Plateau pronghorn numbers

[deerkiller]

I spent all day down on the unit today and was disappointed to say the least with the pronghorn numbers this year. I've been hunting down there for 15 years and this is by far the worst I've ever seen it. I burned 250 miles on dirt roads, glassing and covering as much ground as possible in the known goat areas, and looking everywhere else I could think to look. Every good vantage point I came across, I'd walk out away from the road to glass the draws you can't see from a truck, and still found nothing. I saw maybe 100 total, and I'm sure some of those were duplicates. I saw more deer than goats. I also only saw around 1 fawn for every 5 does seen. If you've spent any kind of significant points for a buck or doe tag this year, I would seriously consider turning the tag back. I was sure glad I didn't get drawn with my 4 points.

I'm not trying to start an argument or debate, I'm just trying to give tag holders a heads up before they commit to the hunt and spend the money in preparation and travel to go hunt that area this year.

 

[Bocephus]

Haha I have a doe tag that opened on the 1st. I couldn't find a doe to kill with my 4 year old boy. I agree they are way down from previous years.

 

[deerkiller]

It took 10 hours and extending his shot limitations to 875 yards for my dad to kill one yesterday. Other years we could fill multiple tags in just a couple hours. The wildlife managers have no business killing any does off that unit this year.

 

[Bambam]

So should I turn in my archery tag then? I went down the first of June and we only saw 4 bucks and about 40 does. I haven't been back since. I saw 1 antelope (which was a buck) in my normal hunting area and I usually see 15 to 25 on past years. The funny thing is you look at there estimated population and it says 1400. I have a hard time believing that with what I saw in June.

 

[Bocephus]

I wish I could turn my doe tag in, I thought it would be a piece of cake. It's now turned into a hunt. I havent spent much time on the north end, but the south end is void of antelope where there are typically a bunch.

 

[Muley_73]

It's been a travesty for close to a decade now. That unit could easily hold 2000 plus lope. But hey they still keep giving opportunity. Those tags let you be out there...isn't that what the average joe wants?

 

[Bambam]

You?re right, I shouldn't complain the only reason I applied for it was to burn my 1 point so I can apply for elk again next year. This is the second time I have had this tag in the last 4 years and I enjoy hunting them. Guess if I can't find them during the hunt I better hunt harder haha.

 

[deerkiller]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-04-19 AT 10:12PM (MST)[p]>It's been a travesty for close
>to a decade now.
>That unit could easily hold
>2000 plus lope. But
>hey they still keep giving
>opportunity. Those tags let you
>be out there...isn't that what
>the average joe wants?


I think the average joe wants a reasonable opportunity to harvest a doe pronghorn when they draw a tag with 4+ points. If a guy wants the opportunity to go hunting with no results expected, he would buy a GS elk permit

The problem is the cattlemen that think their cows have more right to feed than wildlife does. They would have them exterminated on that mountain if they could have it their way

 

[Muley_73]

Seems like the average joe would be well served with a sportsman?s group fighting for more game animals on the range. A voice where the decisions are made, far away from the range.

 

[elkassassin]

>Seems like the average joe would
>be well served with a
>sportsman?s group fighting for more
>game animals on the range.
> A voice where the
>decisions are made, far away
>from the range.

Yup!

And Which Predator is everybody gonna Blame?











I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

 

[ELKOHOLIC]

Like Muley said, this happened over a decade ago. It's not really a secret.

 

[deerkiller]

>Like Muley said, this happened over
>a decade ago. It's
>not really a secret.


me or my immediate family members have had tags in 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18 and 19. my brother had a rifle buck tag in 2010, the year they issued an emergency hunt closure and i saw more goats during that year than i saw this year. youre correct when you say its not a secret this unit sucks now. but from my personal observations, its considerably in worse shape than it has ever been since its decline that started around 2008.

 

[Bocephus]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-05-19 AT 11:48AM (MST)[p]I'm not complaining I just want some fresh lope back strap. It does give me an excuse to get out. I'll kill one, but I'll just have to work harder than I wanted to to get in bow range.

 

[Airborne]

I drew an early doe antelope tag for Parker this year. I spend a lot of time on that mountain (last weekend was my third weekend spent on the mountain). I was down there counting grouse for the chukar foundation. The last decade I am lucky to see a couple goats a day down there and this year seems especially bad.

I turned my tag in last week before my hunt started. By chance I found 2 goats on Saturday and could have killed this weekend had I kept my tag but I would feel bad about it. Knowing what the unit can be and seeing where it presently is just sucks.

I figure a $30 donation to save a doe life to have a fawn next year is well worth it. Hell, I might do the same next year and draw it just to turn it back in as they don't reissue antlerless tags.

I wish we could take the unit back to the mid 2000's--amazing back then.

 

[BIGJOHNT]

A few years back when they had that bad winter kill. Then they trapped a bunch of the antelope to transport somewhere else. It's never recovered since then. I guess they will keep selling tags to those that don't know any better. I guess the DNR is hoping they will grow their numbers on their own. It use to be a good unit. Hopefully someday it will rebound. It has always been fun seeing those bucks run around down in that country.