Pronghorns are beautiful and unique animals, with outstanding eyesight and blazing speed which make them a challenge to hunt. In good areas, a hunter can see a lot of game and have several spot-and-stalk opportunities, resulting in one of North America's most enjoyable hunts, whether carrying a rifle, bow, muzzleloader or even a handgun.
Pronghorn numbers and trophy quality can be highly variable from year to year based on winter mortality and/or drought, and this also affects the permit numbers available. Here, in alphabetical order, is my list of the best current destinations for pronghorn, factoring a combination of numbers of pronghorns and trophy potential, while keeping things within the budget of most hunters.
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Arizona |
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Wyoming Up until just a few years ago, there were more pronghorn in Wyoming than people. A few years of drought and harsh winters have changed that recently, but Wyoming is still home to a very healthy population of speed goats, somewhere close to 400,000, and some exceptional hunting. With such numbers comes the possibility of some big bucks anywhere in the state, along with the thrill of seeing and assessing countless numbers of animals each day. Tags are also somewhat easier to get than in other jurisdictions. Much of Wyoming's pronghorn land is private, however, making an outfitted hunt the best option. One outfitter that I can personally recommend is Ward Anderson of Antelope Outfitters. I have hunted with Ward and took a monster 17-inch antelope within the first hour. Come to think of it, that was about 10 years back so I'm overdue for a return visit. |
Finally I should mention Pronghorn Guide Service. They only hunt pronghorns, and they offer hunts in Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming for trophy-class animals. These hunts aren't cheap, but their track record for producing record book animals is unsurpassed.
Good hunting.
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