Trail Kreitzer’s 2019 Nevada early season archery antelope hunting gear list
This is my gear list for a weekend warrior/truck camping style archery antelope hunt in Nevada that I recently went on. I ended up splitting this hunt into two different weekends and finally took my buck from a ground blind at 27 yards on the second weekend.
Check out the gear list video below
A few areas worth mentioning
Optic setup
This is pretty much the same optic setup I run on the majority of my hunts. For a spotting scope, I really love the Swarovski ATM Angled 20-60x65 (I'm still rocking the non-HD version). Then for binoculars, I’ll be using Leica Noctivid 10x42s in an Outdoor Vision Bino Harness and I'll pack along the Swarovski SLC 15x56 for long-distance glassing off of a tripod. My rangefinder is an older Leica Rangemaster CRF 1000.
Bow setup
The past several years I've been hunting with a Mathews Halon X. When set up with a sight, rest, stabilizers (front and back), a five arrow quiver with arrows, it’s pushing roughly 10 lbs. That’s a lot, but I really like the way it holds and shoots. Truth be told: I like the weight; it slows my sight movement when my nerves are firing. I have always felt that shot opportunities with a bow and arrow are so rare that I want to shoot the most accurate bow I can even if I have to pack around a heavy bow.
I get questions about arrow/broadhead configurations. I’m shooting a finished arrow weight of about 433 to 435 grains and an FOC of about 12.655%. I know...according to the current trend it’s too lightweight and doesn’t have enough FOC. All I can say is that they fly accurately with the QAD Exodus broadheads I use and I’ve had great results hunting with them. I’m still shooting three 2” Blazer vanes mainly because I don't enjoy the thought of spending more time to run my arrows in a four fletch. For more information, you can check out a recent arrow straightness test where I compared .0025" arrows to .006" arrows here.
Extra items
A few extra items that helped pass the time in the ground blind were a couple of good books. On this hunt, I read Shoe Dog and A Beast the Color of Winter: The Mountain Goat Observed.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have with the gear I used or comment with suggestions. Just like you, I’m always looking for better gear or different ways to approach my hunts. All the best this fall!
@ Aaron B
I used a Axcel Accustat Carbon Pro 5 pin sight. It's a 5 pin slider, on a carbon dovetail mount. I've used it for a couple years and really like it. The only downfall is the sticker shock!
@ Dillion D
I like spot and stalk antelope hunting too, but in some cases it can be extremely tough. Where I was hunting in NV, there was very little in the form of topography or vegetation that could offer a means to close the gap. I'm sure it's doable, but I eventually chose to sit a blind and I harvested my buck that way. For decoy's I actually have not had much success with them in general. I tried a few stalks and then used the Montana antelope decoy and the bucks showed no real interest. I'm sure if you caught the right buck on the right day they would come in. Sorry I can't offer much input there, if you find the perfect one please let me know!
I’m a fan of pure spot and stalk but to try other tactics in the wide open or to try and stall or lure skittish antelope what is your favorite? Decoy? White flag? I’ve tried the primos antelope buster and that sends them sprinting immediately so it’s right near the trash can looking for a reason to be spared.
What sight did you use for this hunt?
Nice article! Good luck this season to all of you.
@Stephen - Just wanted to take a second to respond to you and say that since Danny didn't have anything positive to say at 5am this morning and obviously he has some hate toward hunters... he is no longer here with us. We just removed him and his comment. Hope you have a great day!
Trail - beautiful animal, thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Danny P........please send me your PayPal account and I'll give you $5 to find something better to do at 5 am....hateful little man.
ICE-ICE-BABY....................
I would bring another giant cooler filled with ice. Although it's been awhile, back in my Wyoming days I shot some antelope. While I'm sure there are those who will disagree with me, and I'm generally a big advocate of wild game meat care and cooking, I'm one of those guys who never really developed a taste for antelope meat. It isn't anything like elk, sheep, or moose. But on my last antelope hunt I brought a big cooler filled with ice. When I shot an antelope that year I had the meat chilled on ice within 45 minutes of the kill, and that meat was quite good. Just a though.
Love the sock on the spotter!!