Pronghorn Antelope Hunting

Pronghorn Antelope Biology

History - Antilocapra americana, which literally means the "American goat-antelope". There are 5 Pronghorn subspecies:

Antilocapra americana anteflexa
A.a. oregona
A.a. mexicana
A.a. peninsularis
A.a. sonoriensis

mexicana, peninsularis, sonoriensis are endangered and protected.

The pronghorn is the only species in its family. The only other large North American mammal that can make that boast is the mountain goat. The name pronghorn comes from the pronged or sharply pointed horn of the male antelope. Antelope have true horns in that the horny tissue is composed of fused hairs which form over a bony core.

Both sexes have horns, but the female's are only tiny spikes and are rarely pronged as are the twelve to eighteen-inch horns of the male. The horn is made up of two parts: a bony core covered by a black outer sheath. This sheath is made up of a stiff, hair-like substance. Pronghorns are the only animals in the world who shed their horns annually, (annually in males, irregularly in females). The outer sheath of the horn falls off each fall and grows back by the following summer.

Range - Pronghorn antelope are native to the prairies of North America. At one time they numbered in the millions and were found on the open plains from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Mexico to central Canada. With the European settlement of the plains, the population was reduced nearly to extinction. A subspecies known as the Sonoran pronghorn, Antilocapra americana sonoriensis, occurs in Arizona and Mexico.

Color and Size - A conspicuous characteristic of the antelope is the white rump patch. When alarmed, the hair stands erect and appears as a white flash that can be seen for miles. Tan is the dominant body color, with sharply contrasting white markings on the head and neck. The top of the buck's nose is dark and there is usually a triangular black patch below the ear. The doe does not have this black cheek patch. A short mane is present along the top of the neck. Shedding is continuous with the individual hairs being loosely attached making antelope hides worthless as rugs. Since the hairs are hollow and can be erected at will, pronghorns are able to adjust to temperature changes.   No other animal is more strikingly beautiful than the pronghorn when he "poses" on the open plains. Adult male antelope weigh 90 to 120 lbs. Females are about 20 lbs. lighter.

Antelope are gregarious. They are found in mixed herds most of the year; except in the spring when the bucks are alone or in small groups. In the fall, bucks collect harems numbering up to 15 does, which they then defend from other bucks.

Diet - Antelope are primarily browsers, especially on sagebrush, with grass being only a minor food source. Wild antelope usually reach ages of 6 to 8 years.  Pronghorns have 32 teeth. As in deer and bovids (antelope, cattle, etc.), they have a tough, horny pad in place of upper incisors. Pronghorn have hypsodont, selenodont cheek teeth. Like deer, antelope, goats, and other artiodactyls, pronghorns walk on two toes, or hooves, on each foot. (These are the third and fourth toes.) However, pronghorns are unusual in lacking the two tiny (vestigial) “dewclaws” that are located behind and above the hooves on deer and related animals. Pronghorn feed mostly on forbs and browse plants.

Defenses - Pronghorns make a variety of sounds: Calves bleat when separated from their mothers, which grunt when seeking their calves. Bucks roar during fights. Bucks and does alike blow through their nostrils when angered. But none of these forms of communication are as well known as the white rump patch warning signal. Antelope have exceptional eyesight, often compared to high-powered binoculars. The pronghorn also has excellent peripheral vision because its eyes protrude from the sockets. The running gait of the pronghorn is beautifully smooth and their powerful legs can carry them at a remarkable pace across the roughest kind of terrain. As the fastest North American mammal, pronghorns can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour. At high speed they cover the ground in great strides of 14 to 24 feet, and are known to run for long distances at speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour. The pronghorn is the fastest mammal in the world in a sustained run, only the cheetah and possibly India's blackbuck has an edge in a short sprint. Despite their speed, antelope are reluctant to jump over objects, preferring to crawl under or through fences. Pronghorns are good swimmers, and will cross rivers with ease.

