2016 Antelope draw summary

-CLM- · #1 08-22-2016, 09:47 PM

The 2016 Antelope report is up. looks like its going to be a bit more crowded out there this year. In some zones the number of tags allotted are double what they were in 2015.

From what I have seen scouting so far, antelope numbers don't appear to be much better then last year but hopefully I am wrong about that.

Best of luck to all who drew tags.

packhuntr · #2 08-23-2016, 08:16 AM

It will be years before we see stable pop. numbers again. SRD continued to mow them down through and following the tough winters of 08, 09, and the big one in 2010. Draw stats will show this. No matter how much they were informed that they needed to back right off them, warnings beginning after the winter of 08, they held steadfast that die off was simply not happening. Regionally all areas saw heavy loss back to 08, some worse than others. My area saw 08 take 25pct of the herd, 09 took another 50 pct of the remaining. We watched SRD continue to mow them down with 300 plus buck and assinine doe tag numbers through it all, refuting anything they were told. Only post 2010 massive killer winter was the message received. Way too late, as is usual with these guys.
They outright refused to avoid doing something they would regret then,, why not keep at em hey! They need to be backed right off as has been done the past few years, these northern pronghorn, all actually, rely purely on sheer numbers to make it. I cannot wait to see the stats. I believe you and am afraid to look.... More tags, more opportunity, kill em all.

kman35ca · #3 08-23-2016, 08:33 AM

Ya it's kinda sad. I remember seeing herds of around 25 to 30 all over the place. Now it's usually 4 or 5. I did see on descent size herd, probably about 20 down south. But back 10 years ago you couldn't drive a half hour out of town in any direction without seeing them all over the place.

Deer Hunter · #4 08-23-2016, 08:43 AM

Id rather hunt them in increased numbers before mother nature decides she's going to throw another hard winter at the herd and there is none left. Which is inevitable given the northern extent of the range
Ultimately this is a hunt about managing hunters. They need regulate the draw system so that every tom dick and harry, tom's buddy in Ontario, dick's hunt swap internet friend and harry's girlfriend who has never seen a rifle let alone a pronghorn before don't get to apply along with the 20 other applications they make every year.
Too many people, too few opportunities. The Antelope draw wait times are the best example of this.
Applying for the first time today will ensure you never get drawn in Alberta. Oh the anticipation!

Go to Wyoming? Fine but that is not a solution to the cause.
Flame away

packhuntr · #5 08-23-2016, 09:02 AM

Good thing youre not a rancher Deerhunter. You would pull an SRD and ship all the cows to make a buck, despite the future of the ranch.
You talk about killing the before another winter does lolol. You talk as if we are entering a new ice age and shes about to slam us! We are in a normal warming cycle, post our latest, the wisconsin glacial period. Stop being blind.
These antelope need to be backed off, despite draw wait times....
A doe is hard wired to have twins every year of her life. Lotta things they are up against, and some springs, as seen recently, we lose nearly all fawns in certain areas due to cold wet conditions. As fawns are hard wired to stay on the ground, pnumonia can be hard on them. All other factors remove afew, but hard winter and aborting, and cold wet springs seem to be the worst factors affecting recruitment success or failure, locally here anyways. That said, numbers will rebound if they are GIVEN THE CHANCE.
Its sad to see so many that care only to kill.
I swear some of our resident hunters would shoot the last of a species just to brag that they got to fill their tag. Case in point, ideas like yours pertaining to our jewel in our crown pronghorn, and what we have been forced to bare witness to with our once beautiful mule deer herd.

Deer Hunter · #6 08-23-2016, 10:05 AM

Im not saying shoot them into oblivion but when there is a bumper crop, harvest it. Not sit around and wait for some magical period in history to repeat itself where you would say there is now enough.
Because there will never be enough to satisfy all the people staged in this draw code.
I value seeing plenty of wildlife but am not naive enough to think that draw numbers are the biggest factor in a growing antelope herd.

snowman160 · #7 08-23-2016, 11:03 PM

Let's face it guys.SRD is never gona do what we want them to do,or better yet what SHOULD be done.its a fact.like it or lump it.theres a ton of things wrong in this province that need to be changed but is bit&hing on this forum gona change anything?nope.so let's just enjoy what we got while we got it.i saw a ton of antelope where I took mine last yr which was super cool To see let alone the buck I was fortunate enough to take.lifes short boys.enjoy it.cause we're not gona change what we don't have control over.

