# Antelope



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

So I am thinking of trying out the antelope hunt this year. But by the time I decided to do it, I was too late to put in for the draw. When can I expect to pick up a tag? Plus, I am curious about how many of you actually hunt them. Several people tell me that they taste worse than shoe leather, but I am just thinking of jerking it and making sausage. Any suggestions there?


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## curlyjo (Sep 14, 2007)

Hello bax,

With most (utah) hunting regions having drawing odd of 22to1 or better, your time to 'pickup' a tag for antelope, considering that if you start putting in regular, amass the required bonus points, and get better than average luck, will be.......about this time april 2031, or so, give or take a few years.

I have heard the "antelope stinks" stories for even longer than the amount of years as it takes to draw a tag. Don't believe it! Antelope tastes better than deer, even my finicky nephew's wife really likes it. 

Just take care of your meat proper and fast, it is the same with all game, clean and cool as fast as you can.

Watch for the Antlerless andendunm to put in for a doe permit (they are getting about as hard to draw as a buck permit) and watch for the CMU, and depredation permits, perhaps you'll get lucky.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

For drawing. It depends on what unite you want and what weapon you are plan on using. They taste great in jerky. I'm hoping I can draw my tag this year and get to try the back straps.I would start looking at what units you want and start putting in next year. The tougher units will take you some time to draw.It will take you any where for a good unite 5 to 6 years in less you get lucky and draw before then and that can happen.Good luck and if you have any more Quentin feel free to ask.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I recommend Wyoming. You can buy a non-res tag for about $250, and some areas are guaranteed draw. I hunted up near Kemmerer a couple of years ago with some friends. It was a blast. As for the meat, I thought it was way better than deer or elk--my wife agreed. It was tender and mild-flavored. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

So it is difficult to draw out for antelope? I did not know that. I was thinking of Toole county, is that a hard area to draw out for? I havent had any problems drawing out for deer in the past, but never tried with antelope. So does this mean I probably cant walk into Sportsmans (if they are still in business by the time I can buy a tag) and buy an Antelope tag for the rifle hunt? I am new to this hunt and just want a new challenge.


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## jungle (May 10, 2008)

Actually, looks like the myth about bad antelope meat is on its way to being debunked. 

The antelope I have had has been beyond awesome, better than most elk Ive had by far.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

You can draw out on the Plateau unit in 2-4 years, that unit is by far the easiest to draw.


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Bax I have never hunted antelope either.I put in for antlerless lopes in Wyoming.I was talking to the guys at the Exxon refinery in the Kemmerer area as part of my information gathering process and according to them that area normally has leftover antlerless tags that can be purchased otc after the draw. I have eaten antelope in the past the first time I was given a half an antelope that I cut and wrapped myself.I tried cooking it several different ways and I could not make it taste good. It was not tuff it just left a bad after taste. However I went to 22's bbq and somebody brought some antelope and it was very tastey.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Bax* said:


> So it is difficult to draw out for antelope? I did not know that. I was thinking of Toole county, is that a hard area to draw out for? I havent had any problems drawing out for deer in the past, but never tried with antelope. So does this mean I probably cant walk into Sportsmans (if they are still in business by the time I can buy a tag) and buy an Antelope tag for the rifle hunt? I am new to this hunt and just want a new challenge.


There will be no left over antelope tags after the draw. They all go in the draw. For that unite it will take you some time for a rifle tag. there a couple uints out that way and they are one of the tuffer unites to draw. Like said in another post.The Plateau unit in 2-4 years you can draw that one easyley that one of the unite that give out more tags.Thye justed up teh anetlope tags by like 75 more tags this year. So that will help I dont know witch units that will be getting some of these tags. So use this year to find what unites you want to put in for and next year put in for all five unites and you can end up lucky if not then the following year you can get a tag.My wife has put in for 6 years just for one unte and has not drawn. This year she went in with me,my buddy and her father. We went in to teh draw with 12 points and I picked the two hards unites to draw on. You can go to wyoming and buy over the counter tags. But I have no clue where to go over there.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

dkhntrdstn said:


> There will be no left over antelope tags after the draw. They all go in the draw. For that unite it will take you some time for a rifle tag. there a couple uints out that way and they are one of the tuffer unites to draw. Like said in another post.The Plateau unit in 2-4 years you can draw that one easyley that one of the unite that give out more tags.Thye justed up teh anetlope tags by like 75 more tags this year. So that will help I dont know witch units that will be getting some of these tags. So use this year to find what unites you want to put in for and next year put in for all five unites and you can end up lucky if not then the following year you can get a tag.My wife has put in for 6 years just for one unte and has not drawn. This year she went in with me,my buddy and her father. We went in to teh draw with 12 points and I picked the two hards unites to draw on. You can go to wyoming and buy over the counter tags. But I have no clue where to go over there.


