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Wyoming antelope

Old 03-22-2020, 06:33 PM
  #31  
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I know antelope in many parts of Montana have rebounded from the horrific winter of 2010-11 across many areas of Montana. I see pretty decent numbers here in NE Montana once again, I can't say that they have rebounded completely, but numbers are up. The application deadline here in Montana is June 1 for antelope for both residents and non residents. I do know, there is ample opportunity for bow hunters, with leftover bow tags usually available.
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Old 03-23-2020, 05:49 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by mthusker
I know antelope in many parts of Montana have rebounded from the horrific winter of 2010-11 across many areas of Montana. I see pretty decent numbers here in NE Montana once again, I can't say that they have rebounded completely, but numbers are up. The application deadline here in Montana is June 1 for antelope for both residents and non residents. I do know, there is ample opportunity for bow hunters, with leftover bow tags usually available.

Shhhhh!!!!!
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Old 03-28-2020, 10:38 AM
  #33  
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I have heard from reliable sources that pronghorns in Montana are as big as bison and often have horns that score higher than bull elk. I think everyone should apply to hunt in Montana and not bother to apply in my favorite units in Wyoming!

Other states I would encourage guys to apply in are Colorado, New Mexico, Maine, South Carolina, and Ohio.

Seriously, I have heard very good things about Montana.
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Old 03-28-2020, 06:33 PM
  #34  
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Montana, is, as Montanan's say....."The last, best place".
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Old 05-12-2020, 01:47 PM
  #35  
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On a few other sites the popular response to any new pronghorn hunter question is to tell them that they will be seeing hundreds of bucks each day and that their hunt will be over in an hour if they are not picky on which buck to shoot. Folks are often told that they will have their choice from many bucks and if they are not careful they will "only" shoot a 13" buck that "only" scores in the low 70's. That is always possible, but on public land in the easily drawn units it is not usually the case. Most guys do see many bucks while driving the major highways, and many bucks on private land. However, early season on public land in an easily drawn unit is normally a completely different situation.

Do not let wild expectations ruin your hunt. It is not always that easy, and being successful may be a little tougher than you were lead to believe by a keyboard expert. If you put in the effort you will probably be successful, but it may take some time and it may not be a huge buck. In most of the easily drawn units finding a large undisturbed buck is in reality a fairly rare event.

The units that are more difficult to draw are a much higher quality experience for most hunters. In those units a hunter should have a reasonable chance to see many bucks on accessible land and being a bit picky can be fun. Just do not expect that to usually be the case in the units with difficult access to hunting land and many other folks hunting the same spot.
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Old 05-13-2020, 08:49 AM
  #36  
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My experience last year in WY, granted I didn't do much homework, was in an easy to draw unit, where there's limited public land (hey we had just moved here and I found a few large blocks - what's the worst that could happen!)

Here's what I experienced, take it or leave it, but it is shaping where we apply and plan to hunt this fall:

- Yes, all summer you can walk/drive and see pronghorn in easy access spots on public land, from the truck or short walk.
- Archery opens (I tried spot and stalk, or as my wife called it "pronghorn scaring", so you can guess the end result): I had multiple stalks, usually started from the truck, each day (exception was a walkin area, but even there, short walk = stalk).
- Day before gun season (last day of archery): trucks start showing, helping to blow stalks, tents start showing etc.
- Opening day of rifle, we went up, gave up at 10 when EVERYWHERE we went, truck or walk we saw orange. Saw one small group of pronghorn, running at about mach-3
- Next day, no pronghorn, lots of hunters.- we gave up
- End of week 1 we went out again. Still trucks/tents, we found a single pronghorn doe 1.5 miles from the nearest access point. doe #1 in freezer
- Week 2 I went elk hunting, people had thinned out, but pronghorn no where to be found (except all the private land we drove past)
- Week 3, all the people have been gone for a week. Found a group of 5 about 1 mile from truck. Doe #2 in freezer
- Beginning of week 4, find a single buck on private (we had doe tags), same day, wife takes her first on public land, actually saw it from the truck, stalked in and she took it. 1/2 mile pack to truck
- Last day (end of week 4), wow, they are back! Find a large group right next to the road, two stalks, later, wife takes second doe. all tagged out.

We are adjusting this year to try to get private land access or change zones to more public land. The one we picked, the "type 1 - any pronghorn" tag was only good 10/1-10/15. Changing areas this year to more public, plus earlier/longer seasons.

Yes, it can be "drive around til you find the one you want", but as Big Uncle said, in an easy to draw, limited public land area with pressure, that's rare. Especially at the beginning of the season when the weather is nice (wife shot her last one when it was 9 degrees out)

Regardless of all that, I LOVE pronghorn hunting! I don't think we hunted a single day without at least seeing some.
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Old 05-13-2020, 02:39 PM
  #37  
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We had a large winter kill in So Wyoming this year.
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Old 05-31-2020, 09:59 AM
  #38  
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June 1st. is the deadline for applications.
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Old 08-21-2020, 02:17 PM
  #39  
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As I was getting the rifles ready for the coming hunting seasons I was reviewing some of my notes from past years. My average shot over the years has been very close to 200 yards. I have shot more pronghorns at distances of 100 yards or less than I have at distances exceeding 300 yards. I do not think that most guys really need to have a long range rifle (as seen on TV) if they are willing to walk a bit. Surely there are occasions where it is simply not possible to get close but taking a long poke has been fairly rare in my experience.
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Old 08-21-2020, 04:44 PM
  #40  
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We had one long shot in our group that went- about 330 yards.. But in my limited experience a pronghorn hunter should be prepared for a 300 yard shot. Any modern rifle is capable of this. All it takes is some practice.

We were in some really open country. Stuff eastern hunters can't even imagine. So having the option to shoot a couple hundred yards was a good thing. I believe mine was 267 yards. Another one right about the same. And then a fourth around 175 yards.

Could I have gotten closer? Not on the buck I took. He was alert and about to head on out of the county. On other ones, yes.

-jake
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