Antelope hunting

[Hippie Rancher]

Really? I always thought antelopes were grazers. The few places we have them (in AZ - I don't have them on this place) are such typical grasslands. Sure there are forbs mixed in, but I assumed they were grazers, not browsers.

Deer, at least the mule deer around here are definately browsers. No competition with cattle. Jack rabbits, well .

 

[MikeC]

I know antelopes do graze on alfalfa. Alomost every one I saw in SD last year was in an alfalfa patch.

 

[mnmtranching]

I come with "peace" to offer this thread... it's always the new guy who has to save the day isn't it? :lol:

Now then, to my knoweledge, antelope diets consists almost entirely of >>>forbs<<< (non-woody flowering plants) and brush. Grass makes up a very small part of the diet. Sagebrush can be critical to pronghorn survival during harsh winters when the snow is deep and other forage is unavailable. In a sense, they are really no different than the domestic goats in our yards.

I'd love a few trailer loads of goats for release in my corner of the state. We have thin populations here, and I just love to eat them. They'll mess up the fences now and again, and eat on the crops. I will say that the damage to crops from goats are just as insignificant as are a herd of deer.

MTPlainsman Welcome again..

Some facts on prairie goats. The reason there are few lopes in the Plentywood area is, a lack of Sage brush.

Antelope cannot survive Winters with snow depths of say a foot or more, without sage brush sticking out of the deep snow. Their reluctant to dig through snow to find grasses like deer or Elk. On bad winters if Antelope can't find feed, they simply drift with the wind until they hit some sort of barrier, like a river, fence then lay there and die. They thrive during mild open Winters, then populations fluctuate dramatically. Reason why SD & ND are boom or bust in Antelope population. They lack the big expanses of Sage.

However Antelope are opportunists, if given a choice. Green grass or Sage. I'm betting they go for the grass.

 

[MTplainsman]

Thanks again for the welcome mnmtranching.

I never thought of the reason why goats are so sporadic in numbers when you get out of the "knowen" antelope country. I can see where you are absulutley right on the facts here. That is great to find out, I just never thought of the lack of sage keeping the numbers so low. Thanks for sharing the info. Joel

 

[3waycross]

Take as trip up I-25 thru Wyoming. I believe you will see 1000's of Antelope grazing on winter wheat.

 

[L.A.]

Thats the point, but The game & fish claim it's not so and they only browse. Have even shown them one cut open and full of winter wheat. Comes down to if they only browse, then no compensation for feeding their wildlife.

 

[mnmtranching]

Thats the point, but The game & fish claim it's not so and they only browse. Have even shown them one cut open and full of winter wheat. Comes down to if they only browse, then no compensation for feeding their wildlife.

Yup, and those lopes will stay on that wheat all Winter until the snow coves it. Then they depend on the sage to get though the deep snow periods, then right back to the wheat in the Spring.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Still waiting to hear on the damage hunt.
Going to call the chairman for the FWP public service commision and raise a big stink. Lucky me they just listed his number in the paper.