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I've been Antelope hunting 3 times in Aug. & since my knees are shot I just waterhole hunt. I am going mid Sept & again water hole. My son & 2 friends will be doing S & S + waterhole. IF it's dry, what can I expect being on a waterhole for activity since they should be rutting? I will be in Eastern Wy.. Thanks
The same thing you can expect in August. Antelope will get thirsty if it's dry. Maybe even more so for mature bucks as they will expend much more energy and presumably need more water due to chasing off other bucks, etc.
You can expect them to drink
September makes for great antelope hunting. As mentioned above I also believe the rut will make them possibly more likely to utilize a water hole, as they chase like crazy. I've seen bucks run off rivals an incredible distance, and then trot all the way back to their does. I think you will have a great time.
No other time I'd rather be there than late September. Cooler weather and rutting lopes.
bring a decoy. I hunt Gillette wy that time also. they go crazy for the decoy
You can expect to see some chasing. if there anytime of year where a decoy will help it be September.I prefer small waterholes where they have to be with in range to get a drink.
Second to third week of September is always my favorite time !
I haven't hunted lopes in Sept because I am usually elk hunting. However I been told be others with way more experience that work rather hunt mid September then any other time. Good luck
thanks everyone. I think Boubound helped me the most. I know its going to be good regardless.
This will be my first September antelope hunt. unfortunately i did not draw any deer or elk tags this year. witch left my September open. I am really excited to hunt these in the rut with decoys . Its something i always wanted to do. I will see you out there ahunter76
I'll be out in Eastern WY in exactly 2 weeks. My decoy showed up in the mail yesterday. I opened it up to shoot some with it attached to my bow. I'm glad it'll fit in my suitcase without being folded back up, because there is no way I can figure that out. I tried, my wife said it looked like I was practicing karate trying to do it. It just ain't happening.
I'm ready NYhillbilly. My kid is "really" getting pumped.
Can’t wait,15 more days, 2 tags on my pocket
Good luck skull ! 2 tags nice I'm leaving in 6 days 1 antelope and 2 mulie tags and a month to hunt :) Hoping my bow doesn't blow up on me like last year lol On the September thing my buddy keeps telling around the 20th is usually pretty good.
Thanks Timbrhuntr, I finally got a nice private property in Jordan Montana, and my usual private spot in Newcastle Wyoming , Good Luck to you and everyone
Ahunter76 you ready for fried rattle snake . I bring some hooters wing sauce for them .
Good for you skull you'll be about 200 miles north of me !
Snakes I do not need to even see.
Windmill over water. Bears can't count and antelope do not look up.
Oops wrong photo. Still applies.
I've been going out to Montana near the Wyoming border for about 5 years and haven't seen a snake yet !
Are you saying you climb the windmill and hunt from it ?
Good luck Pasquale....I'll be out in MT next month.
Antelope is history. It WAS VERY WET so my waterhole hunt was a bust from the very start. Not a problem though as my son & another friend (both 1st time Antelope hunt) are fit enough for the rigors of spot & stalk. My other long time buddy is also fit for spot & stalk. So, I knew from the git, go I was not to be doing much (my knees are shot). No problem for me as the only reason I was there was because my son wanted to go after my buddy had contacted me. I had said I was done in 2017 on my 4th & last Goat trip-wrong-this IS the last). Anyway, we had a set back in N.W. Iowa as interstate 90 was shut down due to flooding & so was a ton of other highways. We finally made a hug circle North & 4 hours later got back on 90 & "maybe" a 10 mile gain. So, we ended crashing a few hours in a rest area & lost a half day hunting. I had been in this unit 9 years ago but with all the water there was ZERO by any holes that had produced good results back then. Our 2 buddies showed up a day later & one was a 1st time Goat hunter like my son. Well, they both got broke in on spot & stalk real good & we all knew, this would be the only way to tag one of these speedsters. I have no idea how many stalks my son had made b/4 one materialized after an hour of sneaking & crawling to where he could peek over the edge where 4 Does & single buck stood. They had been out of sight from him & had moved a few yards farther. Anyway, he made the shot undetected only to see it fall short by a few inches. LATE morning of our THIRD day we spot a Buck with 8-10 Does & another Buck coming down a ridge toward them. Roughly 300 yards. My son takes off on the down side of a hill & out of sight. He managed to close that gap to about 100 yds when I see the two bucks running around & the one chasing the intruder TOWARD my son. This is over 100 yds from me but I have my binocs AND big lens camera. I find out later he's ranging 80 yds, 64 yards, 50 yards & at 39 yards his arrow passes thru the intruder Buck. They had came right to him. He bolted & disappears over a small rise. After a short wait my son returns to me & says he went down then got up, went a few yards & went down again. He says his shot was good & was going to take the hauler & go get him. It was to far for me & my knees. So, I wait & about an hour & a half later I see him top the rise with his Goat on the cart. I am positive, if at all possible, I was happier than he was & he was shaking from the excitement & rush. Our trip was awesome & my goal was for him to have a great 1st Antelope hunt & in my mind, I said, if he gets a shot, it would be more than successful trip (I say when you get a shot, you have had the thrill, without the kill).. It IS my last Goat trip & with my son & 2 great hunting friends there, it's one of the BEST. I'll recap on my 2 buddies soon.
Timberhntr-my on saw this 10 button bad boy 1st trip for Goats & our buddies saw one also plus we saw a big sand track. They were out for us. We let this guy go on his way.
A short (maybe) recap. As I said, my hunt was a bust due to so much water. My son (1st time Goat hunt) & 2 friends (one 1st timer & 1 veteran Goat hunter) took their Goats all by spot & stalk. We all know this can & is darn tough. On our 2nd day there we started to see a little Doe chasing (very little but some). On the 3rd day we saw a couple Bucks chasing Bucks as some were starting to gather their harems. On the 3rd day we saw this going on & in a spot where the terrain was almost perfect for a stalk. My son did just that & by PURE LUCK one Buck chased another right to him after my son had closed the gap of 300 yds to 100. 39 yd. shot did the trick. Next was my veteran goat hunting buddy (he has several). It was the 4th day & he decide to try the shoot thru decoy that fastens on your bow He made a good stalk but was still 110 yds out & decided to raise the decoy up. BOOM, got that Bucks attention right now & he slowly started toward him. He stopped at 80. With nothing to loose, he started slowly moving toward the Buck & closed in another15 yds. He took the shot & made a fatal shot. 2 down. Next & 5th day it was the other friend & 1st time Goat hunter. His 1st stalk was in a pretty decent place terrain wise but was a long stalk. He ended up right at 100 yds when he ran out of cover. He had a fold up full size decoy & decide to pop it up. First time to try this decoy. He raised it up very slow & got ready behind it. The Buck instantly started walking toward him & stopped at 60 yds. Mistake. Great shot & down he went. THREE spot & Stalk Bucks & all a little different.. Mind you, I have no idea how many stalks were made but I tried to keep track. 1 shot in 7 is pretty close, maybe 8. I know between the 3 there was 8 misses = 50+ stalks. Some were "real" long to. This was an awesome trip in SO MANY ways. I am truly blessed & so thankful for a long, successful Bowhunting Journey. Good luck to you all, it's WHITETAIL time in TEN days. This is our buddy & the other 1st time Antelope hunter. They did good
Always Thankful Darton Ex Vegas 60#s hunter Darton Maverick 45#s Targets, Cyclone 3-D 50#s indoors Ozark Mountain 50# 68" Longbow (both) with woodies Aluminum Platinum Plus target, XX75s hunting, 2712s indoors
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Super hunt for sure, especially with family and friends. my best, Paul