I've been out the last three weekends, playing the spot ans talk game with antelope. And finally, lady luck gave the the opportunity that I had worked very hard for. I got this buck Saturday evening out of a herd of nine. He wasn't the largest of the herd, BUT after walking 10 to 15 miles a day, crawling through cactus and putting up with the heat of the day trying to get one, this one suited me very well.
My gear used were good quality knee pads, home made elbow/arm/wrist pads, Mathews Legacy set at 67#'s shooting 5575 Gold Tips that had 100 gr. inner-loc broadheads. I use the 600 Bushnell Scout, 10x40 Pentax Binocs., and a veriation of camo including a full face mask. The shot was at a slightly quarter away feeding animal at 60 yrds.
My buddy scored the very next day, yesterday, on a buck slightly larger, also spot and stalk.
What didn't work.....We set up double bull blinds at fence crossings, instead of water due to having too many water holes to cover. The antelope did not accept the blinds and avoided them very well. I had my blind set up for a week at my fence crossing and did have two very young bucks cross on Friday morning, but only because a mature buck hazed them through. Also, we tried decoying, but it is apparently too early in the season and too far from the rut to be effective. Also, I sat a water to begin with, but soon realized that with water every half mile or less, they could avoid the blind and water that I sat at.
What did work..... Spot them from any where from 1/2 mile upto 1.5 miles and then stalk bedded animals. We tried to focus on single bucks but ended up that we both arrowed bucks from groups of bucks.
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A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
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(='.'=) <------------------ Bunnny!!!
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"If you ever go into the bush, there are grizzly bears lurking behind just about every bush, waiting to pounce, so you need a powerful gun with huge bullets" - Gatehouse ~ 2004
"finally, lady luck gave the the opportunity that I had worked very hard for"
Yeah, she does play a part in all of our success, but I read alot of hard work and skill went into getting that buck as well. It takes patience, skill, and tenacity to stalk an antelope, much less a herd. Congratulations, you are definately a hunter!
Congrats! I will be heading to Montana next saturday to try my luck on them. This will be my first antelepe hunt. I am hoping the decoying will work at that time, will see.
Thanks for the compliments guys. CB, I am on the eastern plains. Ihunt near Deer Trail!I didn't draw for rifle, now have 3 preference points. This is my first archery antelope, and it took me three years to get this one. The reason I say "lady luck finally gave me the opportuninty" is that I was averaging one "close incounter" about each day. It just seemed like I just needed one little break as it seemed I could get snuck in on them alright, usually, but I just couldn't get them ranged, or get in postion for a shot, or just couldn't get my bow in postion for a shot, or they smelled me, or saw me, or something. I guess that's what kept me going, is just knowing it could happen if I just could get one little piece of luck at the right time!
BareBack Jack, you are close! He is right at 12". I rough scored it just out of courisity and he would fail to meet the 67" minimum for P&Y, not that it really matters to me. He is my hardest earned archery animal, even though he was on easy hunting private property![]
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A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
Congrats on the nice antelope buck Howler. I have killed one antelpe doe with my bow. I have had countless blown stalks. I have lived the emotional roller coaster you went through, to get your antelope. Antelope are a very hard animal to spot & stalk with a bow. IMHO Theyare the mostrewarding animal to bow hunt.
spot and stalk archery antelope, success
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