck was just a couple years ago...got a tip from a friend that was hunting the area about this one:

IMG959168.jpg


Watched him for 2 mornings and 2 evenings. Each morning he would come to water about 9 AM from a big flat area. Decided to pop a blind about 130 yards from the water the evening before. Got in the blind just before light and found him right away out on the flats. Watched him doing pronghorn stuff for just about 3 hours and he finally came to the water at about 10 AM.

Done deal...80 2/8 net.

IMG951269_2.jpg


Lots of ways to do things, but if you want the best buck in the area, you have to spend a lot of time finding them and knowing what you're looking at. After that it's just putting a plan together based on where they are, other pressure, what they're doing, etc.
Thanks Buzz. Sounds like a lot of fun.
 
OP
C
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Last time I got there at first light and some boys from Nebraska beat me to the punch. I killed a buck at my plan b spot by 9am. Biggest thingthat made me confident was I had bucks marked at plan a-j. Hope to do the same again this year but I’ll be at plan A a little earlier.
I'm piggy-backing on this thread.

Planning my first pronghorn hunt to WY this fall. How much time before first light should a guy be in position on a buck he put to bed?
 
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