Home› Main Category› Hunting
Antelope tags: when it rains...
This past year, a friend and I drew Montana deer combo licenses and each earned an antelope point for unsuccessful applications on that animal. We had a great time, but really wanted to try again, but go later in the season due to the enormous pressure (deer and elk season start the same day there) and lack of rut activity in late October. We still had fun and also got to use the included upland bird license and fishing license to great success. As far as big game, we didn't want to waste a lot of time looking for top quality animals because it was obvious that we needed livestock to get anywhere near the early season big boys high in the mountains. I ended up shooting a fork mulie buck and he ended up with a whitetail buttonbuck to hasten our other adventures while in Montana.
So, this past application period, we put in again for mule deer and decided to put in for relatively tough-to-draw (15% draw odds for non-residents last season) antelope units in hopes of purposely earning another point. The goal was to show up much later this year and hunt the mulie rut while stashing yet another antelope point and hunting them next year. It didn't play out that way: we now both hold mule deer general deer season and antelope general season (read: rifle season) tags.
Two years in a row, two cracks at antelope. Who'da thunk? I doubt I will see anything as nice as I scored in Nevada, so I will be looking for something unique (broken horn, bent horn, crazy spread) or maybe I will just the first one I see and get to the deer hunt a little quicker...that will let us warm up the fishing licenses a whole lot quicker.
So, this past application period, we put in again for mule deer and decided to put in for relatively tough-to-draw (15% draw odds for non-residents last season) antelope units in hopes of purposely earning another point. The goal was to show up much later this year and hunt the mulie rut while stashing yet another antelope point and hunting them next year. It didn't play out that way: we now both hold mule deer general deer season and antelope general season (read: rifle season) tags.
Two years in a row, two cracks at antelope. Who'da thunk? I doubt I will see anything as nice as I scored in Nevada, so I will be looking for something unique (broken horn, bent horn, crazy spread) or maybe I will just the first one I see and get to the deer hunt a little quicker...that will let us warm up the fishing licenses a whole lot quicker.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
Replies
An antegoat would be the perfect animal for that.
For your viewing pleasure.
Well, "flatter" being relative to the Helena region we were in and around. My friend who used to live in Montana said that it's more rolling than the skyscraping peaks that we saw out in the western units we hunted last year. I, personally, have never even laid eyes on pics from that area until you posted that link. Regardless, you got me pretty excited to give it a go!
and it's a lot dryer there too. Think semi-arid.
Dad 5-31-13
Life member of the American Legion, the VFW, the NRA and the Masonic Lodge, retired LEO
I don't know what Luis uses, but my go to .243 load for antelope is Nosler 95 grain ballistic tips pushed by 41.5 grains of IMR 4350.
I think I would switch to a different bullet, though, if hunting bigger, tougher animals.
Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
I'll have to look up the exact powder charge for my Tikka T3 in .243, but it uses a 100 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunter over a charge of Ramshot Big Game powder. The load produces 3-shot, 100-yard groups in the .3" range. It's been totally effective on Western game (mulies and antelope) with very minimal meat damage. I have yet to recover one due to total pass through, even with using a fairly light bullet past 250 yards.
Jerry mentioned the Nosler Ballistic tip, and for years both he and Linefinder have spoken to its effectiveness on this-skinned game like antelope. Those are two guys that I definitely trust when it comes to feedback on the subject.
Definitely. I really do have to get it together and do some load testing as I'm now officially on the clock to get a load figured out, collect velocity data for ballistics tables, etc. I love the thought of using such a compact rig in the field.
Some typical land forms around Jordan. With one exception this is as green as it ever gets!!! This is the first couple weeks of spring.
http://m.landsofamerica.com/property/2464498
Just east of miles city.
http://m.landsofamerica.com/property/2572652
Pretty sure this is just south of miles city.
Check out Straberry hills recreation area.