Antelope Tips

[cybball]

I'm heading to the area near Bowman North Dakota this September to hunt Antelope with some friends. This will be my first time chasing goats. This will all take place on public ground. Our plan is to hunt from blinds at water holes, but also do some spot and stalk hunting. Any tips for an Iowan out of his element? Shot distances? Good archery tackle set ups? Scent control?
Also, anyone hunt this area before? I heard there are quite a few running around the SW corner of the state.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[D&D Flesheaters]

We hunt in that area opening weekend every year. If your going to hunt out of a ground blind, wear boxers, cause you'll be stripping down to your undershorts real quick- You'll be sitting in a sauna.

 

[teeroy]

i've had friends say they are prepared to shoot out to 80 yards

 

[Hardcorehunter]

Pray for dry weather so that they will have to hit your waterholes

Use a blind with an optional roof that will zip open to allow heat to escape as it may be very hot in the blind

Patience and more patience

Any archery setup that you are accurate with will work

Bring water, food, a girlfriend, or a book to pass the time when things are slow, and be prepared for all dayers in a ground blind. Patience will be your virtue and I would hunt this way with a bow over using decoys or stalking.

Good luck!!

 

[blake]

These methods have worked for me in the past!

Waterhole hunting from a DBB is certainly a tried and tested method of hunting the Prairie Ghost.

However, don’t over look a hole in the fence were antelope are crawling through the fence or under it to get to a near by water hole. Antelope will travel many miles to cross a fence that they can crawel under or through.

Set up a ground blind near a fence crossing and you should have a number of chances at a nice specimen or two every day. I prefer this method to water hole hunting. It has at least been more productive for me.

Another method I like to hunt from the elevation of a windmill at the water tank. They seem to be oblivious to danger from above.

 

[Liv4Rut]

My buddy and I got a wild hair one Wednesday night in college and headed for Nebraska the next day to chase speed goats. We hunted out of DB blinds, and did a lot of stalking, as well as a lot of running for miles trying to shoot one of those things. I will say that hunt was far more exhausting than the two elk hunts I went on. I ended up shooting one on a stalk, and my buddy missed a few.

If I go back again I will have my first pin set at 40 yards and be able to shoot out to 80yards. It's easy to stalk within 80 yards of them, but you don't get much closer than that. I got lucky and shot mine at 40.

Like everyone said, you will be in your underwear within about an hour of sitting in the blind. You just about lose your mind. Turkey hunting I can sit all day long. Sitting in a double bull in 90 degree weather tests you to the fullest no doubt. Ameristep makes a nice portable fan that hooks to your blind hub that might be worth looking into.

Definitely buy a good pair of Knee pads, and learn to shoot your bow with leather gloves. Those prickly pears will just about kill you when you are stalking.

Look for places they are crossing fences like Blake said. They don't like to jump at all. You don't need to worry about brushing in the blind. They are just like turkeys, they don't mind them at all. Granted they can smell though. So you need to be cautious of the wind. Make sure you have the netting up as well.

Antelope are the worst smelling animal you will come across. It will be a fun hunt, we went from dawn till dusk each day. You just got to keep trying. Sitting on water holes didn't really work for us because it wasn't that hot out and it rained a ton during the trip, so they didn't really need to drink. Goodluck

 

[Benny]

Spot and stalk is my cup of tea. Its a blast.

Goats are similair to turkeys. If you put them to bed the night before they are generally in the same area the next morning. Once daytime hits they can move miles. Water is also key. I would drive around the first day alot and learn the country and find out where the majority of the animals are hanging out.

Mid-Sept is the antelope rut out west. Things can get pretty wild when that is hot. The boss goat will chase the little goats away from his does. They spar, pee on the sage and make all sorts of funky noises. Decoying can be a blast as well. Sneak up to a big goat and place the decoy over the slip of the ridge and he might come chargin into you. Be ready to shoot fast.

They have great eyesight and can smell as good as a whitetail so you have to watch the wind.

Snake chaps are recomended for both snakes and prickly cactus and other western prickly stuff.

 

[Phantom]

This is some great information. I'm headed to unit 3 in Colorado to chase these goats around come mid-September. One question on the decoy - should you get as close as possible before showing it or stay back around 100 yards? Thanks and good luck to everyone on their lope hunt this year!

 

[Benny]

Use the terrain and get as close as you can without them seeing you. The have great eyesight so you really do not have to get super close just close enough that the boss goat will be threatended by this new guy getting to close to his girls.

 

[kelcher]

Make sure you have a good range finder with you. I was so used to the size of whitetails I was off on the range every time. Good luck.

 

[bowhuntr311]

Snake chaps are recomended for both snakes QUOTE]

Now why did you have to go and say that.... I have never antelope hunted but have done some research into it. Now I gotta add another con to the list for if I want to go.

BTW, everyone has some great tips already.

 

[cybball]

Thanks guys. I'm going to start shooting at extended ranges this week and next (50-60-70). I just bought a Nikon 550 riflehunter rangefinder. Figured I could definately use it out there. Without much to judge distance by like trees, I'll be lost.

I have a groundmax blind that the roof opens up. I'll wear my black speedo so they can't see me in there.

Really looking forward to trying it. It looks fun, plus I have never hunted outside of Iowa.

 

[cybball]

Well, back from the hunt. No luck this year, but man that was a blast. Chased goats here and there and sat at a water hole. Water seemed to be everywhere though, so they had a lot of choices to drink. The local guys were saying the numbers of goats were waaaaay down from last year too. I took a few very long shots, but nothing. I did almost crawl onto a rattle snake, which was pretty cool. First one I've seen in the wild.