# Antelope Pointers......Update on my success!



## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Guys,
I have an Antelope hunt that starts on the 19th of September and I have been doing lots and lots of studying to prepare myself. I have researched the area (Unit 43 Wyoming) talked with Biologists, spoken with friends/other people who have harvested big buck Antelope etc. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the hunt, I know what area of the unit I want to be on etc. My struggle, and I know that it isn't a struggle that I can't overcome by posting on this forum. But I am hoping that some of you can give me some pointers here. My struggle is scoring those buggers. I have researched the B&C website so that I know how they are scored, I have looked at hundreds of pictures over the last couple months etc. What pointers can you guys give me that will help me field score an Antelope on the hoof? By far, it is the most difficult animal I have tried to harvest yet as it relates to the score.

With that said, I plan on shooting an antelope that I like...score aside. However, if I can get a grasp on this, I'd really like to shoot a booner buck. 

Here are some of the pointers I have received, anything you can add would be SO appreciated!
-Black face means mature buck
-mass after the cutter usually means a better score
-Length is determined by using 6" ears as a guide.
-Mass at base should be at least as wide as ear.
-4" cutters from tip of cutter to rear of horn.

Jist of all this in my opinion is 15" or better in length, 4" or better cutter, and mass slightly wider than ear at base with mass above cutter would likely get me close to a Booner buck.

Anything else you can add will help.

Thanks guys.


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

*Re: Antelope Pointers*

All of the shows i have watched say the ear is 6" and they lay it up against the horn. That is an easy way to judge length. Good luck on your hunt. 8)


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## Bustin Bucks (May 27, 2008)

*Re: Antelope Pointers*

I have noticed that cutters above the ears are usually pretty good bucks!


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: Antelope Pointers*

I've noticed that the biggest bucks are always where I can't shoot them.


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: Antelope Pointers*

I know its getting a little late for this, but if there is anyway you could pick up Mike Eastmans new book Trophy Antelope Hunting DIY. The book is packed full of good info, field judging, habits, all sorts of neat stuff, maybe you could get it next day air, it is well worth it IMHO.

One thing I learned this year is without good prongs and mass, length means nothing. I have had a few buddies shoot bucks 16-17 inches tall with no mass or prong and they would only score in the 70-75 in. range. If you can find a buck with prongs that start above the ear, are about as long as the ear and good mass, chances are he's a shooter. Mass above the prong can make or break the score as well. Also keep in mind that a goat that _looks_ tall tends to have little mass and your massive bucks will look shorter, havent figured why that is, but in the field, it always seems true, especially at longer distances.

Good luck, that should be a fun hunt and if you happen to


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

*Re: Antelope Pointers*

Thanks for the info guys, this is helpful. I have to say, Kudos to the Wyoming Division of Wildlife and the biologist that support it. I just received a return phone call from the Biologist over the unit I will be hunting. 6:30PM, he called from his home and spent 45 min. on the phone with me explaining the unit, and telling me where he has seen the most antelope, and where he has seen some bigger bucks in the last couple weeks. He also gave me some really good pointers on the scoring of these animals. Many of his pointers ya'll have echo'ed here. So thanks again. If there are any more suggestions I would be tickled to hear them. From what the Biologist has told me it doesn't sound like killing a buck will be hard, it will be the killing of a great buck vs. and average buck. Nothing like putting the pressure on myself eh?

ntrl_brn_hntr - You left me with a thought that you didn't finish...was there something more you wanted to say?


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Just wanted to say thanks to those that helped be develop some sort of starting point in scoring these buggers on the hoof. I will say, in all honesty that at the end of the day I looked at nearly 50 different bucks before I pulled the trigger on this goat. The hunt was very difficult...very flat, and no cover AT ALL. It was grass everywhere. (Laramie plains.) Fortunately I made the 6 hour drive the day before my hunt arriving in Laramie at about 4PM and spent the whole evening familiarizing myself with the terrain, and the Antelope there. I found the buck I wanted the night before and put him to bed. Here is a picture of him on the hoof the night before. I took this through my spotting scope using my cell phone! It turned out awesome! Shows his mass, and cutters really well. A little disceptive on the length.










When I got up the next morning it took me a while to figure out where they had moved in the night. I finally found them and put a sneak on them right before light hoping that daybreak would have me in position to shoot. It did...and I missed. I thought he was closer than he was and shot just under his belly. They all started to swarm like bees and ran away. At about 2000 yards they crested a hill and disappeared on the other side. All 20 does disappeared that is, the buck stood on the horizon and watched for about 30 minutes. Eventually he slowly started to feed off the opposite side of the hill. I took off for them again closing the distance. 2 hours later, I was in position to crest the hill in hopes that they were still there. They were, he was 433 yards standing broadside and I let her fly. Hit him right through the boiler room and dropped him in his tracks. You can see the shot placement in this pic:










While out in the field I put him at 76"-78" at most. However when I got home, a good friend of mine came over who does a lot of Antelope hunting and immediately told me he was over 78". He thew a tape on him and said he scored 84. He said my third mass measurement falls below the cutter at the swell due to interferance of the cutter.?? After he left, I measured again and moved the third measurement above the cutter which is how I thought it was supposed to measure. (Maybe I am wrong) and he scored 80 and some change. (That was following the B&C guidelines and instructions.) Either way, I am super stoked and I don't really care what he scores! Much better than I had ever hoped for.

