Thom, I have hunted pronghorns using every possible strategy in Colorado and Wyoming.  I have been outfoxed and just plain beaten more times than I would like to admit. A waterhole setup works much better than any other strategy; your plan B, and plan C sould be other water holes. I hunt a place on public land in Wyoming with two available water holes.  I camp and leave my vehicle parked on one and walk to the other (about 2 miles) to hunt.  That strategy ups my odds.

Now, water hole blinds.  Ideally, you want to have as little sticking above the ground as possible, and build it a few days before you hunt. The best setup is a pit, let's say 18"-24" deep-deep enough to fashion a dirt seat either on the rim or slightly below ground level. Erect a dome roof from weldwire over it and thatch it with local material. Leave big enough window(s) to shoot through.  Make it big enough to move around and cant your bow. The most important part of this design is the roof over your head, which puts you are in the dark where you can't easliy be seen when you move, and it's cooler on those hot days! Wind is as important as with deer and elk-I have had Pronghorns come into a waterhole setup from directly down wind.  But don't get seen, hence the purpose for reducing your profile, using a roof, and staying in the dark.

Man that is some great stuff! The rancher offered to put out blinds but they would be too small for me to shoot out of. I'm thinking it would be good for the pronghorns to be accustomed to seeing a blind, then I could swap it for my blind in the dark before hunting that day. Seem like a good plan?

Gary, want to do a phone call tonight and go over the gear? I've been camping the last 3 weekends and I know where all my stuff is. I checked my tent and it's 10x10 with plenty of room for two cots.

Still sharpening broadheads over here too....
Thom

Thom,  I'll give you a call tonight if we're not salmon fishing.  A friend wants to fish tonight as long as the lake isn't too rough.  If we fish I'll call you tomorrow night.  My tent is in good shape and I ordered a cot and our fans yesterday.  I e-mailed Dick to ask what we can bring for camp but haven't heard back yet.  He may not check his mail regularly.  Maybe I'll call him today.
Talk soon
Gary

Go with the switch a blind strategy. Having the blind in place for the goats to get use to is always a good thing. They'll never tell the difference.

Thanks for chiming in Charlie, those few words give me a great deal of comfort that I'm on the right track!

Gary, God love ya for ordering those fans, I pray they are as quiet as they are supposed to be!!! I'm thinking that week will be more like a sauna endurance competition than my normal hunting trip, hopefully this will help!

Oh I found one Adidas "running" shirt. It's black fine mesh and the wind blows right through it, but it's long sleeved. I'm going to see if I can find a few more online as my new "blind camo"  
Thom

One week closer! I did rework my arrows for my selfbow as well as my sideplate and now I get a pretty good clank when the shaft hits the riser. I was too stiff but the suede and long feathers were hiding it.

No time left to mess with arrows and bows, I grabbed my NM Classic and set a new personal best on a round tonight. Broadheads all hit exactly 1.5" left of the center of the bullseye on 3 practice shots.  Honestly the broadheads are flying a little better than my field tips.

Talked with Flingblade, and it sounds like the two of us are ready to do this! 4 days til we leave Michigan and 6 mornings from now I hope to be watching a sunrise over a water hole      
Thom

what will be your main setup?

3 days and a wake up Thom!  Getting everything packed today.  Shot two arrows last night.  35 yards sitting on stool and 25 yards with broadhead.  Both in kill zone.  Stopped there; don't want to mess with my confidence at this point.  I think I'm gonna hunt the alfalfa first day and see what happens but plans may change once we're there and have a look.  I wonder if they are getting any of this rain out there in NW Nebraska?

Good luck guys! Hunting pronghorns is fun.

Check out the Hope and Faith thread for several pics that will get you even more excited. Starting on page 6 I believe.  

Don't forget... take lots of pics.  We expect a full report when you return.

Good Luck to you fellas'!! I hope you both get a nice Pronghorn. Looking forward to pics and stories! yur'buddy, rat'  

Matthew,
I planned to take my osage selfbow as my primary but my arrow setup got kinda loud. I'll sort that out before whitetail season. In the meantime I'm blessed to have two bow/arrow setups that I'm 1000% confident with.
 

Left is my NM Classic 68" drawing 57#. Arrow with that is a 250 Heritage 4 fletched with a 160 grizzly up front. with inserts and everything it totals up at 650 grains with 260 worth up front.

Right setup is my Bigfoot Sasquatch 60" pulling 63#.  Arrow is a four fletch xx78 super slam with a 170 grain delta up front. Total grains is also 650. It may be less of an arrow, but it's just creepy how I can pick that thing up cold and drive nails with it.

Shedrock, I'll check out that thread!

The rest of you yahoos, you're gonna be sick of these campfire stories after a year or two      

Gary, 90% packed and will be ready to roll! I gotta ask, did you get about 50 pictures like this from Nebraska today?
   
Thom

WOW those are two gorgeous bows! good luck!

Thanks Matthew! I've got no blood on either of them yet, but that will make them even prettier to me    

I sent Gary the other 49 pictures to go with that dude up above, it sounds like seeing them may have given him insomnia. Of course that will mean he can do all the driving out there    
Thom

Cool, my test post from the iPad of pictures using the cellular network worked!  I might be able to update this thread from the road!
Thom

That does it, no more shooting my NM inside the house! I hit the nock on an arrow hard enough to drive it through my target and into the wall behind...    Dang.

Now I need to find a pronghorn at 12 yards, and a house with a longer hallway.      
Thom

When you asked me to test shoot in your hallway and I declined it was just cause I didn't want to be the first to punch a hole in the wall but now that you own that; what the heck, let's shoot at Thom's!  Hope I can sleep tonight; just gotta keep tellin' myself I can't hunt tomorrow.  See ya at 7.

In Iowa and its cloudy and raining, wonder how much they are gettIng in Nebraska. Saw a coyote in Michigan, hope it's good medicine.
Thom

Thom,please keep us posted on antelope numbers and your success story!    

We are planning on leaving MO on the 5th and hunting til the 14th..  

QuoteOriginally posted by huntnmuleys:
im anxious to see pics from this trip! i 2nd the alfalfa if he has it, antelope love that stuff, and i love to eat antelope that have been eating that stuff!

Thats the truth for sure.