Reproduction - Antelope breed in August and September and the young are born in May and June with about 60% of the births being twins. Pronghorns have been known to breed as fawns but they usually breed for the first time when they are 16 to 17 months of age. The gestation period for the antelope is the longest for big-game animals in the United States. About eight months after mating, one or two fawns are born. The young are not spotted like the fawns of the deer family, but instead have markings similar to the adults. The newborn do not have an odor and instinctively lie motionless for hours. This is their main defense from predators such as bobcats, eagles, and coyotes. The fawns remain hidden, with the doe feeding them several times a day until they are strong enough to travel with the adults.

Judging Age - Pronghorn in North America are primarily born between late May and early July. Therefore, when most animals are harvested in October they are considered either four months, 1 1/3 years, 2 1/3 years, 3 1/3 years, etc., in age. For consistency across species, however, we generally age big game animals in half-year intervals (i.e., 1 ½, 2½, etc.). The overall age structure of a hunted pronghorn population is younger than many people think. Horn and body size can give some indication of a buck's age, but physical characteristics are often misleading and provide little help in aging does. Horn size in bucks and physical development in both genders is greatly affected by diet, which may account for differences between animals of the same age taken from different locations.

Telling Age By the Teeth - The science of aging pronghorn is based on tooth development and wear. Like humans, pronghorn replace their "baby teeth" with permanent teeth at a relatively set rate. As surely as a 6-year-old child will soon get her two front teeth, a 16-month-old buck will be in the process of gaining its central two incisors. By the time an antelope is 3½ years old, all permanent teeth are in. At this stage, estimating age is based largely on rate of tooth wear. Diet and soil types may accelerate tooth wear, but generally, estimating adult pronghorn age is straight-forward until they reach 5½. Beyond that, estimating age by tooth wear is less reliable.  If you want to learn more on aging pronghorn antelope, click on this link. Teeth aging info with pics

Antelope Scouting Tips

Scouting

Scat - Pronghorn antelope scat looks similar to deer scat. It is approximately 1/2" to 3/4" long. The color can be a light brown when fresh to almost black when dried and hardened by the sun and wind. Pronghorn feed mostly on forbs and browse plants.

Tracks - Pronghorn tracks look similar to deer tracks and are approximately 2 3/4" in length for rear foot and 3 1/4" for a front track for an adult. Young pronghorn tracks are generally about 1 5/8 inches long. Like deer, antelope, goats, and other artiodactyls, pronghorns walk on two toes, or hooves, on each foot. (These are the third and fourth toes.) However, pronghorns are unusual in lacking the two tiny (vestigial) “dewclaws” that are located behind and above the hooves on deer and related animals. In some areas where mule deer share some of the range with pronghorn, their tracks may be confused. Although pronghorn tracks are much like those of deer, the pronghorn track tends to be more narrow toward the front.

Where to Find Pronghorns - Pronghorn antelope use open areas with little cover. They are usually found in flat to rolling country, and not too far from water. Antelope run to gain distance from perceived threats and tend to run in circles when spooked. Unlike deer, they do not seek close hiding cover. When scouting or hunting antelope, keep the sun at your back while its low in the sky (morning or evening). Pronghorn antelope are usually very easy to see at distances of a mile or more under good light conditions. Look for the white rumps or black horns or markings on the bucks.

Pronghorns will bed down in wide open areas at any time of the day as they roam around browsing. When they are together in a group not all of them will lay down, some will keep a vigil as they feed around the other resting antelope of the group.

Because pronghorn antelope are creatures of open habitats, you can hunt them all day. However, you run the risk of exhausting yourself. Try to pace yourself and concentrate hunting mornings and evenings. Stalking can be a long process, so remember to bring gloves, knee pads and elbow padding to protect yourself from sharp rocks. Binoculars and spotting scopes can be a great asset for observing antelope at long distances.

