idahoelkinstructor

I did not know if I should post this in bowhunting or big game, but here goes. I live in Idaho and I mostly bowhunt. I have killed antelope with a rifle, but not yet with a bow. I set up my backcountry elk camp in the middle of August. Elk season and mule deer season (archery) starts August 30. Gereral season archery antelope starts August 15. I travel through some excellent antelope country on my way to and from setting up camp. I also make trips to set up tree stands over wallows and scout. I always see antelope off in the distance, and the end resualt is always the same. So here is my question. How the crap do you sneek within bow range on antelope with cover only ankle high. It always seems, that I am able to sneak on my belly under 40 yards (my limit). Only to raise up on my knees to start to draw my bow when I spook the antelope and they will run out to 60-100 yards and stop and look back. I am in full camo and I use the wind. I know that I could set up a ground blind and get some close shots at a waterhole. But with all the time and dedication that I put into elk hunting. I don't have time for a planned archery antelop hunt in a blind. If the hunt was sooner or later and didn't interfear with my elk hunting. I might take a week, set up a blind and antelope hunt. But then again I just might want to be sucessful in stalking them with a bow. Thanks and want to hear some advice!

Jorgy

idahoelkinstructor, I run into the same type of problem that you do as far as not enough time to take off a week just to hunt antelope. Here in Colorado I can never seem to draw a rifle tag, but you can always pick up a over the counter archery tag.

A few things have been pretty succesfull for me over the years to get speed goats into range. I can stalk up to about 100 yards away (more or less depending on situation) and then wave a white towel (I always pretend I'm french) I would guess that over the years about 25% of the time this works to bring to bow range, 40 yards is about where they like to hang up if they are going to. You still have to get somewhere where you have a decent chance of drawing your bow without spooking them though, that is the hard part. If you have a partner it works even better since they will be watching him instead of you.

I've also decoyed antelope, I have a really cheap one dimensional cardboard type cutout which has also worked pretty well. I've used it a few times to sneek up closer by just putting it infront of me and crouching forward. It would be nice to have one of those 3 dimensional ones, but I'm cheap. It's also fallen over a few times when they have gotten close from the wind and unless your behind it that didnt' seem to spook em too bad. If they circle to get the wind in there favor you have to be behind it and keep moving it to keep it broadside.

noway

I have seen video of guys with decoys and calls bring them withing 40 yards for the shot. There is an antelope call out which sound like loud wheez that seems to really work. I think this was one of the Eastmans videos.

If you have two guys you can drive up as close as possible and drop the hunter out the opposite side without stopping for more than a second and then keep driving. The hunter can then set up the decoy and start to approach using the decoy as cover.

Saw video of guys with a cow decoy walk right up to within 50 yards of antelope.

Saw another guy walk out of the morning sun with a camo cover over him blocking his human outline. He walked straight at the antelope and got to within 75 yards. I think this was a Roger Raglin video and he shot it with a muzzleloader.

Setting up a water hole blind doesn't have to take that long. There are several versions you can buy and carry with you.
Antelope water every day sometimes twice.
Normally they will come to water before 10:00 in the morning.
Good luck, sounds like fun.

121553

That sounds like my hunting trip last year when I combined an elk hunt with an antelope hunt in a two week period in central Montana. Big mistake, I too didn't want to spend precious time hunting antelope when I could be elk hunting. Hunt one or the other, but don't hunt them during the same hunt. Montana antelope bow season opens Aug. 15 as general bow season opens Sept 1 so I will have two weeks to hunt antelope with a bow and then if I am not lucky enough to get one, then I'll come back and get him with a gun as there are a lot of OTC tags availiable.
If you want an antelope with a bow, sit in a blind at the water hole with a fishing line tied to a hankerchef, there curiosity will kill them.
Reminds me last year when I was field dressing my elk, a doe and fawn antelope came to within 20 yrds of me to see what I was doing, and they would not leave for the longest time. If its an elk hunt or an antelope hunt, I would have to choose elk. Bobby

James B

Decoys is the only way that I have had any luck hunting Antelope. Start well back from the animals and move very slowly. You really have bagged a trophy when you take an antelope with a bow.

idahoelkinstructor

I want to thank you for your advice. I am looking forward to august. I will start scouting for elk (big bulls) in 2 weeks. And when I am traveling to my elk hunting grounds, (a four hour drive). I will keep my eye out for antelope as well. I talked today, with a friend from Idaho Falls (I am from IF too). He told me, that in his experience, based on the last few years of hunting antelope. The weather has been so hot, that the antelope were higher up than normal. Next to the mountians in the trees. He said he found a water hole in the aspens trees and set up a tree stand. The last two years he has shot nice 13" bucks, with his bow from tree stands. Has anyone else experienced this? Again thanks for the replies, and good hunting to all.

charlie brown

Last summer, I went out for a day up north near the Idaho border. I found antelope all over the place. One doe that I got a pic of was in the foothills in sagebrush no taller than my ankles. I also came across a few does that were hanging out in the aspens. Later in the day, I found one buck high in the Juniper trees. Its amazing how many different habitat types antelope will use. I would bet that putting a tree stand in some lower elevation quakies near a water hole would be very productive.

This is the buck that we came across in the juniper trees. Kinda hard to see but he is near the top of the ridge to the left. He was about 75 yds away when I took the picture.


This doe was right next to the road when I saw her. I stopped the truck got out, and was able to walk within 10 yds of her. She finally realized what I was and then split until she got to about 100 yds away and then she stopped.


Sorry that the pics aren't that great, but I only had a one time use camera, and I don't have enough money to invest in a real good one, so my picture taking opportunites are very limited.