Stalking The Antelope Makes Exciting Hunting

Mark Sullivan, FWP wildlife biologist, Malta

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My favorite way to hunt antelope is to spot and stalk. I drive slowly down county roads and established trails, spotting for antelope. If there is a good vantage point along the trail, I’ll use my binoculars and spotting scope to scan the countryside. When I do locate a buck that I am interested in, I’ll try to locate precisely where I am and where the buck is on a BLM map or topographic map with a 1:100,000-mile scale. The maps are useful in planning the stalk of the animal, too. My stalks often take several hours. A roundabout route offers the most cover and brings me within shooting range. A small daypack with water, some trail mix or candy bars for energy, a bipod, and a pair of heavy leather gloves are must have’s. I also wear a light canvas jacket and tough canvas pants. I’ll explain why later. During the stalk, I periodically climb up on a hill to spot the buck. This is especially important if the animal is on its feet, since antelope can move a considerable distance in no time. Spotting the animal is also a time to decide if this is the buck you want to fill your tag, if you didn’t see it close enough earlier. Occasionally the antelope will see me when I go up for a peek, but if they get just a quick look and aren’t sure of what they saw, they won’t spook. Sometimes I run out of cover before getting within good shooting distance. This is where the heavy leather gloves and canvas coat and pants come in, since the only thing to do next is to start belly crawling. I crawl about 10 yards, stop, rest and check out what the antelope are doing. Although it sounds tedious, it’s amazing how well this works. Finally, the antelope is within range. Chances are it has seen some movement and is a little curious, but not spooked. Now is the time to get your wind and make sure your gun is ready. This is the moment of truth, since you may have to reveal yourself to get into position for a good shot. Sometimes this works to advantage since a bedded antelope will typically stand up if it sees something odd going on. Avoid shooting at a bedded animal. The front legs are bent back over the chest so it is very easy to break a leg and cripple it when shooting for the heart and lungs. The heart and lungs should always be the target. Hopefully, all has gone well and I make a clean shot and a quick humane kill. The next job is getting the critter to the truck. I’ll often carry my pack frame on the stalk, or if there is a trail close by, I’ll field dress the antelope and drag him to the trail before I hike back to the truck for the frame. Game carts also work great. I carry a five-gallon jug of water in my truck and generally rinse out the animal as soon as possible to remove any rumen material and clean the blood out of the body cavity. On the way back home or to camp, it is good to throw a tarp over the animal to keep the sun and dust off, and to show respect for the animal and the sport of hunting. Ideally, antelope, or any game, should be cooled off and cut up as quickly as possible. Antelope meat is excellent if the animal is shot cleanly and the meat is taken care of. The drive home is my time to relive the excitement and challenge of stalking this unique creature, mingled with memories of some great meals with this tender, fine-grained meat as the centerpiece.