So Antelope draws aren't set up like deer? I just figured that they had left over tags each year that you could pick up like you do with left over deer tags. And if I dont draw out next year, I accumulate points? Is there a point value that guarantees a draw? I'm obviously out of the loop on this. I used to go with my dad, but never knew the ins and outs of it all...


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## alpinebowman (Sep 24, 2007)

As stated before, Utah tags all go in the draw. You can get an archery tag with 1-3 years of points but it seems most rifle hunts are 8+ years to draw. And like the others I agree that the antelope I have had where the best thing in my freezer until I shot a couple of whitetail does. I can't wait to get some more for the table.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Bax* said:


> dkhntrdstn said:
> 
> 
> > There will be no left over antelope tags after the draw. They all go in the draw. For that unite it will take you some time for a rifle tag. there a couple uints out that way and they are one of the tuffer unites to draw. Like said in another post.The Plateau unit in 2-4 years you can draw that one easyley that one of the unite that give out more tags.Thye justed up teh anetlope tags by like 75 more tags this year. So that will help I dont know witch units that will be getting some of these tags. So use this year to find what unites you want to put in for and next year put in for all five unites and you can end up lucky if not then the following year you can get a tag.My wife has put in for 6 years just for one unte and has not drawn. This year she went in with me,my buddy and her father. We went in to teh draw with 12 points and I picked the two hards unites to draw on. You can go to wyoming and buy over the counter tags. But I have no clue where to go over there.
> ...


Nope it not like the deer no left over tags at all. Yes if you dont draw out you get a point. For drawing out I would say depends on the unite how long it will take you to draw.I think most unite it 3-4 years. some are longer because they only give out like one up to five tags. So those one will take you soemn years befor drawing. I think the make points for any unite is seven points. after that you should get a tag. Hope this help you out.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

+1 on Wyoming. They genearaly have left over doe tags. Cheap and easy entertainment, somewhere around 40.00 last time I got one. Great eating.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I appreciate all of your input guys. This has been on my mind for a while, but dont know anyone who hunts antelope so I figured you guys would be a great wealth of knowledge


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

It cost me 48.00 to put in for the draw 34.00 for the tag and 14.00 processing fee in Wyoming.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

where do you guys find it so cheap to hunt there? Last time I looked in to hunting there it was going to coast me around 500 bucks or so. I had to pay for the app fee tag and tehn to hunt with my with my bow had to pay another fee for that. for all of that it was close to being like 400 to 500 bucks and that.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

They are very proud of their buck tags  but the left over doe tags are cheap. I don't know on the archery thing, how that works.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

And you thought the deer hunt was hard? :roll:


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

$272 Buck antelope tag
14.00 processing fee
12.50 conservation stamp

$298.50 Not sure how the archery thing works but the website said $30 for an archery tag if that is the case $328.50

312 buck deer
14.00 processing
12.50 conservation stamp

338.50 for a buck deer tag. Archery tag $30 =368.50

Why waste your money on an ugly goat when you could spend time chasing mulies for only $40 more?


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

maybe there does tags are cheaper. Maybe I will have to look in to them. I would chase speed goats over deer any day. goat are some pretty game.


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

$96 for two doe antelope tags in Wyoming. The application period ended March 15. The draw results first week of July. They do tend to have left over tags depending on the area.


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

They generally have left over tags for almost every unit. When they go on sale you have to go stand in line at a store that is licensed to sell them. there are two in evanston. You also have to pay for one $12.50 stamp Even if you buy two antelope tags, you only have to buy one stamp. Most of the undersubscribed units are because of private property. 
From what i have found most of the land owners want you to get rid of them because they are a nussance animal. So the private land owners are fairly easy to work with.
Left overs go on sale about mid august.


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## camotac (Dec 20, 2007)

if you you want to buy a tag buck or doe call deseret land and livestock they have some cwmu tags for sale


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

camotac so deseret will sell me one doe tag for $58.50? I highly doubt that. 
You basically have to drive to wyoming either way. Might as well save some money.


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## camotac (Dec 20, 2007)

you do not know any thing about the deseret. yes they will sale you a doe tag for $50 plus tax. and you have to buy the permit from the dwr


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

camotac do you mean put in for the draw and take my chances of not drawing out? or purchasing one directly from them?

