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Author Topic: Field judging Antelope?  (Read 4471 times)

Offline Bob33

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2018, 09:04:08 AM »
DOUBLELUNG that was a really good write up on judging pronghorn antelope!  :tup: :tup:

 :yeah: :yeah: Thanks!!
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Offline grundy53

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2018, 09:29:48 AM »
This thread is great. I've always wanted too hunt antelope.  They really intrigue me. I was planning on going this year but I'm for sure going to start hunting them next year. I've been building points in most of the antelope states and going to have to burn some next year.

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Offline Duckhunter14

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2018, 10:01:24 AM »
All great information. When I first started hunting antelope I knew nothing about scoring and I know we passed up better scoring bucks looking for a "tall" buck. I think field judging antelope is one of the more difficult animals to judge, second to black bear. When you see a big one you know, but the ones in between can be tough.
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Offline Bwana Bob

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2018, 10:03:46 AM »
My advice after 13 buck antelope hunts. While not many hunts but here's what I learned to have a REAL ANTELOPE HUNT and not an expensive antelope SHOOT.

1. Learn everything you can on field judging them before your hunt, especially true for first timers. If your hunting the opener get there a few days early to get confident in field judging them

2. Allow at least 5 full days to hunt them not including travel time to the hunt area.

3. Pass up the first week or two or hunt in early Oct. Way less hunters to screw up your stalks and less pressure. I killed my best buck and saw one larger in an area that was opened 3 weeks earlier

4. Have decent optics so you don't make a dozen stalks a day on sub par bucks and burn up precious time. Take the time to walk up to high ground along the road to get a view of land you can't see from it.

5. Be willing to pass on lots of bucks if your goal in a 78 inch or better buck. You need to look at a lot of them to find a good one. While some will say a 78 inch buck isn't that big, I bet most peoples bucks are in the low 70's and smaller.  I use 78 inches as my break point for what I call a good buck. If I hunt hard and don't kill an 80 inch buck I'm more than happy with one of that size.  Remember it will take 3-5 years of points to draw a good tag in WY. Do you want to shoot a dinker and wait that long to hunt another.

6. Be patient but don't be afraid to move to a new area if you don't see a buck you want to kill. I had a friend at work that hunted some hunter management  land in WY. He kept seeing the same size bucks and thought that was the biggest the area had to hold, so he shot one of the look alike bucks. He then moved on to BLM land to fill his doe tags and immediately started seeing bigger bucks, Dah?   

7. Look at a lot of bucks before you pull the trigger.  This may be hard for some WA hunters to do as we have such few opportunities  to pass on game here. Believe me, if your hunting a good antelope area for 5 days you will be able to kill at least 4 or more bucks a day every day so no worries killing a small one on the last 1/2 day if you feel the need to.

8. Make it a hunt and not a shoot. Its a lot more fun looking at a lot of antelope bucks and killing a good one as apposed to killing the first buck you see from the road. You never learn how to hunt them that way and its a long way back home beating yourself up figuring out why you did that. Been there did that.

9. If you want to get your feet wet hunting antelope buy 2-4 doe tags which are cheaper than one buck tag in WY and hunt them. They have the same sharp eyesight and are every bit as hard to stalk.

Are all the bucks that I shot in the past over 78 inches, Hell NO, but I wish I had the goals I have now for them

Offline moneil1964

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2019, 11:45:28 AM »
I went on my first pronghorn hunt last year an needless to say had a blast.  judging was very tough, but I got a nice older buck. 
Question I have regarding scoring is what do you do with the kickers?  Mine has inch plus kickers off the back of the horn in line with the prong, do they get measured as part of the prong?  Ignored? 
Mine is mounted, on the wall and regardless of score i'm happy with the size of the animal and character the horns have. 
Thanks for any help you can offer.

Offline opdinkslayer

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #20 on: May 15, 2019, 02:24:27 PM »
I hunted buck antelope last year in Wyoming for the first time. I knew I couldn’t judge them but was fortunate enough to be with a buddy from Wyoming. The thing he told me was to never try to judge them when they’re looking at you & don’t get suckered by height.

 I was lucky enough to take a goat that scored 80 6/8 & even my buddy was fooled a bit on his guesstimation due to length he didn’t appear to have with bow & curlover. For me it comes down to mass,cutters & then length. The kicker is what shape floats your boat. I wanted the inward curl heart shape or a wonky looking buck. I harvested the perfect inward curl buck with a great score so I was pumped to be that fortunate. Be patient & look at lots of them. As said a couple times in this thread, you know a good one when you see it. Good luck, it’s a blast huntin them.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2019, 05:27:14 AM by opdinkslayer »

Offline opdinkslayer

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #21 on: May 15, 2019, 02:25:36 PM »
I went on my first pronghorn hunt last year an needless to say had a blast.  judging was very tough, but I got a nice older buck. 
Question I have regarding scoring is what do you do with the kickers?  Mine has inch plus kickers off the back of the horn in line with the prong, do they get measured as part of the prong?  Ignored? 
Mine is mounted, on the wall and regardless of score i'm happy with the size of the animal and character the horns have. 
Thanks for any help you can offer.

Ignored unless it falls into a mass measurement spot.

Offline actionshooter

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Re: Field judging Antelope?
« Reply #22 on: May 15, 2019, 10:00:50 PM »
Lots of good info on this thread... just set did my Wyoming permits tonight!

 


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