Flagging antelope

[Washington Hunter]

We'll be hunting September 30 - October 4, my hunting partner and I have four doe tags. I'm curious if flagging would be worth trying. Been antelope hunting several times but have never tried it. Mostly I'm considering it because my hunting partner has never hunted antelope, or anything else, in Wyoming, and he hasn't been practicing long range shooting. He went out once with me this summer and shot around 15 shots at 200 yards, so it's better than nothing but I'm hoping we can get him within 150 yards if possible. That's why I was thinking about flagging and trying to bring them in closer if we can. Does it only work on bucks? Is the first week of October a time when they'd be likely to respond to flagging?

 

[WyoDoug]

You might want to consider blind hunting. As for flagging, it does work. In Colorado, it is illegal but nothing in the Wyoming game regs publication about flagging. Just not allowed to bait or hunt over bait with exceptions for predators and bears.

 

[Washington Hunter]

No, not going to sit in a blind. The unit we're hunting has enough terrain to it that I'm sure we can get close if we work at it and use the terrain to our advantage. My shots have normally been 200 yards or closer, with the exception of one antelope last year that I took at 330 yards. I just thought it would be fun to flag them in but I just wasn't sure if it would work.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Put your flag in the ground and then go downwind of it. The antelope will loop around to check it out, and you’ll be in a better position to shoot.

 

[Focus]

Not my thread but I’m definitely going to try this next week! Always been meaning to try it but never have had to.....the critters were just there and we stalked and shot ‘em.

 

[Focus]

Put your flag in the ground and then go downwind of it. The antelope will loop around to check it out, and you’ll be in a better position to shoot.

Does the color of the flag matter? I assume white but will any ol’ color work? Serious question.......

 

[WyoDoug]

Flagging does definitely work. It needs to be placed where they can see it at a distance and should be above the vegetation slightly. I would use a flag in the blue range. Antelope can see some color but limited to the blue range as they don't have many rods in their eyes like hunters do. They detect movement more than anything and what draws their interest in my opinion is the flag waving in the wind. They see very clearly from a distance the equivalent to us using a 8X to 10x pair if binos.

I use a blind myself but I am on gentle slopping terrain. The flag marks the limits of my shooting range with my bow. I routinely get antelope within 25 yards and because of that I have been rather selective on what I shoot.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[D4570]

Not legal in Mt either...

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Not legal in Mt either...

You sure about that?

 

[D4570]

I'm fairly certain , Look in the regs.

 

[MaxPower]

I've had success flagging with white flags - probably best to avoid white though.

I wasn't aware it was illegal in some states. Why is that?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I'm fairly certain , Look in the regs.

And I'm fairly certain it's not. I thought you might have a reference since you assert it's illegal.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Not illegal in MT.

I am convinced that it works. If making them run away is the goal. At least that’s my extensive experience with a data set of two attempts and 100% success at them curiously running across the horizon without looking back.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Not illegal in MT.

I am convinced that it works. If making them run away is the goal. At least that’s my extensive experience with a data set of two attempts and 100% success at them curiously running across the horizon without looking back.

That's what I was afraid of! Thanks for the feedback.

 

[antelopedundee]

I've had them come in just from them seeing my cap on the skyline. I saw a herd a few hundred yards out from a small knoll. So I thought I'd sneak to to the top of the knoll and when I did they were right there on the other side. Something drew them in.

 

[Elmacho]

Put one on the front bumper of your car while driving down the highway- sure fire method.....

Anyways.....I have used my baseball cap to attract their attention. Set up to shoot(rifle), waive hat from brushy cover...have had several come in this way.....into archery range, just havent tried a bow yet....