How many guys have tried it before? I've been looking into it lately and would love try it is a new challenge and change of hunting scenery with my father and a friend. I would like to go in that hot late august window one of these next 2 seasons (not including 2015) and would love to get some more information and tips from these forums. I would have access to 2 large properties out in Montana so I would need to get a 900 series non resident tag. Thanks for the help guys!
I haven't yet, but it's on my to do list for sure. Probably the next thing I'll do. I had actually started planning on doing a DIY public land hunt for this year, but life got too busy and I didn't get it all lined out. I was planning on hunting the last few days of archery season and the first couple of rifle in Wyoming. I think the easiest way is hunting water sources out of a ground blind in the hot season.
I've gone 3 times now and tried everything from sitting water, to decoying, to plain ole spot and stalk. All are effective at the right time. Sitting water is the easiest DEPENDING on the water situation where you hunt. If water is everywhere, you're likely wasting your time unless someone local is there to scout out which holes produce and preset your blinds to acclimate the animals. Pick n pop water hole hunting when water is every few hundred yards is futile IMO. That said, you've already completed the hardest part of the hunt which is lining up land access. I can't stress enough how much that will improve your odds over a general unit public land hunt.
Like T said, access is key ...other then that my advise is don't over think pronghorn. Once you know where your hunting and you have a handle on securing the tag...your next thing is a couple hours spent on G Earth or better still OnX maps( shows the property lines ) ...line up a couple water holes , mark them ...then. bring a couple portable blinds. If it's not too wet they will hit water regularly ..if there is water everywhere your wasting your time. In that case if your around AG fields you can ambush them coming and going to a field with aground blind. You can also just spot and stalk if your have some broken country... Lastly if it's during the rut you can use a decoy. In short don't make it harder then it is, logistically it's one of the easiest hunts in the west. Get a tag and go....
I spent last week out in Western South Dakota hunting antelope. It was a little early for decoys and it has been a record year for rain so the water was everywhere. I did manage to get a shot at a small buck working from behind the decoy but it was a pretty good poke and and he jumped the string and was long gone before the arrow got there. I am going back in 2 weeks, hopefully the decoy will be a little more productive. One thing with the decoy, you still have to sneak in close, within 150 yards before you pop it up. Anymore than that and the bucks gather up their does and head out. IF you get inside their comfort zone, get ready, the buck is going to try to run you out.
Might run into each other...I will be out that way for the first couple weeks of the bow season deer hunting.
I'll be there the weekend both archery season. Where are you going? I didn't see anything earth shattering for muleys but I know where this one is. He has a bunch of stickers on the right side. Other than that he's nothing special. Sent from my miracle pocket communication device.
I'm headed out to western SD as well for deer in the second week of October for deer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
