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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Never hunted them or even interacted with the beasts other than from afar... it takes ~ 15 years to accumulate enough points for a tag here, but I'm going this year!
It's going to be hot. THAT'S weird. Guessing a guy better have block ice in coolers ready to go at camp.
I'm bringing two rifles, my heavy long range 7 WSM and an unblooded 6.5 SAUM I built earlier this year. Both are loaded with ELD-M's. The heavy 7 has a big Nightforce (5.5-22) and the 6.5 SAUM has a 3-10 SHV. I'll also bring my little 8x Swaro SLC's and my "Big Eyes" Minox 13x's. I don't currently own a spotter.
My Leica rangefinder struggles past 750 or so in bright light.... but then so do I. In fact I hate shooting when it's hot. That will reel my range in some for sure.
Probably set up my wall tent to have a place to retreat to in the heat of the day- unless lopes are active then?
Basically any advice about hunting them will be appreciated. I know nothing.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,887 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,887 Likes: 1 |
The ones I hunt in Wyoming are easily huntable all day. They don't go in to the brush or trees. Although some of them do go pretty high. Close to 10000'.
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,537
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,537 |
I always hunted them in the afternoons between 12 and 4 because everyone else was either burned out from hurrying out early or bored. The antelope get a chance to rest and usually bedded on a slope at that, Mirage can be an issue but it is not like the goats are gonna go hide anywhere , No matter the conditions, I Gut, wash ,then skin and rewash as soon as feasible. If you are in a very limited area and there are not too many other hunters , They may bed on a hill with a breeze fairly early , but will be able to see for a long way around them. Where are you hunting them at????
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,098 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,098 Likes: 3 |
Of all the antelope I have killed, very very few have been past 250 yards.Favorite goat gun is a sportarized 6.5 Swede with 130gr AB"S. I have taken quite a few of them running.They don't bounce up and down. Swing on them and just as they go out of the scope, fire.Usually a neck shot or double lung.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,712
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,712 |
Our group hunted them for 10 years through the 1980's. One thing I noted was that they seemed less spooky the later in the day it got. Much more approachable late in the day. The very first one I got was between 9 and 10 a.m. on the opening morning. All I knew about hunting them was what I read in magazines and talking to a couple of friends. We found them to be relatively easy to hunt.
Jim
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,712
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,712 |
Our group hunted them for 10 years through the 1980's. One thing I noted was that they seemed less spooky the later in the day it got. Much more approachable late in the day. The very first one I got was between 9 and 10 a.m. on the opening morning. All I knew about hunting them was what I read in magazines and talking to a couple of friends. We found them to be relatively easy to hunt.
Jim
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Wyoming260, Steens mountain in Oregon. My buddy has hunted them twice there; one of those times they were up high (9k or so) on the mountain. That'd be ok with me! But they are often down lower in the sage and juniper, I'm told.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,662
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,662 |
Sticks or sitting height bipod might come in handy. The brush can make it difficult to go prone. They are huntable, IME, all times of the day.
PS- I bet after this hunt, you kick yourself for not taking the time/$$ to hunt them sooner...
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,571
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,571 |
My advice:
Don't shoot them in the ass...
You better pray to the God of Skinny Punks that this wind doesn't pick up......
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,263
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,263 |
No expert here but I would start high until you know what is going on and if they are all out in the sage brush. I have had several BC class antelope come check me out while sitting on the ridges glassing for Elk. Even though there were quite a few herds on the flats it seemed the bigger bucks were up high. This was during rut or pre-rut conditions so could have been that. Unnerving when an 80 point plus buck comes up to almost handshaking distance and you don't have a permit.
I would bring a light weight rig for hoofing it along the most broken country you can find, this especially if the road warriors are out and about. If in doubt then I would hunt within sight of any waterholes. In hot weather antelope will water daily and many times it is mid day when they do.
Plus 2 on tripod or sticks.
