Agree with above. In addition, a small, thin hard foam pad to sit on. Rolls up and weighs nothing when stalking. I don't know about OK, but I hunt in WY and even what looks like dirt to sit on is filled with things that stick you. Its also fairly rocky in WY so the thin padding helps out too. Tweezers are also key....for those moments the prickly things get you. Good luck. Chasing speed goats is the best hunting for me.
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First time antelope hunt
- Thread starter Lnewton
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Steelflight
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2016
- Messages
- 129
Gonna stress the accurate shooter again. Deer your going to get close , elk you can get close. Antelope however you have two options sweat in a blind at the approach to a watering hole or try and peg em at whatever range you happen upon them. They rest on high ground in the afternoon . That said the ghosts of the Prarie have appeared at 30 yards right in front of me and I have glassed them well out beyond a thousand. So pack wisely and be sure of your aim what ever rifle your using . Also be very aware of where you and hunting buddies are.( I have heard way to many antelope hunting accidents. In comparison to others)Both at range and up close. One involve a guide that didn't realize he sat in front of the muzzle. The shooter didn't see him through the scope. "Bang!!!!" Head shot. I wish you a very fun a memory making experience.
Doozy
Well-Known Member
I went for the first time last year. I would have been fine if I could have gotten within 500 yards! They kept a range of 1,100 yards!
I second the recommendation for gloves and knee pads. I have heard people having luck with the pronghorn displays. But also keep in mind that you are going to be walking miles and miles. Pack light, and bring plenty of water. Also, I heard antelope can taste bad if not cleaned immediately. I deboned mine in the field. I didn't need to hoist it... Just didn't remove back hide until after I had rolled it and removed meat.
Read my post from last year and it might give you ideas. In the end, luck is what helped me the most. https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...my-first-time-ever-hunting-ever.256985/page-5
Lots of patience. If you are going during the rut, good luck. The bucks don't pay much attention but there are always alert doe sentries out. 2 hours of stalking evaporates quickly.
Not sure if it's legal in OK, but just a simple white strip of cloth that you can flip up and down works well.
Not sure if it's legal in OK, but just a simple white strip of cloth that you can flip up and down works well.
Texans42
Member
Texas or Cimmaron? Don't over look the OLAP land, but be respectful. I've been blessed to kill a few both rifle and bow over the years. I think I've only had to shoot over 250 yards once. Decoy will help in Rifle season but not archery. If you aren't hunting on large private swath don't get overly picky, just because they are there on Wednesday doesn't mean they will be there on Thursday. Eastern Part of Cimmaron is more sectioned ag and western is larger range land tracts. Now that there is no check in required, make sure you bring ice when you leave town in the morning. Also don't leave blood on the cape or leave in bloody water, or blood will stain the white cape. Your average goat is going to be in the 60's, but we have killed a few in 80's. Good luck and congrats
KS2506
Well-Known Member
It does not take a lot to kill an antelope. 243's are plenty. My favorite for over 55 years is a 25-06 with 100gr bullets. At the present time that is a Nosler Ballistic Tip. I live in SW Ks. similar terrain to where you will be hunting. Never had to shoot one over 450 yds. Good advice about knee pads and leather gloves.
cardon1122
Well-Known Member
Elbow pads help too, bipod, camo, range finder. My favorite hunt. Once you spot the one you want, The stalk begins. Often involving a lot of crawling and shooting prone. They have crazy good vision. Best of luck, you'll have a great time.
James DeTorre
Well-Known Member
Need
some of the same advice. Location northern Wyoming Late October. Also, is that too late in the season?
some of the same advice. Location northern Wyoming Late October. Also, is that too late in the season?
cardon1122
Well-Known Member
If you slice it 1/4 inch thin and marinate it overnight, then cook it, the gaminess is pretty much gone. Makes good jerky too.
jjmp
Well-Known Member
make some shooting sticks one tall 7 feet for standing, one shorter 4 feet for sitting,take two folding chairs,or two 5 gallon pales with tops to sit on . I can tex you pics of my home made sticks , but can't post a pic . 300 yd Zero and know your drops to 450/500 ,cheers and Congrats have a great hunt.
Random advice in no particular order:
- Their eyesight is WAY better than yours. My favorite way to hunt is to locate them and then study a way to play the terrain to close the distance without letting them see you. When they do see you, they'll usually stay put and try to figure out what you are for a minute or two.
