How many guys here have hunted pronghorn with trad gear? I'm looking to roadtrip this fall to Wyoming to chase some goats, I've never done it and am wondering what I'm in for. Any info or pics would help!!
I shot one at 13 yards with a Black Widow SA III in Wyoming.(blind under a windmill. They drank out of the overflow).
I have done a lot of hunting out of blinds and some spot and stalk hunting. Where I hunt, there is a lot of brush around the waterholes and the antelope are scared to come close. I don't think the blind scares them much but that the tall grass does. Using a decoy to give them confidence that it is safe to come to water seemed to make a big difference. Also, when antelope come to water and then run away, don't worry that they smelled you and spooked. Usually, they are testing to see if the waterhole is safe, and they will come back after they run off. It is probably different if there is no a bunch of brush around the water. Another point -- practice a lot out of the blind. It looks a lot different and without practicing it, it is hard for instinctive shooting. pc
Antelope are fun and if you time it right they can be quite easy. I've stalked them, hunted over waterholes and with decoys. The last three times with decoys during the rut.(aprox. Sept 15-31). I try to get there so I hunt from Sept 17-18 to the 24-25. Set up 100 yards or so away from water and put up a decoy and a blind and enjoy the show.
My partner and I contacted a Wyoming rancher and got permission to bow hunt in mid-late September.
He prepared a blind of stacked hay bales near a fence crossing (they commonly use the same location to go under the fence).
We saw lots and I got a 13" with my longbow.
Yes like others have said here, lots of ways to hunt them with the stick bow. I have shot a few out of blinds at water holes.
That's one hunt on my bucket list
I have shot a few. They are a lot of fun. Very good eyes. Terrain decides if you can spot and stalk. Wind is not as important as it is on some other game. Water is a lot of fun to hunt. It gives you a way to watch wildlife you don't often experience.
I am not sure what areas of the state you are looking at or if you have private land to hunt but do some research.
Also measure out some cardboard to their nominal height and practice. They can look a lot bigger than they really are and its not hard to shoot farther than you think.
I have shot a few. They are a lot of fun. Very good eyes. Terrain decides if you can spot and stalk. Wind is not as important as it is on some other game. Water is a lot of fun to hunt. It gives you a way to watch wildlife you don't often experience.
I am not sure what areas of the state you are looking at or if you have private land to hunt but do some research.
Also measure out some cardboard to their nominal height and practice. They can look a lot bigger than they really are and its not hard to shoot farther than you think.
Hope for dry weather and hunt the water holes. I used a regular strap on bow stand and attached it to a windmill bout
12 ft. Up. They never looked up, shot my Goat at about 7 yds.
My brother used a 12 ft. Tri-Pod stand at the edge of a wide
Open water hole, he fashioned a couple of lightweight EMT
Poles to hold some camo cloth behind him. He was open in front but protected from the back, hid his movement. Worked
Well hot him, he shot his goat at about 15yds.
Very fun hunt, something I'd like to do again.
RW
Posted this picture before but traditonal antelope very doable
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n274/JackSkinner/Antelope%202012/Antelope2012008-1.jpg) (http://s114.photobucket.com/user/JackSkinner/media/Antelope%202012/Antelope2012008-1.jpg.html)
Set up is importanat being able to cover the whole water hole, because whatever you cant reach the lopes will water there.
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n274/JackSkinner/Antelope%202012/Antelope2012002-1.jpg) (http://s114.photobucket.com/user/JackSkinner/media/Antelope%202012/Antelope2012002-1.jpg.html)
You can see two blinds in this picture, the water at this seep was bleeding down the back side of this grease wood. So I put a blind on it and that seemed to make most of the lopes water in front of me. The seep behind me was very small and that made them nervous with the blind in place. The spring in front of me is about 15 yds across and 20 or so wide. They would wade in and start slurping. Worked great. To the left of the blind in this picture is a large pond that we rope off and funnel the goats to our set up. They dont really like the pond anyway because the wild horses us it quite a bit.
