The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting American Big Game Hunting How's this pronghorn?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Shot some pix of this pronghorn in Socorro County NM this past August . . . body-wise, he looked like a mature buck to me, but I was wondering if he was big enough to be considered a "trophy"? I know, "trophy" is in the eye of the beholder, yada yada . . . but is he just average, better than average, really nice?    Troy Hibbitts | ||
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For NM . . . average. Certainly under 14 inches. However, he will score decent because it appears that three of the four circumference measurements will occur "below the prong". In fact, the third measurement might be right on the biggest part of the prong. My $.02. Will J. Parks, III | |||
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Damn good in my book...I'd shoot him. I like the heart shaped spread. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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In my opinion he is under 72" BC. I would take him in most of Idaho's units since our herds $uck. I have seen better years ago, and shot one better with my bow once. You saw him in NM, I think they have better one's some where. Ron | |||
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Nope,I would take a pass. | |||
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Tips of the ears equal with the prongs,(look for prongs above the ears) short prongs, agreed probably 14" max but a respectable goat nonetheless even in most units in Wyoming. | |||
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13 inches is my guess. Nothing wrong with him, just not sure he is what I would go to New Mexico for. Though I've hunted in parts of Montana where he would have been a pretty good one. | |||
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I am just not as picky I guess...I would take him... I have always been a...1st representative animal that involves a fair chase kinda guy... Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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He has good height. He’s no monster but he would be a nice trophy in most parts of the country. | |||
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Nothing wrong with him. | |||
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First off Troy, great pics! Guys, he said NM. That is a nice goat, but not a whopper, especially in NM. I would guess as others that he is 14" max. Now....in Montanna, you might be in the local paper if you shot one like that on a Res or public land or whatnot. If you are trophy hunting in NM, you should wait for his big brother. Very neat shape IMO too, but he would not be a shooter to me in NM. | |||
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Yep, good buck. Id kill him. | |||
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A mature Pronghorns ears are about 5 to 6 inches long. I would guess him to be 12 to 13 inches in height. There should be much bigger ones in that area. | |||
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Troy, He's just a buck. If his tips turned way in like the one in my banner he'd be a lot better and he'd need bigger cutters to score well. In most places on public land though you'd better shoot him. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Mark, will I do better than this in TX this October? I would be more than happy to get the one on this page. Even happier to do better though. Ted ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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Ted, You'll want to go by the guide's recommendation of course but I would expect you to take a buck quite a bit better than the one posted. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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A youngish buck. I have taken 10 bucks and he would be a shooter on the last day. | |||
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However, he will score decent because it appears that three of the four circumference measurements will occur "below the prong". In fact, the third measurement might be right on the biggest part of the prong. I'm not familiar with the antelope in New Mexico but in South Dakota that would be a average antelope for a rifle hunter and a good antelope for a Archery Hunter. Like you said the trophy is in the eye of the beholder. | |||
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However, he will score decent because it appears that three of the four circumference measurements will occur "below the prong". In fact, the third measurement might be right on the biggest part of the prong. This is a common mistake when measuring antelope but I believe there has to be two measurements below the prong and two measurements above the prong. | |||
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i would drop him and have a smile plastered on my face! (ok, so i'd TRY to drop him... and if good enough to do so that day, THEN i'd have a smile plastered on my face!) NRA Life Member Gun Control - A theory espoused by some monumentally stupid people; who claim to believe, against all logic and common sense, that a violent predator who ignores the laws prohibiting them from robbing, raping, kidnapping, torturing and killing their fellow human beings will obey a law telling them that they cannot own a gun. | |||
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I think that buck is better than what some other folks believe. Seems like I read somewhere that a "Goats" ears measure about 7 to 7 and 1/2 inches long. Having killed a couple and worked with a few in a captive setting I feel that is fairly accurate. I think that is a younger buck, simply due to the lack of "Ivory" at the tips. But pictures and making judgements from them is a crapshoot at best, but I think that buck will score over 75, maybe close to 80. I am going with that, and until the buck is on the ground and the tape put to the horns, no one can prove me wrong. I am just making a guess here as to the size of that animal, but as others have said, I would shoot him without a second thought. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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For once I completely agree with CHC. I think the buck is better than y'all think he is. I truly don't know squat about judging pronghorns BUT I just had the opportunity to hold a bunch of horns that scored in the mid to high 70s and a few low 80s and I think this buck would be in that area. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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I don't know guys, he just seems pretty average to me. Again, it seems we are all in the same boat experience wise as I've only shot a few and carefully looked over several more. Not saying I wouldn't pop him at the end of a hunt, I just think he is kinda plain. As mentioned earlier, with out a measurement, I guess we will never know. BTW, does ear length vary regionally? I measured 2 goats right now (on the wall), one 14+ one 13+, both had ears less then 7 inches. Curious as I've never shot one in the southwest, wonder if they develop a little differently down there (happens in other traits in other animals, so not impossible). | |||
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I agree with Mark - he's just a buck. Pass... Antlers Double Rifle Shooters Society Heym 450/400 3" | |||
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Big one or not, he will still taste awful. ______________________ I'm not a great hunter...just a guy who loves to hunt. | |||
