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Originally Posted by mudhen
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Our antelope season in in Sept and it's common to be 80F+ in the afternoons. Take lots of ice.
Our s are more likely to be in triple digits. 102 to 104 is pretty much the norm.
I drew an Idaho tag last fall. It was an unusual Sept. for heat. I shot one early afternoon and it never got above 60 that day. It got in the 30's that night. 60 is still too warm but it sure beats 80 or 90.


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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Our antelope season in in Sept and it's common to be 80F+ in the afternoons. Take lots of ice.


This. Lots and lots of ice. Antelope is like most everything else, take care of it and it will be fine. Let it bone sour and it's not going to be on your "favorites" list. Meat is dense and holds heat well, even boned meat needs cool air circulating around it or better still packed in ice.


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Originally Posted by Dogshooter
Doesn't take much to turn an antelope into some pretty cool cuts...

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Damnit Dogshooter, great pictures. Those chops.......


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Originally Posted by Ole_270
......really look forward to the eating, not just the hunt.


Looking forward to both also. I gave up on annual hunting leases in 2010. Decided to do paid hunts. This'll be my first venture beyond Axis in the Hill Country.


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The backstraps are to die for. Best wild game I've ever had. I shot four of them and every one was that good.

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Originally Posted by TomM1
Originally Posted by Bighorn
Properly cared for, antelope meat is some of the best wild game there is. So good, in fact, that I just cut them up myself! Not hard to do, but the key to good antelope meat begins when they hit the ground. I gut and skin immediately, and get the carcass cooled down as quickly as possible.
No mystery to cutting them up- remove the backstraps and tenderloins, then the quarters. Simply separate the major muscles, and cut them up into steaks. With the front quarters, sometimes I will save a couple of roasts, but usually just cut this meat into steaks as well. Scraps are saved for cooking chicken-fried or for treats for the dog. Burger is a waste of time. Double-wrap in freezer bags or paper, and prepare to enjoy some very tasty eating!

If you are a fan of sausage, then a processor is probably your best bet- I have gone that route in the past, with mixed results. The problem with doing processed meats, IMO, is they are usually 'batched'- meat from a lot of other animals are added to the mix, with unknown care and meat condition.


Why is the burger a waste of time? Too lean Im guessing? Gotta atleast be good for chilli, etc.

Also, for those who hunt Antelope but live east of the mississippi, how do you get your meat home? Ship it? Im looking at a 3-4 day drive in 2018 season.



I loved Antelope burger! I packed my Pronghorn meat in dry ice to get it home.

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Guts out and hide off on the first bounce, then into the 150quart cooler on ice!

Pronghorn hair has a pungent "lanolin" inside it, and if you cut the hair it leaves the oil on your knife. For the last 57 years hunting them I have carried plenty of water and wipes to keep my knife clean.

The best cuts are the backstrap and round steaks, IMO. Don't grind them, and use the good meat as the treasure it is. The rest makes great jerky.

Have a GREAT hunt, and post pictures this fall. wink

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Don't let it get hot and don't let it get waterlogged and it is delicious. I keep the plug out of the ice chest if I have enough ice and other than time in the ice chest don't age it at all. I only grind up the scraps as the other cuts are so good. Add bacon tips at about 10-15% for instant bacon burgers. The neck is good for pot roast or chili. Mixed some with Javelina for Pozole and I thought I had ruined it but turned out great after slow cooking.


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For you newbies to antelope...if you plan to keep the hide, be VERY careful with it. You can pull out the hair in handfuls. They're very weakly attached. It doesn't take any dragging at all to ruin the appearance.


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Originally Posted by Reloder28
Originally Posted by Ole_270
......really look forward to the eating, not just the hunt.


Looking forward to both also. I gave up on annual hunting leases in 2010. Decided to do paid hunts. This'll be my first venture beyond Axis in the Hill Country.




It's would be very interesting to hear your thoughts if you don't mind. Pros/Cons etc.

Last edited by DryPowder; 05/06/17.