His measurements were as follows:
height: 14.5"
Base mass: 7.5"
Cutter: 6.25"

Thanks again to all who gave pointers. Apparently it helped...but honestly I had no idea what this buck would score...he just looked good and made me say wow...so I pulled the trigger! :lol: :lol: :lol: That is sort of embarrasing to admit...but I suck at scoring on the hoof when it comes to Antelope.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Nice, that picture turned out pretty amazing I thought you got it off the internet at first. Great goat and congrats.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

What kind of cellphone do you have? That is some amazing definition for a cellphone picure.


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## coyoteslayer (Sep 10, 2007)

It's the HD samsung Hz160. I heard those cellphone lens are from the same company that makes the Zeiss glass.

Nice antelope 

Do you have a better picture of this antelope? Its hard to tell from the way he's laying.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

I am glad that I wasn't the only one thinking, "Wow, that turned out WAY better than I had ever planned." My cell phone is a blackberry storm. 3.2MP through a Sightron 60 power scope. It was probably only dialed to about 40 power for this picture. There were others that didn't turn out as well.










I am sorry that I don't have better pictures of him. Like I said, I was by myself on this hunt, so I didn't really get anything as far a as a pose with him. I have one other picture that I will post. I appologize in advance to anybody this may offend. It's not the most "correct" picture, but I wanted to remember how I got this guy home from Laramie in the back of an SUV.


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

That is a good looking antelope. His cutters come off really high, I wouldn't be surprised if you got a circumference on them. When scoring antelope you measure the length and divide by four (I think), then take circumferences at those 4 spots. That is cutters make or break an antelope, as far as scoring is concerned. What did he net? He might be a book buck.


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## Crash (Mar 20, 2008)

Love the pictures. Those really turned out well. I really like the head in the cooler. Made me think of a start to a bad horror movie. Congratulations.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

I know...my wife calls it the "peek-a-boo" picture. She has a twisted mind! :lol:


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

SVMoose,
That is where I am unsure. I have measured him three times now. Once on my own (first time) and I came up with two measurements: one that measured D-3 below the swell of the cutter and he scored 84 and some change. The other score was 80 when I measured D-3 above the cutter. I couldn't decide if the cutter was in the way or not. So I made both measurements. either way...I would be tickled with both scores. I am not a huge "gotta have my name in the books" guy. I am more curious about how the score is done properly than anything. 
Two buddies of mine put him over 80 and measured him over 80. One was 84 and change, the other was 82 calling one side with the cutter in the way, the other side didn't qualify....

So truth be told...I have no idea what he scores! I do know he is going on the wall and I am $600 poorer! :lol:


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Nice goat. They make a great wall hanger no matter the size.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Duckholla said:


> SVMoose,
> That is where I am unsure. I have measured him three times now. Once on my own (first time) and I came up with two measurements: one that measured D-3 below the swell of the cutter and he scored 84 and some change. The other score was 80 when I measured D-3 above the cutter. I couldn't decide if the cutter was in the way or not. So I made both measurements. either way...I would be tickled with both scores. I am not a huge "gotta have my name in the books" guy. I am more curious about how the score is done properly than anything.
> Two buddies of mine put him over 80 and measured him over 80. One was 84 and change, the other was 82 calling one side with the cutter in the way, the other side didn't qualify....
> 
> So truth be told...I have no idea what he scores! I do know he is going on the wall and I am $600 poorer! :lol:


Here is the link to the boone and crockett site that you just need to fill in the blanks with your measurements. It also tells you where to measure D-2 and D-3 if they fall within the the prong.

http://www.boone-crockett.org/bgRecords ... =Pronghorn


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Thanks! I appreciate the effort there. I used that very link to score him the first go-round when I got my two different measurments. The part that is questionable is whether or not both prongs, one prong, or no prongs are "officially" in the way of the D-3 measurement. If indeed they are, the measurement gets moved below the prong, and my score goes up. Where I am fuzzy is on one side it is very borderline "in the way."


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

Congrats on the goat. I am unsure on how that measurement is taken, If it was me I would take him to an official measurer for a green score. There are guys scattered around the wasatch front, a list of name and numbers is on B&C's website. Score aside, nice goat! Sorry about my post I left unfinished earlier on, I cant remeber what I was going to say now


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Either way it is a good goat.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I do know he is going on the wall and I am $600 poorer! 

I know what you mean mines going to cost me $500, I got offered 450 from a guy in utah county but figured I would spend that in gas to drop it off and pick it up. but if you want I can get is number, if you live close.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

That is exactly right. I shot him because I thought he was good looking, not because I thought he was a record book goat. If that happens it's a bonus....but won't decide whether or not he ends up on the wall!


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

I would like his number. I haven't taken him in yet, been doing a little calling around. I am in Davis County.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

His name is Kobe # is 801-369-3388, I have not actually met him but my cousin has had alot of mounts done by him and they all are extremely well done. Like I said I would of used him but I live in Emery county and it would cost 50 in gas to drop and pick him up. So I will have a guy that I know pretty well do it for an extra 50.

Hes got a taxidermy place but I don't know the name of it.


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