Some Utah Pronghorn scouting.

JakeH · Apr 9, 2020

In anticipation of drawing for an archery Antelope tag this year i went out and did a bit of scouting. No giants found but im also not sure how much growth to expect them to put on from now till August.

Tristate · Apr 9, 2020

Awesome JakeH. I hunt year round too. Keep hunting and keep working. Don't let other people slow you down. Hope you get that tag you are after.

BuzzH · Apr 9, 2020

They will be done growing wayyyy before August.

By memorial day...its pretty much, what you see is what you get.

BluffGruff · Apr 9, 2020

This is prime time for below the prong growth, tops and prongs finished. Not much after June 1st, as a general rule.

JakeH · Apr 9, 2020

BuzzH said:
They will be done growing wayyyy before August.

By memorial day...its pretty much, what you see is what you get.

All the research I have done says they continue growing through July and start to harden up in August.

I'm pretty Novice when it comes to antelope so I really couldn't say from personal experience. A guy I know that knows them really well says they will put on another 2-4 inches below the prongs from now till august.

Founder · Apr 9, 2020

JakeH said:
In anticipation of drawing for an archery Antelope tag this year i went out and did a bit of scouting. No giants found but im also not sure how much growth to expect them to put on from now till August.

View attachment 4835 View attachment 4836 View attachment 4837
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Great photos!

BuzzH · Apr 10, 2020

JakeH said:
All the research I have done says they continue growing through July and start to harden up in August.

I'm pretty Novice when it comes to antelope so I really couldn't say from personal experience. A guy I know that knows them really well says they will put on another 2-4 inches below the prongs from now till august.

They'll put 95+% of the horn growth on between now and June 1. Unless you're really paying attention, and watching the same buck very closely, I don't think you'll notice any growth in the month of June.

They wont grow anything noticeable, or at all, in July or August.

Believe what you want...

340Wby · Apr 10, 2020

Good luck in the draw!

SlowElk · Apr 10, 2020

Love that last photo! I'd make that my avatar if I took a photo that good.

ThunderImpulse4 · Apr 19, 2020

what unit you scouting on?

Zeke · Apr 20, 2020

Cool pics JakeH.
Good luck in the draw!

Zeke

mickeyelk · Apr 20, 2020

Hope to draw a southern tag this year also. Can only hope!

EliAGrimmett · Apr 20, 2020

Here's fairly typical growth on a pronghorn from April until the season opener in September. I gave my guesstimate on how high the prong was in each of the photos. I would have guessed this buck to grow about 1-7/8" from his April 7th pics. And his growth was about a half inch per month in the first two months and then started slowing to about a 1/4" each month thereafter until we killed him. We took this buck last season and he was 16" long on the right horn.

I'd say from April forward the average growth on a buck's length is around 2 to 2-1/2" for Arizona and New Mexico. And they typically grow at the rates given above until they are killed.

The caveat is that their mass will generally peak a month or two before they are killed. So, for score, any length gained may be lost in mass and it will probably be a wash for score.

Most bucks in Arizona and New Mexico are maxed out for score in June or July.

jims · Apr 20, 2020

I would be curious if growth from April on can change from 1 year to the next depending upon moisture? As an example, would you expect less growth in April through June in a super dry vs a super wet year? What about a super tough winter or other factors?

EliAGrimmett · Apr 20, 2020

Absolutely it can change. Weather can be a factor for sure. But it can also change quite a bit just from buck to buck in the same year.

JakeH · Apr 24, 2020

EliAGrimmett said:
Absolutely it can change. Weather can be a factor for sure. But it can also change quite a bit just from buck to buck in the same year.

Thanks Eli, you info is invaluable to us guys that just haven't spent the time figuring theses guys out. It is much appreciated and you are truly a master of the species.

DoubleDropMuley · Apr 26, 2020

Good luck on the draw Jake, and yup I’d say Grimmets know there antelope as good as anyone and cool they give advice!!!

Rodzilla_v · Apr 26, 2020

Awesome pics/post.

Jerry · Apr 26, 2020

EliAGrimmett said:
Absolutely it can change. Weather can be a factor for sure. But it can also change quite a bit just from buck to buck in the same year.

Eli-- Just a note to say Hello ! I hunted with you & your Dad years ago-- 2002 in Utah as I recall. I lived in Flagstaff at that time. I now live in Fort Collins, Colorado, after living in Cheyenne for 9 years. Hope you all are doing well & fine hunting the Monsters. You are the best judges & hunters of big bucks I've ever seen ! Jerry Gold ?

Castnshoot · May 7, 2020

jims said:
I would be curious if growth from April on can change from 1 year to the next depending upon moisture? As an example, would you expect less growth in April through June in a super dry vs a super wet year? What about a super tough winter or other factors?

Antelope are strange animals in so many ways. Their horns are bigger in drought years.

buckhorn · May 7, 2020

Castnshoot said:
Antelope are strange animals in so many ways. Their horns are bigger in drought years.

I totally agree.
An Antelope could eat toilet paper and get nutrition from it!

jims · May 8, 2020

2 of my biggest bucks were harvested in a couple historic dry years in Wyo. From what I understand a buck fawn born in a dry year, years when does are stressed from harsh winters or other factors will likely be born with smaller than normal pedacles. The buck will be plagued with small bases the remainder of his life. A buck born in years when does are healthier will have larger pedacles the remainder of his life. I'm pretty sure this has just as much input on overall horn growth for a particular buck than year to year changes in moisture, etc.

This is totally different for antlered game such as deer and elk where mass is a smaller proportion of overall score. Tine length is critical for those species. A general rule is that it also takes antlered game a lot more years to reach B&C proportions.

It generally takes 3+ years to produce a B&C antelope buck. I've been keeping track of drought and tough winter years in Wyo since the super drought years in the vicinity of 2012. The trends I mentioned above tend to be true. There were very few B&C bucks harvested 3+ years after this drought period. Now that Wyo has gotten out of the drought cycle with relatively mild winters B&C bucks tend to be popping back up in Wyo. Unfortunately this winter was somewhat harsh in localized areas so that may be a factor.

I really believe a lot of it comes down to healthy does that produce healthy fawns. Pray for good moisture and mild winters to produce great fawn bucks and horn growth...anyway in Wyo! Obviously healthy habitat leads to healthy does, fawns, and monster bucks!