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Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
#7726527
01/23/20 07:13 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374
StephensCnty308
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374 |
My wife and I will both be going on a Wyoming pronghorn antelope hunt later this year and I am looking into purchasing her a scope for a rifle that I pull to the side for her. She will also be using this rifle during deer season for years to come as she recently came apart of our sport so I would like a overall scope for this application. Her Rifle is chambered in 25-06!
I have never been antelope hunting therefore I do not know what to expect that is why I’m coming to you folks! Flat plains , windy conditions , etc
I was thinking about maybe purchasing a
2x10? 2x12?
I have a 3x18 I could pull off another rifle for her if it would be best.
What maginification do y’all recommend ?
She is no stranger to shooting guns as she has spent plenty of time during the year shooting targets out to 400 yards so she is not a newbie to shooting just hunting as she took her first doe this year.
Thanks
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7726726
01/23/20 10:33 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 511
Fitzwho
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 511 |
I mainly use my 6.5 Creedmoor for Pronghorn. I have a 3-15 on it currently. I killed two Pronghorn (one in NM and one in WY) in 2018 with this rifle and scope combo. Wyoming was 275 yards and New Mexico was 475. The 25-06 will be a perfect rifle for this type of hunting. I would just move the 3-18 that you already have over to her rifle, or find something around that magnification to put on it.
Permian_Skullworks on Instagram
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: Fitzwho]
#7726836
01/24/20 12:35 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374
StephensCnty308
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374 |
I mainly use my 6.5 Creedmoor for Pronghorn. I have a 3-15 on it currently. I killed two Pronghorn (one in NM and one in WY) in 2018 with this rifle and scope combo. Wyoming was 275 yards and New Mexico was 475. The 25-06 will be a perfect rifle for this type of hunting. I would just move the 3-18 that you already have over to her rifle, or find something around that magnification to put on it. Awsome thank you for the info and response !!!!! What distance did you shoot your pronghorn at ?
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7726842
01/24/20 12:46 AM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,225
QMC SW/EXW
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,225 |
I grew up hunting pronghorns in both CO and WY. My rifle of choice has always been s 7mm Mag and mine has always worn a Leupold 3x9. Never needed more magnification than that and can't remember ever shooting anything with it set higher than 6x.
Retired Navy Chief NJROTC Instructor for Tascosa High School
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: QMC SW/EXW]
#7726985
01/24/20 02:45 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374
StephensCnty308
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 374 |
I grew up hunting pronghorns in both CO and WY. My rifle of choice has always been s 7mm Mag and mine has always worn a Leupold 3x9. Never needed more magnification than that and can't remember ever shooting anything with it set higher than 6x. Which was a harder hunt co or Wy?
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727039
01/24/20 03:51 AM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,829
Adchunts
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Have shot pronghorn in Wyoming from 125 yards to 350 yards with a 3-9 scope. Much prefer a higher power though. The 3-18 you already have would be a great choice. If you are hunting a specific goat, you could see some long shots.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727057
01/24/20 04:13 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,791
Buzzsaw
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
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SPACE FOR RENT
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727288
01/24/20 02:48 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 511
Fitzwho
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 511 |
I have killed 4 pronghorn (TX, UT, NM, and WY). I have had two shots under 300 yards (TX and WY) and two shots over 400 yards (UT and NM). The geography and cover available were what prevented me getting any closer. I have been within 30 yards of antelope on most of those trips, just not ones I was wanting to shoot.
Permian_Skullworks on Instagram
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727309
01/24/20 03:06 PM
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 568
nyalubwe
Tracker
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Tracker
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Posts: 568 |
I've shot a pile of Pronghorns in Montana and Wyoming, and they were all shot with one form or another of a 3x9 scope. ( except for one I shot with a 1x4 scope...)
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727359
01/24/20 03:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262 |
My wife and I will both be going on a Wyoming pronghorn antelope hunt later this year and I am looking into purchasing her a scope for a rifle that I pull to the side for her. She will also be using this rifle during deer season for years to come as she recently came apart of our sport so I would like a overall scope for this application. Her Rifle is chambered in 25-06!
I have never been antelope hunting therefore I do not know what to expect that is why I’m coming to you folks! Flat plains , windy conditions , etc
I was thinking about maybe purchasing a
2x10? 2x12?
I have a 3x18 I could pull off another rifle for her if it would be best.
What maginification do y’all recommend ?
She is no stranger to shooting guns as she has spent plenty of time during the year shooting targets out to 400 yards so she is not a newbie to shooting just hunting as she took her first doe this year.
Thanks Out 4 pronghorn hunts I was part of last year and dozens in the past, only twice did we only have a 400+ yard shot. I killed mine at 50 yards last year, other two where taken at 200 and 175, 4th we got caught of guard at 50 yards and then couldn’t get under 400 on a stud low 80’s 2-10 or 2-12x is plenty
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727398
01/24/20 04:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 285
George S
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 285 |
I have used a Leupold Vari-X III 4.5x-14xAO to great effect on pronghorns Wyoming (Rem. 700 semi-custom in .243 Ackley Improved).
Shots are usually 200yds.-350yds.
George
Oderint dum metuant - Lucius Accius
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7727642
01/24/20 09:24 PM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,225
QMC SW/EXW
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Which was a harder hunt co or Wy?
CO just because it is harder to get a tag. WY has a lot more antelope which means they have a lot more tags. When we couldn't get tags in our native CO we bought leftover tags in WY.
