My wife and I are headed to northeast Wyoming for rifle antelope the second week of October. I have experience hunting elk in Colorado and Oklahoma whitetails. I have studied ONX and was fortunate enough to gain permission on a piece of private land although it will be hunted by the landowner opening week. We are not trophy hunting but would like to get a respectable animal 65 to 75 inch range. It seems to easy after watching videos, reading success stories, gohunt success rates. I am sure I am over thinking it but what are some good strategies? My plan was to hit the roads and hopefully spot them. I am not really into road hunting but it seems difficult to cover enough ground walking when most blm and forest service land is 1200 acres. When targeting the larger pieces of WIHA do you just get high and glass? If you don't spot anything from the road how much time do you spend on a section of land? I am sure they will be sensitive to vehicle pressure during the second week so how well do you need to hide a vehicle? I expect to shoot 200 yards but wont take a shot over 300 probably. Whats your average shot distance?
First time Antelope
- Thread starter tteel
- Start date
pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
1300 acres ain't a lot out west. That's 2 sections. 1 mile by 2 miles. Should be fairly easy to look over the property and the move on. Cover ground and find them
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Welcome to HT
I imagine the landowner will be your best source of information as to the whereabouts of the antelope.
May I suggest you make good use of your optics......binocular and especially range finder. Antelope on the landscape sure can mess with your ability to estimate distances.
May I suggest you make good use of your optics......binocular and especially range finder. Antelope on the landscape sure can mess with your ability to estimate distances.
Focus
Active member
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- Nov 17, 2017
- Messages
- 290
Antelope aren’t the most concealable critter. If there isn’t snow on the ground they’re pretty easy to see. Find the high spots in your hunt area and glass. Also, is your tag a type 2 private ground tag? If its a type 1 then you aren’t relegated to private ground and can hunt any where....this is where OnX is your best friend.
I’ve only shot three.....225 to 275 yards is where I’ve taken them at. I’m not very sneaky or patient though.
My son made what I thought was a pretty astute remark the other day after dove hunting. He said doves reminded him of antelope. You see a lot of them but getting a shot at one is sometimes hard to come by if they aren’t where you think they should be. They make great use of their eyesight and the openness of their own living rooms.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
I’ve only shot three.....225 to 275 yards is where I’ve taken them at. I’m not very sneaky or patient though.
My son made what I thought was a pretty astute remark the other day after dove hunting. He said doves reminded him of antelope. You see a lot of them but getting a shot at one is sometimes hard to come by if they aren’t where you think they should be. They make great use of their eyesight and the openness of their own living rooms.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
SticksMcKinley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2019
- Messages
- 252
I've only shot two, but my average is 300 yards. From what I've experienced, the terrain and the antelope will likely dictate how far you have to shoot. If it's a pancake-flat center pivot with spooky antelope, it may serve you well to prep for a longer shot. If there's some elevation you can use to your advantage, you may be able to close the gap further.
AggieCowboy
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- Jul 16, 2018
- Messages
- 50
While 1300 acres isn’t huge, I’ve definitely shot antelope and deer on smaller pieces. A lot smaller on some. My advice would be to try and cover more ground with glass than with your truck. I enjoy getting high and glassing, but that’s just me.
buffybr
Well-known member
I've hunted antelope most years of the past 50. All DIY hunts on public land, Block Management private land, or just knocking on doors for permission for private land.
My longest shot was just under 350 yards, but most were killed in the 100-200 yard range. Antelope can, but don't like to jump fences. One time my young son, my golden retriever and I were sitting in some scattered sage brush and had a small herd walk almost 1/2 mile along a 4 strand barb wire fence and past us at less than 20 yards. We could hear then chewing as they ate their way by us.
Good advice above in questioning the landowner and for glossing from a high point.
I do most of my antelope hunting by just walking from camp or from my vehicle until I spot some, then stalk from there.
My longest shot was just under 350 yards, but most were killed in the 100-200 yard range. Antelope can, but don't like to jump fences. One time my young son, my golden retriever and I were sitting in some scattered sage brush and had a small herd walk almost 1/2 mile along a 4 strand barb wire fence and past us at less than 20 yards. We could hear then chewing as they ate their way by us.
Good advice above in questioning the landowner and for glossing from a high point.
I do most of my antelope hunting by just walking from camp or from my vehicle until I spot some, then stalk from there.
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
I don't know anything about hunting antelope, but I would love to read the write up of your adventure. Good luck on your hunt.
Carl 9.3x62
Well-known member
I've lost track of the number of antelope I've killed, probably around 20. Furthest kill was 300 yards. Most were less than 200 yards. Glass lots. Cover as much country as you can. I would assume your vehicle will spook them, especially if they see you stop. But then again they may just stand there. Have fun!
3855WIN
Well-known member
Does the property have any roll to it or broken country? Sometimes you need to wait until the antelope get into a stalkable spot.
mevertsen
Well-known member
Antelope can hide in little holes, but will have at least one sentry for every direction.
Just because the topo shows it to be flat, doesn't mean it's flat. You aren't going to see the little 4 to 6 foot difference in elevation in a bit of a drainage that will be plenty to put a stalk on antelope.
Last weekend my daughter and I got to inside of 60 yards of a bedded herd. The buck saw us first, and before she could get set up for a shot, the whole herd was up and running. They didn't stop until 350 yards.
Later that day she shot a doe at about 330, and while we were skinning that antelope, a buck walked within 50 yards of the Jeep with no care in the world.
Just because the topo shows it to be flat, doesn't mean it's flat. You aren't going to see the little 4 to 6 foot difference in elevation in a bit of a drainage that will be plenty to put a stalk on antelope.
Last weekend my daughter and I got to inside of 60 yards of a bedded herd. The buck saw us first, and before she could get set up for a shot, the whole herd was up and running. They didn't stop until 350 yards.
Later that day she shot a doe at about 330, and while we were skinning that antelope, a buck walked within 50 yards of the Jeep with no care in the world.
antelopedundee
Well-known member
Anyone ever had luck waving them in with a white hankie?
Watched on multiple occasions a buck come closer to investigate a waving t-shirt or white-ish ball cap on the end of a stick. Reduced the shooting distances from 300ish down to as close as 75 yards before the shot was taken. The hunter and flagger were well hidden so that the only thing visible to the buck was the flag dancing on the horizon.
