WY Antelope Horn Growth?

[JM77]

Not sure why he is not seen as somewhat of an expert on this as his family has more large antelope heads than anyone on here and also live amongst antelope.

You don't know many on this forum obviously, or even on this thread in particular.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Guys, I have a WY antelope tag this year, South part of Carbon county. Really excited about this hunt.

But I don’t know anything about antelope horn growth and don’t hunt them enough to know what to expect on a given year. I’ve heard a lot of conflicting info. So it being a somewhat tougher winter, cool & wet spring and supposedly extra green out there right now, how do you think the bucks will finish out?

Figured I'd help with better than average info.. A friend of mine lives in "south part of Carbon county" and has for decades. He spends a lot of time outdoors, year round, and hunts antelope obsessively. He's taken more than a dozen official 82+ net B&C entered buck antelope, more than a dozen from Carbon County alone, and I believe more so than any Wyoming resident ever - all unguided. He's also taken B&C antelope bucks in NV and MT, and this year has a great UT permit. He has also hunted with many others who've taken B&C bucks while hunting with him. He told me earlier this year that there was a bad winter and the horn grown near him is not very good as a result. He did say he's seen a couple nice bucks, close to 80" though, but not what he normally sees. On growth- I asked him what he thinks... here is the cut/paste for your viewing and educational pleasure. You're welcome.

From my experience over the years watching lots of bucks and some of them three years in a row I have always thought that buy July 1 they are 95 -100 % of their full growth. If there is any horn growth after July 1 it is 1/2" or less and some years 0. I do think they are still growing on June 1. Around hear they start growing right after they shed in early to mid November. By the end of February their tops are pretty much done and by March the prongs are emerging out of the head and completely out buy the end of March and you can see second circumference. The really fast horn growth hear is April and may when 3/4 of the horn growth occurs.

 

[npaden]

So let me get this straight.... All those 100's of 12" bucks I saw last year and passed on aren't going to be 16" bucks this year?!!

Crap. There goes my plans for late September. I thought my unit was going to be a slam dunk for B&C pronghorn this year.

2012 I shot a 78" buck in the unit during a pretty bad drought year, 2018 I shot a 78 3/4" buck in the same unit, it was pretty dry that summer too. I was really hoping to shoot a 80"+ buck this year with the better conditions.

Maybe I have to pass on more than 100 bucks before I find one over 80". I may need to scout more than a single afternoon before the season opens too.

In a way that is one of the things that is so fun about antelope hunting though, how many folks get to look over 100+ 140"-170" mule deer bucks to find the 180"er? Passing 100+ 280"-340" bull elk to find the 360"er.

It is a whole different concept. You aren't just trying to get one, you are trying to get a nice one. Judging antelope is hard. I need to practice more.

Most of this post is very tongue in cheek, but I really do want to shoot a 80"+ pronghorn this year.

 

[HalfAce]

It’s pretty damn obvious I came to the right place. Some of this stuff takes years of first hand experience to realize and/or a looot of gas $ burned. I think I have a good equation of events to be watching for in the future as I build points for the next chance... B&C county, good range conditions going into fall, normal winter, warmer than average March, April & May should mean max horn growth. Couple that with a green summer that grows some strong fawns from a few years earlier, and watch out.

Depending how the preceding winters go, its going to be interesting to see what kind of goats this years fawns will turn into for fall of 2021 and 2022 after the super green spring/summer WY is having right now.

Very much appreciate all the knowledge, experience and reading material here guys. Its definitely filled some knowledge gaps.

No excuses though, will still look for a good one THIS year.