Washington Antelope

[fishing4sanity]

I was headed into church this morning and saw 3 antelope, many of you are probably saying, "big deal, 3 antelope." In Washington seeing any antelope is a big deal, akin to seeing a 450" bull in one of those hardly-ever hunted SE Montana areas. Anyway, I was a little bummed because my daughter-in-law saw some yesterday and I almost took my camera in case ..... late like always and no camera. I had to settle for a cell phone and bino combo.

 

[Lefty315]

Always wondered why we didn't have a viable population in the state. I know there were some around Hanford years ago but hadn't heard much about them in years.

 

[LopeHunter]

There have been transplant efforts in the past. A few hundred have been released in WA the past decade. Were expected to double each year in size but appears are not increasing at all. Maybe will be a season in WA someday.

If want to read up on the challenges and current herd status:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/feb/01/pronghorn-hunted-to-extinction-in-the-1900s-are-re/
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01770/wdfw01770.pdf
http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/pronghorn.html
https://www.ynwildlife.org/pronghorn.php

 

[----]

There have been transplant efforts in the past. A few hundred have been released in WA the past decade. Were expected to double each year in size but appears are not increasing at all. Maybe will be a season in WA someday.

If want to read up on the challenges and current herd status:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/feb/01/pronghorn-hunted-to-extinction-in-the-1900s-are-re/
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01770/wdfw01770.pdf
http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/pronghorn.html
https://www.ynwildlife.org/pronghorn.php

That's pretty fascinating stuff, thanks for posting.

I have to drive to Seattle a couple times a year, and I'm always curious why I don't see pronghorn between Ellensburg and Spokane, it sure is good habitat.

 

[Chad K]

Great info and rather impressive pictures too! Being new to pronghorn and having been out of the hunting loop since 2001 I am eager to get back in the swing of things. I joined here to learn more and catch-up on the old. I was unaware that we (Washington res) didn't have a great, or even a decent population of pronghorn. As for any in Hanford? In my book... they'd be safe. I wonder if their horns would glow?

 

[Irrelevant]

FYI, I just heard this last week that the most recent group released by the Colville's up east of Omak have migrated south, swam Rufus Woods, and are hanging out in northern Douglas county now.

 

[----]

This article came across my feed this morning- https://psmag.com/magazine/native-tribe-reintroducing-disappeared-species-on-own-land

Pretty interesting stuff.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Way cool. That has potential to be great antelope country from there to Spokane and the Columbia Basin. Too bad WA is mostly incompetent in the management of their F&G.

 

[Lefty315]

Way cool. That has potential to be great antelope country from there to Spokane and the Columbia Basin. Too bad WA is mostly incompetent in the management of their F&G.

Touché