Too much water can be a real problem here we are able to overcome it but last season it rained and the antelope could water anywhere they wanted. Blind hunting water holes very slow and mostly useless then.
Went 5 yrs in a row to Wyoming. All early season hunts over waterholes. Can't wait to go back!
YOU THE MAN JACK - notice his homemade broadheads as well, plus his self bow!
Blind at waterhole is perfect for Trad equipment. I got mine that way!!
That would be a hell of a road trip.
Going DYI or using an outfitter?
Ooops! Meant DIY.
Antelope are a blast. Great way to start off the fall. I've got 5 or 6 points saved up for Wyoming. Going to have to cash those in pretty soon.
(http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/wernerschmidt_photo/Antelopehunt2010066.jpg) (http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/wernerschmidt_photo/media/Antelopehunt2010066.jpg.html)
Hunted antelope twice in Wyoming. Had a good time both times. Arrowed this buck the first trip over a water hole......second hunt wet,cold with snow. Got a chance and missed.........would go again in a heart beat!
I went to Wyoming last season (2014), had a blast chasing them! Went with my dad, we both a multiple opportunities.
I ended up shooting one on a stalk.
We also had success at getting them close with decoys.
Definitely doable with trad gear.
chris <><
Never hunted speed goats, but they are definitely on my bucket list!
Good luck to you!
Bisch
I'm with you, Ulysseys! I am going to WY on my first bow antelope hunt this Sept. too. I've never hunted them, so it should be a lot of fun. Good luck and I'll be watching this thread for any additional tips.
Did a four day South Dakota spot and stalk hunt three years ago. Temps were in the mid to high 90's. Very difficult hunt and never got a shot. I plan to do it again but next time in a blind and over water. WY seems to be the state to hunt them, if you can draw a tag.
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/SpeedGoats2010/SpeedGoats2010055.jpg) (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/fireman_3311/media/SpeedGoats2010/SpeedGoats2010055.jpg.html)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/SpeedGoats2010/SpeedGoats2010050.jpg) (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/fireman_3311/media/SpeedGoats2010/SpeedGoats2010050.jpg.html)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Speedgoats09/SpeedGoats09027.jpg) (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/fireman_3311/media/Speedgoats09/SpeedGoats09027.jpg.html)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Speedgoats09/SpeedGoats09022.jpg) (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/fireman_3311/media/Speedgoats09/SpeedGoats09022.jpg.html)
Yeah, driving from Penn would be some hours!! You could work and extra day or two and more than cover the plane ticket minus gas.
Anyway... remember to check the moisture status of the terrain before you hunt. In wet years (we've had several lately), water hole hunting is pretty slow. Antelope will drink from the smallest of puddles. If there is green grass, they get a lot of moisture that way as well.
In dry or drought years, waters holes are a blast. In south eastern montana (very similar to much of Wyoming) the action can be nearly non stop in Aug or Sept. It has become one of my favorite hunts.
I've got two prefrence points for Wyoming, would really like to go out next year. I've shot a couple with a wheelie but would sure like to get one with my recurve. Can't decide DIY or an outfitter. The waiting list is usually long for a good guide, and the prices seemed to have taken quite a hike since I went last!
I'm hoping to do DIY...I drove to Wyoming 3 years ago with a cow moose tag...got one on the second day and dropped her off at the processor then trout fished the cloud peak wilderness for 5 more days...its a 30 hour drive for me...lots of corn on the way. A plane isn't out of the question I just like packing my truck full of what I want and being able to bring stuff back easily. Nice info so far guys.
Hunting from a blind at a waterhole works the best, using a decoy at the proper time during the rut is wild fun and spot and stalk is wild fun but really really difficult because antelope have such great eyesight.
I have done all of them but only taken antelope from blinds at waterholes.
For my money, antelope are not as bothered by scent as they are sight of you. I have had bucks come in both upwind and downwind from my blind.
You need a small water hole during dry weather. Wet weather and there is water everywhere and the antelope don't have to go to water where there is a blind.
I disagree about antelope that don't care much about scent because I get busted reliably and predictably same as any deer or elk if the wind shifts,especially if you are approaching bow range.