I assume antelope need hanging just like deer. I haven't shot one yet, I'm still gathering preference points for what amounts to a once in a lifetime Oregon hunt. I've never seen meat that wasn't improved by hang time. Hanging allows enzymes in the meat to break down the connective tissue within muscles a little bit which is why properly aged meat is more tender. It does similar things to change flavor ... noticeable to some people, not to others. A lot of the perceived need for marinades, etc for all game meat is to compensate for inadequate hanging / aging. It is only partially successful. However, no matter how "right" it is, some people just don't like game meat. Feed 'em store beef and save the good stuff for people who appreciate it.
I have no eye for judging pronghorn. The important part is that you're happy. Pretty cool journey from planning through collecting rifle parts, building the gun, teaching it to shoot, building comfort and confidence, and then having the plan come together. If I'd done the same I'd be grinning ear to ear. I think ya done good. Congratulations!
Tom
Thanks man! Couldn't have got to this point without ya!
I know you are holding out for Hart Mtn, but consider Juniper... I got to know a couple guys a few camps over pretty well, they'd researched it extensively and decided Juniper was better bang for the points than Hart. Juniper is the next unit to the west of Steens and kind of envelopes Hart if I was reading their maps right. But they weren't hunting way over there- they were on the huge plateau above Frenchglen and seeing, they said, 10-30 antelope bucks a DAY. They had a jeep (2000 TJ with 32's) and were having a ball on the rough jeep 2-tracks up there. They said my Tundra would've done most of what they were doing, though. They did break a tire up there (6-ply BFG AT) and had to drive all the way to Bend to get set up again... the rocks around there are hell on tires, we broke one on our Land Cruiser 10 years ago on the east side of Steens with the family. Anyway- just a thought; it takes several fewer points to get Juniper than Hart, we ain't getting ANY younger as far as I can tell, and they were seeing TONS of animals. As opposed to Steens. Steens was a tough hunt this year- at least guys who had experience there with antelopes were saying there were way fewer animals; speculation was a bad winter, dunno.
I'm going to recommend to Jerry & Paul (elk hunting buddies) that they hold out a couple more years for Juniper. Jerry has killed two antelope on Steens (he's older' n dirt) so it'll be a tough sell.
