Archery Pronghorn 41-42

HAP · Aug 20, 2023

Been scouting me arse off the last few months, even did some waterhole maintenance but the dang things ain’t where they were last year. Almost got one too.

Do they up an vanish like a fart in the wind?? Haha. I mean come on, like Randy says they ain’t reading the script.

ldjbuff · Aug 21, 2023

Too much water this year. They are so spread out its crazy. I think the later hunt that starts 9/1 will be better but not much. Every water hole in our area is full of water, normally only a few are.

HAP · Aug 21, 2023

ldjbuff said:
Too much water this year. They are so spread out its crazy. I think the later hunt that starts 9/1 will be better but not much. Every water hole in our area is full of water, normally only a few are.

Yeah, that’d make sense.

Bwht4x4 · Aug 23, 2023

I had this archery tag back in 2018 and shot this buck. It was kind of a crazy hunt. First off, I scouted for a couple of days and did not see many pronghorn. IMO way too many tags for way too long. On the 2nd day of the hunt I was super frustrated by the lack of animals and the number of people so I just plopped my blind down on a small mud hole next to a road. After I sat up my blind and stashed my quad and then came back and sat down on my stool and my watch said 6:30 am. I began to get my bow and other gear ready for the long wait when a group came in. I was fumbling to get my release on and an arrow knocked. Made a clean shot at 27 yards and was done by 6:47 am. One of the quickest hunts I've ever had!

HAP · Aug 23, 2023

Bwht4x4 said:
I had this archery tag back in 2013 and shot this buck. It was kind of a crazy hunt. First off, I scouted for a couple of days and did not see many pronghorn. IMO way too many tags for way too long. On the 2nd day of the hunt I was super frustrated by the lack of animals and the number of people so I just plopped my blind down on a small mud hole next to a road. After I sat up my blind and stashed my quad I and then came back and sat down on my stool and my watch said 6:30 am. I began to get my bow and other gear ready for the long wait when a group came in. I was fumbling to get my release on and an arrow knocked. Made a clean shot at 27 yards and was done by 6:47 am. One of the quickest hunts I've ever had!

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Thanks for sharing! Like hearing those kinds of stories.

ldjbuff · Aug 24, 2023

I think antelope hunting is as tight lipped as she hunting lol.

I have sat on water holes with hundred of tracks on it and waited 4 days in the blind before 1 antelope came in. I have spent 4 hours in a blind and shot a 71" buck on a hole with very little tracks and no antelope in the area while scouting.

The key I feel is scouting and hunting in an area with less people.

NagaViper · Aug 24, 2023

I've been hunting antelope for the last 13 years or so. When I first started, there were antelope everywhere. It wasn't uncommon to see action throughout the whole day. Now, it is very hit and miss and I have also sat days without anything coming in. I have noticed a huge increase in wild horses. I can't help but think that has something to do with the low numbers.

HAP · Aug 24, 2023

NagaViper said:
I've been hunting antelope for the last 13 years or so. When I first started, there were antelope everywhere. It wasn't uncommon to see action throughout the whole day. Now, it is very hit and miss and I have also sat days without anything coming in. I have noticed a huge increase in wild horses. I can't help but think that has something to do with the low numbers.

Yeah the wild horses for sure don’t help.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Aug 25, 2023

It doesnt help that Fish & NO GAME over harvests Every Frickin unit in the state year after year !! Lopes dont do well with heavy or deep snow & yotes hammer the h3ll out of fawns . It also doesnt help that unit 40 has a low #s of lope bucks !! yet in the last 3 years between rifle & both archery hunts almost 500 bucks have been taken out of the breeding population !! Makes perfect sense why the lopes we used to see are NO longer there ANOTHER GREAT JOB BY F&G

NagaViper · Aug 27, 2023

As much as I love hunting them every year, I would support limiting tag numbers to help them recover.

ldjbuff · Sep 5, 2023

Was out for a few days in the 41 area. Saw only 4 antelope in an area that should hold hundreds. Saw a doe and 2 fawns, but no other fawns. The winter could have been tough on them. I was successful on my hunt but still shocked at the low numbers.

Jgill19 · Sep 5, 2023

It's a tick further east so I could be wrong, but the units to their west in Oregon have wintered very well over the last 3-4 years. I would think 41/42 would be similar. Drought has knocked our numbers down. Last two year have been a little better moisture wise. I haven't been down to that area this year however.