do it yourself antelope hunt.. Any hints

[ChuckC]

Thinking of a do it yourself antelope hunt this year or next.  Anyone done that yet ?  

Have you any hints to share on just how you did it ?

Public land ?  Trespass fee on private ?

ChuckC

[akdd]

Check out Montana, they did have a 900 archery tag that was almost a guaranteed draw that was good for anywhere in the state. Lots of public ground that have antelope. There is some private ground also that is open to the public through the block management system. Also some of the ranchers will let archery hunter hunt where they won't let rifle hunters. Been a couple of years since I have done it but it was a lot of fun. I never tried setting at a waterhole just did spot and stalk. I got in several stalks a day some were fairly long and some pretty short. Gloves and knee pads are required equipment. I never did get an antelope but had a blast chasing them. PM if you want more info on where I went.

[Whip]

WY has more antelope than any other State, and I would sure take a look at it.  But the advice on Montana is spot on too - I've hunted there a couple of times myself.  The block management program is a great deal to get you on some private ground.  
Waterhole hunting is of course very productive - go early if that is what you want to do.  But for maximum excitement and a pile of fun, plan your trip in mid-September and get yourself a decoy.  
Antelope are just a great animal to hunt - you'll have a great time!

[ksbowman]

I did an antelope hunt in Wyoming a few years ago and 4 out of 5 of us got are goats. Check with fish and game they have a program that you can get a permit for private ground that the private land owner gets paid if you get a lope by you sending a report of kill in and a section of the permit to the landowner.The permit is free and you can get it on line or over the counter at the fish and game office.The ranch we hunted on was 40+ sections so it was a large block of land.When we were finished with our hunt I wrote the landowner a letter thanking him for letting us hunt and putting his land in the program.If you want more info send me a pm with questions and I'll answer the best I can.

[ChuckC]

I would likely be hunting with one buddy.  We have never done the antelope thing before so. . . we have ground blinds,  good decoys are not so expensive, we have good walking boots and we "ain't afraid to use them"...

I think I will start looking into this type of hunt.  Any more guidance on technique ?  Spot and stalk / decoy    how ?  when ?

Waterhole ?  Any guidance on where to set up ?

Fence or obstruction crossing ?
ChuckC

[NDTerminator]

Have done it a number of times here in ND, and it's a ball.  Our goats are west of the Missouri, on both private & public land. Access isn't usually an issue, for whatever reason, many ranchers hate them.

Goats are fun to hunt as they are a daytime critter who do everything in broad daylight.  You'll see all kinds of behavior and if you're lucky, a fight.  They flat out try to kill each other when they go at it!

The bowhunter has four methods to choose from; spot & stalk, blind hunting (waterhole or fence crossing) and shadowing a herd during the rut (my favorite, not really spot & stalk) and decoying during the rut.

I've done them all.  In fact, during a weeklong trip out to the Badlands, I'll often use each method. The surest method for a shot is blind hunting.  The most exciting and my preferred methods are shadowing a herd & decoying.

Decoying is a two man op, one to handle the decoy & the other shoots.  It's pretty simple in theory, get within 200 yards of a herd with a herd buck w/o being seen & pop up the decoy. During the rut a herd buck spends a lot of time running of sattelite bucks who shadow the herd, and often will chase them quite aways.  If he comes out to run off your decoy, the shot opportunity may develop.

Shadowing the herd is about the same but the satellites are the decoys.  When the herd buck runs a satelite off, you make your move to get between him & the herd and try to whack him when he returns.

Blind hunting is what it is.  If you can find an open gate or spot along a fence where they are going under (goats rarely jump fences, why I don't know as I have seen them do it a couple times) that's a nice set up for an ambush.  The best bet for a waterhole blind is a dry year with limited water access.   When it's like this I've seen then drink out of ruts in a prairie trail that held a little water.

I've hunted goats since the mid 80's and I have had a grand total of 1 shot opp at 20 yards or closer.  It's no coincidence the grand total of bucks I've killed at 20 yards or closer is also 1.  Goat shots don't often come under 30 yards no matter what method you use, so I recommend you be proficient at that range before you go out.

Goats are funny in that they can see forever, but if you get inside of 40 yards on them w/o being seen, when they do they often kind of stand there dumbfounded for a bit, like as if they can't quite believe their eyes...