Antelope Hunting Strategies & Tips

Decoys, Flagging and Calls

Decoys - should ONLY be used in the archery season, and can be used to lure in a buck antelope for a better shot. Dutton and Flambeau make life-like cardboard and foam cut-outs. decoys. You can also make your own out of plywood or cardboard and some paint. Make sure you have a way to support the decoy in the wind. Buck decoys are best used before and during the rut since the the bucks are a little more defensive of their does and will try to run the intruder off. When hunting with a partner you can use the tendency for older bucks to circle to your advantage by posting a partner to one side. Some hunters use a doe decoy to fool the herd buck into thinking one of his does has strayed off. Doe decoys will work at any time. Also, if you make one, make another and have it appear as a bedded animal. This puts a buck at ease as he approaches. Basspro has the Flambeau "CommandDoe" doe decoy and CommAndalope buck decoy. The decoys are their catalog but not on their webpage. Mel Dutton Decoys - P.O. Box 113 Faith SD 57626, Ph# (605)-967-2031

Calls - Antelope make quite a few sounds. Beginning in late August the bucks start the challenge sounds and by the middle of September they near the main point of the rut. For the next 10 days or so calling can be very effective. Lohman, Knight & Hale and Primos make an antelope challenge call that imitates a bucks peculiar snort-chuckle.

Flagging - Another way to lure in a buck is to use their keen vision and curiosity against them. I know this sounds crazy, but waving a white towel in the air will sometimes entice a buck into range, especially during the rut. The thought of another doe or even a challenger is too much for some bucks to ignore.

Fence Crossings - Pronghorn use some of the same trails to water or feed areas so you can set up on a fence crossing for a shot if you find a trail that is being used. Pronghorn usually don't jump a fence, they go under like a dog. You can caret a fence crossing by covering any open spots in the fence and widening the hole where you want them to cross so that the pronghorns have to go under the spot you choose. Your setup should take into account the wind and which way your scent will travel.

Waterholes - Most pronghorn habitat is arid and that means sitting on waterholes can pay off using a blind for archery hunting. Try to be in your blind before light and stay as long as you can, pronghorns will water at any time of the day. Patience is the key here. Make sure you put your blind out in advance of your hunt so that the pronghorns will grow accustomed to seeing the new bush near their waterhole. 2 weeks in advance if you can get the blind up that early. If you want to move your blind, do it at night. Wait to take your shot when the antelope is drinking.

Antelope Tracking and Recovery

When you take your shot with your bow or rifle, mark the spot where you shot from and where the animal was. This will help in finding any blood or hair sign to start your tracking. Studying antelope hides can help you identify any hair that may have been cut by the bullet or broadhead to pinpoint the area on the deer where your bullet hit.

Bright pink frothy blood - means a lung hit and the deer shouldn't go far.

Bright red blood - indicates a muscle hit which can be a minor wound. Also look for bone fragments which can tell you if you hit a leg bone or muscle.

Stinky green or brown paunch material - means a gut shot and you should let this animal bed down and stiffen up. 4 to 6 hours in cold, 8 hours in warm weather.

Some tips on tracking wounded game

1 and only 1 guy on the blood trail, preferably your best tracker. Keep the shooter nearby and ready in case the animal bolts from a bed, it may be your only chance to finish the job.

Use a camping lantern like a Coleman with a light reflector, they make blood really stand out at night.

Mark your trail so you can look behind yourself and get an idea of the travel route of your animal. You can use orange marker tape but PLEASE go back and remove all of that fluorescent tape when you are done. Use TP which just disappears in the first rain but if working in say snow, use the orange tape.

Sit down and take a break and have a snack or just relax. You need to calm down some and not push the animal by taking off after him immediately. If someone is with you, have him do the tracking as he is probably calmer and less likely to be in a hurry as you are.

Animals dump their bowels when they get weak so look for scat. They also will start circling like a dog when they lay down to die.

Animals that aren't hit real bad will double back a lot to shake you off their trail. While tracking watch for the animal's double back trail so you don't miss it or wipe it out. Bears love to do this along with deer.

Learn how to grid search. When all seems lost, look in creek bottoms and ravines. I've found many animals that dropped into them and just couldn't get out and they died there.

Keep an eye out for buzzards and crows, many times they will give up a kill.

Use a dog if legal, they are way more efficient at tracking. Deer Search has tracking dogs available if you don't have access in many states.

Have some hydrogen peroxide in squirt bottles handy when you get down to small blood drops or specks, it makes the blood bubble on contact. Put some bright green food coloring in you hydrogen peroxide to make the bubbles show up better.

