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So I've been scouting my pronghorn ranch in NM yesterday and today and have seen quite a few of them. Yesterday I watched a big buck at about 300 yards with a herd of 6 or so other antelope (think does but wasn't really paying attention so may have been some immature males in there). This was around 3pm.
Today I go back to the spot around 7am and there are 4 animals there but not the buck id watched. I went and drove around and then came back in the evening and set up with the spotting scope. Immediately I found them a few hundred yards from where they were this morning but still no buck. I did notice though that there were actually 3 immature males (or 1-3" horns) and 1 doe.
The other animals that I've been able to locate seem to be the same group. ie. Sunday I saw a few does and a nice buck in one spot. Then yesterday I saw the does while driving by then today I saw the buck again. It's a nice buck but it's not like the nice one I saw yesterday.
I've talked with the ranch owner and it sounds like where I'm seeing him gets some hunting attention and is a fairly common area to see the antelope at. Where I saw the big buck is maybe 2 miles away and was also mentioned by the landowner as being decent but not as consistent as the first spot.
So, after all that, my question is... do bucks move around a bit or are they pretty territorial? Is it likely that the 3 immature males and the lone doe were mixed in with that buck and his herd or did the buck and company move on and the new group move in?
I'm only asking because it's a war in my head as to whether to pursue the nice buck that I've seen consistently and just get there early enough to get the spot, or if I should risk someone else taking that spot/buck and go chase after the big one that I've only seen once. I just done know enough about their behavior and territorial habits to know if he would have had immature males in his group or if he'd likely stay in the same area.
Thanks!
Today I go back to the spot around 7am and there are 4 animals there but not the buck id watched. I went and drove around and then came back in the evening and set up with the spotting scope. Immediately I found them a few hundred yards from where they were this morning but still no buck. I did notice though that there were actually 3 immature males (or 1-3" horns) and 1 doe.
The other animals that I've been able to locate seem to be the same group. ie. Sunday I saw a few does and a nice buck in one spot. Then yesterday I saw the does while driving by then today I saw the buck again. It's a nice buck but it's not like the nice one I saw yesterday.
I've talked with the ranch owner and it sounds like where I'm seeing him gets some hunting attention and is a fairly common area to see the antelope at. Where I saw the big buck is maybe 2 miles away and was also mentioned by the landowner as being decent but not as consistent as the first spot.
So, after all that, my question is... do bucks move around a bit or are they pretty territorial? Is it likely that the 3 immature males and the lone doe were mixed in with that buck and his herd or did the buck and company move on and the new group move in?
I'm only asking because it's a war in my head as to whether to pursue the nice buck that I've seen consistently and just get there early enough to get the spot, or if I should risk someone else taking that spot/buck and go chase after the big one that I've only seen once. I just done know enough about their behavior and territorial habits to know if he would have had immature males in his group or if he'd likely stay in the same area.
Thanks!
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