Good caliber for hunting Pronghorn in WY or CO

[Kent kacir]

Thanks all that responded. This helped get me prepared.

a follow on question would be: I have heard that getting a draw in CO is easier than say WY for a non-resident. Can I apply to both and see what luck I have? Would anyone be willing to say what UNIT to ask for?

 

[Kent kacir]

Well, I don't hunt antelope in CO or WY, but I live in Montana and hunt antelope almost every year (didn't get drawn this year for the first time in 28 years), but I am pretty sure the antelope are just as easy to kill. So, there are lots of calibers that will work just fine. The 22s, even the 22-250 are a little light - mostly because of wind - but just about anything else will do. Here are the most important points (more important than caliber) to keep in mind:
1. Forget about what you read in the hunting magazine - long shots are not required - always try to get as close as possible. Stalking antelope is more fun than shooting them. I have killed from as close 40 yards and never farther than 350.
2. But be prepared (practice) to shoot a lot farther. Know your limit and stick to it no matter what. I always try to practice a lot farther than I would shoot because it is a confidence-builder. (If I am good at 450 yds., a 350 yds. shot is very doable.)
3. Know where you need to hold at different distances AND get/use a range finder. I have seen hunters empty a whole magazine at animals that were standing perfectly still and miss every single shot because they had no idea of the distance. And the critters never even reacted to the shots - that's how bad those misses were! As for antelope, in particular, if not used to hunting them, most folks think they are farther away than the really are because of their small size.
My best goat ... so far!
Good luck with your plans!View attachment 325160

Thank you Onehorse. Great recommendations. I shoot regularly with a 6.5CM out to 800 yards. I am okay on a cold-bore shot out to 700, and sometimes have to read the wind better on windy days at the 800 mark. But for game, I would feel more comfortable at 350 yds or less, this is me just staying conservative with God's creatures (a miss on my part would suck). Based on this thread, the 6.5 CM, .270 or .308 might be my best bets (all good at those distances).
And finally, that is an impressive mount you show!

 

[Kent kacir]

All excellent info on here! I have no idea how many (bucks and does) I have taken, but it wasn't that many years ago when WY doe tags could be bought over the counter at $15 each and up to 3 per hunter until they ran out of tags. Excellent meat hunts and preparation for deer and elk seasons. I've shot them from 40 to 435 yards using 243, 30-06 and 300 WM.
I use to take guys from work who had never hunted or never hunted antelope to WY for a weekend. Once, 7 guys and 7 doe antelope. I got the task of cleaning all. Great fun and excellent first big game hunt for newbies because you are guaranteed to see lots of game.
This season I took my 15 yo granddaughter on her first antelope hunt. She shot standing off sticks with her 7mm-08 peering over a knoll at a nice buck a bit over 150 yards. Bang…flop! A grandpa couldn't have been more proud!

You're going to have a grand time chasing antelope for the first time! Enjoy every minute!

Great story. I know you are a proud papa on that kill from your Granddaughter.

 

[Litehiker]

Having failed so many times to get Nevada antelope tags I am going to get a semi-guided hunt in 2022.

My rifle is a 6.5 PRC Browning X- Bolt Pro light weight (6 lbs. 3oz. naked) that is very accurate with Hornady ELD-X ammo. To me that is a very good general purpose cartridge for western hunting. Accurate, flat shooting with very tolerable recoil even from that light rifle, which is 7 lbs. 8 oz with scope, rings and sling. For antelope I feel it would be more than adequate out 900 yards.
*I shoot a 6.5 CM RPR to 1,100 yards in competition so I do have fair amount of experience with those distances and I've practiced on that long distance steel range with the Browning. I've got a Vortex hold-over disc in my objective scope cap for quick reference after ranging with my LRF binoculars.

 

[Eddiejoe12]

Depending on what's in your safe I like the 6.5 Creed, whatever you choose shot placement is key and a slow methodical stock.

 

[FEENIX]

6 mm, 6.5 CM, .270, 30-06, 300 WM. - of those, most are stock Win Mod 70. The 6.5 CM is custom. I have the highest confidence in the 6.5 CM because that is gun I shoot competition out to 800 yds.

The .300 WM remains my go-to chambering for antelope to elk size game up to 1KY.

 

[MachV]

They aint tuff or big and they dont hide all that well so about all ya gotta do is get past thier eye enough to hittem.
The 6.5 Grendel has taken 5 out of the last dozen antelope. If the wind is howling I'll grab the 6.5 Sweede or the light suppressed 30-06. The 7 mag took a lot of antelope before that.
Never used a guide or hunted antelope in Colorado but a few calls to guides aught to help with decideing what state qnd unit. Even as a resident WY areas are tuff to figure out year to year. Drought, hard winters, disease and G&F quotas make it challanging to get the best areas. The areas I rule out might work out for a guided nonresident?