Starlight Bloodhound, used in squirt bottles like hydrogen peroxide, is spendy but shows up faint blood trail really well, even in water.

Learn how to track by reading tracking books and practicing, it's great fun for the kids too.

Learn how to tell where you hit the animal by the hair the broadhead or bullet cut when it was first hit. You can do this by keeping the hair and matching it up too a hide. The impact site can tell you a whole bunch, like if you should wait (gut shot), or if you have a fatally hit animal. If you're an archer, try to find your arrow, it will tell you exactly where you hit your game at.

Scoring Pronghorns

Scoring Horns - Scoring pronghorn antelope horns is one of the toughest chores in hunting and is done by looking at the length and mass of the horns. Some horns have round circumferences while others are oblong and wide. It takes a bit of practice judging antelope to be consistent. Mass is one of the toughest measurements to judge and actually is a large percentage of the total score. You really need to view each buck at different angles and views to get a good estimate. To complicate things even more, prongs come off the horns at different heights and some horns have more curl at the tips than others. Spend time before the season watching herds and looking for trophy bucks to become familiar with scoring horns. Look at antelope heads from several angles to get a good perspective of the horns. Get the best optics you can afford to help with learning to judge pronghorns and get as close as possible. You can also visit local taxidermists shops in your hunt area to get an idea of the horn characteristics and measure some of the mounts to get an idea what to look for.

Consider the following for a 14-inch buck, a minimum trophy size:

1)The height of the horn should be at least twice the length of the ear (which is 5 to 6 inches long).
2)The horn should be about as long as the animal's head.
3)Look for the distance between the fork (prong) and the main horn - bigger bucks have larger, noticeable, prongs and greater distance between the prong and the horn.
4)Larger, more mature, bucks have darker faces (compared to does and younger bucks)
5)A pronghorn's eye is approximately 2 inches across. If the bases look to be about that size the buck will have average to below average mass. If the bases are wider across then the eye then he'll have average to above average mass (averages are of course very dependant on where you're hunting).

Deer and elk antlers grow the points last. Why? Because they are covered in velvet. The minerals in the blood that feed this velvet are what grows the antlers. Kind of like the cambium layer of a tree. The growth is added to the outer layer. On a pronghorn, the growth is just the opposite. It is from within. The bony core is covered in a fleshy layer which produces the modified hair we call horn. In a developed horn, the core rises only about as far as the top of the prong. Hair develops basally (ie. up and out of the core) and once the prong has developed at the height of the core's point it will not grow further beyond the prong.

Click for Boone and Crockett online pronghorn scoring form and info on how to measure the horns

Antelope Meat Care

Durwood Hollis has a book called "Complete Game Care Guide". Try B&B Sportsman Supply - 11321 N. 215 E. - Demotte, IN. 46310. Call 1-800-401-9090 or 219-345-4840.

You can also get these game care pamphlets from the University of Wyoming, Bulletin Room, Box 3313, Laramie, WY. 82071.

Field, R.A., 1973. Aging Big Game, Ag Extension Bulletin B-513R.

Field, R.A., 1973. The Mule Deer Carcass, Ag Extension Bulletin B-589.

Field, R.A., 1973. Skinning and Boning Big Game, Ag Extension Bulletin B-884R.

Pocket Guide to Field Dressing Game. Steve Gilbert - $12.95, plastic, spiral-bound, 3 5/8 x 4 1/2 x 1/4, 26 pages, fully illustrated, ISBN 1-886127-19-0, Item #P144.

MEAT CARE TIPS

Cheap meat bags. You can get cheap cloth mattress covers at military surplus stores that have a draw string on one end and they'll cover a whole antelope.

