Looking for some help in Region 700 Antelope

[gwhunter]

I added on a pronghorn tag to my Wyoming elk hunt based on the late draw results of the Montana antelope draw. Based on the number of tags, I figured this would be a perfect "typical" western antelope hunt and decided to have my kids (6yo son, 8yo daughter) experience it as their first western hunt and hope to hook them young on joining dad on his western hunting trips. So they hopped on a plane in Detroit in the wee hours of the morning and I picked them up in Bozeman after leaving my cow elk hunt in the Wyoming Range.

We have been hunting two and a half days and have seen exactly 5 pronghorn on property available to us to hunt. (We have actually only seen about 3 dozen pronghorn the entire trip, including the drive from the airport to Ekalaka). We have hunted BLM, type 1 AND type 2 BMA. The Type 2 we hunted today the local BMA rep we talked to said we were on the best ranch in the area. Zero pronghorn all day.

The kids(and mom) have been absolute troopers, checking over "one more ridge" with smiles on their faces. Their longest single-trek was today that was 2.5 miles round trip. My daughter has a journal she has to keep for school and today's entry was "we were all disappointed with zero pronghorn today"


The majority of our time has been spent in 705 since they also offered the extra doe tags there (I have 1) so I assumed the population must be highest there. Yesterday we went south, almost to the Wyoming line and checked all the type 1 block management and all the accessible BLM south of Ekalaka. Today was spent on the north of town in one of the larger type 2s.

I guess what I'm asking is for anyone familiar with the area to shoot me a DM if you are so inclined. My only assumption is that with this many tags issued, I must just be missing the pockets that hold the most goats. While pulling into the BMA area this morning, we chatted with a FWP officer who pulled in behind us to check my tags and even he said we were in a good spot/BMA. But we saw nothing for goats all day, both on and off the BMA.

Thanks for reading the long post and thanks for the help. If I don't hear anything, we will probably hit up the areas a little closer to 94/Yellowstone River. We have the 700 south tag.

 

[jimh406]

I've seen a few Antelope in the open areas of the Northern part of Custer National Forest. I'm not at all an expert on the area. Good luck.

 

[Spedray]

You are in a decent area. Look for any alfalfa fields you can find. There are some in that area open to public. Put on lots of miles glassing. You don't necessarily need to hike unless you are actually seeing them. I assume that most of them have been pushed around a bit by now. We usually have luck by glassing from the highest point we can find.

 

[JohnBud]

You are in a decent area. Look for any alfalfa fields you can find. There are some in that area open to public. Put on lots of miles glassing. You don't necessarily need to hike unless you are actually seeing them. I assume that most of them have been pushed around a bit by now. We usually have luck by glassing from the highest point we can find.

I added on a pronghorn tag to my Wyoming elk hunt based on the late draw results of the Montana antelope draw. Based on the number of tags, I figured this would be a perfect "typical" western antelope hunt and decided to have my kids (6yo son, 8yo daughter) experience it as their first western hunt and hope to hook them young on joining dad on his western hunting trips. So they hopped on a plane in Detroit in the wee hours of the morning and I picked them up in Bozeman after leaving my cow elk hunt in the Wyoming Range.

We have been hunting two and a half days and have seen exactly 5 pronghorn on property available to us to hunt. (We have actually only seen about 3 dozen pronghorn the entire trip, including the drive from the airport to Ekalaka). We have hunted BLM, type 1 AND type 2 BMA. The Type 2 we hunted today the local BMA rep we talked to said we were on the best ranch in the area. Zero pronghorn all day.

The kids(and mom) have been absolute troopers, checking over "one more ridge" with smiles on their faces. Their longest single-trek was today that was 2.5 miles round trip. My daughter has a journal she has to keep for school and today's entry was "we were all disappointed with zero pronghorn today"
View attachment 345706

The majority of our time has been spent in 705 since they also offered the extra doe tags there (I have 1) so I assumed the population must be highest there. Yesterday we went south, almost to the Wyoming line and checked all the type 1 block management and all the accessible BLM south of Ekalaka. Today was spent on the north of town in one of the larger type 2s.