Do some scouting then do some more. If you could camp in your unit for a week or so it will really pay off. Granted conditions will change once the season is open but you can eliminate the unproductive areas and find the cover and escape routes.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651 |
Jeff - Just go do it. The antelope will be where you find them - they may lay down but they are open country critters. Their defense is their eyes and speed, not burrowing into the brush like deer often do. For best eating, get the antelope cooled down fast. We take 80 and 100 quart coolers and have found that a skinned antelope will fold into them. We then throw ice on them and button the cooler up. The antelope don't freeze but they do cool down fast. If you have a pick-up, you can build a skinning rack for cheap - a 2x4 and some pipe. Here's the parts list. The two small boards help keep the pipe from moving around when in the stake holes and keep the pipes more vertical.. Version 1: Version 2:. The stake holes are covered so I bolted some 1" square tube to existing holes in the truck bed.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 760 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 760 Likes: 1 |
This is a great idea. I believe I will attempt to make some of these. Jeff - Just go do it. The antelope will be where you find them - they may lay down but they are open country critters. Their defense is their eyes and speed, not burrowing into the brush like deer often do. For best eating, get the antelope cooled down fast. We take 80 and 100 quart coolers and have found that a skinned antelope will fold into them. We then throw ice on them and button the cooler up. The antelope don't freeze but they do cool down fast. If you have a pick-up, you can build a skinning rack for cheap - a 2x4 and some pipe. Here's the parts list. The two small boards help keep the pipe from moving around when in the stake holes and keep the pipes more vertical.. Version 1: Version 2:. The stake holes are covered so I bolted some 1" square tube to existing holes in the truck bed.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Coyote Hunter- that's really cool. I do have a truck. Hmmm.
Great point about the shooting sticks as well guys.
Getting an animal down in 85-90F heat will be a first.... I think I'd better just hunt with my meat pack and be ready to move fast once it's down.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10,597 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10,597 Likes: 1 |
Like mentioned earlier, pay attention to water sources and routes to water sources during the heat of the day. In my AO you can find them just about any time of the day. Most people like to spot and stalk, but I like to find a hidey hole and wait for them. My shots generally are short. If the hidey hole is not in a draw, pay attention for other hunters who may not see you but will cut loose on a herd near you.
"Don't believe everything you see on the Internet" - Abraham Lincoln
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
Get to the highest ground possible.
Then lose your balance.
Clark
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,900 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,900 Likes: 1 |
Antelope trophy quality can be really tough to judge for newcomers. The difference between a really mediocre buck and a trophy is just a few inches. So I recommend spending some time looking at pictures, and figuring out how to field judge horn size. Where the prong is in relation to the ear, how much curl (curl adds a lot of length, even though sometimes the tall bucks with little curl will look larger), stuff like that. Also see what size of bucks come out of your area and plan accordingly. If you’re in a region that produces a decent number of B&C bucks, shooting a 13” antelope the first day would be a real shame, especially with 15 years of point accumulation. But whatever, you’ll probably blow the cape all to hell with your ubermagnum anyway.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 27,091
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 27,091 |
I have usually been lucky enough to sneak within 300 yards of the ones I have shot.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824 |
Have Jeffo on ignore, can only imagine how stupid his post and questions are?
I think he should follow Deflaves advice
Originally Posted by Judman PS, if you think Trump is “good” you’re way stupider than I thought! Haha
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4,354
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4,354 |
You are way overgunned.
Block ice might be an okay alternative but dry ice and home built or high end coolers - wrapped in sleeping bags are better. Butch to finish cuts within the hour, then freeze on DI.
Forget about the cape.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,434
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,434 |
If you have a pick-up, you can build a skinning rack for cheap - a 2x4 and some pipe. Here's the parts list. The two small boards help keep the pipe from moving around when in the stake holes and keep the pipes more vertical..
Great idea, CH. For a solo hunter, a cheap pulley set would make things easy.
"Those that think they know everything are annoying those of us that have Google." - Dr. D. Edward Wilkinson
Note to self: Never ask an old Fogey how he is doing today. Revised note to self: Keep it short when someone asks how I am doing.
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