With the elk tags. It would cost me 280 if i was lucky to draw (which i would pay to the DWR) but if i buy one from Deseret its upwards of $12,000. 

I would pressume that the prices for their antelope tags would be much more than what i would pay if i drew out.

If i can get it for such a good deal, like you say. Please post a link or a phone number of some sort so that i can get in contact with them.


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## mack1950 (Sep 11, 2007)

deseret does have a FEW doe antelope tags for sale at 50.00 but as mentioned earlier thats just for the voucher that you turn into the dwr and by the tag from them. not a bad deal the crew and i are going after 4 of them for ourselfs so if your gonna do it jump in earlier becouse when there quota is gone your back to square one. as for as antelope in wyoming, we hunt over by medicane bow and there is always a few doe tags left over after the main draw its a long drive but cheap intertainment for those who want to hunt


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'll throw in my experience in eating pronghorn. I'll add to the list of those that find pronghorn one of the better big game table fares. BUT with this advise - IT MUST BE COOLED fast, faster than when you deal with deer or elk. And by fast, I don't mean putting it in your truck and driving home and then skinning it. I mean shoot it, take your pictures and clean it, all on the spot. Then skin it and de-bone the meat - on the spot, and put in coolers filled with ice water, and a can of salt poured in each cooler. Two medium sized coolers will hold a whole antelope, with plenty of the salty ice water. Once all that is done, then you can drive home or back to camp. Pronghorn are perhaps the most smelly of any creature I've experienced, second maybe only to a nasty black bear or a wolverine. Just nasty stinky. You have to keep all the hair off of the meat - and that is one thing the ice water does, is float any hair off the meat. 

Last piece of pronghorn advise, and heck, in dealing with any animal. Go to the store and get a small travel size can of shaving cream and put in your kill kit. After you are done cleaning/dealing with your downed game animal, wash your hands with water, and then put some shaving cream in your hand and rub it around. Kind of like go-jo after working on your car. Then rinse again with water and the blood and stink will be pretty much gone. Makes it much more pleasant to eat that sandwich and doritos on the way home.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> Makes it much more pleasant to eat that sandwich and doritos on the way home.


O come on you dont like eating a sandwitch and some chips with blood on your hands.It just had flaver to the snadwitch and chips.When you talk about throwing teh meat in the water and ice. Are you puting the meat right in the water with out any bags and just having the water in the cooler like it ice water ? If we draw out I just plan on skinning and cuting it up and putting in some game bags and throwing it in the cooler with some block ice and crushed ice.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I put the meat directly in the water, and make sure you add about a pound of table salt to the water. The salt water will draw any blood out of the meat, and like I said, will float any hair off of the meat.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

GaryFish said:


> I put the meat directly in the water, and make sure you add about a pound of table salt to the water. The salt water will draw any blood out of the meat, and like I said, will float any hair off of the meat.


Do you lose any meat doing this? When i have put meat directly in water to cool it down it has turned grey and doesnt look real good.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Nope. Its been good.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

Thanks, I think Im going to try this this year. I usually just pack them in a big marine cooler with ice after rinsing the meat.


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## FishNaked (Apr 15, 2009)

My grandpa taught me the secret to preparing and eating antelope....I'll share:

Shoot it early in the morning just as they are coming off the creek or river bottoms from getting a drink. Make sure you have a clean sheet of plywood in your truck. Take the antelope down to the edge of the water and lay it on the plywood....keeping it out of the dirt. Clean it and skin it there...washing all dirt and hair off with the fresh water. Then you throw away the antelope and eat the plywood...Enjoy!

:twisted:


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

I thought you dont your meat soaking in water like that.Maybe I will just fill the cooler up with ice and water and just toss the meat right in there.Thanks


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

If any of you have taken physiology, you will understand why the saltwater works like this. 
Certain molecules, such as water, and some salts, like in blood, will flow from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration in order to reach equilibrium. It's called osmosis. By creating a high concentration of salt in the water, the blood will naturally flow from the area of low concentration to the area of high concentration. Since blood is mostly water, and is much less concentrated than the saltwater the meat is soaking in, it will be "drawn" out of the meat into the water. 

Like Dustin said, if you put meat in straight water, it will get ruined as the water will rush into the cells of the flesh and cause them to burst. Never put meat in fresh water, including sea water... it doesn't have high enough salinity and your meat will rot. Not to mention all the micro organisms that will ruin it.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Pretty good explanation there Chaser. The old hypotonic/hypertonic solution concept. You are spot on with your description. Thus, the salt water.


