Idaho pronghorn rut

JPickett

Long Time Member
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3,641
All right guys, tag I drew was a pronghorn and actually it’s the tag I wanted more then any other. Central Idaho, opens sept 25th. Going to try and get a bull down early because I’m really looking forward to this one. Those of you who’ve hunted Idaho goats, when’s peak rut? Planning on the full first week of October. Season goes to the 25th.
 
Rookie, peak rut for all species varies on the year.
You don’t say? It also varies by region. I know Wyoming rut tends to kick off mid September, but it’s also higher and earlier fall. Never hunted them in Idaho and I’m never in pronghorn country in October.
 
Just looked it up, peak rut is sept 24th at 1:35pm. Looking like you’ll get a little post rut action
 
Anyway. Anyone with some actual experience with Idaho pronghorns and there rut activities I’d love to hear from you
 
September 27th 2022
God damn it SS look what you started :mad:

Not looking for a day here guys! Bunch a comedians. But I do appreciate it. :)

I’ve just heard a few different theories. Mid September then again late October for a second estrus. Or early October and that’s it. I can honestly say I e never seen the pronghorn rut, I’m always way higher up the hill.
 
The actual "Peak" like you asked is difficult to say, and varies by year, weather condition, and location of goats due to feed/water conditions. After hunting them here for 40 years, I will make a generalization tho. They appear to rut a couple weeks earlier down south around Twin and Mt Home. . Seen them going crazy around the alfalfa fields and INL here in Unit 63 early as the 15th. Further up Birch Creek, Little Lost/Big Lost they may stay up in the high foothills and benches and be full-blown around the 25-30th. The only times I have hunted them in 29/30/37 has been in mid-Oct and the rut has been over.

As for our overall rut here in central and eastern Idaho, I would say it's pretty consistent from Sept 10th to about Oct 1st. By the time the deer and elk hunters bump them off the hills (Oct 10), or you get early weather, they start to bunch up and are in much larger groups so we don't see as much frenzy.
 
When my wife had an Idaho Tag it seemed like the rut was pretty much done by the end of Sept to Begining of October. Middle of Sept would be my thoughts.
 
Mid of Sept through probably beginning of oct like said before is the best opinion I've had lope tags and I've also just watched them over the years. Also sustained heat will push the peakish time around bit ( like last year the weeks long 100 degree temps) through the years I've watched them the 18th of September probably through the 4th of October but honestly these hunts once you kinda find a buck you want they aren't going to be far from where you found them to begin with
 
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I would say around the 3rd week of September is when I see the most rutting activity. It seems to match the elk rut fairly close. I've hunted pronghorn more in Wyoming than Idaho though. Just like ID_hunter27 said, find a buck before the season and he probably won't be far from that same place on opening day.

It is fun to watch them rut but it can make stalking them frustrating. A few years ago in Wyoming I was trying to put a stalk on a pronghorn buck but he kept chasing does and other bucks around. Even one time running another buck past me at rock throwing distance. I thought he would stop for a shot inside rifle range but they just like to run and run some more. Instead of continued attempts at sneaking up on him, I set myself up on his herd of does and waited for him to come back. It worked just as I planed.

If your hunting elk in the same general area, you can use your afternoons to scout pronghorn. Put your time in early and find one you want and then you can get him opening morning. Then you can go back to chasing elk if you still haven't notched your tag. It may be a long time before you get another rifle pronghorn tag in Idaho so make the most of it.
 
Hunted with a buddy who had a central idaho lope tag a couple of years ago. Same-ish opening date. LOTS of rut activity. He had never shot one before and took the first one he saw on opening morning lol. I saw a ton of better bucks as we were leaving.
 
God damn it SS look what you started :mad:

Not looking for a day here guys! Bunch a comedians. But I do appreciate it. :)

I’ve just heard a few different theories. Mid September then again late October for a second estrus. Or early October and that’s it. I can honestly say I e never seen the pronghorn rut, I’m always way higher up the hill.
Central Idaho...I've seen Antelope within 100 yds of a Mt. Goat a couple years back. Not abnormal for me to find good pronghorn up around 8500'. Weird but I'm seeing it more and more where I hunt elk during archery. Seems like the rut kicks in mid Sept in general. There will still be action on the 25th though. I assume you got a ML tag and if so, you'll be in for a great hunt. If not, you'll still be in for a great hunt :).
 
What’s your new rifle shoot like
It’s the nicest rifle I’ve ever shot. Couldn’t be happier. Pretty sure I’ve landed on a load. Consistent 1/4” groups at 100, 22 fps extreme spread and about 7 fps on the standard deviation. Taking it out to confirm ballistics at distance this weekend and then loading up a bunch. With the suppressor they’ll never even hear the shot. Gunna be fun
 

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