What are the common mistakes Antelope hunters make?

[Gunn Smithy]

When it comes to hunting Pronghorn, what are the most common mistakes you see hunters make?

Getting to close to quick. Even a hasty stalk of one could spook them and then they are four valleys away. I was introduced to what I thought rather odd ways to hunt in Wyoming on an Antelope hunt. For one, It's legal to shoot from the road as long as you are not shooting across the road. One foot on the ground from your vehicle and you're legal to shoot. So I was taken out early one morning and came to a stop at the top of a hill. Shut the engine off and opened the door using the "V" formed by the door and the frame of the car. Lined up my sights and shot my Antelope. All legal and fun to boot. My health would not have allowed any other means of take. A friend in the same hunting party went on foot for a 4 hour stalk (he had a buck tag) and at about 250 yards away, not him, but another hunter was taking a shot at a different antelope and it spooked off my friends target. Four hours down the drain. Smithy.

[Wyoredman]

For one, It's legal to shoot from the road as long as you are not shooting across the road. One foot on the ground from your vehicle and you're legal to shoot.

Not true. Shooting from any maintained road is a sure way to get yourself a ticket in WY!

I think Gun Smithy may be refering to two track roads or roads on private property. On two tracks and private roads, it is legal, but not very safe to shhot from the roadway. On all public, maintained roads, you must be either across the right-of-way fence or if no fence exists, across the barrow ditch/established shoulder area of the roadway. It is also illegal to fire a firearm form inside the vehichle. You may use the vehicle for a rest, but you must have both feet on the ground and not be fireing from a maintained public road.

Here is the link to the WGFD regulation concerning vehicles and roadways:

It Is Illegal To
• shoot or attempt to kill any wildlife from, upon, along or across any public road or highway. This includes any roadway that is publicly maintained or privately maintained but open to public vehicle traffic.The area between the fences on a fenced public road or highway or the road surface, borrow pits and shoulders of unfenced public roads or highways shall be considered the public road or highway. Unmaintained two-track trails on public lands are not public roads.

• shoot any wildlife, except predatory animals, from a vehicle.

http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/education-1000243.aspx

[longranger]

No big game animal is more mishandled,maimed and just plain wasted than the Antelope.Local Game Officials estimate as many Antelope will be harvested ehtically and cleanly as are wounded,wasted with legs shot off.CA hunters should not be allowed to hunt in WY unless they pass an ethics/law test.If your health does allow for "fair chase" find another activity that does not require breaking laws and killing animals.

[ltc444]

Just a note for those of us who ride motorcycles in Antelope country. If one starts running with you back off the throttle and let it beat you. If you pace them they will get tired and cut in front of you. This is a disaster on a bike.

Once paced our local herd in my utv. I was running 35 mph and they had not even started to run.

A lot of go info thank you for your contributions.

[Jack O'Conner]

Too much gun and not enough practise with it.

Antelope are small creatures compared to mule deer. They're easily toppled with 22-250, 243, or 6mm. Some say 25-06 is IDEAL.

Jack

[Wyoredman]

They're easily toppled with 22-250, 243, or 6mm.

True, true. But if you are hunting in Wyoming, be sure you bring a caliber larger than .23"!

Legal firearms for BIG or TROPHY GAME must have a barrel bore diameter of at least 23/100 of an inch and be chambered to fire a centerfire cartridge not less than two inches overall length including a soft or expanding point bullet seated to a normal depth