Retired Navy Chief NJROTC Instructor for Tascosa High School
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7729911
01/27/20 06:33 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,766
Wytex
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 3,766 |
My rifle wears a Leupold 4-14x40mm with a B&c reticle, on a 300wsm. You would be fine with a fixed but variables are just better IMO. The 25-06 will be great, they are thin skinned but have very strong bones. You can expect shots form 20 yds to however far you can see. Practice shooting from a bipod or off a pack. Prone is hard with tall grass and sage.
I've taken bucks at 20 yds and out to 456 yds. Practice shooting in the wind. You'll want leather gloves and kneepads.
pm me with your area, I might be able to help with terrain advice. Get some doe tags and you bring your fishing gear. Spawning trout are beautiful during fall.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: Wytex]
#7729932
01/27/20 06:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,729
NMGW
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My rifle wears a Leupold 4-14x40mm with a B&c reticle, on a 300wsm. You would be fine with a fixed but variables are just better IMO. The 25-06 will be great, they are thin skinned but have very strong bones. You can expect shots form 20 yds to however far you can see. Practice shooting from a bipod or off a pack. Prone is hard with tall grass and sage.
I've taken bucks at 20 yds and out to 456 yds. Practice shooting in the wind. You'll want leather gloves and kneepads.
pm me with your area, I might be able to help with terrain advice. Get some doe tags and you bring your fishing gear. Spawning trout are beautiful during fall. This ^^^^^ great advise. I think keeping the objective at 40mm is good advise so the scope does not set so high up.
New Mexico: Not Really New, Not Really Mexico
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7730055
01/27/20 08:39 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,766
Wytex
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,766 |
Honestly, 14x is not needed but comes in handy on occasion. 3-9 would work just fine.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7731704
01/29/20 03:47 AM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 402
drycreek3189
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 402 |
I agree with most of the above. Most of my pronghorns were killed with a bow, but the three I’ve killed with a rifle were all 25-06 and I’ve never owned a scope larger than a 2.5x10.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7732068
01/29/20 04:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,136
EddieWalker
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,136 |
There are two things that you pay for in a scope, or any other optic. Quality of glass and how much light it transmits. The European companies have been the best at this for a very long time, but the difference between what they offer and the other brands is harder and harder to tell. More power in a scope does not mean more ability to see farther if the glass isn't any good. Tasco has 20 power scopes that are impossilbe to tell what you are looking at for a very low price. Zeiss and Swarvoski will let you count points on a buck at 500 yards with their glass, and farther depending on temps.
In my opinion, the current best value for quality glass in a scope that will hold up in all hunting weather is Nikon. I also own Zeiss and Swarvoski scopes, and they are noticeably better in very low lighting, but for clear skies and moderate temps, you wont be able to tell much difference between Nikon and the more expensive scopes. I'd buy another Nikon scope before spending what I did for the European scopes.
More power is usually wasted once you get above 10X. Mirage blurs everything out most of the time. 12X is probably the max you would every use and most of the time, I keep mine at 6X.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7732139
01/29/20 05:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 73
Gunmetal
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 73 |
We took x4 Pronghorns in the Texas panhandle last year. Shots ranged from 1-400yds.
10x power would be fine.
07/02 FFL/SOT
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: EddieWalker]
#7732757
01/30/20 01:46 AM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 698
rogerh
Tracker
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Tracker
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In my opinion, the current best value for quality glass in a scope that will hold up in all hunting weather is Nikon. I also own Zeiss and Swarvoski scopes, and they are noticeably better in very low lighting, but for clear skies and moderate temps, you wont be able to tell much difference between Nikon and the more expensive scopes. I'd buy another Nikon scope before spending what I did for the European scopes.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7732767
01/30/20 01:55 AM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 698
rogerh
Tracker
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Tracker
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Posts: 698 |
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Not sure what I did there but I tried to quote Eddie and was trying to say or ask if Nikon went south on their scopes?
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7732814
01/30/20 02:40 AM
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 283
Huskerron
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 283 |
I've shot around 7 antelope in Nebraska. None of them were less than 200 yards. The longest was 292 laser measured yards. That antelope was shot with my 270 Win with a Leupold VX3i 4.5x14 with B&C reticle. There's just something I love about the uncluttered look you get through it. Total hunt lasted about 30 minutes. Through the years, I have used 2506, 243 Wssm and 270 Win. All three work quite well. Light transmission is not as important on speedgoats as it is on deer. The pronghorn are out all day long and there really is no reason to pursue them during dark thirty. I've also used a Zeiss Conquest 3x9 and it worked fined with a standard reticle. Set at 2" high at 100, you can pretty much hold on hair and kill them with any of those three rifles.
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Re: Going on a Pronghorn Antelope hunt question about Scope?
[Re: StephensCnty308]
#7739390
02/06/20 07:59 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 545
DustyWyoming
Tracker
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Tracker
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I have hunted antelope for years and hunted them in multiple states, I used a 3x9 scope till a few years ago and I started using a 3x12 scope. I have shot antelope out past 500 yards using the standard old scope as well as my sons have. I would recommend that you practice shooting the gun alot at different ranges so you just know where to hold your gun. What area will you be hunting? If it's close to where I live I'd be happy to take you. Heres some antelope we got this last year, my oldests sons scored 81, his wifes scored 76 and my youngest son with my antelope scored 79
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