Bow hunting antelope

[Hunter&Huntress]

Ok guys I am bound and determined to harvest an animal with my bow this year. I think I will be focusing most of my time on antelope. What di you all think is the best tatic to get them with a bow. Do you like using a decoy? Buck or Doe. Spot and stalk? What tatics. Or watering hole?

 

[maxx]

Ok guys I am bound and determined to harvest an animal with my bow this year. I think I will be focusing most of my time on antelope. What di you all think is the best tatic to get them with a bow. Do you like using a decoy? Buck or Doe. Spot and stalk? What tatics. Or watering hole?

In for the answers. I asked the same ones on my pronghorn thread. I will add. Cow decoy? Do antelope react like deer when shot with bow, IE do they jump the string.

 

[Kiwi]

I hunted pronghorn for the first time last year, in fact I had never seen one before the trip. I had many unsuccessful stalks. For the one successful stalk I used a small dry creek bed (about 5 yards deep) to get close to the buck. I prefer spot and stalk and my recommendation is hunt rough land that has mounds, creeks, trees etc that give you something to hide behind (or in!). Good luck, you'll have a great time.

 

[Hunter&Huntress]

Good question maxx. Doesnt anyone have any experience with a cow decoy. You would think antelope wouldn't be very bothered by cattle. Thanks for a reply kiwi im sure i will try every different method.

 

[jimss]

A lot depends upon the state, time of year, terrain, how many water sources are available, hunting pressure, rut, etc. There are a lot factors involved. I would expect a cow decoy may work if there are cows in the area you'll be hunting. If not, they will likely run the opposite direction! I've seen on a TV show where a guide had 2 horses. A bow hunter hid behind one of the horses as they meandered closer and closer to an antelope buck. With a lot of patience he actually got the buck they were after. I'm sure the antelope were already used to seeing cows and horses in that pasture. If there is a long stretch of hot, dry weather and few water sources in the area waterhole hunting may be pretty easy. If it's wet, lots of water, and antelope aren't given time to acclimate to a blind it may be pretty tough. Decoys may work like a charm if you are lucky and hit the right buck during the rut. If they aren't rutting or you are hunting super open country you may strike out. Like I said, there are lots of factors for success or failure!

 

[HondoArcher]

Water holes with a blind can be very good if the weather is hot and dry. It can be a bear to stay in one all day when it is hot but with a nice cooler full of cold drinks you can make it through. Here is the antelope I got on public land last year here in Colorado. He showed up the second day and with the cover of the wind I drilled him at 50 yards. [video=youtube;cVq6ZofEKM4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVq6ZofEKM4[/video]

 

[glass eye]

I used an antelope decoy during archery season and was able to walk up to a buck to about 35 yds using the decoy as a shield. During rifle season I used a cow decoy as a shield and got to about 100 yds and had to shoot from there because the antelope became spooky as they watched other hunters moving in about a 1/2 mile away. They didn't give my cow a second look.
Another time I got caught in the open and I kneeled down to make myself small. The buck saw me, turned, and walked right to me to check me out.

 

[sra61]

Ok guys I am bound and determined to harvest an animal with my bow this year. I think I will be focusing most of my time on antelope. What di you all think is the best tatic to get them with a bow. Do you like using a decoy? Buck or Doe. Spot and stalk? What tatics. Or watering hole?

Years ago when I lived in Billings, MT I did the same thing. There were antelope near town, and most ranchers were ok with bowhunting them. I went out after work, and on weekends. We just spot and stalked, but with a decoy and a call. We would sneak until we got as close as we could and then raised up the decoy. I was totally amazed how well it worked. The call worked good too. It really got those bucks' attention. I hunted pretty much every day from the beginning of Sept. and killed a 13.5" buck on the 15th. We had lots of encounters along the way. One time my brother and I had crawled up within a couple hundred yards of a nice buck, and stood the decoy up and he ran right in and was watching us from behind, he came in so quick. That was so hilarious. I think we had close encounters every day. We moved to NW Mt shortly thereafter and don't get to bowhunt any more, but it was fun, and competition was almost nonexistent.