Antelope and the wind (scenting)

I've been hunting lopes for 46 years, been around more than my fair share of them on the turf over that time.

One interesting discussion that my lope hunting partner and I have from time to time is do antelope pay much attention to our scent and the wind. Earlier on I didn't pay much attention to the wind but over the last couple of decades I've modified that thought process a bit.

To those of you all who hunt antelope quite a bit what are your thoughts on lopes and the wind?

Many thanks

I have only taken a handful of antelope in my life, and have always followed the wind rules of hunting big game. Normally the wind on the prairie is predictable so I have never had issues. Unlike elk and deer, and especially moose, I would argue that sight is undoubtedly their most keen sense, but with a hunt for myself coming up in early October, I look forward to hearing responses of those who have observed.

trout004 said:

I have only taken a handful of antelope in my life, and have always followed the wind rules of hunting big game. Normally the wind on the prairie is predictable so I have never had issues. Unlike elk and deer, and especially moose, I would argue that sight is undoubtedly their most keen sense, but with a hunt for myself coming up in early October, I look forward to hearing responses of those who have observed.

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I haven't seen Antelope reacting to scent over vision in over 55 years hunting them - with one possible - exception. So I don't treat the hunt like a deer or elk hunt.

Vision not scent in my experience

I've brought bucks within 30 yards of me during archery rutt by "flashing" and with simple decoys

cohunt said:

Vision not scent in my experience

I've brought bucks within 30 yards of me during archery rutt by "flashing" and with simple decoys

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Yup. They are insanely curious. I've gotten to come close with all sorts of simple means. Add wind and they get spooky but I don't think it's a scent issue - I think it messes with their hearing and all the extra terra movement interferes with their confidence in what they're seeing.

BigDon said:

I haven't seen Antelope reacting to scent over vision in over 55 years hunting them - with one possible - exception. So I don't treat the hunt like a deer or elk hunt.

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Same here! I watched a buddy smoking just before he pulled the trigger and successfully harvested a doe and a buck.

ADDED:

I have a couple of instances while bowhunting. These were 10+ years ago, but worth sharing.

1. I spotted a lone buck about 400 yards away. I crawled, on my knees, duck walked, etc., to get close to him for nearly an hour. I got close to him about 75 yards away, just to get busted by a herd of 50 or so running behind me and heading towards him. I still had fun, though.

2. I watched two separate herds ~500 yards away with no chance of sneaking up on them. I was observing where I had a wall/cliff behind me; the sun was also on my back. It was 0830 in the AM, my normal snack time, so I pulled out my PBJ sandwich and might as well watch the show.

I learned something while observing one of the herds. The dominant buck was clinging near the lead doe. The dominant buck allows the other bucks to chase the other does but not with the lead doe. I learned later that the other bucks were doing the dominant buck a favor. They do the hard work, and then the dominant buck does his thing—I think it's brilliant.

Anyway, the best part was that the lead doe and dominant buck somehow made it to me ~ at 30-40 yards. My heart was pounding with excitement, especially when the doe bedded. I waited for 15-20 minutes to have the best opportunity for a shot. Oh, by the way, my legs were cramping, too. The buck never knew or cared I was there. The lead knew there was something but could not make me out. The lead doe stared at me every time I had a shot on the buck, and I could not move. I have an either-sex tag and should have taken the lead doe, but got greedy and ended up with nothing. The buck was probably around 16-17 inches. Nonetheless, I had a blast.

I was told that wind dries their eyes resulting in reduction of some vision-- which is supposedly why they get sketchy in the wind.

It seems that some bowhunters can get mighty close using a decoy for a shield. I'm assuming that an antelope's sense of smell isn't all that great or they just don't rely on it.

Both. Vision for sure, #1 defense. They will watch you from 3 miles out.

But, I have had pronghorn circle me wide to check scent, then blow and haul butt once they caught wind of us. So I still play the wind when hunting pronghorn. One less thing to worry about blowing a 3 mile stalk.

Have you heard a pronghorn danger call? Crazy sounding the first time I heard it. I thought it was a bullet ricochet and tumbling over my head, until I spotted the buck doing it and watched him do it about 6 more times before he ran into the next county.

Pronghorns are my absolute favorite animal to hunt on this continent. Having grown up hunting whitetails I just have a natural aversion to being upwind of any game animal. I hunt the wind just like I would when hunting any other big game.

lancetkenyon said:

Both. Vision for sure, #1 defense. They will watch you from 3 miles out.

But, I have had pronghorn circle me wide to check scent, then blow and haul butt once they caught wind of us. So I still play the wind when hunting pronghorn. One less thing to worry about blowing a 3 mile stalk.

Have you heard a pronghorn danger call? Crazy sounding the first time I heard it. I thought it was a bullet ricochet and tumbling over my head, until I spotted the buck doing it and watched him do it about 6 more times before he ran into the next county.

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The last time I drew a tag my son-in-law and I were on a ridge watching a buck through the spotter and had 3 more bucks walk up 200 yards or so downwind of us unnoticed until they started blowing. That's the only time I've heard that call that I remember.

Let us not forget how well they hear. "They can hear a twig snap from 3 days ago"

its been all vision and possibly hearing for us. We have noted they will stand directly down wind with no reaction. If they see you, its all over, or will be very shortly anyway.

I've not seen scent bother pronghorn.

BigDon said:

Yup. They are insanely curious. I've gotten to come close with all sorts of simple means. Add wind and they get spooky but I don't think it's a scent issue - I think it messes with their hearing and all the extra terra movement interferes with their confidence in what they're seeing.

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They are indeed very curious. I was hunting on a friend's 880-acre plot and his wife's horses kept surrounding me wanting attention. I saw a nice buck about 1599 yards away on the neighbor's property watching me and the wind was blowing toward him. I guess it wasn't really wind, but a 15-to-20-mile breeze. The horses had moved behind me about 30 yards or more, so their scent may have been covering mine. I was in my normal camo- blue jeans and Carhart jacket. I knelt down behind some sage and removed my light colored hat and slowly waved it back and forth. He came at me at a dead run. He pulled up at around 500 yards and was sniffing the air. I thought I was busted. I raised my hat again and slowly moved it back and forth, and he trotted up to about 250 yards. I put a .270 round in the middle of his chest and DRT. This was not a young stupid buck as he measured out just over 80 inches green scored. They have excellent eyesight, but sometime their curiosity can be their downfall.