Pronghorn Primer

[Foxtrot1]

Guys, I have enjoyed reading alot of the posts on the upcoming pronghorn season. Counting the days down until we leave for our first antelope hunt. Here's a chance for you guys to give a primer on antelope horns. It would be great if anyone could post photos of pronghorns they've harvested or live goats that you know the length and/or the score of. They are pretty tough for a novice to get grip on judging. I can pretty much gauge if they are a dinker or a giant. Everying in the middle pretty much is lumped in as a nice goat. It would great to be able to see a photo along with a length measurement that goes along with that animal. I am sure this would be helpful to alot of the guys new to antelope hunting. Don't be shy about posting photo's of "average goats", they are all pretty interesting.

 

[npaden]

Here's what I would consider an average pronghorn that I shot back in 2007. I'll be hunting them again this year and would like to do a little better.

This buck was only 12 1/2" tall, but had nice mass and nice prongs.

If I remember right, he ended up green scored right at 70".

On field judging the old "double the ears and double the eyes" is the way I've always done it. Basically, the length of the horn should be at least double the ears and the base of the horn should be almost twice as wide as the eye.

Of course I'm a relative rookie to pronghorn hunting compared to several around here so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Here's a nice write up from Boone & Crockett on field judging - http://www.boone-crockett.org/pdf/FJ_Pronghorn.pdf

 

[JohnCushman]

If the prongs are above the ears, then shoot it

 

[bjtc_brian]

If the prongs are above the ears, then shoot it

He would look really funny with his prongs growing out of his jaw...

 

[pointingdogsrule]

this guy was 12 3/4". good enough for me to shoot.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[bjtc_brian]

I too am very interested in this. I have my first rifle antelope tag, so I will be much more picky than the "if it has horns, I'm going to try to kill it" attitude I have when bowhunting...

 

[bmack]

Here are a few.

First one went 12 7/8" - didn't score him.

Second one went 15 4/8" and green scored 83 2/8" that day. Shrunk down down 82 2/8" after the 60 days.

Look for mass and big prongs. If you get both of those above the ears you are looking at a super nice buck.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Mass + good prongs + decent length awesome buck....
Matt

 

[Big Fin]

They all taste the same. Whatever one strikes your fancy is the one you should shoot.

Have you looked at this thread?

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=241965

It is the best antelope thread on the web, no doubt.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

14 1/2" and rough scored at 76" before going to the taxidermist.

 

[Foxtrot1]

Thanks guys, these are very helpful. They definitely show how critical mass and fork length are to the score.

I actually started on the "Antelope.....Let's See Them" thread. It is a great thread. But I am currently suffering from the "they all look cool, shoot them" syndrome. Kinda like going deer hunting the first time when you were a kid. I can honestly say I would be excited to end up with any of the bucks posted on either thread. I hope I can stay calm enough to look over the bucks in our area for a day or two to see what's there. We're hunting later in the season, so I am sure they'll be a little spookier and more scattered. So probably the first cool looking buck that cooperates will be smoked. I am hoping to buy some time with a couple of doe tags though. But either way the countdown has begun. 45 slow painful days until departure.

 

[bjtc_brian]

I too have seen that thread, a few times... but some don't give stats. I was hoping this thread would show more goats on hoof and then their actual measurements. I'm not too much of a trophy hunter, but I would like to be able to tell which is the best of the bunch. I too bought a doe tag to ease my trigger finger... But, a freak will always be on the top of the hit list no matter what animal I am hunting.

 

[bjtc_brian]

Oh yeah, and Greenhorn needs to re-post all of his pictures as they are no longer working...