Spot & stalk Pronghorns?

[Margly]

Hi!
I have the posibility to hunt Pronghorns on a friends Ranch near Rapid City SD, and wonder about good tactics for a 7 days hunt:)
I think some kind of spot and stalk, or a situation with one person "pressing" the game in the direction of a good place for a ambush.
Of course thought about blinds but above seems like a good challenge  

Any info and tips for a first time Pronghunter    

[Charlie Lamb]

Spot and stalk will depend on available cover, but certainly possible. I've killed antelope with the aid of drivers, but it takes a little familiarity with the local animals habits. A pop up blind is always a smart tactic and far from easy DIY.

Keep an open mind and adapt.

[Margly]

Thanks!

[Charlie Lamb]

Pay attention to how the antelope move through the country. They can be very predictable.

On a hunt a few years back I noticed that the local antelope would often cross between the boulders and fence to the left. I put a Double Bull blind there to take advantage of it and scored.
   

I moved the blind down among the rocks and that also worked.
   

[huntnmuleys]

all of the above is great advice, but dont forget decoying, if your in mid to late september.  decoying antelope is a hoot. the mel dutton decoy, which sadly isnt being made anymore and is tough to find, is the one ive had by far the best results with...

[Hummer3T]

antelope, at least up here have one good habit for hunting, if there is a place in a fence line that is easier to cross they will.  Here you can walk fence lines and find out were they like to cross (usually where there is more room under the bottom wire or where wire is down), setup around that location either using existing cover or a natural blind with enhancement, and have another hunter push them (slowly - just show yourself!)from the other side of the pasture or range, if not pushed to hard into making a rash escape they should cross at that point 8 out of 10 times.

Fence lines are some times the only cover in these area, I sometimes use them to sneak within decoy distance (50-200 yards (closer the better) and use these crossing spots for to setup, antelope always seem to stop at fences (some times on both sides)giving good opportunity for shots. Its very natural to see a satellite antelope buck trying to getting into a pasture of a herd buck.  

I have used both techniques to first get the animals to the end of the pasture I want to hunt and then decoying.

good luck, hope this give you a few ideas.  It can be fun but frustrating, so keep at it.  Out of every 10-30 animals stocked or decoyed only a couple will respond or give opportunities. remember they have 10X power eye site to yours.

[twitchstick]

If the terrian allows spot and stalk is very fun way to hunt them. If you can get one by itself it will help. Just keep the wind in your face and them looking away from you at all times. If you are not wanting to hunt over water I have seen black cardboard cow silhouettes also work for friends. As said above fence lines are good way to go!

[skilonbw]

Depending on how hard the antelope are hunted putting a double bull out in the open like Charlie did may not work. They after all can become real suspicious and if something is new in area they have been to before it will hang them up. I have sat water and seen more that way myself. Granted where I have hunted it has not been conducive to spot and stalk so not tried it much.

[huntnmuleys]

oh one more thing i thought of, of course its easier to sneak up on that lone buck, but the lone buck thats tending his scrape line (they do that too) is very, very easy to get close to, comparitively.  ive seen some of em get borderline dumb while working scrapes..

[scbowhnter]

I'll second how fun it is to hunt them with decoys but I may be a bit biased about using decoys;)

Huntnmuleys' tip on the scrape lines is a good one as well.

No matter how you hunt them I firmly believe antelope are worth a little time from every bowhunter.

Best of luck!

[rbcorbitt]

Sounds like a good time.  I've even heard of using a cow decoy if in cattle country to sneak up on them.  Speedy goats are fun hunting noo matter what style you use!

[Margly]

Thanks for very good info     :thumbsup

[Orion]

Depending on where you hunt in the Dakotas, there may be a lot of dry washes large enough to hide a person.  Very good for stalking.  Also, the land tends to be a little more hilly/broken up with a little more vegetation than say Colorado.  Also good for stalking.

[Harleywriter]

In my experience their eyesight is the thing that will do you in. I have hunted out of blinds at water, spot and stalked and decoyed. Each can work.

Hunting out of a blind at water is easiest but no gimme...

Spot and stalk is most fun for me but extremely hard unless you have very broken terrain.

Decoying is a hoot: dont get run over by a buck!

[Shedrock]

Lots of great tips so far.

Antelope will use a cow trail when going to water alot, also a trail that crosses a deep wash or draw is used by antelope. Both places are a good ambush spot.

Sam Fadala liked to "dog" them. He would find a buck he liked, then stay with it all day. The buck will make a mistake at some point.