Antelope Hunting Gear Checklist

Trespass Permission Slips For Private Land Use & Emergency Alert Sheets

You'll need Acrobat Reader to read and print these .pdf files, you can get Acrobat at

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Click the link below to get the trespass permission slip you can print.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/permission-slip-1.pdf

Click the link below for an Emergency Alert sheet you can print out and leave on your vehicle, with your family or friends.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/emergency-alert-notice.pdf

Pronghorn Antelope Links

Ammo/Reloading

Accurate Reloading .... Saeed's great talk forum on reloading.
Alliant Powder (formerly Hercules) .... check out the online reloading data.
Barnes .... They make great bullets.
Berger Bullets .... Some of the best bullets made.
Cheaper Than Dirt .... Shooting supplies and hunting gear.
Dillon Precision Products .... One of the best reloading companies.
Federal Ammo ....
Graf and Sons Inc. .... The reloading authority.
Hodgdon Powder Company .... Reloading powder.
Hornady .... Bullets and reloading equipment.
Lapua .... Makers of match grade ammo and Vihtavuori powders.
Lee Precision Inc. .... The Lee family has been providing affordable reloading products since 1958.
MEC .... Reloading equipment.
Midsouth Shooters Supply Co. .... Your complete source for shooting accessories and supplies.
Midway USA .... The world's largest mail order shooting and reloading superstore.
Nosler .... Maker of the famous 'Partition bullets'.
Powder Valley .... Offering the finest in reloading components at the best possible price.
Precision Reloading Inc. .... Unique and hard to find reloading products.
RCBS .... If you're into reloading, bookmark this page now. All the info you need to be a top-notch re-loader is right here:
Redding Reloading Equipment ....
Remington .... Guns and ammo.
Sierra Bullets .... Bullets.
Speer .... Bullets.
Western Powders .... Western Powders is the largest Master Distributor of reloading powders in North America. We carry a full line of smokeless and black powders, and have also released our own line of high-performance, smokeless powders called RAMSHOT.
Widener's .... Here you will find great deals on all your hunting needs. From Ammunition to Powder. Featuring all the top name products such as Hornady, Nosler, Remington, RCBS, REDDING, SPEER, Winchester and much more.
Winchester Ammo .... Makers of great ammo.

Blinds

The All-Terrain Umbrella Blind .... The All Terrain Umbrella Blind is a uniquely designed and patented camouflage blind that can be set up quickly and quietly, camouflaging the person or persons behind it.
Ameristep Pop-Up Blinds .... Portable camo blinds.
Avery .... Cerex and burlap camo blind material.
Bowsniper Blind Co. ....Compact blinds that mount to a shotgun or bow.
Buckwing ..... They make blinds, archery gear and camo umbrellas.
Double Bull Archery L.L.C. .... Makers of the popular ICE Blind, a portable camo blind.
GameTracker Portable Pop Up Hunting Blind ....
High Racks .... They have brackets for hunters to effectively add branches and camo to any stand, blind or hunting location with ease.
Hunters Equipment .... They offer a full line of deer stands, game blinds, and game feeders.
Hunters Specialties (H.S.) .... They have burlap, nylon and Cerex camo blind material and portable hunting blinds.
Invisiblind .... Portable camo blind.
Isometric Hunting Blinds .... Portable hunting blinds.
Klinger Pop Top Blind ....
Little Big Horn .... Camo tree blinds and Pac-Lounge.
Quick Pro Blinds .... Portable hunting blinds.
Oak Hollow Products .... Portable hunting blinds. 309 Old Highway 9, Waukon, IA 52172 (319) 568-4075. You can order the blinds here.
P & M Concealment Products Inc. .... Portable blinds.
Ultimate Hunting Blind .... Portable and expandable hunting blinds.
Underbrush .... Portable blinds and 3-D Leafy Camo Wear.
Wolf Den Hunting Products .... Portable hunting blinds.

