otis - You definitely do not need an outfitter or a guide to hunt antelope. I hunted them for the first time this past fall in Wyoming. I hunted on my own on a ranch where I paid a reasonable trespass fee.

Pronghorn hunting is very different from hunting deer, elk or most other species. They are highly visible and easy to find. They are also homebodies. They tend to use the same areas and travel the same routes regularly.

On the ranch I hunted we were able to look over all of the antelope on the property in a day and a half. We hunted very late in the season and were the last two hunters to hunt the property for the year. After looking at all of the available bucks we determined that 13" was about the best we could do. I was able to take my buck out of the second group I stalked.

The terrain prevented me from getting close enough to the first buck to get a reasonable shot. The entire group bedded in the middle of a sage flat and the closest I could get without exposing myself was still over 800 yards. I watched them while bedded for over an hour before backing out and leaving them.

I found another buck that was in a stalkable position and managed to take him after making a huge circle to get a hill between his herd and myself. After taking pics and running him to the meat cutter - about two hours – we went back to look for a buck for my buddy.

We found the same buck that I had left earlier. His whole herd had moved about 600 yards, and was now bedded where they could be stalked. I planned a route to take my buddy to a good shooting position, and then sat back and watched his stalk through my spotting scope. I was about ¾ mile away from the herd, and stayed in clear view. They laid right where they were and never took their attention away from me. My buddy stalked to within 300 yards and missed the buck three times. After that herd had run off, and while my buddy was still mentally kicking himself, another herd came running in from his left. This herd had two bucks and seven does. One buck was about 13” and the other was a juvenile with about 6” horns. He fired one shot at the 13” buck and missed. He fired two more times as the herd ran off and knocked down one of the bucks. The problem was he got confused on the running animals and shot the smaller buck.

I’ll attach pics of both animals.

The hardest thing about hunting Pronghorns for me – a first timer – was judging horn length. A good spotting scope is a must. Try to look at some mounted heads and measure them if possible. I wouldn’t get too hung up on killing a trophy my first time out. My goal was to kill a good representative animal. I am very happy with the buck I took, and I am having him mounted. I think Pronghorn are one of North America’s most beautiful animals and I can tell you that they are an absolute ball to hunt.

I used my 7mm Remington Magnum on my hunt, and I think it was an excellent choice. The one recommendation I would make is to use a lightly constructed bullet. Pronghorn are small animals. Premium bullets are a wasted expense, and could actually be a liability on Pronghorns. I shot my buck with a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, and my buddy used a 140 grain Partition. My bullet performed perfectly, while his Partition barely expanded and required a close range finishing shot. I shoot Partitions regularly, and think they are a great bullet, they are however too heavily constructed for Pronghorn.

I can’t contribute anything on the firearm import problem, but I think Stubblejumper has that covered. If you need any questions answered from a first timer’s perspective shoot me an email, I’ll be glad to help any way I can.

My buck -

My buddy's buck -


"If you can't change your circumstances then you need to change your perspective."