Morning or evening blind
Pronghorn
Contributors to this thread:
Ok guys I haven't seen this here ! In your opinion would it be better to hunt a blind near water in the mornings or afternoon? Thanks
Pronghorn water at all times of day, so there's no way to tell. They don't seem to like first and last light as well as some species, but I have seen them water during virtually every time of day.
Anytime but keep in mind it can be tough to get in and out of some waterholes in the daylight without being seen. I've seen bucks hang out for hours in view of a water hole before coming in. The best is an all day sit. That can wear on a guy when its hot and action is slow.
If you do go in or leave during the day a buddy is nice, having a vehicle pull up and leave is usually less spooky than a guy walking across the sage flat or pasture. There's no set way they react. If they see the rancher check tanks 2 or 3 times a week they can get familiar with his rig. Out at a seep on BLM where they see no one for weeks and all of the sudden there's a bunch of activity it can move them around.
Time is your deal, not theirs. The correct answer is anytime.
True but evenings are usually best as opposed to mornings.
get there in the dark and stay all day till dark! Take small cooler with water & ice and drinks & food and a wet towel to wipe down with. Antelope are unpredictable and even sometimes stand out a ways and 'tempt' you .... but, If they are thirsty and like your decoy, they will come in!
this buck was watering almost in the AM dark
this buck was watering almost in the AM dark
AM buck drinking
AM buck drinking
Am buck but came in down wind and spooked
Am buck but came in down wind and spooked
In NW Colorado all of the kills over water have been prior to noon. I also have seen come to water before the sun was up.
shot this buck at 8:30 am
shot this buck at 8:30 am
Dark until dark is best to sit. I have had majority water inthe evening thou. You would be amazed at the amount of antelope that water right at last light. Much more than you would think
I agree with the consensus that all day sits are the way to go. On my hunt with BB we had bucks watering at daylight almost every day.
Morning is best for one main reason - wind. Afternoons can be very windy. It doesn't stop antelope from watering but it does make them more edgy.
Most goats come in early because they have been chewing cud all night and need to water.
Dark to dark is best but if I had to choose first light to noon vs. noon to dark.
All the bucks I've shot were in the mornings oddly. Seems the big boys sit back and wait until the does have come in and they feel its safe.
All my kills (4) have been in the morning. The earliest was 7:40 AM and the latest is 9:30 AM.
AM has been the best for me.
Need to be in blind at daybreak and be prepared to stay till last light. They normally water during this time frame.
There are a lot of great responses here. I've had them water right at sun up and I shot one after sun down. I try to walk in while it's still a low light in the morning. They don't spook as bad. Be aware that if you walk in during the daylight it will probably be a couple of hours before anything comes in. For that reason, I almost never move during the day. Get in before sunup and stay until sundown. I've done 14 hour days, seven days in a row a number of times but it always pays off. I've been 100% for the past 10 years or so. I also quit hunting from ground blinds because of the heat. I use tripods and tree stands only.
I've never killed one past about 1:00 pm, but that doesn't mean squat. They water when they want to. I just do my best to be there when they show up. As said, plenty of water, sausage and crackers, peanut butter Snickers, and a banana. The secret is the banana ! :-)
I've done my absolute best from 10 am to 2 pm. A few in the mornings and one at last light, but you HAVE to be in the blind in the middle of the day IMHO.
Agree with hoytshooter1, I use other times for work or scouting.
Question for JSW
When you use a tripod, do you put a 'blind' of some sort around your seat/platform, or do you just sit and be mindful of your movement? It seems to me that just sitting would become dang hot REAL quick. I bought a tripod to try out this year, but am not sure how to 'set it up' for a hunt. THX
Can kill them at all times. I've killed them at 6:30 in the morning and right at dark in the evening
i would expect he is using the tripod stand next to a windmill or high brush/trees and not just by itself. Paul
I've never sat past lunch ... but this year, I'm going to hold off on shooting. (Maybe) ... but they come in all morning -- there's no "routine".