- If you see the same bunch in the same place, they will often bust out in the same direction they did last time. An ambush strategy can often work.
- The hide and hair is pretty fragile. If you drag them, the cape can be ruined very easily.
- Pronghorn meat can be either very good or so horrible the dog won't eat it. As opposed to deer, they're usually hunted in full summer and in the heat of the day. I always take a 5 gallon jug of water and a cooler full of ice when hunting them. Get them skinned and cooled off immediately.
- Do yourself a favor and get there early enough to do some scouting. On a typical antelope hunt it's pretty common to be able to look over a couple dozen bucks. In Wyoming, seeing a 100 or more in a week would be pretty easy. Field judging them is a little tricky compared to deer or elk. Mass and prong length makes a ton of difference but you have to look for it.
- Don't even try it without good optics and a good rangefinder. Get up on high points and start looking. First thing in the morning they'll stand out for miles when the light hits them right. As opposed to deer, they'll often be out and about in midday.
- If they bust and start running straight away at 60 mph, it sometimes pays to follow them. Once out of sight they'll often stop and relax...... or they might run to the next county. No telling what they'll sometimes do.
- Learn how to shoot in the wind.
- Have fun!
- Their eyesight is WAY better than yours. My favorite way to hunt is to locate them and then study a way to play the terrain to close the distance without letting them see you. When they do see you, they'll usually stay put and try to figure out what you are for a minute or two.
- If you see the same bunch in the same place, they will often bust out in the same direction they did last time. An ambush strategy can often work.
- The hide and hair is pretty fragile. If you drag them, the cape can be ruined very easily.
- Pronghorn meat can be either very good or so horrible the dog won't eat it. As opposed to deer, they're usually hunted in full summer and in the heat of the day. I always take a 5 gallon jug of water and a cooler full of ice when hunting them. Get them skinned and cooled off immediately.
- Do yourself a favor and get there early enough to do some scouting. On a typical antelope hunt it's pretty common to be able to look over a couple dozen bucks. In Wyoming, seeing a 100 or more in a week would be pretty easy. Field judging them is a little tricky compared to deer or elk. Mass and prong length makes a ton of difference but you have to look for it.
- Don't even try it without good optics and a good rangefinder. Get up on high points and start looking. First thing in the morning they'll stand out for miles when the light hits them right. As opposed to deer, they'll often be out and about in midday.
- If they bust and start running straight away at 60 mph, it sometimes pays to follow them. Once out of sight they'll often stop and relax...... or they might run to the next county. No telling what they'll sometimes do.
- Learn how to shoot in the wind.
- Have fun!
Samesaw
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 47
Pay close attention to wind direction. These critters spook easily and run fast (almost 50 miles per hour).
I didn't know antelope were that hard. Anyway some one mentioned a host of some sort. I don't know about Oklahoma but in Wyoming they arnt that big. My 100 lb grand daughter has no problem tossing them on the back of the 4 wheeler. Two main things are a lite rifle and good range finder. Hard to estimate the range of those critters. You don't need a heavy caliber. 243 is perfect. But the rifle needs to be lite 6.5 lbs would be great. Heavy boots. Prickly pear is part of antelope hunting. I carry a J frame revolver with snake shot, more then once I came nose to nose with a rattler while crawling up to peek over a hill. No way would I take a decoy during rifle season. Decoys look like antelope. Hunters tend to shoot at a good distance and at 300 yards or so you can't tell if it's a decoy or antelope. Don't want your head on somebody's wall. Antelope are good eaten. But heat ruins them. Get them gutted and out of the field as quick as positive possible. You got time. Get some full size antelope targets and practice. Set them out at distance so you can learn your limits. I work our range site in days for out of state hunters. You'd be surprised at the people who can shoot little tiny groups at one hundred but can't hit the vital area of the antelope target at 300 yards.
If you shoot at one and he takes off at 100 miles an hour watch them run. I've had them run 100 yards like nothing was wrong to see them do a summersault because their heart and lungs were turned to jelly.
If you shoot at one and he takes off at 100 miles an hour watch them run. I've had them run 100 yards like nothing was wrong to see them do a summersault because their heart and lungs were turned to jelly.
