Sportsman's Quest

I've done a considerable amount of antelope hunting, but unlike Roy, it's all been with a rifle and I feel very fortunate if I can get within 150 yards of my quarry.

I certainly don't have the patience to sit for days like he does, and if I did, it would probably require the time it takes to read a book the length of War and Peace before I could get one to come within bow range.

These are very alert animals that have the vision of spotting scopes with a commendable sense of smell and hearing. I've applied for a tag again this year, and we should all be hearing in the next few weeks if we've been successful. I tip my hat to Roy, and bow to his patience and expertise- good luck "pardner."

Antelope Hunting in Nevada

By Roy Keefer

"If there's one thing I like to do, it is hunting antelope with a bow.

I've hunted them in Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada. There are a lot of reasons I like to hunt them. The weather is usually comfortable and it's a challenge to get close enough to bag one of these critters with a bow.

You can hunt them by spot and stalking but this is a tough way to do it. I've taken one by stalking with my bow; the other five were shot over waterholes. Several fell to my rifle before I changed weapons.

My favorite is hunting over waterholes. This involves finding a spot where they have been watering, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting; you get the idea.

From my experience, antelope like to water in the morning and early afternoon. Although they may come in any time during the day, I've had the best luck at these two times.

After I find a good waterhole, I build a blind or dig a small pit behind some brush and settle in for the long days I will spend waiting for an antelope to come within bow range. I've recently graduated to a pop-up blind, and put brush around it to conceal it as best I can. Then I settle in for the long wait. Usually I while away the time by reading a book.

One year in Wyoming, I read through a book and still had several hours left in the day, so I started reading it again. It wasn't as interesting the second time around, but on that trip I shot my biggest antelope; it scored nearly 80 inches.

Since you seldom draw a tag in Nevada, I cherish it when I'm lucky enough to get one. The last tag I drew was for the "any-weapon" season.

I messed up and applied for the wrong hunt. Being a bow hunter, I left my gun behind and carried my bow to the blind. I dug a hole on a mountainside near a water trough, put supports up for a roof and covered it with brush and camo cloth. Of course, I carried my books with me.

The view I had from this spot was beautiful. I could see for 50 miles and I never got tired of scanning it every day for hours on end.

I saw a lot of deer, but no antelope buck ventured near the waterhole for the first four days of the hunt. On the fifth day, I saw a solitary individual in the distance.

Slowly he made his way to the waterhole. When bow hunting, it's best to wait until the antelope has his head down drinking. Then there's less chance of being seen or heard as you draw. So I waited.

Finally he put his head down to drink; I drew and fired. Either I simply missed, or he heard me and ducked because my arrow clipped a few hairs off his back. It was probably a simple miss. Anyway, he ran off 40 yards and stopped.

By this time, I had another arrow ready and shot him as he looked back. He wasn't the biggest antelope I've taken, but I was proud of him and felt I had earned my success.

Well, this year I will be applying for an antelope tag again, and maybe good fortune will shine on me. See you in the woods."

What's new

Antelope hunting often involves shots at a considerable distance.

Shooting skill and a well-sighted rifle really come into play beyond 200 yards. A device for vibration reduction is of great benefit and vibration compensators, such as the Browning Boss System, make considerable difference in long range accuracy, but devices such as these can get a little pricey.

Limb Saver, the company that makes those magnificent recoil pads that I've written about previously and swear by, has come out with a simple, barrel de-resonator.

It dampens vibration and shortens the settling time between shots. The unit simply slips over most standard barrels and works remarkably well. For more information go to www.limbsaver.com, or give them a call at 1-877- 257-2761.