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I've asked several people about that, and some say they're inedible and others say they are delicious. I tend to think a good shot and a clean kill plus good carcass handling will lead to the latter. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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Gatogordo, I too have heard both opinions. I have killed two speed goats. Both were well cared for in the field. One tasted horrible and the other was so-so. The only way I could enjoy eating them was as jerky. I love most wild game...all but antelope and duck. ______________________ I'm not a great hunter...just a guy who loves to hunt. | |||
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Mine have all been very good. Funny timing as I am right now making chili with antelope in it. But hey, to each his own, I don't like duck and I'm sure that is heresy to some in the bird forum. | |||
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Any of you folks that want to kill a speed goat and let me have it if I pay for the processing, I will give you my phone number. The folks that have tried goat and did not like it, have never had it cooked properly. I can guarantee that when either myself or my wife get thru cooking the stuff no one will be able to pick it out from either deer or beef. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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Give us some cooking tips. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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He is a decent buck, low 70", Don't get carried away with the proposed three measurments below the prong and the third one to include the prong. Ifthis ever happened there would be more than a few pronghorns in the book every year! Black face indicates an adult to me. Good photography. Dr.C At Home on the Range-Texas Panhandle | |||
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I think how well they eat is influenced by where you get them - i.e. what they feed on. Where I get mine they are feeding on good grass and they are very very good eats. I have a tough time choosing b/w pronghorn backstrap and moose backstrap. Antlers Double Rifle Shooters Society Heym 450/400 3" | |||
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Nice pictures. That buck is under 14", and I seriously doubt he'd score more than 73", and I doubt he's quite that big. You won't get three measurements below the prong, nor will you get any benefit from measuring 'ON' the prong. B&C says that if the D3 measurement (3rd circumference) occurs on the swelling of the prong, the measurement must be taken above the prong. So, unless the horn is long enough to the lower edge of the prong's protrusion, you measure above it. All that said, he's a nice buck, one that a lot of guys would be quite happy with, especially on a public land hunt. He's not a big trophy caliber buck though, especially for most of New Mexico. To help educate a few of you, here are photos of two bucks for comparison. The first buck is 15 1/2" and scores 77" gross (about what a lot of you think the first buck would score), while the 2nd buck is 16 3/8 and scores 85" official score. Both of these bucks are quite a bit bigger than the subject of this post. The 2nd buck makes B & C's all time book, and he's considerably bigger than the buck in question.  This buck DID get the 3rd measurement below the prong, and barely. Look how much higer on his horn the prong is.  This buck not only has a lot of length, but also mass, a large prong and good height up to the bottom of the prong. | |||
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By the way, pronghorns are excellent eating IF you kill them clearnly without running them around, and take good care in field dressing them and getting the hide off early and them cooled down well and soon after killing them. I love to eat pronghorns. | |||
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The best tips I can give concern the handling of the meat after the kill, and the way it is cooked. Lora, my wife has cooked pronghorn where you could not tell it from beef. She wraps the meat in bacon and then aluminum foil and then buries it in mesquite coals and cooks ot slow. Too damn many folks want to cook game meat, either by English or French recipes, or cook it like beef, in my opinion none of this works. We have served various types of game meat to my hunters, our friends and family, and until we tell them what it is, they can not distinguish it from beef, feral hog or regular deer meat. People that have had bad experiences with any game meat, whether they will admit it or not, can trace it back to either improprer cooking methods or improper handling of the animal after the shot. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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Between my wife and I we have killed around 25 to 27 antelope. We always bought extra doe tags. We have never killed a bad tasting one. We find antelope meat very good to eat. However, wild pig is still our favorite.  DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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troy IMO this buck is just another buck and would be surprized if he went 13". i do think he has some age on him w/ the pot belly and the bumps on his horns. should be able to do "much" better in n.mex. | |||
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That antelope is about the same size as the goat I shot last year. It was almost 13 inches. Here’s a pic of my goat and my Dad’s goat. His was a little over 15. It would have scored nice but it was real thin at the top.  If you want a trophy antelope, don’t shoot that one. If you want a meat buck, that’s your guy. And as far as nasty tasting antelope, they do exist. The ones that eat nothing but sage taste different then the ones in the alfalfa fields. | |||
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West Texas has some great bucks Troy, but if I were in NM, I'd have to pass. And I still rank Antelope as the best tasting venison we have on the plains. Having taken 25, I've yet to taste a bad one. Here's some Antelope facts, as most of the "tales" I hear about Antelope are false: 1. Antelope never shed their horns: False. 100% positively, they shed their horn cores annually, growing them back each spring/summer. They are made of keratin proteins and hair, very similar to Rhino horn. To my knowledge, they are the only horned animal in the world to shed their horns (Deer/Elk/Moose have antlers). 2. Antelope bucks pee on themselves like goats: False. Goats (domestic) not only pee on themselves, they will pee in their own face & mouth. I've yet to witness Antelope bucks do this. 3. Antelope smell like goats, so they must pee on themselves: False. What you smell on Antelope is Silver Sage and aromatic plants. Bucks will begin to trash it and roll in it when the rut starts. 4. Antelope tastes bad, it's not fit to eat. False. It is outstanding. Either you know nothing of preparing and cooking wild venison, or what you ate at your friends house was wild ass of Mule. I've eaten bucks that were wounded and chased all over hell and back (the "hunters" didn't want the meat, so I took it after I skinned the animal for them), bucks that were shot in hot weather (field dress, wash out the cavity, skin immediately and chill the quarters before boning out), bucks that were gut shot & blown nearly in half (I told those guys they didn't need .300 Weatherby's) and still haven't experienced bad tasting Antelope personally. 5. Pronghorn Antelope come from Africa. False. They are a unique species to North America. Only those of us in Canada, the United States and Mexico share this fabulous animal. They are the fastest animal in North America and have been here for millinia. It takes 82 to make B&C; 70 for SCI. Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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thanks for all the responses . . . I'd love to get out and hunt antelope (have yet to draw that tag in NM) and am looking for baseline for where I ought to start looking. That buck was the biggest one that I photographed (from the roadside) this year, so I wanted to know where he stood. | |||
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