I guess what I'm asking is for anyone familiar with the area to shoot me a DM if you are so inclined. My only assumption is that with this many tags issued, I must just be missing the pockets that hold the most goats. While pulling into the BMA area this morning, we chatted with a FWP officer who pulled in behind us to check my tags and even he said we were in a good spot/BMA. But we saw nothing for goats all day, both on and off the BMA.

Thanks for reading the long post and thanks for the help. If I don't hear anything, we will probably hit up the areas a little closer to 94/Yellowstone River. We have the 700 south tag.
View attachment 345707

Wish that I could help but I don't know the area. I agree with @Spedray that you should be glassing from the highest spots and don't start hiking out until you find/see them. Burn some gas and use the glass, you'll find them. Good luck, and good on you for bringing the family!

 

[cgasner1]

I must be the odd man out on this. After 2 weeks of rifles banging at them if I was going this morning I’m parking and hiking into stuff you can’t see from anywhere else. They are still around just hiding in the landscape goood luck

 

[Hem]

Sound advice^
Antelope hunters generally detest the notion of walking.

 

[gwhunter]

I must be the odd man out on this. After 2 weeks of rifles banging at them if I was going this morning I’m parking and hiking into stuff you can’t see from anywhere else. They are still around just hiding in the landscape goood luck

That was the method we were using. All of the little folds that you couldn't see into from the truck or from the glassing points is what I kept telling the kids could be holding antelope. It's kinda became the sounding board for if they were getting bored or needed a change of scenery. "One more ridge, or back to the truck?" As the day wore on without any sightings, the number of ridges the kids wanted to go look over decreased significantly

 

[cgasner1]

That was the method we were using. All of the little folds that you couldn't see into from the truck or from the glassing points is what I kept telling the kids could be holding antelope. It's kinda became the sounding board for if they were getting bored or needed a change of scenery. "One more ridge, or back to the truck?" As the day wore on without any sightings, the number of ridges the kids wanted to go look over decreased significantly

I guess just lace them up tighter

 

[Mountain Man]

I feel for you @gwhunter, I just had the exact same experience in unit 300. I similarly thought an antelope hunt would be a great first hunting experience for my 8 year old twins.

Turns out that is not the case in Montana. We hunted hard for 2.5 days and never saw a single antelope on public/BMA. We also hiked a fair amount from the roads. My kids interest ebbed and flowed, but the lack of any excitement due to animal sightings what so ever weighed on them as the hunt went on.

The really discouraging thing is that there were almost no antelope on private land either. We only saw 2 herds on private. How FWP issues 250 tags for that unit is beyond me.

Anyways, sorry I can’t be of help to you in unit 700. I’m pulling for you though.

 

[Deez Nutz]

I feel for you @gwhunter, I just had the exact same experience in unit 300. I similarly thought an antelope hunt would be a great first hunting experience for my 8 year old twins.

Turns out that is not the case in Montana. We hunted hard for 2.5 days and never saw a single antelope on public/BMA. We also hiked a fair amount from the roads. My kids interest ebbed and flowed, but the lack of any excitement due to animal sightings what so ever weighed on them as the hunt went on.

The really discouraging thing is that there were almost no antelope on private land either. We only saw 2 herds on private. How FWP issues 250 tags for that unit is beyond me.

Anyways, sorry I can’t be of help to you in unit 700. I’m pulling for you though.

You couldn't find an antelope in unit 300????

 

[brockel]

That’s been the story for the season. Been tough sledding finding antelope on accessible land

 

[Hem]

Need to remember, antelope have their own turf, but doesn't necessarily mean you will see them in one spot all the time.
Here today, gone tomorrow
Local herd near my house moves 3-4 miles in a 3-4 day cycle/loop.