new to antelope what's a good buck??

[mitchell]

hello everybody,

i'm going to be trying my hand at a antelope archery hunting here in two weeks i've been getting quite a few on trail cams everyday at a watering hole. not knowing much about them my question is what should you look for in a antelope buck?

here's one that been coming into water everyday

 

[HARPERC]

A lot of factors play into it, is this a once in a lifetime type tag, or something you can do every year? You're hunting archery it makes a difference. There are 5 mass measurements per horn, and 1 length measurement, so mass counts. The real world beaters carry it to the end. Pronghorn guide service has a lot of pictures on their Facebook site. They have a good video or 2 on scoring as well. The only issue I have with their video is most of the bucks pictured are so over the top it's not helpful. Most of what is shown is in the category of drop the pencil and shoot. Your picture looks to me like a younger buck, a good enough first buck to mount and give you the fever. If that's all there is then that's what you got. How much time have you been on this hole? How much water is in the area? How much hunting time have you got etc.? Older bucks are bit blockier enough to notice even at distance. If you want a number as reference, I'll bite and say 2.5 y/o animal with 62-65" of horn at best. It'll beat my first buck I'll say that, and if it suits you is all that counts. Good luck!

 

[mitchell]

well its by no means a once and a life time tag. it takes 2 to 3 preference points to draw a rifle tag OTC for archery. there are quite a few bigger bucks out there but this guy comes in everyday almost, due to the drought colorado is in there's only a few holes on the whole ranch that have water. im not a hunter that only take boon and crocket type game but i do believe in letting younger buck walk.

i know a trophy is in the eye of the beholder but i just don't want to kill off a buck the should of walk because i don't know better

 

[Tikkamike]

Up here in wyoming a good buck is relative to where you are hunting, up here in the north end where I live a 14" buck that scores high 70's is awesome, I have done most of my antelope hunting in the southern half of the states where a 14" buck isnt worth a second look. down there a 16" buck in the low 80's is almost a given if you put in your time. so go out and look at all the bucks, see what appears to be the average buck for that area and go from there. Harperc is correct, mass counts and so do the diggers . I have shot 15" antelope that score in the low 80's so mass makes up inches. hooks do not matter they just make for a pretty head. Learn to use the ears in relation to the diggers to help judge them. it the ears are as high as the diggers keep looking. if they are only half as tall as the bottom of the diggers you should consider knocking an arrow. But like I said look at a lot of animals and come up with what seems to be the average buck for your area then look for something bigger.

 

[HARPERC]

Mike gave a much better explanation on the prongs than I did. I approach it in a similar fashion, but consider it a mass measurement when I'm doing the math. Will your hunt extend into the rut? They are a bit territorial, are the bigger bucks using your water hole? Any vantage points you can glass from to get a feel for some of the activity patterns? Have you got the run of the ranch or limited to this spot?

 

[FEENIX]

If this is your first, any buck is a good buck, esp. during archery.

Try this (field judging antelope) ... http://bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/pronghorn/fieldjudgingpronghorn/

Good luck!

 

[mitchell]

Mike gave a much better explanation on the prongs than I did. I approach it in a similar fashion, but consider it a mass measurement when I'm doing the math. Will your hunt extend into the rut? They are a bit territorial, are the bigger bucks using your water hole? Any vantage points you can glass from to get a feel for some of the activity patterns? Have you got the run of the ranch or limited to this spot?

thanks for all the advice so far guys!! this site always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge it has.

as for your questions: bow season runs from august 15 to sept 20th so the rut will be in swing i believe but come sept i'll also be going after cow elk with a bow so ill mostly be hunting those last two weeks of august. as for the ranch i paid the owner a trespassing fee so i'll be able to hunt 5 sq miles of the 8 sq mile ranch so a good size hunt of ranch.

you said patterns, i'm from the east grew up white tail hunting and new to western hunting. are antelope like whitetail with using the same primarily food and bedding areas and routes and such? or more or less do what they want?

 

[HARPERC]

I think they rut as intensely as whitetails, but even talking just whitetails regional differences exist. You mention drought, there is also buck/doe ratio, how hard they get pressed by predators etc.. Underneath all of it some patterns exist if you can sort it out, and as it's taking place in open country if there is a spot you can watch you'll learn a bit what's going on. That first week of September they will get more serious every day about the rut. Great fun to watch, but it's a more dynamic time. Kind of a tradeoff, for archery routine is better for ambush, activity/visibility favors spot and stalk.