Antelope Hike in the Dark

[desperatehills]

I have a area I like to hunt. It is a pond that is nearly 2 miles from the road. There is some cover near the pond but it is very open for most of the hillside. Would you hike in the dark? How bad will they spook from a headlight? I have always done it in the daylight where I can try and avoid spooking animals but it doesn't always work. The few times I have made it undetected it has been great. What do you normally do?

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I would hike in the dark if there is no way to conceal your approach in daylight. Do it early enough that critters can settle down by daylight as much as possible.

 

[treedagain]

A hike in the dark is the option for your situation....i did the same on my Nevada hunt and smoked a 84inch goat in a area known to only produce high 70's at best....

How to start an argument online:
1. Express an opinion
2. Wait

 

[Cornhusker]

I hiked in the dark on one of my bigger lopes when it got light they were all around me it worked out real well. I could be wrong but from my experience I don't believe antelope move much at night. I've put them to bed on huge flats with no chance of getting close walked out at dark and managed to be close when the sun came up. Good Luck to you.

 

[nripepi]

Use a red light versus white if needed, maybe plan it around a good moon?

 

[littlebighorn]

My experience has also been that antelope bed down at night pretty much and so if you are careful you should not disturb them too much.
Even if you do bump them, they are usually quick to circle back to their home territory.

 

[YukonDall]

WEAR LEGGINS.........DONT STEP ON MR. BUZZTAIL, SPRAY DOWN, & BE STEALTHY........................YD.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Littlebighorn is right, even if you do bump them, they'll generally come back.

 

[Caz]

I wouldn't worry one bit about going into the area in the dark. If you blow them out, so be it. They'll be back.

If there is a road going in, and you have a partner, have him drive you in. They can't count. I've seen nice bucks come into a water hole with me parked next to it pulling down blinds.

 

[brookhunter19]

I always hike in during the dark on all day antelope sits. i am from wisconsin and grew up whitetail hunting with the mentality to be on stand 45 min to one hour before daylight on morning or all day sits. I have used this same mentality on antelope hunts with 100% success. As far as buzztails, i walk in with a walking stick and swipe the grounnd in a side to side motion in front of me, in hopes of alerting me any buzztails before i get too close. I have not run into any buzztails that I am aware of, but carrying the walking stick gives me the confidence to walk in during the dark hours. I also use the red light option on my headlamp. Good luck and please share pics if you are successfull.

 

[mtnrunner260]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-10-12 AT 08:38PM (MST)[p]Walking into a ground blind in the dark I've shined a super bright surefire flashlight on a herd of does and just had them stare back at me from 20 yards. - Could have been because they were blind?
Hike in the dark is my vote.