 

[436]

.257 Wby Mag on Turbo Goats... yeah!

 

[doubledoc]

For most 'open country' hunting, I most ENJOY shooting my either of 25-06s, one a beautifully stocked Sako Lightweight Hunter circa 1985, and the other a delightful to carry Kimber Delux Grade Classic, weighing 6 lbs including VXIII 2.5-8.... Either shoots Sub MOA with 110gr ELDX or NAB, and while I'm well aware of the better BCs with my 6.5s, or the velocity advantage with my .257WM, I just plain like shoot and hunting with my 25-06s. At this point in life, that's the point for me. While any "flat shooting" rifle from a 22 caliber like the 22-250 through an "oldie but goodie like the .257 Roberts, to the latest and greatest 6.5 Weatherby or 26 Nosler will work fine, and it's pros and cons can be debated endlessly, in my experience, it's the wind or the sun, or difficulty in finding a suitable rest, or the shooter's own ability that determine the ultimate "range" issues, so why not just use a/the rifle that one just plain wants to hunt with this time, for enjoyments sake. There's little more enjoyable than discussions of the finer merits of one caliber vs another, except picking up that "favorite" rifle the morning of a hunt and feeling the pleasure of even taking it into the woods!!!

 

[RogerE]

They have the most amazing eyes of probably any game animal on the continent. They also favor flatlands with little cover other than grass and sage so under most conditions you can at least see your desired point of impact and not have to guess based on relative body positions.

I killed my first PH in 73 with a 243 at about 100yards.

My preference today is a flat shooting 6.5-.300.

Average shots are taken at pretty close range but with the low cover and incredible eyes of the PH the older and wiser Bucks tend to keep their distance and can spook easily.

They are also extremely curious and often if we got busted we'd wave a tall orange bicycle flag to draw them in.

Bucks that already have does with them are going to be paying very little attention to anything but keeping their does herded up and fighting off any encroaching bucks.

It can be really, really exciting.

The portable folding doe decoys seem to be very effective especially early and late.

I would advise anyone to be leery of using decoys in rifle season...for safety sake...especially where other hunters may be shooting long range antelope.

 

[Starlite]

If I was on this hunt I'd bring either my Savage Axis II overwatch in 270win with 110gr Barnes TTSX or my Bergara 6mm creed with the 103gr ELD-X.

 

[ridgewalker]

Thanks all that responded. This helped get me prepared.

a follow on question would be: I have heard that getting a draw in CO is easier than say WY for a non-resident. Can I apply to both and see what luck I have? Would anyone be willing to say what UNIT to ask for?

I've lived in CO for 45 years and it is no longer easy to draw any animal tag resident or nonresident. The quickest way is to hire a guide with eastern plains landowner tags to sell. Most of the eastern plains are private land, thus you either need to know a landowner, or a guide who knows one. Always lots of tags left over there.
Another good area is the northwest corner of CO. A lot more BLM land there as well as trophy antelope.
But, on any public land hunt you get a tag only by years of preference points resident or not. Most public land requires 4 or more preference points.
The best way to find a unit is to check the Division of Parks and Wildlife website. Look at the previous year's draws and the number of hunters who drew. The number of points to draw typically goes up every year. You also can see maps of CO showing landowners who allow big game, varmint, small game and bird hunting on their property.
In WY, I bought over the counter or drew 33 years in a row. Now it's every 3-4 years. The antelope have had some bad winters west of I25.

If you can afford it, your best chance at a truly fine buck is through a guide on private land. JMO

 

[Onehorse]

Thank you Onehorse. Great recommendations. I shoot regularly with a 6.5CM out to 800 yards. I am okay on a cold-bore shot out to 700, and sometimes have to read the wind better on windy days at the 800 mark. But for game, I would feel more comfortable at 350 yds or less, this is me just staying conservative with God's creatures (a miss on my part would suck). Based on this thread, the 6.5 CM, .270 or .308 might be my best bets (all good at those distances).
And finally, that is an impressive mount you show!

Those three caliber choices are perfect. I never tell people how far they can shoot, but I do tell them to establish their personal ethical limit. You are right on track in your thinking and planning, and welcome in my camp any time!
Yes, that is an impressive goat. I shot and I mounted it. I was a professional taxidermist for many years - retired now. If you have any more questions, I would be glad to try to help. Good hunting.

 

[Moose Whacker]

I used a .270 win. in Alberta, when I was in Wyoming I opted for a .54 cal. Flintlock. A lot more fun than cracking off at them at 600 yds. Get within 75 yds and you have had some fun.