I just spent a week in Montana hunting pronghorn . I was surprised at how easy it was to get within 80 yards of both pronghorn and mule deer bucks. I was hunting with a bow and kept thinking man this would be way to easy with a rifle ! I used to hunt alot with a rifle but found it was more like harvesting than hunting if you havent tried the bow don't it will be much too frustrating LOL !

I hope you got your Montana buck. Although it not in the cards for me, a thread about the difficulties of getting a clean spot and stalk shot with a bow would be interesting. Considering the wind gusts where I normally hunt I would be afraid to let an arrow fly more than about 30 yards or so unless it was a rare calm day. I have shot a bunch of whitetails with a bow but they were all within 30 yards and there were trees all around to break any wind.

Big Uncle

I feel this but in a different way. I love the hunt, the stalk and just being outdoors as a whole but I don't enjoy shooting anything anymore. Hunt over work begins and a beef steak is just as good as any wild game. I have started taking pictures and videos off my phone. I'm not a trophy hunter but if the animal is somewhat under what I'm going to be truly happy with why bother ending it's life. I love the hunt and that's why I go. Having a firearm, bow or muzzleloader with me and knowing if I want to take the animal is my choice becomes enough to validate my time in the woods I'd do it everyday of the year. Being a hunting guide is why I think I've come to this point. Watching others get that thrill is the same as me doing it myself.

So maybe next year take your kids or someone less experienced with you and let them take the animal and just be there for their experience and see if that don't stir something inside you.

chase the NA10.... then the NA29...

What's the typical crawl with Antelope ? I'll be doing my 1st guided Antelope next year.

If your bored yourself with taking a certain type of animal I find it help to renew the fire by taking someone out that hasn't taken that type of game before. Hey what do ya know I haven't taken an antelope yet.....

Lot's of great suggestions.

Going on first antelope hunt this October. I am taking the rifle as to somewhat insure I fill my two tags. No sense in driving 750 miles and not harvesting the quarry.

I can see where rifle hunting could become simplistic for most US game. Shoot, I feel that way when IL firearm season rolls around. Those deer that skirted me with a bow at 30+ yards all the sudden are in range. I did switch from a shotgun to a muzzle loader. Partly because the recoil from my 12 ga. 870 was no fun when bench shooting.

I got this guy yesterday here in CO. I normally hunt antelope with my 243 (I have tried archery year ago without any success), but I always wanted to hunt one with a muzzleloader. I drew the tag this year and I was surprised just how tough it was. I normally tag out before noon on opening day, but this hunt took 4 days before I filled my tag, and even then it was kind of a fluke that this guy popped up out of nowhere while I was trying to put a stalk on another buck. I stalked dozens of bucks in those 4 days, and I could have taken almost every one with a 200-300 yard shot with a high powered rifle But trying to get within 100 yards and get a shot off was not happening, until yesterday when it finally all came together. If I try muzzleloader antelope again then I will most likely do as the archers do, and set up a blind at a waterhole. But for now it was kind of a bucket-list thing, to get one with a muzzleloader that I made from a kit back when I was in high school.. over 35 years ago.

Orion,


That sounds like an awesome hunt.


-Jake

Like others have suggested, try it with a bow. Love the taste of antelope!!