One prime Pronghorn hunt.....

[TNlandowner]

Looking for advice from those who have hunted the prarie goats (also known as pronghorn) in CO. I have saved 9 preference points and will likely only shoot one pronghorn buck in my lifetime:

Now that I have enough points to hunt nearly anywhere in 2009: This leaves me with a basic question: Where should I hunt?

 

[4onaside]

I hunt eastern colorado nearly every year, on private land in a unit which requires a point some years and zero points in others, so I am not an authority on the high points areas. However,I do know that many of them are in the extreme Northwestern corner of the state. High points follows high demand, so that ought to tell you something right there. Look in the minimum points required table in the Colorado DOW website and see which units require the high number of points, then do your homework and work from there. However, if you have gone to the trouble of accumulating points over a 9 year period, I'm sure that you have already done that, and surely have some predetermined ideas of where you intend to go.

 

[BigCountry71]

bow or rifle

 

[TNlandowner]

4on a side,
You're absolutely correct. I was stationed in Colorado Springs for nearly a decade. I'm trying to decide on a ranching for wildlife hunt, guided hunt or public area. I've watched hundreds of these lightening fast criters over the years and always figured I'd only hunt them once. I initially planed to save enough points to hunt the Army base in Pinion Canyon. But now I have enough points to look elsewhere and not have to hope the Army opens a good area or deal with other hunter pressure. While stationed there, I took one bear (didn't get hooked), several elk and mule deer (got hooked), and learned to love the rockies!

BigCountry71: I plan to use these points with a rifle tag. Most Archery tags are easy to purchase over the counter.

 

[4onaside]

4on a side,
You're absolutely correct. I was stationed in Colorado Springs for nearly a decade. I'm trying to decide on a ranching for wildlife hunt, guided hunt or public area. I've watched hundreds of these lightening fast criters over the years and always figured I'd only hunt them once. I initially planed to save enough points to hunt the Army base in Pinion Canyon. But now I have enough points to look elsewhere and not have to hope the Army opens a good area or deal with other hunter pressure. While stationed there, I took one bear (didn't get hooked), several elk and mule deer (got hooked), and learned to love the rockies!

BigCountry71: I plan to use these points with a rifle tag. Most Archery tags are easy to purchase over the counter.

You'd really have to be the most unlucky guy in the world not to kill one on a guided hunt(unless, of course, you shoot like me! lol). I have hunted over around Springfield on the Comanche National Grasslands(public), but found the animals to be scare, and usually spooked early on. It seemed to me that most of the guys from Pueblo(and some from Colorado Springs) hunted there. I have also hunted on a WMA north of Las Animas. Not so many people because I walked in away from them, but not so many antelope either! I have moved up to Limon and basically pay a trespass fee(unguided). I really like that kind of deal, because, as someone who is long in the tooth, I hunt at my leisure, and hunt how I want to hunt, not driving around, jumping out of the truck,etc.
But, even though there are other hunters on this particular ranch, I have never seen another hunter in the field> With 9 points, you really have a lot of options, but even with no points, opportunities exist, if you invest a little time(and money) to seek them out. Good Luck.

 

[megalomaniac]

Here's the deal with Colorado...

The units which require the most points are not necessarily the units with the best goats overall... they are the best units which have the most PUBLIC LAND ACCESS. Better goats can be had on certain private lands, but are obviously much more expensive.

If you have a certain score you're looking for, and if that number is over 80", I might be inclined to speak to several outfitters first, as most any unit will be open to you with 9 pts. Some may even know of some landowners that will let you burn all your points, letting them save their landowner tags, and let you hunt for only a tresspass fee.

 

[TNlandowner]

Thank you for the information Gentlemen, I am ready to get after 'em so to speak. I've put it off for years, in part because chasing elk and mulies were my priority. 4onaside, I know most of the areas you referenced. Most folks would be surprised to learn that Fort Carson has quiet a few pronghorn. The problem is getting the critters in to an area open for hunting. This is actually rare as they seem to know how to live inside the impact areas without getting injured.

 

[4onaside]

Thank you for the information Gentlemen, I am ready to get after 'em so to speak. I've put it off for years, in part because chasing elk and mulies were my priority. 4onaside, I know most of the areas you referenced. Most folks would be surprised to learn that Fort Carson has quiet a few pronghorn. The problem is getting the critters in to an area open for hunting. This is actually rare as they seem to know how to live inside the impact areas without getting injured.

Since you were a resident, I'm sure that you are aware that the Colorado Springs Airport has a fair population of the beasts, also. lol

 

[Dean Parisian]

I would get on some websites that cater to antelope hunters and do your legwork now. You have a lot of time to get things squared away. A call to the CO DOW officer in any unit you might want to hunt is a great start as well as the CO antelope biologists. I have always found them accessible and generically, very informative.

 

[TNlandowner]

Sound advice, I have been working the DOW angle as well. I may have a few leads to private lands with unguided access fees.

4-on-a-side: yes indeed, I lived a few miles south of the airport and watched many a herd roaming those 'city' plains. Years ago (1994) the city didn't expand so far east and you could actually hunt just south of the airport around a reservior. Seems like it was called Johnson reservior or something. Now days, there is a jogging path and usually 3 or 4 good bucks feeding in the area (inside city limits now).