This doesn't aply to waterhole hunting.  The usually are very skittish at water.  When they commit to drinking, they suck it down like a sump pump, then get out of dodge.  Your best shot opp is this time, when they have their head down and are sucking like a cow...

[4 point]

Decoying antelope is about as fun as it gets. I would for sure buy a decoy and plan your hunt around the 15th of sept. A decoy doesn't work all the time but when it does it's great fun.

North west South Dakota has a ton of public land. Last year they had a bad winter so all the goat's migrated out and had not returned by hunting season. We are on our way to another bad winter so if your thinking about SD for your hunt I would check into it first.

Travis

[ChuckC]

For stalking, is the idea to stay behind obstructions or to stay low in the vegetation ?  

Any paricular camo color or style work bext ?  How about ghillie suits ?  Would they hang up on everything?  

How bout snakes ?  Do I need to be concerned ?
ChuckC

[NDTerminator]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
For stalking, is the idea to stay behind obstructions or to stay low in the vegetation ?  

Any paricular camo color or style work bext ?  How about ghillie suits ?  Would they hang up on everything?  

How bout snakes ?  Do I need to be concerned ?
ChuckC

You have to use whatever cover the Spirit Of The Wild provides.  If you're real lucky, you might have a dry wash or some sage or buffaluberry brush, but mostly it's down with the cactus & snakes.

BTW, forgot to mention a couple critial pieces of gear, knee pads, good leather gloves, and tweezers to pull the cactus spines & thorns out.  If you don't they'll fester in a couple days and your hunt will be done.  Hard to draw when your hands are swollen to the size of catcher's mitts & too painful to touch.

Once out there before I got smart & started wearing leather gloves I ran a thorn in over the top of a fingernail which broke off deep under the skin.  Too deep to get at with my tweezers and rather than run into Dickinson to the ER,I kept hunting.  By the end of the week that finger was the size of a bratwurst and the swelling & puss forced the thorn out to where I could get to it with my tweezers.  It was a good 1/2" long and as thick & tough as a brad. I then soaked & washed in as hot a water as I could stand and hit my EMT & ER contacts up for antibiotics. It healed up in time, but I was told I could easily have lost the finger.  No goat is worth that...

Here in ND we will occasionally run into rattlers but I don't worry much about them.  Once I set up base camp across the road from a well known denning butte in early Oct, when they were migrating to it to den up.  Saw plenty dead snakes on the road, but never encountered a live one all week.  If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.

For camo I like the old military 6 color chocolate chip desert BDUs, and the newer MO Brush & Seclusion Open Country.  Real Tree has a new open country pattern that looks real good, too.

[NDTerminator]

Sorry, hit quote...  

[Sharpend60]

Does anyone have info on antelope in Oregon?
Tactics any different?
Was thinking about applying for a tag this year.

[JimB]

Antelope vision is like 10 power binoculars so it is hard to put something past their eyes.Dressing to match the terrain is a start but having broken terrain that you can stalk in helps a lot.I have yet to try a ghillie but think it would work really well,especially if you could get around some brush.

They do seem to have trouble picking you out if you are in brush.I have taken a few at 30-40'.My closest was from a box blind at 8 yds.I have noticed that at 30' and less,they seem to not see well.I think it is just like a high powered scope,it will only focus so close.I believe that under 30',they are seeing very blurry.They also have almost a 360 degree range of vision.

Antelope can wind you but their sense of smell is less acute than a deer's.

Open gates were mentioned above.Don't over look them.Antelope use them a lot,especially if there is a food source on one or both sides.A blind or ghillie at one of these could work really well.You may be watching antelope hundreds of yards away,thinking there is no chance,when all of a sudden,they decide to move and in seconds they can be standing right in front of you.

Having few water sources and or a dry year is better than a lot of water.But with a lot of water,maybe one open gate will be the ticket.

I haven't spent a lot of time testing this bt I believe antelope can't see nearly as well in the dark as deer do.I once walked across open ground in the dark,to get to a big cedar bush.When it got light,I found I had walked past 2 bedded antelope at 100 yds.They had no idea I was there.With no cover,100 yds is very close to antelope.

Don't be afraid to be creative.I have taken several antelope in fenced pastures by having a friend walk toward them and I set up on an escape route.They stay hundreds of yards ahead of the walker and if the escape route is a gap under the fence,they will mill around for awhile before going under.Once it is over though,it is over and that spot is done for the day.