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## byuduckhunter (Dec 2, 2008)

Does that whole salt water technique work for geese too? Does it make deer or elk taste any better?


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## diverfreak (May 11, 2008)

dkhntrdstn said:


> For drawing. It depends on what unite you want and what weapon you are plan on using. They taste great in jerky. I'm hoping I can draw my tag this year and get to try the back straps.I would start looking at what units you want and start putting in next year. The tougher units will take you some time to draw.It will take you any where for a good unite 5 to 6 years in less you get lucky and draw before then and that can happen.Good luck and if you have any more Quentin feel free to ask.


I wish 5-6 years. This will be my 10th year on puddle Valley. Should have just put in for montana or wyoming, but there is some hogs out in Puddle valley!

DiverFreak


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

byuduckhunter said:


> Does that whole salt water technique work for geese too? Does it make deer or elk taste any better?


I don't do waterfowl so I can't speak to that. I do this with my deer and elk meat when processing it though. I soak it in two consecutive salt water baths. The first gets pretty nasty pretty quick. Most all the hair will float off in the first. The second just cleans it a bit more - that's all. Deer and elk meat don't seem as sensitive as pronghorn for whatever reason. But still, getting the meat cooled quickly is an absolute no matter the game. It just seems to make enough of a difference with pronghorn, that it is worth skinning, boning and getting the meat on ice within minutes of the animal going down.

I would guess that the same principle would work on geese though. That is, the saltwater solution draws the blood - especially in any tissue damaged areas - out of the meat.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

for waterfowl. yes i do that with my waterfowl for a couple days changing the water out then I freeze the meat.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

diverfreak said:


> dkhntrdstn said:
> 
> 
> > For drawing. It depends on what unite you want and what weapon you are plan on using. They taste great in jerky. I'm hoping I can draw my tag this year and get to try the back straps.I would start looking at what units you want and start putting in next year. The tougher units will take you some time to draw.It will take you any where for a good unite 5 to 6 years in less you get lucky and draw before then and that can happen.Good luck and if you have any more Quentin feel free to ask.
> ...


DiverFreak for puddle valley the reason that one is so hard to draw is because they only give out 1 tag for archery and for any weapon they only give out five tags.So that going take you some time to draw.You should eb getting max points soon and get that tag.

This web site http://www.hunterstrailhead.com/index.php?ID=1 Says for any weapon with ten points is 100% draw.For archery is it saying a three year average fopr drawing. It looks liek you should be getting the tag this year. good luck. Hope this helps you out.


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## camotac (Dec 20, 2007)

itchy here is the number for deseret 435-793-4203 talk to Todd, he has buck and doe permits for sale. good luck and have fun it is a good time up there  :mrgreen:


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

camotac. Thank you ill be calling an figuring my fall hunting out soon.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Chaser said:


> If any of you have taken physiology, you will understand why the saltwater works like this.
> Certain molecules, such as water, and some salts, like in blood, will flow from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration in order to reach equilibrium. It's called osmosis. By creating a high concentration of salt in the water, the blood will naturally flow from the area of low concentration to the area of high concentration. Since blood is mostly water, and is much less concentrated than the saltwater the meat is soaking in, it will be "drawn" out of the meat into the water.
> 
> Like Dustin said, if you put meat in straight water, it will get ruined as the water will rush into the cells of the flesh and cause them to burst. Never put meat in fresh water, including sea water... it doesn't have high enough salinity and your meat will rot. Not to mention all the micro organisms that will ruin it.


This is essentially brining the meat. Next time you're buying meat like pork, chicken, etc, look at the package and if says "in x% solution", it's brined. Those self-basting turkeys you buy at the store are brined. Brining is basically soaking the meat in a salt water solution to increase the moisture content and to introduce flavor into the meat (by adding sugar, spices, etc to the brine solution).

I'd never do it to beef, but some cuts of venison might benefit from it. And I do brine lean pork at times, though to introduce flavor rather. I also brine turkeys before smoking them, whereas if I'm frying them I'll just inject.


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## diverfreak (May 11, 2008)

dkhntrdstn said:


> diverfreak said:
> 
> 
> > dkhntrdstn said:
> ...


Thanks for your help! IT would be nice to finally draw but i am not holding my breathe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DiverFreak


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Any time diverfreak.I hope you draw out this year to.


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## coydog (Jul 24, 2008)

Bax, Antelope is good, it depends on where you hunt, how you cook them, and mostly, get the hide off of the them quick and get the meat cool.


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