Packing for pronghorns
 

It is that time of year. Making piles of various things to consider taking on a pronghorn hunt, and then after careful consideration leaving half of them at home. I used to over pack but over the years I started making lists of the things that I actually used and started traveling much more lightly. I have traveled with a new pronghorn hunter on each of the past two seasons and they packed like it was a trip to the North Pole, or a late season Colorado elk hunt. These fellows had been elk hunting before and just could not help themselves when it came time to pack - just like I used to be.

Other than travel clothes I take a couple pairs of light canvas pants (no camo), couple long sleeve shirts (no camo), orange hat, and an older pair of ankle high boots that I do not mind getting in the cactus thorns. Rifle, ammo, bipod, rangefinder, binoculars, hunting knife, water bottle, tiny daypack, leather gloves, and sometimes a spotting scope (absolutely not required). A light jacket can come in handy. Maps and a GPS unit are precious to me so I can't leave home without them. Sometimes I remember to take knee pads but I never seem to have them when I want them.

Sunglasses, sun screen, tweezers and band-aids (remember the cactus), and the ever useful TP are must have items for me. Coolers, small tarp, and a bit of laundry soap (for the bloody clothes) are in the car, as are the Marty Robbins and B.B. King CDs.

Agree with most but add for me bow , arrows and broadheads (no rifle or ammo), cell phone for pics and onx for property lines, blind , decoy, bow target and a few goods books if you decide on the water sit instead of stalking with your bow. Hope to be in the sage in a week !

I misread this title as "paRking for pronghorns"

Which brings up a good question that I really had not thought about in a while.

On the sections of public land that are reachable by road: are there designated parking areas or do you just pull off to the side?

I know that some of the walk in area maps that I have have got specific parking marked.

-Jake

In most places you just pull off of the road to park. If there is an existing two-track on public land it is OK to use it for access and then you can pull off of it to park. Much of the BLM or State lands will be fenced off by the renter but there is normally enough space between the road and the fence to park. Most people will want to stay in their trucks and access public lands by using the two-tracks, but it is just fine to pop over/under a fence and use your boots. Those leather gloves come in handy for fences (and some of the gates), and for scooting through the cactus for a shot.

I'm *hoping* to do this from my feet. That's how I enjoy hunting. Even whitetail archery hunting im usually on my feet still hunting anymore. I have a few stands but I just really enjoy being on the ground.

There's a 4,000 acre walk in area (not big by Wyoming antelope standards i know..) and a I've located some other larger public areas accessible by smaller portions as long as I can figure out those borders between my maps and onx hunt. I should have plenty of walking to do.

I'd much rather spend the days glassing and walking than driving around. Although I realize to be successful it may ultimately require some driving.

-Jake

It's way too easy to overpack with goats. Rifle, Ammo, Binoculars (we don't like you checking to see who we are with your riflescope), Water, Boots, fall outdoor clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, heavy-bladed knife, hat, fanny-pack or daypack. If you're walking, you're going to get hot (not just warm). Also handy is a rollup sled drag - it'll help keep your goat from hanging up in the sage or picking up cactus quills. 5 gallon water can in your vehicle to wash the goat out and wash yourself off after. Have some cool drinking water ready at the truck as well - you're going to be powerful thirsty after dragging a goat across the high desert/prairie for two miles.

It still gets warm during the day, so it's vital you get the carcass cooled down as quickly as possible. I've used bags of ice from a cooler (messy), nothing (which requires a fast trip to the processor). I'm mixed on taking the hide off when I'm out in bright sunlight. Most critical - have a plan in the event you connect. Some processors only take so many animals a day, be ready with a backup plan. Know when they open and close. If you have a cool place to hang it yourself, that's good too - I've found that's the best time to take the hide off.

Well put HB, but I imagine it is easy to over think and plan when you are hundreds if not thousand of miles away. Most the folks I know do not put a lot of planning into antelope, something to do if you fill your archery elk tags and you and or the kids are looking to get out of the house. Do not get me wrong, a lot of people enjoy it a whole heck of a lot, but also a lot who take them for granted. Capable rifle, good glass, good size cooler, sharp knife. Of course, lots of folks from back east rely on public ground also, so competition is fierce, LOL.

I've been twice, with an outfitter. Routine was drive, glass, hike/stalk, shoot, gut and get back to truck, shove ice bags into body cavity, get to processor by end of day. worked fine, but made assumptions you weren't far from truck (often we could drive to the goat - private land)

Now that I live in WY, doing it on my own, no success spot&stalk with a bow, but October is coming (rifle revenge!).

My routine is:
-freeze several plastic bottles with water/ice
- 120 quart cooler in truck, 5-6 frozen bottles in cooler (along with a few bottles of water, gets HOT out there!)
- Backpack has: decoy, knife, tags, game bags, gloves, binoculars and range finder easily accessible. Good boots :-)

Should I connect, use "gutless method" to break it down, into bag(s) onto backpack (designed to carry meat). I should be able to do a goat in one load.

Stick bag(s) into cooler with frozen bottles. Drink some water, drive home.