ram crazy · #8 08-24-2016, 03:41 AM

There are going to be some very disappointed antelope hunters this year!! The numbers are way down.

packhuntr · #9 08-24-2016, 06:29 AM

Thats exactly it too RamCrazy. The sad thing is, tag numbers were good where they were, miraculously, for once... I am still afraid to look at what has happened with tags this year. Just dont wanna see it... Any taken over and beyond a nice little conservative number that keeps things moving along here, serves to do nothing but shoot ourselves right in the foot. The pronghorn we have right now, are all the strong of the strong. Lets face it, folk will not be skunking tags to help the herd here, or hanging a tag on the tree because guys simply couldnt find what they were looking for, these things will not transpire. These little buggers are gonna get lit up. And for sure guys are gonna be mad as hell. Guys drawing right now on a massively reduced herd like this, fail to realize that in order to find the calibur of goats they want to pursue, there has to be strong herd base numbers to produce that. Hold your priorities if ya want a good one, pray we see some value placed on this. Well, that and pray these natives, white natives etc stop roaring around like drunken sailors both trophy hunting them and slaughtering them year round for meat. You can throw our mule deer in there as well... Boy were are in a bad position. Just disgusting.

Deer Hunter · #10 08-24-2016, 07:31 AM

If your looking for a boone and crockett anything, regardless of the year and your priority, your setting yourself up major disappointment. Internet dreaming is nice but they are not reality for the most part.
Have fun, shoot lots and enjoy the experience. It will be your last one in Alberta.

Packhuntr will know these guys well enough to know that there are some real dandy antelope shot in this province every year, and it takes an expert to figure between a 70 and 80" antelope.

http://www.silversageoutfitters.com/2015photos.html

packhuntr · #11 08-24-2016, 07:41 AM

Yuppers, afew nice heads to be found even right now for those that are willing to do the hard time required. It always has been that way, with any species,, even at the best of times. Any resident or guide that drums up a good one in hard times has surely earned the find. At the end of the day, Im not really sure what your posts are trying to accomplish? Your tone on this forum suggests conservation,, yet your words put you clean level with the bottom of the barrel. Your actions,, well who knows.
You say, shoot lots and have fun,,, I say push SRD to do the right things, and push the AFGA into backing off this clear mandate of more opportunity more more more, in favor of principled conservative management.

Deer Hunter · #12 08-24-2016, 07:50 AM

Have fun!

packhuntr · #13 08-24-2016, 08:15 AM

Well, i like what you had before the edit Deerhunter lol. Back atcha there, have a wonderful fall.

cranker · #14 08-24-2016, 08:15 AM

Packhuntr, you seem to live in or know the south area well, I agree, trophy antelope tags should be reduced along with NO non-trophy tags.
With resident tags being reduced, APOS tags should be reduced too, and yes I know Billy along with other APOS members, enough already.
Ab Sportsman, contact your MLA and CC SRD, not here, it goes nowhere.

Deer Hunter · #15 08-24-2016, 02:27 PM

According to this, trophy antelope don't need to get old to have good horns.
This is an interesting study done in Arizona

http://www.azantelope.org/Facts___Re...wth_study.html

walking buffalo · #16 08-24-2016, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

According to this, trophy antelope don't need to get old to have good horns.
This is an interesting study done in Arizona

http://www.azantelope.org/Facts___Re...wth_study.html

For sure, Pronghorns are not to be managed like other ungulates whether for trophy or maximum opportunity.

Besides complaining, has anyone requested the survey information used to determine this year's licence numbers?
Nothing better than to add another few reasons for some to bitch.

packhuntr · #17 08-24-2016, 03:46 PM

Brutal! Forget the guys that have been skunking thier tags past few years, they didnt know how to find antelope lol! For whats out there, tags have been ok, maybe too high in some ama's yet, but manageable over time. Its been pretty handled pretty well. Here we get to watch guys at thier finest. Argueing against any reasoning or anything that might step in the way of reducing draw system wait times! Desiring simply more and more tags, and in lou of herd health! Keep screaming for more im very certain prayers will be answered!
This is way too much for this guy im over and out.