Outdoor Adventures

There are few hunts in Montana that compare to chasing after the ghosts of the prairie. Pronghorn sheep, American antelope, speed goat and numerous other names have been given to this, the second fastest land animal in the world. Prized as one of the most exciting hunts for many reasons, including the fact that many hunters consider it one of the best tasing game animals in the continental U.S. The pronghorn is also fast, intelligent, has eyes better than most binoculars and an extremely keen sense of smell. This strong olfactory sense can be partially attributed to its abnormally large nasal cavity that also aids in the intake of air when running. In fact, every aspect of the creature is built for speed, and as many hunters will admit, their fleetness becomes obvious after the first few attempts at acquiring the animal. This development of fleetness odes to the time of the extinct American cheetah, whose speed rivaled that of its still living African cousin. Though the cat is gone, the antelope remains, and has fascinated people since one of its first recorded encounters by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Clark himself described the creature as “keenly made” and “beautiful.”

Though good antelope hunting is a far reach from Sanders County, many locals make the trek east to try their luck. General antelope season in Montana starts October 10 and runs until November 8, so many still have a chance at a late season goat.

So what are the tricks to capturing an animal that will see, hear, smell and evade with great speed it’s predator before the hunter can even get within range of a shot? The first thing an aspiring hunter should do is sight in their rifle out to 300 yards or greater. Most shots at these beings will be at this distance or greater. The second is to learn the habits and body language of the animal. Antelope have the ability to read the land and signal their fellows in several ways. Not only are they keen to each other’s body movements, but an alert antelope will raise the bright white hairs on its rump and will release a scent that the others will pick up.

The hunter must learn to read the land themselves, and spy antelope from far off. After spotting the goats, the hunter must take in the lay of the land, process it, and return out a clever means of approach. The hunter must be a good judge of distance, and a rangefinder can help immensely. Once close, the hunter must be in well enough shape to crawl or sneak, low, their way closer to the animals without being noticed. This can be a great feat against a creature with near supernatural awareness.

Finally, posting up for that shot, must be planned to the detail, and executed slowly, quietly, stealthily and without bringing attention to oneself. It is common practice to generally aim high when combating the pronghorn, as not only can the distance in the great ocean of grass and sagebrush be deceiving, but also placement can matter, as with any animal. Generally, the famed boiler-room-shot, broad side and into the heart and lungs, claims an area about the size of a paper plate. Meaning, even if the shot is placed somewhat high, it can still be deadly. With antelope, distance is key, and with a shot well over 300 yards, a few inches high can mean the difference between bringing food home to the family, and a blast of dust under the sheep and it turning 60 seconds into a mile.