My 2017 'Odd' Non Trophy Antelope...

[ex811]

Season opener saw us putting in allot of miles just North of Base Suffield.

Found one herd of 3-4 good bucks dragging around over a dozen does/non trophies. I have never seen a herd that spooked so easily, so putting stalks onto them was painful and fruitless.

We drove to another area of the WMU and our luck changed. We spotted a lone buck and noticed he was following a herd of about 10-12. None seemed spooked so we drove a little closer. The herd had two bucks, one a Giant Trophy, the rest does/non trophies.

The foot chase/stalk was on. We managed to get into a position only to see them all walking away from us at no more than 100 yards. The bucks clearly had male junk, the others not...an important note for later.

We stalked, more like ran, to a new position from which we could view the herd walking across through a little valley. All were abreast of us. The males were obvious due to the horns...I selected a good sized non trophy and my 2017 Non Trophy antelope season was over.
My Sako Model 85 Black Bear loaded with 150gr Sako Hammerheads like to put holes in animals.

Then the fun began...

Walked up and immediately noticed small horns. After a few 'Ah F--Ks WTF!!!' I relized that the horns were small, under the allowed 3 inches for a Non Trophy. No problems...
As I lifted the rear leg to affix the tag I noticed girl junk, in fact it appeared she/he/it was lacating.
Good on both counts of a Non-Trophy! Didn't know that cold happen, but eh, I was one satisfied Hunter.

Figuring I had shot some sort of Franenantelope that wandered out of some chemical slew pit on Base Suffield, I googled it naturally.
Seems to be a normal occurrence, kinda rare but not unheard of.

She/he/it tasted good, I just hope my buddy and I don't get girlie...

[JonBoy]

This transgender stuff is getting out of hand!

[whitetail Junkie]

you kind of lost me...all female antelope have small horns,or am I missing something?

[BorealBucks]

i have never hunted antelope before, what is the difference between a trophy & non trophy tag

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by BorealBucks

i have never hunted antelope before, what is the difference between a trophy & non trophy tag

Male and female

LC

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

you kind of lost me...all female antelope have small horns,or am I missing something?

Equally confused...

Each "horn" of the pronghorn is composed of a slender, laterally flattened blade of bone that grows from the frontal bones of the skull, forming a permanent core. As in the Giraffidae, skin covers the bony cores, but in the pronghorn, it develops into a keratinous sheath which is shed and regrown annually. Unlike the horns of the family Bovidae, the horn sheaths of the pronghorn are branched, each sheath having a forward-pointing tine (hence the name pronghorn). Males have a horn sheath about 12.5–43 cm (4.9–16.9 in) (average 25 cm (9.8 in)) long with a prong. Females have smaller horns that range from 2.5–15.2 cm (1–6 in) (average 12 centimetres (4.7 in)) and sometimes barely visible; they are straight and very rarely pronged.[17] Males are further differentiated from females in having a small patch of black hair at the angle of the mandible. Pronghorns have a distinct, musky odor. Males mark territory with a preorbital scent gland which is on the sides of the head.[7] They also have very large eyes with a 320° field of vision. Unlike deer, pronghorns possess a gallbladder.[19]

LC

[ex811]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Male and female

LC

Wrong...female, males under a inch in horn are non-trophy, trophy are males over a 5 in horn.

[ex811]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

you kind of lost me...all female antelope have small horns,or am I missing something?

Hope you find your way out...

Out of the 1/2 dozen non-trophy antelopes I have shot previously, all female, they only tend to have tiny little knobs that resembled horns.
This lady had 3 inch horns.
A new experience for me.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by ex811

Wrong...female, males under a inch in horn are non-trophy, trophy are males over a 5 in horn.

Yes you are correct...sort of, male or females under 3 inches are non-trophy and Trophy is males over 5 inches. Generally a non trophy and a trophy are female/ male differentiated due to the distinguishing features of horn length....or absence of horn.



LC

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by ex811

Hope you find your way out...

Out of the 1/2 dozen non-trophy antelopes I have shot previously, all female, they only tend to have tiny little knobs that resembled horns.
This lady had 3 inch horns.
A new experience for me.

I see...maybe like the males the older females are the ones with the larger horns....something to really blow your mind...I shot a non Trophy Antelope once that even had miniature prongs....100% female.

[TrapperMike]

Just curious. What is it if the horns are 4 inches.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by TrapperMike

Just curious. What is it if the horns are 4 inches.

Good question lol. Not legal for trophy and not legal for non trophy. It would be legal for archery antelope though.

[owlhoot]

I was also wondering about that 3-5" range, Impossible to judge at distance.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by TrapperMike

Just curious. What is it if the horns are 4 inches.

If it is female, horn size does not matter.

Only males with horns between 3-5" are not legal game.

History has shown that a buck with horns 3-5" long is a unicorn.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

If it is female, horn size does not matter.

Only males with horns between 3-5" are not legal game.

History has shown that a buck with horns 3-5" long is a unicorn.

Any antelope is legal for "archery antelope". 4 inch buck is legal.