Speed Goats!

[azslim]

If you spot and stalk you can make their curiosity work in your favor. I have seen them come into bright fletchings waving in the air, a cowboy hat twirled on a stick and in the late 70's a sheet tacked onto the ground kinda loose so the wind made it move. If it is in the rut a decoy will help, brings the dominate male running over to kick butt. Thay can turn inside out and watch the arrow go by, then they usually laugh at you before taking off. I know guys here that have pins from 20 to 120 and practice religiously, but in reality 60 yds is about the most you need.

[akdd]

Yardage estimation was what I had trouble with. This is the reason that I missed last year. I was shooting 50 yards and the antelope was at 37. I went from judging yardage on big animals in brushy terrain to little animals in grassy terrain. I used the range finder when I could but using spot and stalk method there did not seem to be enough time to range them and then get a shot once you got into position. They have such good eye sight that you really have to minimize movement. They did not seem to be to concerned about scent or sound but the slightest movement they would pickup on no matter how far away you were. Have fun.

[Greg Krause]

I found this. I like the field judging tips at the bottom.

www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/pronghorn/spearhead/

[mtshooter]

Great field judging tips

[royden]

Wow - I missed this for a few days and bam everyone gave you some good info.

my .02.

60 yards should be plenty - but judging distance is tricky out there; I always over estimate for some reason.
hunting the rut is the most fun to me - then the decoy works great.
They really don't seem to worry about smelling you.
Some of my shots they have turned away from me at a 90 deg angle - others just stood there and took it like a man. I think it depends on what they are alert to and expecting. At water holes they seem very nervous to me. Fence crossings and coming in to decoys they seem less jumpy.
They are very tough and really have a will to live - heart shot or double lung.

I wouldn't worry about your set-up - they are not heavy boned. I've seen a 60# bow push a sonic thru 'em from stem to stern.

To me their eyesight is excellent at long distance, but at close ranges they notice movement right away but don't seem to "see" real well. Case in point - I once used a decoy that was only painted on one side and since it was the wrong side I used it with the head forward and paint towards 'em - but the legs were straight up in the air! They still came in. ;D

[Greg Krause]

what kind of decoys would you reccomend? I was thinking of bringing a montana decoy, just in case it's wet and water holes aren't "hot"
will decoys work in late august early september?

[mtshooter]

We use the Montana Decoys and yes they work anytime.

[Greg Krause]

mtshooter said:

We use the Montana Decoys and yes they work anytime.

Do you just shoot around them?

I was thinking about cutting a hole out of the middle of it so i can shoot right through the decoy without exposing myself.

[royden]

I really wouldn't be too concerned. I'd shoot over or beside. The times I had the opportunity to be alone and with decoy it seemed to catch the antelopes flat footed when I popped up with bow drawn and arrow on the way.

I really prefered setting up with two people. One ran the decoy and one was the shooter. Typical day for me we set up on 4-6 herds during the rut so each person had two chances a day - and running the decoy was even more fun than shooting! The area we hunted was open range and extremely hard gravely gound. Mt decoys leg pins are probably the best on the market and they still wouldn't always hold the decoy up (penetration of 2") - the decoy holder would just lay there looking under the decoy and turn it broadside to the antelope coming in. My ONLY drawback to mt decoy's is that with the sun behind them they are transparent - setup with the sun in your eyes or at an angle to you.

[mtshooter]

I'm actually short enough to shot under it But shot around it. You can also set it up in front of you and move back a ways.