Over the counter antelope hunt

[millerwheeler]

Looking for direction on antelope hunt over the counter possibly montanta but will listen to it all  thank you all for any advice

[ghosthunter]

Following along, like to do this sometime.

[highside74]

I'm in let's do it. Oh wait was this an invite also thread?  🤔😁

[MADMAX]

Sounds like your looking for b or surplus tags

If your going for a buck antelope

I've done it but not over the counter
You got to draw your deer or combo license first
Then apply for antelope as it's also a draw
Liberal seasons archery and rifle
It's a very cool hunt
I'd recommend if you draw go before general rifle deer opens
Also CWD doesn't apply for antelope
Good luck

[millerwheeler]

Sounds like your looking for b or surplus tags

If your going for a buck antelope

I've done it but not over the counter
You got to draw your deer or combo license first
Then apply for antelope as it's also a draw
Liberal seasons archery and rifle
It's a very cool hunt
I'd recommend if you draw go before general rifle deer opens
Also CWD doesn't apply for antelope
Good luck

Ok I have been reading up on it a lot lately ,does it make sense to apply in a group of 5 seems like that ups the odds

[MADMAX]

I would

[Stein]

I haven't seen any true OTC opportunities and for MT the doe tags cost the same as buck tags.

Groups of 5 would make it much harder to draw, some units don't have many NR tags to begin with.

Put it, start buying points and when you get 2-3 you have a choice of drawing an easy unit or holding out for better ones or go archery as mentioned.

[MADMAX]

You can't win if you don't play

[millerwheeler]

Got it  gentleman thanks  for the info any  other states to look at by chance ?

[Stein]

Arizona, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and a bit in Canada.

[millerwheeler]

Arizona, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and a bit in Canada.

Thank you

[Stein]

I'm trying out for a salesman position at GoHunt. 

Check prices and odds, not all are created equal.

Texas is the sleeper, it's super cheap to apply and you can also put in for aoudad, axis, oryx and other fun stuff.  I've never drawn or know anyone that has, but it's cheap gambling.

[rainshadow1]

Tagging into this discussion too. I'm GOING to do this someday. With some new/new to western hunting hunters likely. MT or WY. Not really concerned about bucks, just looking for the big game experience and meat.

[Stein]

One thing to keep in mind is antelope are small.  Really small.  A doe will weigh about 100 pounds on the hoof and end up with 20-25# of meat and a buck a bit more.  I hunt them because I think they are amazing animals and I love to be around them, but for meat hunts I always look to deer as they are easier to hunt and yield much more.

In my experience, the taste of the meat has much more variance than deer or elk.  Some eat almost all sage and some eat almost all grain or crops.  The difference between an old buck on sage and anything on grain is pretty remarkable.  I have had mulie and whitetail and elk and there is some difference, but not nearly what I have seen in antelope.

[rainshadow1]

One thing to keep in mind is antelope are small.  Really small.  A doe will weigh about 100 pounds on the hoof and end up with 20-25# of meat and a buck a bit more.  I hunt them because I think they are amazing animals and I love to be around them, but for meat hunts I always look to deer as they are easier to hunt and yield much more.

In my experience, the taste of the meat has much more variance than deer or elk.  Some eat almost all sage and some eat almost all grain or crops.  The difference between an old buck on sage and anything on grain is pretty remarkable.  I have had mulie and whitetail and elk and there is some difference, but not nearly what I have seen in antelope.

Very true, best game meat I ever tasted was Antelope. (Miles City, MT) Worst game meat I ever tasted was Antelope. (Hulett WY)

My Dad and I shot the WY antelope, good representative bucks, 11" and 13", and they smelled the same nasty as they tasted when we walked up to them lying on the ground. Ended up making it all into sausage, which was great. Been over 20 years since, and the people we hunted with have gone big time outfitters/private land/leased land in the meantime, so they're out. (No wonder too, we saw over a thousand each mulies and antelope in a week on their place back them, they've expanded their private land 10X plus since then.)

Outfitter I guided for shot the Miles City antelope on a meat hunt, the area must have been chosen for taste, because I tell you what... No 100$ a plate french restaurant had anything on those steaks!

I'd go to the Cash and Carry and buy bulk beef to save money on meat, hunting non-resident isn't a money saver! But... same as you, Stein, I love the high plains hunting experience, and I have some people who need to experience it! Lots of time has passed since I was hunting there, so I need to re-educate.  Several members have loaded me with great information already, so I'm heading that direction this maybe year or next if I can coordinate everyone.

[KNOPHISH]

I've done it but not over the counter
You got to draw your deer or combo license first
Then apply for antelope as it's also a draw


Unless this has changed in MT you can apply without deer or combo draw.

[millerwheeler]

I've done it but not over the counter
You got to draw your deer or combo license first
Then apply for antelope as it's also a draw


Unless this has changed in MT you can apply without deer or combo draw.

Looking like my plan for Montana  looking at eastern Montana for deer have applied last 2 years region 5 and 6 without drawing

[DWBMontana]

I live just outside of Glasgow, in region 6 that you mentioned. Numbers have bounced back from the terrible winter of 2010-11. You can buy antelope tags thru the draw process which has a deadline of June 1 to apply. Remember , NR are limited to 10% of the draw, unless few residents put in. I know the 900-20 archery tag sold out last year, which was very unusual. I hunt a large ranch in sc Montana, in region 5, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of antelope, the odds of a NR drawing there are about 65% on large portion of the ranch, and 90% on a smaller portion, so even HD's close to each other vary greatly. I take it you are talking rifle hunting and not bow? The antelope season has been set , the general rifle season is Oct. 9-Nov. 14, so if you do decide to hunt deer you have plenty of crossover time to do so.

[andrew_in_idaho]

The only true otc antelope opportunities anymore are Nebraska archery and I believe South Dakota archery. Idaho still has unlimited draw archery tags, Montana’s archery tag is not a guaranteed draw anymore but odds are you would draw. There are also some units in Wyoming where you can draw with 0 points guaranteed for rifle, and Montana there’s always a chance at rifle tags because they are bonus and not preference points. Anything else you’re going to have to beat some long draw odds. Good luck


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