Bow Equipment

Action Archery.com .... Targets, decoys, calls and more. JHO sponsor.
Archery Headquarters .... Online retailer for archery supplies.
B&B Archery and Bowhunting Books .... Books and videos on archery and bowhunting.
Bear Archery .... Makers of excellent bows and bow equipment. Fred Bear is a legend of the bowhunting world.
Ben Pearson Bow info .... Great place to look up info on old Ben Pearson bows, broadheads, arrow boxes and logos.
Black Widow Bows .... Fine bows and arrows.
Bowhunters Discount Warehouse .... As of 7/2001 their website is closed.
Bowhunter Magazine  .... The site of the number one bowhunting magazine.
Bowhunting.net .... The Bowhunting Netcenter.
Bowsite .... If you're a bowhunter, this is one place you have to check out.
Don Brown Traditional Archery ....
California Archery Web .... Webring of California archery shops.
Custom Feathers .... David Mitchell. 6117 Highway 190, Chillicothe, MO 64601. Phone #s: 660-646-6630 (Work), 660-646-0469 (Home-eves.), 660-646-9703 (FAX), & 1-888-353-8246 (Orders only). He makes custom arrows using fresh turkey wing primaries and some secondaries. Most fletching is natural, but he'll custom dye colors on large orders. He also buys wings, fans, and beards, so you might be able to work a trade.
Dink's Feather Shop .... They make custom arrows and sells supplies. Murraysville, WV. Ph # 304-273-3485.
Easton .... Fine arrows and other gear.
edersbow .... Online bowhunting magazine.
The Essentials Of Archery .... Original printing 1942 (This document has been liberally transcribed from the 1953 edition). "How to Use and Make Bows and Arrows" by L. E. Stemmler , Manorville, L.I., N.Y.
EXTERIOR BALLISTICS OF BOWS AND ARROWS .... By W. J. Rheingans.
Game Tracker .... String tracking system. 3476 Eastman Drive Flushing, MI 48433 Phone (800)241-4833 Fax (810)733-2077
Hidden Wolf Woolens .... Sorry folks, this company closed the middle of 2000.
High Mountain Archery Equipment Sales .... they carry Gold Tip, Bow Tech, Champion, PSE, Jennings, Hoyt, Golden Key, Sims, Archers Choice, and many other quality products.
How to strip turkey feathers .... If you want to make your own barred feather fletchings.
Hoyt USA Bows .... Makers of fine bows and bowhunting equipment.
International Bowhunting Organization .... The IBO is a non profit organization founded in 1984. Their intent is to provide a means by which all persons, interested in the sport, can unite to ensure ours and our children's rights to the pursuit of bowhunting.
Jackson's Archery and Hunting Page .... Check out this San Diego California bowhunters website. Lots of good info and links here.
Magnus Broadheads .... I use these broadheads and they shoot well and are very tough.
Martin Archery .... Good bows.
The National Archery Association .... National governing body for U.S. Olympic archery.
Primitive Archer ..... Good forum and quarterly magazine.
Professional Bowhunters Society ....
PSE Archery .... Bows and other archery gear.
RibTek Broadheads .... Good tough broadheads.
Stickbow .... Your traditional archery connection.
Tammy Jo's Archery Supplies .... Custom flemish-twist bowstrings for recurves and longbows.
Trackmaster Arrow Tracking System .... Radio signal arrow recovery system.
Traditional Bowhunter Magazine .... 6 issues per year of good traditional bow info.

Camo and Clothing

Gear

Bass Pro Shop .... One of the biggest hunting and fishing gear suppliers. Stop by one of their 'Outdoor World' stores, you'll be amazed. They have calls, decoys, shells, sights, blinds camo and tons more.
Brigade Quartermasters .... Outdoor gear, military issue gear, GPS, everything you need.
Cabela's .... One of the biggest retailers of outdoor and hunting gear. They have calls, decoys, shells, sights, blinds camo and tons more.
Mel Dutton Decoys .... P.O. Box 113 Faith SD 57626, Ph# (605)-967-2031.
Gamesaver .... Better than pepper, fights bacteria growth in warm weather. Concentrated for taking into the field.
Ranger Joe's .... Military, Law enforcement and outdoor gear.
REI ....The biggest outdoor store on the net.
Shomer-tec .... Law enforcement and military equipment. Box 28070, Bellingham, WA. 98228 ph# 360-733-6214. Call for free catalog.
U.S. Cavalry .... World's finest military and adventure equipment.

