First Antelope Hunt

[smw110136]

Succesfully drew a muzzleloader antelope tag for my home state of Nebraska after a few years. The tag allows me to hunt pretty much statewide (except for a small portion in the northwest). I dont have any concern getting access and finding a good buck to shoot, but with a muzzleloader I will have to get within 150 yards or so.

Season opens Sept 21 and runs through Oct 6. From what I have read and heard from other hunters is this is during the rut in Nebraska.

Any tips for getting rutting bucks within muzzleloader range? I prefer spot and stalk over sitting watering holes.

Thanks

 

[chuckyd313]

Be the decoy hat. Ive seen Fin use one on a show and he managed to get almost withinbow range. Theres a few guys on here that have bought one.

 

[MTbowhunter84]

Congrats on the draw. I have had very good luck decoying. I had a buck last year before the rut come into my decoy. They had just started getting their areas figured out and he came from around 500 yds out to just over 70 yds. Just a little too far for the bow for me. So should be very doable with the muzzleloader. Best of luck and look forward to hearing the outcome.

 

[smw110136]

Thanks for the input. What type of decoys were you using. I saw the OYOA episode where Fin used the be the decoy strategy. Any opinions on Montana Decoys?

I will probably be going with Be The Decoy or Montana Decoys to make spot and stalk hunting easier

 

[Redwood]

I've had great success with the mt decoy. Find the buck, then stalk to within his space and pop it up. If he challenges it he'll come in fast. Don't underestimate a few feet of tp flagging off a stick. Curiosity isn't just lethal for cats.

 

[smokepolepaul]

Oh boy, are you in for a treat. I'd rather hunt Pronghorn than any other animal. From a safety standpoint, be careful if you use a decoy with other muzzleoader hunters in the vicinity. Not trying to "boss" you at all. Just watch around you.

As many of the forum members have stated, they do work. I have a couple of suggestions.

1. Go to this link and buy Mike Eastman's "Hunting Trophy Antelope - A DIY Guide". http://www.eastmans.com/shop/books/hunting-trophy-antelope.html.

It will be the best investment you can make for hunting Antelope. It also comes with an excellent bonus DVD.

2. Get this call. http://www.gamecall.net/ It's the Calls 'em All game call. In Mike's DVD, the inventor does several demonstrations on how to use it. He says it is particularly effect during the rut.

Have a great hunt!

Paul

 

[smw110136]

Thanks Paul.

I was looking to find a good book to read for the hunt so i appreciated the link.

I shouldnt have to worry about running into anyone else while hunting. Most of the antelope on public land are in an area where I can't hunt with my tag. I dont think I will have much trouble to get land to hunt on as its difficult to get a tag here in Nebraska and not many people hunt them. The ranchers in western Nebraska dont mind one antelope getting taken off their properties once every few years after someone approaches them about it.

 

[smokepolepaul]

Thanks Paul.

I was looking to find a good book to read for the hunt so i appreciated the link.

I shouldnt have to worry about running into anyone else while hunting. Most of the antelope on public land are in an area where I can't hunt with my tag. I dont think I will have much trouble to get land to hunt on as its difficult to get a tag here in Nebraska and not many people hunt them. The ranchers in western Nebraska dont mind one antelope getting taken off their properties once every few years after someone approaches them about it.

You're welcome. Here's another bit of info you might be interested in...Take a look at Precision Rifle's Dead Center bullet. It's one of the flatest shooting bullets I have used. The Barnes 290 grain TMZ is another good one too. Along with the flatter trajectory, the terminal performance of these two bullets is devastating.

Here are the links:

http://www.prbullet.com/pts.htm

http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/components/muzzleloader/

Have a great hunt and be safe.

Paul

 

[smw110136]

Sitting at the airport in Calgary, AB waiting to head home from a work trip. Been a very long week knowing my season opens Saturday. Scouted over Labor Day and found two shooters bucks and got permission from the land owners to hunt. Spoke to one landowner on Monday and he said that he had seen one herd just that morning.

Was supposed to hunt with my old man this weekend, but with all the flooding along the S. Platte River in eastern colorado and western nebraska, work is keeping him busy opening weekend.

Looking like I'm going solo, at least for Saturday. Hopefully I get some pictures and possibly some video to post in the next few days.

 

[wyoming556]

Be the decoy hat. Ive seen Fin use one on a show and he managed to get almost withinbow range. Theres a few guys on here that have bought one.

I would not use a decoy hat during a firearm season, my 2 cents.

To the OP, good luck on your hunt. There are quite a few antelope between Chadron and Alliance/Hemingford area if you are looking.

 

[elkantlers]

Good luck. Post some pics when you get one.

 

[sbhooper]

You won't have any problem getting within mz range with a decoy-or without. They should be rutting. The country is broken enough that you can do it. Combine a call with the decoy and it is even better. A predator call works real well and makes about the same sounds as an actual antelope call. I have not tried the Ne bucks during mz season, but I did try with a bow and had no problem getting within 100 yards.

I will be hunting a late-season doe out by Alliance. Pref points should get me centerfire buck within the next couple of years.

You will have a great hunt. Just remember to take care of the meat quickly if it warms up.

 

[smw110136]

got one down

used a MT decoy to get within 200 yards of a bedded group. He never got very aggressive, but got his does up and just started moving them away from the intruder that kept inching towards the herd. As they moved away, heads down, I closed the distance to 80 yards, stopping every now and again to keep him from seeing too much movement. He turned to take a look and put his head down in the brush and was thrashing. Shot him quartering to me, just behind the shoulder. Nailed a lung and the liver, dropped him on the spot and he never made it back up. The weather was perfect on Saturday and made for a great hunt.

 

[Oak]

Congrats on the buck! Sorry you lost your ramrod.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Good looking antelope!

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Nice one!

Two and a half weeks until I put one of those tasty beasts in the freezer

 

[gknutson]

Good job. Thanks for finishing the story with nice photos.

 

[mtlion]

Congrats, antelope hunting is addictive to say the least. That's a great start.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

GREAT! Thanks for posting pics!

 

[sbhooper]

Good buck. I hope you had on your legal amount of orange when you shot that buck!