Hunting Water-What do you do?
Pronghorn
You are heading to WY to hunt the first full week of season. Extended forecast is showing hot and dry. It has been this way for at least a month. You have access to 10-12 sections of private land and aren't concerned about pressure.
Here are a couple of questions for you.
#1)Assuming that hot and dry weather holds true and you are hunting a water source that seems to have good sign, do you shoot the first buck you have in range or are you selective? You have a week to hunt if need be.
#2)You have only found 2 tanks on the property you have permission to hunt that still hold water. One has lots of tracks around the tank the other has sporadic tracks. You set two blinds and hunt the one with the most tracks. You realize you forgot your trail cams so no surveillance of a blind you aren't hunting. If after 3 days you haven't had a buck or the right buck water, do you give the other blind a shot or ride it out in your first choice blind?
#3)After a few days of hard hunting you have only had a few antelope water at your blind. Some antelope want to water, but they seem to spook off. You just set up your blinds the day before you started hunting. What is your next step? Do you keep hunting it like it is knowing that the bucks will eventually calm down and come in or do you try something else?
Wait on all three occasions
I normally shoot the first decent buck. Sitting a blind in the hot sucks, I love antelope meat, and have already mounted two and don't plan on mounting another one. Shoot first decent buck unless you are hell bent on a really big one. If that the cases I would find a big one spend at least day watch him try to hunt were he wants to water.
A change of scenery is nice when hunting antelope. 3 days with little to no action warrants a change. When hot dry not much sign around a tank unless tank leaks or over flows. Grounds way to hard for hoove prints.
I have found that 3-4 day before hunting is plenty of time for lopes to get use to a blind. I have killed several setting blind before sunrise day I hunt it. If they are still spooking after blind been there I'd ask myself are they seeing me. Is sun low and shining directly in blind, is there a opening/crack in back of blind allowing me to be seen, is my clothes faces blacked out.
John pretty well covered it!
Good info from everyone. Thanks!
#1 - Decide what you’re looking for before you crawl into the blind and nearly sweat to death everyday. If you’re after a trophy to mount, take the first buck that’ll make you happy. ALL mature antelope with decent prongs and horns 12” or longer look great when mounted by a good taxidermist. It doesn’t take much of a buck to make P&Y. If you’re just after meat then shoot the first legal buck that presents a shot you’re confident in making. As with John I’ve got a couple of great bucks on the wall and won’t mount another one, even if he’s over 85”. When we scouted we saw one buck near where I plan to setup a blind that’ll probably break 80” but I don’t plan to wait for him since there’s a couple other water sources within 1-2 miles. I’ve got a cow elk tag that opens the same day 6 hours away and that’s my priority so I won’t be able to set up the antelope blind until the night before I start hunting. It’s a public land hunt, otherwise I’d head up there now set up a blind and let it sit until I got done with the cow elk hunt and in that situation I’d probably sit for a few days waiting for the big buck since I’d be more confident he’d come in since the blind had been there a few days.
Tilz I said the same thing after mounting the first one. Then I killed one over 85" and mounted it. ;)
I have no intentions of mounting a buck as I love the euros but if I shoot an 85” it will definitely be mounted. Lol
I’ve killed a few doing it and have sat 56 straight hours without a single animal watering, sitting water to me is right up their with solitary confinement I’d rather spot and stalk odds are still not great but atleast I feel like I’m hunting
I agree with John as well, don’t pass on the first day what you would shoot on the last.
Cams are pretty cheap, get a couple and use them. Even better take cell cams so you don’t need to go in to check them. But to stick to the question, I’d sit the high traffic as long as I could stand it.
Third is probably try to sit it out too.
—Jim
Any chance your LO could set up your blinds before hand for you? Buy cheap ones on Amazon and have them delivered to him, fast shipping and probably almost as cheap as sending yours out including buying them.
—Jim
First off you do not forget your trail camera. Second you shoot what makes you happy. and third If you don't have a plan in place already you need to stick with the water. W
What you need to know is if there is water that the antelope are using thats to on your property. If so you may be screwed.
1. Have you ever killed the species you are pursuing?
2. What quality of bucks are in the area - 12”,13”, 14”,etc. ?
3. Based on quality of bucks in area, do you want to take a good representation of the species or take a trophy grade animal for the area?
Hot weather is just a part of early season antelope hunting- dress appropriately and stay hydrated and take some reading material.
Antelopes during the time of year you are hunting are territorial and normally water twice a day.
Be patient and stay inside your blind all day. (Take a portable pottie with you).
1. Have you ever killed the species you are pursuing?
2. What quality of bucks are in the area - 12”,13”, 14”,etc. ?
3. Based on quality of bucks in area, do you want to take a good representation of the species or take a trophy grade animal for the area?
Hot weather is just a part of early season antelope hunting- dress appropriately and stay hydrated and take some reading material.
Antelopes during the time of year you are hunting are territorial and normally water twice a day.
Be patient and stay inside your blind all day. (Take a portable pottie with you).
I’ve killed antelope. I have one buck that is P&Y. I don’t care about trophies on antelope but I would probably pass the little guys with no prongs early. Anything with much of a horn at all will get shot. I live hunting them and love eating them just as much if not more so I won’t be doing a lot of passing.
Also….we will have plenty of cameras. I’m just asking these theoretical questions to see what others would do.
Always try to set your Blind up so that the Sun is to the side of you or behind you, much less chance of beig spotted in the blind.
