# Plateau Antelope



## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

How are all you rifle hunters doing so far? I have a muzzle loader tag for next week, curious how the rifle hunt is going....


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## stick&string89 (Jun 21, 2012)

Went scouting last weekend saw a lot of bucks but nothing impressive


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## pintail18 (Jun 16, 2011)

we got back from the plateau last Wednesday with 3 bucks. definitely saw plenty of animals, and the bigger ones are there, but have plenty of eyes around them looking around. most of the bucks we saw were definitely smaller bucks. when I have a free moment I will get a story put together with a few pictures of what we got.


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## 12guagerage (Sep 22, 2014)

Got back last week with my 13 1/2 incher saw a bunch if animals he was the biggest one we saw and had to put him on the ground


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Awesome. I'm already getting excited for my doe hunt there later this year.


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## Jonwo (Apr 29, 2010)

Went out this last weekend. Got one the first day out hunting. Not the biggest one we saw, but it offered a nice shot and I couldn't resist. I didn't measure him but I am going to guess between 12"-13". Saw some bigger ones out there but as they catch wind of you they are out to the next valley.


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## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

*Plateau Antelope - Muzzy Success*

Just want to thank everyone for the replies! 12guagerage - Congrats on a great goat! Looks very similar to the one I got. What a super super tough hunt! It was nearly impossible to get anywhere close to anything we saw let alone within muzzy distance. In fact, as soon as we would see any white dots out in the distance, stop and glass them up they either had us pegged and/or were running away at full speed! Never the less, I was able to get this guy last Thursday by playing the wind, using the ridges to hide behind and walking/crawling a LONG way. Even then I was busted by the herd twice and nearly blew it. In the end as the does all busted out of the country for good this buck just stood there watching them run and provided me with a broadside shot which I promptly took. I think he's a great goat, especially for the Plateau unit - 13 1/2 inches long and great mass. Very happy with how it all worked out!


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Any animal you have to work that hard for is a trophy in my book! But hard work notwithstanding, that's a great buck! Congratulations!!!


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Very nice buck. I actually saw him a couple times, that's awesome you were able to seal the deal! Congrats!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Great looking goat....and a good one for the Plateau these days. Getting it mounted, yes??-----SS


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

A dang nice Antelope for the Plateau, congrats! you earned it!


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Wasatch said:


> It was nearly impossible to get anywhere close to anything we saw let alone within muzzy distance. In fact, as soon as we would see any white dots out in the distance, stop and glass them up they either had us pegged and/or were running away at full speed!


I went out on the opener of the muzzleloader deer hunt last week trying to kill a buck....on my hunt, I spent most of my time east of the Parker and in the trees east of the main road that heads over the mountain to Escalante. It was pretty weird to me when I saw not one but 3 groups of antelope bedded more than a quarter mile inside of the pines. These groups of antelope all had shooter goats in their herds and were really easy to approach. In fact, each time I came across them, they would stand up and start walking towards me. Shooting the herd goat in each group would have been pretty easy even with a muzzleloader...I am guessing that they were in the trees trying to avoid the pressure of goat hunters. It is funny how killing a big game animal when you don't have the tag is always easy, but when you do have it, you have to work to get it done! Congrats on a nice kill...


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## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

Springville Shooter said:


> Great looking goat....and a good one for the Plateau these days. Getting it mounted, yes??-----SS


Thanks SS and yes, I am having it mounted. Dropped it off to Curtis Wilson at Monarch Mountain....



wyoming2utah said:


> I went out on the opener of the muzzleloader deer hunt last week trying to kill a buck....on my hunt, I spent most of my time east of the Parker and in the trees east of the main road that heads over the mountain to Escalante. It was pretty weird to me when I saw not one but 3 groups of antelope bedded more than a quarter mile inside of the pines. These groups of antelope all had shooter goats in their herds and were really easy to approach. In fact, each time I came across them, they would stand up and start walking towards me. Shooting the herd goat in each group would have been pretty easy even with a muzzleloader...I am guessing that they were in the trees trying to avoid the pressure of goat hunters. It is funny how killing a big game animal when you don't have the tag is always easy, but when you do have it, you have to work to get it done! Congrats on a nice kill...


W2U - So true! You know, I wish I'd known they were hanging out back in the pines as you describe. I actually spent some time down around Antelope Springs and Pellham Pond area but never did see much. Sounds like I should have hunted the pines, it may have made for a simpler hunt!


