To buy a tag or not buy a tag, that is the question??

[VenaticOppidan]

So, i know this is 100% opinion, but i am going back and forth whether or not to get an antelope tag for the 2020 Montana season. I will have 3 points and very high draw odds for district 705 near Ekalaka MT.

I will be in MT from 11/6-11/13 hunting Mule deer on a trespass fee hunt on a huge cattle ranch in 705, I did this hunt in 2018 and there were antelope everywhere, but I did not draw a antelope tag that year.

My quandary is that it appears the season will end 11/08, so that will only leave me 2.5 days to fill the tag before the season is over and the tag is burnt. Would you use your accumulated points for a 2-2.5 day opportunity, or would you save em until you would have more time to hunt???

 

[BRTreedogs]

Sounds like a question for the Ranch manager.
But coming from Or where and reasonable rifle tag is 13 plus points 3 seems like chump change lol.

Do you just want to harvest one or a trophy?

If you're only going to hunt thr ranch?
I'd suppose there ether gonna be on the ranch or not. And if they are it shouldn't be pertically hard.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

Sounds like a question for the Ranch manager.
But coming from Or where and reasonable rifle tag is 13 plus points 3 seems like chump change lol.

Do you just want to harvest one or a trophy?

If you're only going to hunt thr ranch?
I'd suppose there ether gonna be on the ranch or not. And if they are it shouldn't be pertically hard.

great questions.

We will only be hunting the ranch, there are 4 of us, I am the only one interested in hunting antelope. I believe the parcel we will be hunting is about 30k acres.

We are coming from the east coast, so the likelihood that I ever come out to MT to hunt speed goats exclusively is slim.

I am looking to harvest a decent animal, I wont be super selective on whether its a true "trophy"

I kind of agree with you, from my limited experience. They are either gonna be there or they arent. last trip they werent there for 3 days, then they were everywhere.

 

[BeaverHunter]

Most people shoot an antelope in less than 1 day or rifle hunting them. I think 2.5 days is plenty of time to harvest a “representative” sized goat. They’re fun to hunt and eat good.

 

[String&stick]

Only in Montana would 30,000 acres be referred to as a "parcel" . . . I would think if you put your mind to goat hunting the first 2 days you should be tagged out! I'd buy

 

[Maverick1]

Buy the tag!

 

[VenaticOppidan]

Only in Montana would 30,000 acres be referred to as a "parcel" . . . I would think if you put your mind to goat hunting the first 2 days you should be tagged out! I'd buy

i know, its wild. I believe this particular farmer has around 90k acres total, which is insane to me. i think I am you boys are reaffirming what i was thinking regarding getting the tag

 

[Guy]

Well, if you don't buy the tag, you can't hunt antelope.

Buy the tag.

 

[Schism]

If your budget allows, buy the tag.

 

[Rich M]

Yes, buy the tag. Shoot an antelope, have antelope steaks and then go get a muley.

 

[NeSurfcaster]

I'm heading out from south Jersey again this year. I'll have 4 points this year for goats and will be in 704. Once I saw the season ended on the 8th I decided to book my first hotel on the 4th. Should give me 4+ days to goat hunt. I'll be on blm/bma's again. Last year Nov. 10th to 22nd goats were everywhere so hopefully that will be the case again this year. I don't know if they were everywhere last year when I was there since the season was over or not. I'll find out in 8 months. Good luck to ya guys

 

[VenaticOppidan]

I'm heading out from south Jersey again this year. I'll have 4 points this year for goats and will be in 704. Once I saw the season ended on the 8th I decided to book my first hotel on the 4th. Should give me 4+ days to goat hunt. I'll be on blm/bma's again. Last year Nov. 10th to 22nd goats were everywhere so hopefully that will be the case again this year. I don't know if they were everywhere last year when I was there since the season was over or not. I'll find out in 8 months. Good luck to ya guys

Good luck to you as well! unfortunately, i cant change my dates, would love to move it back a day or two for an extra day on goats, but it is what it is. Everyone's telling me they are either there or they aren't, and if they are there, 2 days is plenty. we shall see!

 

[gonhunting247]

Get the tag, hunt them first. Find some BLM or BMAs that are close, in case you need them. Some bucks might have shed by then, but you'll have a blast. Then you go hunt deer, what's not to love about that? Good luck and have fun!

 

[npm352]

Buy the tag. 2.5 days is an eternity antelope hunting. In some places you could literally look over a triple digit number of bucks. If you know they are on the ranch, you'll have plenty of time to find something representative. Antelope are fun...more fun than deer in my opinion.

 

[stonewall]

I’d buy the tag and devote the start to it. Course I prefer antelope to deer personally

 

[arwhntr]

Rifle hunt..coming from PA..no question..get the tag!

 

[wildwilderness]

Get the tag. No reason to build points if you can get the tag now

 

[VenaticOppidan]

the land manager called me this afternoon to BS and let me know that the application period has opened. like i haven't been counting down the days lol. The parcel we are hunting is 60k acres, not 30k. We hunted the 30k one in 2018. He also said everyone who had a pronghorn tag was successful, ad he said 2.5 days should get it done. so im gonna grab the tag for sure! now the long wait till November...

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Before I even opened the thread I knew the answer, BUY THE TAG

That’s always the answer to the question of whether or not one should buy a tag. Life is short, if spending the money won’t put your family into a bad situation financially, don’t question it buy the tag.

Once I saw it was an antelope tag we were talking about it only confirms my original sentiment


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[RAU]

Good decision, id have bought it too