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fine tuning blinds for Antelope

Hello, After recovering from both a Heart attack and Cancer, I have decided to return to Bowhunting. I was a Senior P&Y member 30+ years ago, when I hunted Antelope from atop windmills in Wyoming. Now retired, I am an hour away from Mora county NM, which is rated very highly for truly large B&C class Antelope. Shown these, a month ago, I would like to acquire any and all fine points for hunting these very shy, very large Antelope successfully from a blind. The Internet is filed with info for hunting ANY Antelope. I am only interested in investing the time to potentially take a true trophy class Buck. I have two 16+" bucks on my wall already, so the idea of just taking another Antelope simply does not appeal to me and hope this message reaches some serious, successful bowhunters willing to share information. Thank You, GS

In my experience, if you get your blind set at least a week before you hunt, so the antelope get used to it, there really isn't any other tricks to it. I've even hunted out of blinds that I set that day, and they still came to the water. Antelope aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Good luck, and I'm glad you're recovering from your ailments.

Matt

Interesting. I was on an outfitter hunt last Saturday, the opening day in South Dakota. The outfitter had put up the blinds less than 24 hours before the hunt. The antelope stared at them from 100 or more yards and avoided them.

Make sure everything is strapped down good. They don't seem to like material that is flopping in the wind. Keep your back windows shut tightly so no daylight is exposing you.

Both those points are very valid. Hunted last week immediately after setting the blind. About half the goats came in close 50-70 yards, looked at it and left. A couple got on the burm and it was getting blown with some flapping and they spooked. Some people claim they won’t come in unless there’s mesh (shoot through type) over the windows. I haven’t needed the mesh on my last two hunts but it might matter on older bucks.

In the past I have been using pallets as a temp blind putting them out at least 2 weeks in advance. The results are varied and I have killed a few nice pronghorn using this approach. IMO - the best option as stated, put your actual blind up at least a week prior to hunting and use green fence posts to secure it. I had young bucks come in for the 2.5 days, however the older, wiser bucks stayed outside a comfortable shooting distance. There is nothing you can do about the wind so having your blind buttoned down as secure is possible will make a difference. Having more time to sort things out is always a benefit.

If there are any cows at all post it in and protect it.... Our blind was destroyed by cows when we took a lunch break.

Also really look at 2 things. Where the tracks come and go. See where they are actually watering and where you should place your blind. Also the dang sun. My first blind was set up and the sun destroyed my life....

Set up where the Sun will be behind you (for most of the day) so they are looking into the Sun and you are not.

Lately I have been hunting out of Hay Bale Blinds and they really work well. Takes no time for them to get use to them and this past week I lost count of how many Doe's bedded down within 5 yards of the Blind.

Maybe a little off your specific question but setup a blind is not rocket science. If your goal is to kill a monster or nothing I would put in a lot of time pre hunt finding a monster and watching him from a distance. Learn where he prefers to waters, crosses a fence, etc. Once you find a place you think you can kill him then worry about setting up a blind.

I’ve killed a ton of goats on first day set up’s

I would say bucks in the 16 inch range are big league and almost never get close to pop up blinds, I have had good luck with a blind called a bass baby its a blind for duck hunting from a boat, you need to dig a 15 inch deep pit to set it on, it kind of accordians up and need to stake it down, its very low compared to pop up blinds, it works on big antelope mule deer or elk, I think the long low shape has something to do with it working, where the normal pop blind pushes them away in the low sage brush areas fed down buy cattle and mustangs in Nevada.

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