Archery Antelope across the border in 015 Nevada

Deserve2beworked · May 22, 2022

I posted this on the Nevada forum too.
Monster Muley members have been very good to me for many years. Fearing I may be going to the well once too often I'm still going to seek your help. I drew an archery Antelope tag for Unit 015. I've been trying to get the tag for a few years, (I had 15 preference points), because I hunted mule deer with bow in X5B and saw a lot of antelope in the area along the California Nevada border. That year BLM was working every day on the Nevada side fixing springs and their flow. The BLM guys kept telling me I should be bow hunting antelope instead of deer because there were a lot more of them around! Well, I am going back to the area.
I saw the areas NDOW suggests to hunt on their webpage. I made a huge mental error thinking there were only 5 res tags and 2 non-res tags. Turns out the numbers are 25 tags for residents and 3 for non-residents. That going to look like a lot of bows and arrows sitting water in 015!!!!
I too would want to sit water for a buck if possible.
What do you think about sitting water this year there? Enough water? Water there without a blind on it already? Spot and stalk speed goats out in the open, lol? Thoughts on less popular areas that holds antelope?
Your info is much appreciated. And, I will help you when I can. Thanks.

LIK2HNT · May 22, 2022

I have not bow hunted antelope for over 10 years. Use to be great. Scout your water holes. Get to where you want to hunt a few hours before sun up. Put up a blind and hunt. Last time I bow hunted in Wyoming I could not find a water hole without at least one blind. Yet in a week of hunting I never saw another hunter except one on opening day. Basically I feel whoever gets there first in the morning gets to hunt the water hole.

458win · May 22, 2022

Spot and stalk…

1. Not boring like sitting in a blind all day sweating your butt off.
2. No conflict with “who’s” water hole
3. See a lot more antelope and country
4. A lot more rewarding

Deserve2beworked · May 22, 2022

Thank you Lik2hnt and 458win, good advice on both counts, and I'll take them to heart.

Sallaberry · May 22, 2022

If you have onX I can give you some spots to look.

458win · May 22, 2022

I’ll add also that if it rains at all. Sitting water will be as productive as sitting in camp. Another reason I love the spot and stalk. I just remembered that 7 or 8 years ago we killed a mid 90s antelope out of 015 (rifle) though.

Buckbrush · May 24, 2022

If you're gonna sit water in that country Burnt lake , garden lake, and Hole in the ground would be good choices. Awesome country. Anything off that Buckhorn road., Awesome country and plenty of goats. If you're coming from the Cali. side you're probably talking about the Skedaddle ranch road over by Spencer basin?

Homer · May 24, 2022

458win said:
I’ll add also that if it rains at all. Sitting water will be as productive as sitting in camp. Another reason I love the spot and stalk. I just remembered that 7 or 8 years ago we killed a mid 90s antelope out of 015 (rifle) though.

mid 90's??....WOW!!

yotebuster17 · May 25, 2022

Homer said:
mid 90's??....WOW!!

The ol bull shoot flag is way triggered on that. There has only been 2 “mid 90’s” bucks ever killed in the state of NV according to B&C. Maybe it was one of them ??‍

458win · May 25, 2022

Picture is on here if you dig back far enough. By the way not everything gets entered in the books. Some don’t care. Myself being one of them. I did have my antelope from last year officially measured and would be in the top 45 in P&Y all time. Again don’t care.

yotebuster17 · May 25, 2022

458win said:
Picture is on here if you dig back far enough. By the way not everything gets entered in the books. Some don’t care. Myself being one of them. I did have my antelope from last year officially measured and would be in the top 45 in P&Y all time. Again don’t care.

The ol “don’t care about the books” nonchalant number drop. I like your style. I do understand that a lot of big critters don’t get entered, but when you start talking about potential state records/world records (like a 95” antelope) they tend to find their way into official scorers hands eventually.

458win · May 25, 2022

yotebuster17 said:
The ol “don’t care about the books” nonchalant number drop. I like your style. I do understand that a lot of big critters don’t get entered, but when you start talking about potential state records/world records (like a 95” antelope) they tend to find their way into official scorers hands eventually.

Perhaps it might. The guy that killed it never enters anything and he has a lot of critters that most would be the envy of hunters. It was 94 2/8” green if remember right. We knew it wasn’t a state record but still a damn nice antelope. Picture is still on here under a 015 thread. Not everyone hunts to have there name in the book.

Homer · May 25, 2022

Certainly you could find a picture to post....

458win · May 25, 2022

Unit 015 Antelope | Nevada

Just out of curiousity what is a top end antelope for this unit. Have any of you had this tag and how was the hunt.

www.monstermuleys.info

Didn’t know I had to help use the search function but here you go.

Sallaberry · May 25, 2022

458win said:
Unit 015 Antelope | Nevada

Just out of curiousity what is a top end antelope for this unit. Have any of you had this tag and how was the hunt.

www.monstermuleys.info

Didn’t know I had to help use the search function but here you go.

That’s a hog for sure congratulations I’m much to vain not to enter it in the record book and if at all possible I would love to see it in person.

458win · May 25, 2022

Sallaberry said:
That’s a hog for sure congratulations I’m much to vain not to enter it in the record book and if at all possible I would love to see it in person.

I think the guy ended up doing a full body mount. Nothing wrong with wanting to put something in the books. Good luck this hunting season.

Deserve2beworked · May 27, 2022

Looking at the photo pretty easy to assess that buck as "TOP END"!!!! Really an amazing buck. Some great memories stored away from that hunt for sure.
I am headed out to 015 in a couple of weeks. Will be interested in seeing water conditions.

Deserve2beworked · May 27, 2022

When I had the X5B deer tag I chose not to camp at Ramhorn because it is pretty busy with all manner of folks. So, my delimma was to find a camp spot near where I wanted to hunt. That camp spot had to have a tree if I wanted my wife to go too. Which I did. Harder to find a good camp spot in X5B with shade than a good buck! We are in our 70's and that sun is flipping HOT on old age thin skin!!
So, for the scout trip I'm looking for a tree and for water in 015. Water not necessarily to sit, I'll take your advice. But, finding water will be finding animals out there.
I'll check the lakes north of Buckhorn Road first but probably won't hunt that area because "rumor" has it they are pretty popular and busy. The maps do look like there are trees and water north of Buckhorn.
I'll look at the south of "Hole in the Ground". It looks good for antelope, on maps, but doesn't offer much shade for old folks.
Your advice before I head out would be much appreciated, Thanks.
On the X5B deer hunt we did find a spot to camp with 3 trees. It has a new name now, Three Trees.