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Wasatch said:


> W2U - So true! You know, I wish I'd known they were hanging out back in the pines as you describe. I actually spent some time down around Antelope Springs and Pellham Pond area but never did see much. Sounds like I should have hunted the pines, it may have made for a simpler hunt!


I have learned to avoid the Antelope springs Pellham Pond area during the antelope hunt because it seems that area gets pounded...we have started hunting the areas east of that and have avoided most of the hunters. I have seen antelope clear up on the Boulder top by spectacle lake...


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Wasatch said:


> Just want to thank everyone for the replies! 12guagerage - Congrats on a great goat! Looks very similar to the one I got. What a super super tough hunt! It was nearly impossible to get anywhere close to anything we saw let alone within muzzy distance. In fact, as soon as we would see any white dots out in the distance, stop and glass them up they either had us pegged and/or were running away at full speed! Never the less, I was able to get this guy last Thursday by playing the wind, using the ridges to hide behind and walking/crawling a LONG way. Even then I was busted by the herd twice and nearly blew it. In the end as the does all busted out of the country for good this buck just stood there watching them run and provided me with a broadside shot which I promptly took. I think he's a great goat, especially for the Plateau unit - 13 1/2 inches long and great mass. Very happy with how it all worked out!


That is really a nice looking antelope. good job

.


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

I have drawn that permit 3 times in the last 11 years and hope to make it 4 next year. We always hunt archery. 2 years ago, we took 5 for 5 lopers. Seems every time I go down, there are fewer and fewer animals. I was there a month ago and saw the fewest I have ever seen. The only place we found them was on the Boulders in the quakes. One of the problems with that area is there is too much available water. It is everywhere. I have found water holes pretty consistently about every square mile. Fun place to hunt though.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

bow_dude said:


> I have drawn that permit 3 times in the last 11 years and hope to make it 4 next year. We always hunt archery. 2 years ago, we took 5 for 5 lopers. Seems every time I go down, there are fewer and fewer animals.


things that make you go hmmmmmm......


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

Why do you say that and what do you mean by it PBH.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

bow dude -- one problem with internet forums is that all you get is what's typed out on the screen. There are no facial expressions, body language, or even emotions to help out with interpreting what someone typed.

In your post you made a comment about how many antelope you and your group have killed in recent years on Boulder. In the next sentence you mentioned that you continue to see fewer and fewer antelope when you go down there.
What I can't tell from your post is if you are disappointed that you keep seeing fewer antelope? If you are, then why do you continue to kill antelope when you have a tag? Your comment struck me odd. It came out like "we kill antelope every year. Why is the herd getting smaller?". Hmmmm.....


It doesn't matter one way or another to me. Your comment may have just been an innocent observation. I know what the population objective for Boulder is, and I also know how that Boulder unit is the best habitat unit in Utah for antelope -- which means even when a lot of tags are given our and many antelope are killed, the population will rebound quickly. It's a great unit, with a great herd.


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

Call me dumb, but I still am not understanding. I am not offended, just confused. We hunt down there because we know where to go and are familiar with the area. We kill lopers because we spend a week or more there and cover a lot of ground. My comment was a general one in that there are still lopers, just not seeing what we did when we first started hunting the area, and fewer each time we draw a permit. We used to see them all over the boulders in the trees. This last trip, a month ago, I only saw 2 small herds along the great western trail where we rode when in years past, we saw them in small herds at almost every turn. I saw none along the main route south from Loa and none west of Loa. That was unusual.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

That's weird. The guy has a tag and kills antelope. How dare he! He's single handedly wiped out the population according to PBH. So bow dude next time you draw a tag burn it. Then maybe PBH will approve. It's his herd BTW.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I understand and agree with you 100% bow dude.....

All a guy has to do is look at buck antlelope stats on the Plateau.
2003-2012---Total bucks harvested

2003--44
2004--106
2005--264
2006--443
2007--333
2008--296
2009--317
2010--182
2011--43
2012--67

Heck, I've spent TONS of time there, A guy can still go kill a buck,,,,,
BUT hell, theres alot less lopes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 2008, during that winter, I personaly saw a herd of 72 bucks together...
YES 72!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hard winter in 2009 PLUS TONs of permits...= alot LESS LOPES........

And yes, I've killed a couple on that unit with my bow too,...;-).,..


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

congratulations on your goat!


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

Goofy. Ya got it right. Population way down. Guys were turning tags back 3 year 2 years 
ago.. DWR trapped a SH-- load of em also and transplanted..


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