Pronghorn Antelope Hunting

RTLOF18918B

RTLOF18918B

New member
Hi Guys,

I just drew my first antelope tag in Nevada. I've never hunted them before. There are lots of these critters in Nevada. My area is 015 north of Pyramid Lake. I need some pointers for a sucessfull hunt. I know about the wind. I'll
be using a 7mm Mag. What is the best bullet to use? I have
120, 130 or 160 grain bullets. In open terrain like Nevada,
what is the best one to use? I am limiting myself to a 400
yard maximum shot. Believe me, I am going to reaquaint myself with this rifle before the hunt. I will know where the bulltet hits from 50 to 400 yards. What I need to know is the do's and don'ts of hunting them. I am very confident that I can take one in one or two shots. After that the adrenaline has got me. I reload all of my own ammo and it is all the same per 20 rounds.

Thanks for the input in advance,

RTLOF(TONY)
 
Three hints:
Keep off the skyline
Use you binoculars
Bi-pod or sticks

Even glassing them in excess of 500 yards they are usually already looking at you. It seems they have binoculars for eyes.
Even the 120 grain 7mm bullet is plenty for closer shots. If I was planning to shoot in execess of 300 yards the larger higher BC bullets would be my chioce.

More advise for longer shots:
I keep my rifle chamber unloaded and dry fire 2-3 shots to calm my nerves. Then when you finally decide to shoot the jitters are gone. At longer (300+ yards) ranges you will generally have plenty of time.
 
Go to your hunting area a few days early and locate as many animals as you can before the season opens. Use your optics from long range for locating. Decide which buck you are going to go after opening morning and try to get yourself into the area before daylight. If something should go wrong with "Plan A," immediate switch to "Plan B" where another herd is located. Having prior knowledge of where animals are at sure helps. Scouting is the key to understanding where antelope are hanging out, their daily movements, and where they go when pressured.
 
There are antelope here in Nevada, but not like in Wyoming and other places. Do alot of glassing drive a 1/2 mile and glass. Do this over and over again. They blend into the sage very well. If you are in an area with alot of hunters, your odds of sucess after opening day drop greatly due to all the pressure. I also drew atag this year and is in an area that gets alot of pressure.
 
With Pronghorns in the open country your scent is not near as important as hunting deer or elk. Much like a cat, pronghorns just dont get that spooky when they smell human and it is not the sense they rely on the most. It has been said that their vision is that of a 10 power pair of binos and experience shows that to be true. Defeat a pronghorns vision and you have won the game. Once you locate a buck you want to go after, use the terrain to your advantage and close the distance as much as you can. If the area has lots of cactus, invest in a pair of knee pads and elbow pads. You will spend some time low crawling through the sagebrush. Learn how to field judge a buck antelope. Experience has also shown me that they are one of the hardest North American game animals to accurately field judge. Last but not least, if you find the trophy you want and should happen to miss, find some high ground in the area and sit tight. Nine times out of ten that buck will do a huge circle and come right back to that spot. I have seen monster bucks do this far too many times for it to be a fluke. You found him where you did for reasons most likely only known to him but mark my words, there is a reason.
 
Drifter,

good point about antelope circling back! Many time while either calling or riding the mules back in the hills, we'll jump a nice buck and many times, he makes that big huge circle and comes back for more.

I've watched them make a circle of nearly a mile, only to come back to almost the same spot. Once again I applied for a tag for the Cody area, but if I don't draw I'll be in your neck of the woods
 
We have applied also - again!! My wife for 78 and my self for 81.

ONE thing that has worked for me when I am fooling around with them during the year is to use the Sceery Jackrabbit mouth call, only, imitate a bleat on it. I can't tell you how many times that has turned a buck around and brought him back, or, just brought him in..

By the way, this same process works real good on mule deer bucks to get them to stop, and turn broadside.

ADDENDUM: Neither my wife nor I have been drawn - ever. We just keep plugging along, though, applying every year to see who may get a tag. I shifted to area 81 this year to see if that will help the odds!!!
 
dogwhcker,

I also applied for a buck tag, area 78. Heck, area 78 is MY backyard...yours, too.

Speaking of nice bucks, this guy was making a visit on the hill above our driveway this morning

g1.jpg


I also applied for a 78, type 7 antelope doe tag, this is a special hunt from basically the triangle of Greybull Hwy, Oregon Basin-Garland powerline, Powell Hwy to the river. I did draw this tag last year and took a really nice beet-fed young doe.

Coyote distress calls will ABSOLUTELY bring in the big mulie bucks!
 
The most difficult part of antelope hunting here in Wyoming is drawing the tag. Good luck guys.

My advice
1. Find Water

2. Then Glass and Glass

If its really wet then fall back on #2.
 
Thanks JCL. When I go out with my 'luckier'(say TAG) friends, we always check the little reservoirs first and glass constantly. Last year was TOUGH!! We didn't see a single antelope in two days! Highly unusual!! Finally showed them the fallback plan, which was a buck like the one WYOYOTE has displayed, only with less curl(and his is a real nice buck!!). (I always keep ONE located for emergencies). Big rack, just not trophy status because of small prong growth at the tips. A two and a half hander though from the base to the cutters. Bang, zip, and CF had his buck.

WYOYOTE: I chose 81 because last year while videoing 64 big (mostly real trophy) mule deer(different locations in my hunt area), I came across 3 real dandy speed goat bucks; two of them actually sparing with each other, in area 81. I chose 78 for my wife because we know that ground like the backs of our hands and CAN find a nice buck or two out there that are shooters.
 
dogwhckr,

Correct me if I'm wrong but, our area (78) supposedly isn't known for huge 'trophy' goats, right? Apparently, last Summer offered excellent horn growing conditions (good forage, water, etc.). I would tend to agree with this as my 'resident' herd, 100+/- that I have here at home seemed to have much larger horn growth then the year before. I'm pretty sure that the buck pictured below, from Oct. of 2007, is the same buck that is in the pic a few posts above.

the_visitor.jpg


Obviously, he's older now, and sports a much larger set of horns. Some of his running mates are looking alot better, also. We've nicknamed this guy "Challenger" as he hangs around the homestead quite a bit and likes to 'snort' at us. I've had him come almost into our yard. If I draw a tag, will probably leave this guy alone as we really enjoy his company. He's got a few buddies that are actually a bit bigger.

Saw much more 'trophy status' bucks on the SE edge of the Peaks this past coyote season then years past. Anyway, good luck and if you're wife does draw area 78, let me know, as I've been keeping tabs on some good bucks right behind our place.

Let me know when you drift back in to Cody, my world has slowed down some and we could make some coffee time
 
In 78 I've always found a couple of real nice ones and once in a while a wall hanger. Two years ago there was one I wanted so bad I could taste it!! This guys rack reminded me of a true sheep of all things. His cutters were prong and curled forward on themselves in a respectable curve. The mains did the same thing above the cutter joint, only backwards. Drove me nuts.. I saw him twice and then never again. Thanks for the offer. We will keep it in mind.

Wednesday, 10:00AM we get the warranty oil change at fremont on the 2008. How about meeting us at grandma's about 11:15? We may be early, we may be on time but we will be there. Look for 6'2", beard, and cap that says 'coyote outfitters' on the front, sorta funky green.

C'ya then...
 


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