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Originally Posted by Bighorn
Properly cared for, antelope meat is some of the best wild game there is. So good, in fact, that I just cut them up myself! Not hard to do, but the key to good antelope meat begins when they hit the ground. I gut and skin immediately, and get the carcass cooled down as quickly as possible.
No mystery to cutting them up- remove the backstraps and tenderloins, then the quarters. Simply separate the major muscles, and cut them up into steaks. With the front quarters, sometimes I will save a couple of roasts, but usually just cut this meat into steaks as well. Scraps are saved for cooking chicken-fried or for treats for the dog. Burger is a waste of time. Double-wrap in freezer bags or paper, and prepare to enjoy some very tasty eating!

If you are a fan of sausage, then a processor is probably your best bet- I have gone that route in the past, with mixed results. The problem with doing processed meats, IMO, is they are usually 'batched'- meat from a lot of other animals are added to the mix, with unknown care and meat condition.

Best game meat I've eaten to date. I prefer it over elk. I agree with everything Bighorn said, process it yourself. Antelope is not a big animal and you'll know you're getting your meat back and nothing else.

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Originally Posted by DryPowder
Originally Posted by Reloder28
Originally Posted by Ole_270
......really look forward to the eating, not just the hunt.


Looking forward to both also. I gave up on annual hunting leases in 2010. Decided to do paid hunts. This'll be my first venture beyond Axis in the Hill Country.




It's would be very interesting to hear your thoughts if you don't mind. Pros/Cons etc.


What part of that would you like me to expound upon? The giving up on the leases?


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Everyone n my extended family agrees antelope is better than elk and much better than deer.

When we get an antelope down (usually in WY), we gut it immediately and skin it as soon as we get it to the truck, where we have a portable skinning rack. Then it goes in a cooler with ice. We keep it on ice until until we get it to Steve's Meat Market in Arvada, CO. We keep the backstraps, filets and hams and burger or sausage the rest.


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I hated antelope for years because my step dad never knew how to process it. We'd always turn it into sausage and pepperoni because it was so gamey. But then a buddy of mine showed me how to get it cooled down FAST. It's like eating lamb -- tender, flavorful - awesome. lso -- don't shoot one that's running.



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Years ago, my partner and I both got opening day antelope. His was mid-morning and we skinned it and put it coolers with ice. Mine was just before dark. It had cooled down to about 40 so we just dressed it and put it in the back of my Wagoneer for the 40 mile trip home. The meat was fine, but...I have this problem with sagebrush pollen. Having the pollen saturated hide right behind me for an hour caused my sinuses and eyes to go ballistic. It took me 3 days to get over that 1 hour trip home.


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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Years ago, my partner and I both got opening day antelope. His was mid-morning and we skinned it and put it coolers with ice. Mine was just before dark. It had cooled down to about 40 so we just dressed it and put it in the back of my Wagoneer for the 40 mile trip home. The meat was fine, but...I have this problem with sagebrush pollen. Having the pollen saturated hide right behind me for an hour caused my sinuses and eyes to go ballistic. It took me 3 days to get over that 1 hour trip home.


My allergy is tumble weeds. Dove hunts kick a$$ for me.Even the early October antelope hunts are tough

I prefer the December doe hunts . Easier to cool the meat down fast. Have to watch though as bucks have mostly shed their horn sheaths by then. I am working on bag of antelope round steaks this week for dinners


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Steak as much as possible. In my book, the absolute best of all north American game.


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Originally Posted by Snake River Marksman

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Handy set up right there!

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Reloader28: Cool your Antelope immediately by skinning and packing the carcass with an ice block for transportation - this will IMPROVE the taste of what ever cuts you decide on.
I make all steaks from all the cuts I can and everything else is made into Antelope hamburger (by adding some beef suet and small amounts of other meats) - this hamburger makes excellent chilli, tacos, burritos etc.
Good luck this fall.
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Shoot one that has been alfalfa or wheat stubble all late summer/fall. Great eating!

Sagebrush bucks, not so much.

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