I know of a few being killed out of tree stands.You can hide behind bales,irrigation pivots,etc.Look over your country and watch the animals and develope strategies.

The great thing about antelope is you can hunt them all day and if you blow one opportunity,there will be more.

Antelope are also built a lot lighter than deer.Hair is more hollow and lighter,they are thinner boned,skin is thin.They are just built for speed.Also the country is so open,you can watch them till they go down.No need for ultra heavy bows or ultra heavy arrows.Being able to shoot a little farther is a plus.Whatever setup lets you do that would be a good one.

I haven't bumped into a rattler antelope hunting in 15 years,but they are here and it pays to keep your eyes open when the temperature is 65 degrees or above.When it is very sunny and hot,say 80 + degrees,snakes should be mostly in holes or other shady areas.

Antelope can be very frustrating at times but are also a blast to hunt.The Montana archery tag is about 99.9 % chance for drawing.It is an either sex tag and sometimes,they offer a couple extra doe-fawn tags.

[centaur]

Yep, if you are doing the spot and stalk thing for goats you will become acquainted with cactus and possibly Mr. Prairie Rattler. You will also blow lots of stalks, but that is part of the fun, or so I'm told   . Wyoming usually has lots of leftover tags, but some areas are hard to draw and sell out. I have killed a few rattlers while goat hunting, but even in September you might encounter snow, so bring everything from camo tee shirts to snow camo and you might be OK. Usually, though, the weather is warm and sometimes even hot.
Your chances for success are a lot better hunting waterholes, but in my opinion, goats are a lot more fun when you are stalking them. Just know that you will blow many more stalks  than you will have success. Antelope can see like nothing you have hunted before, and they will leave the country when they get spooked. But, they are a blast to hunt.

[JimB]

The antelope in the top picture was taken by hunkering in the weeds along the fence,about 30' from an open gate.This buck had close to 30 does and fawns with him.I had a friend walk into the field and they all got up and headed toward the gate.The buck was in the rear so I had to let all 30 does and fawns pass by me at 30' until he came through.He passed by and I took the shot as he lowered his head to go under a fence at 40'.All I had was weeds like you see in the background,plus camo gloves and face mask.A ghillie would have been great.

The antelope in the lower picture was taken by hunkering in the bushes along a fence and had a friend do a one man push.The antelope stopped and stared at 30' and actually let me slow motion draw the bow and shoot.this is where a lighter bow may come in handy.I had the camo mask and gloves on here also.Brush hid my jeans.

You can see how much cover and terrain there is for stalking on this ranch.There are so many irrigation pivots and water sources,that those aren't options for hunting there.

Fences and open gates can be used when stalking and water sitting aren't options.It is all dependent on the antelope being in the right field at the right time,however.

Setting up in the morning or evenings where the low sun will be right in there eyes,as they approach,also gives you a distinct advantage.
 

[NDTerminator]

I agree with JimB, they don't see worth a rip in low light/darkness.  I once put three to bed then came back the next morning before light and walked to within 50 yards of where they were.  Sure enough as it got lighter, there they were still bedded.  While it was still too dark for them to make me out I closed  the distance and got my shot when it was light enough to legally  do so...

Also also agree with the others guys who have BTDT, you will blow a lot of stalks but that's the beauty of goat hunting, there's always more.
It really is a ball...

[NDTerminator]

If I might add one or two more suggestions;

Carry a pack that fits your pistol, and don't get out of the truck to even drain the weasel w/o it. Can't tell you how many times a stop to glass or take a leak ends up a 10 or 12 mile round trip hike for me.  Having that couple days worth of chow, water, extra socks, TP, butt wipers, and venom pump (have only had to use it on a bee sting but it worked like a charm) have come in mighty handy.

Water; you can't carry & drink enough.  Goat hunting in September will wring you dry and you have to stay hydrated.  I carried several bottles in my pack & a soft wine skin over my shoulder for years, and filled them up every time I came back to the truck or found a wellhead at a stock tank.  My wife just gave me a Eberlestock X1 which can carry a hydration bladder, which is going to be slick for goats.  Maybe now I'll retire that wineskin...

[jess stuart]

I also have noticed that they do not see very early and late in the day.  I have had good luck along fence lines.

Good advice on the knee pads and gloves, don't forget the sunblock and chapstick.  You will need to drink plenty of fluids.  You will have a blast one of the most fun critters to hunt there is.