Guides/Outfitters

Arizona Big Game Hunting .... Duwane Adams has a full service Arizona based guiding and outfitting business. They hunt Arizona statewide and Mexico for several different species. They have been in the guiding business for the past 20 years and have developed a high quality trophy hunting experience. They offer trophy quality elk, mule deer, and Coues deer hunts that are second to none and at competitive prices!
Arizona Wildlife Outfitting .... Don Martin has hunts for bighorn sheep, buffalo, antelope, elk, mule deer, Coues deer, javelina, mountain lion, turkey and predators.
Desert Bull .... Do it yourself hunts in Arizona. If you are thinking of trying it this year, you have found the right place. We can help you plan the hunt of a lifetime. Whether you want to hunt Elk, Deer, or Antelope in the fall or Javelina or Merriam's Turkey in the spring, Desert Bull can help you make your hunting trip to Arizona an unforgettable one.
Dry Creek Outfitters ... is a professional hunting guide and outfitting service. We specialize in Trophy Desert Bighorn Sheep hunts in Arizona, California, Utah and Texas. We also offer hunts for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Coues Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Elk, Pronghorn Antelope, Javelina, and Bear. We are fully licensed, bonded, insured, and permitted. We have a full time team of professional, knowledgeable guides. We have also filmed, edited and produced a video called "Hunting Desert Bighorn Sheep." It includes two different sheep hunts and information on how to find and field judge rams as well as instructions on how to video tape game through your spotting scope. It is currently for sale on our website and through the new FNAWS Mercantile catalog
Mesquite Country Outfitters .... Offers fully guided hunts for whitetail deer, mule deer, turkey, bobwhite and blue quail, dove, wild hogs, and varmints on the 165,000 acre Pitchfork Ranch in Dickens and King counties of Texas.
Pusch Ridge Outfitters .... We are an Arizona based outfitting business that outfits and guides in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. We are proud of the fact that we consistently produce trophies of the highest quality for our clients. Several have qualified for the Boone and Crockett all-time record book, as well as the Pope and Young, Safari Club International, and Longhunter Society books.
Southwestern Hound Adventures .... is your headquarters for outdoor fun, outdoor video products and great pictures. If a quality hunt for Western Big Game is on your wish list we can make it happen. We specialize in Bear and Lion hunts with hounds and now have a video of the bear action you can expect.

Know of any other good antelope guides or outfitters? If you do, drop us an email at

