Archery Antelope Setup Questions

matt4695 · Aug 21, 2011

This is my first year hunting Antelope with a bow. I've got some questions about setting up on water holes. I hunted three days this las week. We were on a pretty good spring. Had lots of goats try and come in, but we do not have a blind. I'm buying one. Of course the problem was trying to draw, the goats would cirle down wind before they came in. It seemed like they would wind us every time and stay out about 50 yards.

Here's my questions,
If I set up a blind on a water hole will the goats come in the first day or do they have to get used it?

Do the usually always cirle down wind?

We were hunting in a heavly pressured area, with blinds on alot of the water holes, from what I heard nobody had any luck the first week,,, could this be from the antelope being savy to the blinds on the waterholes?

Last question, we were hunting spring that ran about 200 yards, the goats wanted to come into a section of it, and thats where we were laying, if I set up a blind will the antelope head to the other end of the spring, or will the blind not bother them?

Thanks for any help. After the first three days im hooked, and am going to die trying to harvest an antelpe with my bow.

HiMtnHntr · Aug 21, 2011

You would definitely be doing yourself a favor if you got a blind! With the amount of water in many areas this year, the antelope have a lot of options. I hunt an area with at least 4-5 stock ponds per sq mile. I set my blind up Thursday on one I had seen antelope using and sat it for the first time yesterday morning. Shot a buck at 10:30 am. I wasn't around to see if they came in the first day, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did!

ADDICT · Aug 21, 2011

Dont give antelope too much credit about circling downwind and/or noticing the blind.

The blind is great to provide shade

, conceal movement, reduce noise and scent and most importantly allows you to relax and not have to be constantly on guard.

The water source youre on sounds rough. Too long and accessible from different unshootable points. This year is tougher. Last year the buck I killed was drinking out of a tiny pond that I could shoot any direction off of. It was the only water within a few miles so I had 50 a day hitting it. It was really just a shopping trip! When I saw the one I wanted...thwap!

I honestly think that antelope would hit water with an unfamiliar blind in a second if they were thirsty enough. Make an effort to conceal it but its usually more about the conditions.

"You skin grizz?"

matt4695 · Aug 21, 2011

Thanks for the tips. After three days of laying in the brush I was parched. I was going to hunt one more day but figured it would be better to come back next week with a blind.

moseleymiddleton · Aug 21, 2011

I dont know about worrying about scent, or even a blind in the open around the hole. I've only been blind hunting antelope about 4 years. But the areas ive hunted had pretty heavey hunting pressure, but there was no cover to brush it in or anything. every year as my truck is sitting on the water while i set up the blind I've had numerouse antelope come in and get a drink.

The water hole i hunted every year till this last year and this year had 200 head a day going to it. it was large enough my buddy and I would set up two blinds on the one hole a hundred forty yrds apart with sixty yrd shooting lanes all the way around, between the two of us we killed 5 bucks all pope and young.

Same thing this year while setting up my blind i had five goats come in. but i spooked the group out opening day on my way in and only 3 does came in that day.

Ive only had one spook due to scent and that day i had bad gas so it didnt help

moseley middleton

elkantlers · Aug 22, 2011

If you don't have a blind, Make one. You said you laid in the brush. A couple of posts and some bailing twine and some brush and you have a make shift blind that will conceal your movement.

I use a pop-up blind and never set it up before the hunt. I have had pretty good luck with it. Some antelope will come right in and others are a little skittish. I think Noise is the biggest deal breaker. the quieter you can be the better.