Guns/Gun Supplies

Americase .... Gun cases since 1985.
Beretta .... Firearms.
Boyt Harness Co. .... Gun cases.
Ed Brown Products .... High performance bolt-action rifles and 1911 handguns for those who expect the best.
Brownells .... Great supplier of gun parts.
Browning .... Firearms.
B-Square .... has been manufacturing and marketing a full line of premium quality scopes mounts, accessories and gunsmithing tools for over 40 years.
Canjar Triggers. M. H. Canjar Co. 500 E. 45th Ave.,Denver, CO 80216, Voice: (303) 295-2638.
Doskocil .... Gun cases.
Galati International.com .... Your number one source for shooting and gun accessories including Rifle Cases, Range Bags, Holsters, Shotgun Accessories, Knives, Soft Air Guns, Scopes, Night Vision, T-Shirts and Much More.
Gamaliel Shooting Supply .... Whatever you need - rifle scopes, reloading supplies or gun accessories we've got them all at Gamaliel Shooting Supply! We have all the types of rifle scopes, reloading supplies, and gun accessories you need for hunting and target shooting.
Gunbroker.com .... Worlds largest sport shooting and hunting auction.
Gun Guard .... Good rifle, bow and pistol cases. Some case have wheels which are real handy in the airport.
Gun Tests.com .... They have a no holds barred gun review website and magazine that is very objective. If it sucks, they say so and why. No 3 to 3 1/2 out of 4 stars for every gun they review like you see in NAHC or Guns and Ammo. They have no ads in their review so they are not worried about stepping on toes.
Impact Case Company .... Gun cases.
Knight Muzzleloaders .... Firearms.
Kolpin .... Gun cases.
Lazzeroni .... Great rifles.
Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels .... Great barrels and lots of info on long range shooting.
Marlin Firearms Co. .... Great firearms.
McMillan .... Makers of tough dependable rifle stocks.
Michael's .... Makers of Butler Creek and Uncle Mike's gun supplies.
Midsouth Shooters Supply Co. .... Your complete source for shooting accessories and supplies.
Midway USA .... The world's largest mail order shooting and reloading superstore.
MTM Case-Gard .... Ammo and accessory boxes, gun cleaning vises and target stands.
The Almost Complete List of Muzzle Loading and Buckskinning Links ....
Muzzleloader Magazine .... The publication for black powder shooters.
Northwest Security Products .... Cases, holsters, pouches and more from Alaska.
Plano ..... Gun cases.
Quake Industries .... For years I've searched for a rifle sling that wouldn't slide off my shoulder. I finally found the Holy Grail here at Quaker Industries, called the "Claw". They also make super rifle swivels that don't squeak, scope covers and recoil pads.
Remington .... Firearms.
Ruger .... Firearms.
Sako .... Firearms.
Shilen .... Makers of excellent rifle barrels.
Sinclair International .... We are a 16 year old, Indiana based company which specializes in high quality products designed for precision rifle shooters.
SKB .... Gun cases.
Sniper Country .... A great site for long range shooting. They have reviews on scopes, rangefinders, moly bullet coating and tons of other info. Lots of military and law enforcement shooters hang out here.
Tactical Intervention Specialists ....  Precision rifle accessories. Mike has come up with a great new sling too. Stop by his website and see some of the goodies there.
Thompsom/Center Arms .... Whether a Traditional or a Modern In -Line. T/C has it all.
Timney Trigger .... Timney Manufacturing, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest trigger manufacturers in the world. Founded in 1946, Timney prides itself on the quality of precision machining and workmanship that goes into each and every Timney product.
Traditions Performance Muzzleloading Weatherby ....
Tuffpak .... Tuffpak is the only multi-gun case of its kind. Whether you're going for a weekend or a month, taking 1 rifle or 5 shotguns .
Weatherby .... Fine rifles and shotguns.
Winchester .... Firearms.

Optics, Scopes, Binos, and Night Vision

Know of any other good antelope organizations? If you do, drop us an email at

Publications/Books/Magazines/Videos

All these books are available at Amazon.com unless noted otherwise. You can get used books there that are well below the new book price.

Western Outdoor News .... Fine weekly newspaper with maps and tons of timely reports. $36.95 for 52 issues. Ph# 1-714-546-4370. Call the 'Hunter's Hotline' to give your story for publishing. Ph # 1-714-546-4370 ext. 48 or fax: 1-714-662-3486 or e-mail: wonmail@aol.com

Know of any other good antelope hunting books? If you do, drop us an email at

Websites/Forums

Antelope backgrounds for your computer - Sean's excellent website with computer backgrounds to make you say ahhhhh!
Antelope teeth aging info with pics  - Excellent tutorial on how to age pronghorn antelope with photos.
Bowsite's Antelope Forum - Great place to read and ask questions about hunting Pronghorn Antelope.
California Game and Fish Magazine .... Your ticket to the hottest fishing and hunting in California.
Deerslayer 1's Webpage .... Dan has lots of deer, elk, caribou and bear pics from public land hunts.
Eastman's .... The Eastmans' Journal is the original bi-monthly magazine devoted to western trophy hunting.  Hunting journal, videos and books.
Field and Stream .... The popular magazine online. They have a great hunting and shooting forum too.
Fishing and Hunting News .... This is the fishing and hunting news magazine online version.
Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors (JHO) Pronghorn Forum .... Great place to view and ask questions.
Ted Nugent's United Sportsmen of America ....
Trophy Hunter Magazine .... Offering real hunting stories about the biggest and best trophies taken in the west every year.
Outdoor Life .... The well known magazine online.
Rocky Mountain Game and Fish Magazine .... A sportsman's guide to the best hunting and fishing in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
Washington-Oregon Game and Fish Magazine .... The one-stop information source for Northwest hunters and anglers.
Jim Zumbo's webpage .... Lot's of hunting tips and cooking recipes.

Know of any other good antelope websites? If you do, drop us an email at

The distance by which you miss your target is always in direct proportion to how many people are watching.

-- Anonymous