muley69

I will be closing out a job in early September, and pulling my camper over to Eastern Montana in early October for a pheasant/antelope combo hunt. I've decided to get an antelope gun for this hunt and would enjoy hearing others recommendations. I have also considered having a tripod mounted and would be intrested in hearing others opinions as well. This gun will be used strictly for antelope and a few coyotes.

gotlost

I haven't seen MT regs but a 243/6mm will do both jobs, You not need a lot to bring one down as long as you hit the vitals.

bob roberts

I've killed em' with a 30-06 and 270 Win. Any decent caliber would work, as long a you did your part.

TerryM

I hunted antelope last fall for the first time and found it very educational. If I were to pick a rifle strictly for antelope it would be a standard weight 25-06 with at least a 24" barrel. I would shy away from the lighter 6mms only because I find the wind is constant and pretty strong out where the antelope play. Not that they are hard to kill, a .243 would drop em clean, hell a good hard stare would kill an antelope but that wind can play games with you. I shot my second goat at 326 yards (lasered) and although i dropped it with 1 shot I hit a little further back than expected only due to poor windage estimation on my part. Also the bipod, a good rangefinder, good binos and your good to go. I carried a spotting scope one morning only and used binos after that. Great fun hunting those little guys.

RedAllison

hmmmmmmmm buying a rifle specifically for a hunt? NOW where talkin...

Being the "magnumophile" that I am I would find a .257Wby in a Mk V Lightweight. (Maybe even a .240Wby since where tossin out calibers.) As for something perhaps a bit more pratical and chaper to feed, why not a .270 or .300 WSM? Either of the shortmags are a BLAST to shoot (pun intended and will make mincemeat of sagegoats. Something in a lightweight again would be my choice. (But hey, realistically in most private land goat hunts you are going to cover most ground while in a pickup truck, so what difference does rifle weight make?)

As for non-mags there is one that IMHO shines above the rest as a "prarie speedster" rifle, the 25/06. In a 24"+ barreled version with some stout handloads, it can closely tread on the .257s heels! Obviously the .270, .280 and 30/06 bangers will anchor "hairhorns" as pretty as you please. On my lope/muley hunt in WY lastyear I almost gave the callup too my .280 700Custom Shop. Had I not had a personal desire to take my Warbird/Sako, I would've carried my .280 "tall and proud". From what I saw of the goats in WY lastyear, they have the nervous system of elk and take a considerable amount of "hammertime" on the initial shot. But they don't have the stamina of a whitetail with regards to running very far once they have a lethal hole or two in them!

In a couple of years I am gonna carry my oldest son (now 9) back out too that same area of WY for an antelope hunt (I want to carry each of my 3 kids out there, just 1 on 1 with myself for their first "out west trip") and the same .243 mdl 7 yth that he has now will be the same gun he uses then!

Good luck and have fun, IMHO sagegoats are more about fun and the comfort of pursuit than they are about the "gosh oh golly" factor of their trophy quality!
RA

Wolf killer

If I were to buy a rifle for antelope hunting only? I would buy a 25-06.

Sniper151

6mm Rem with 80 gr. hollow point.

Rebel Hog

DITTO!

biggunz.45-70

I used a .25-06 and thought it was perfect. Any good bullet from 100 to 120 grains would work well. I used a 120gr speer btsp.

muley69

Lasts year weapons purchases included .357magnum, Ruger MKII .22 semi-auto handgun, and a stainless/synthetic Ruger 10/22. These were purchased primarily for family fun, this year I'm getting some toys for me. I currently own 30.06 and have taken many animals with it. I drew a coveted Muley tag in area 270 and if I don't take a trophy buck with my bow, I will be using my winchester 30/30 open sights during rifle season. I have long desired to take a trophy muley buck with a 30/30 open sight as it captures the essence of the west to me. As I was thinking of this over the last few weeks, I made the decision to by my guns for the animals I hunt. I have shot several lopers with my '06 but thought this year to start with an antelope gun. Most have said what I already was leaning for and that is a 25-06. Let me hear some opinions on performance in the wind as eastern Montana typically has fairly stout winds, also, I have never had a bipod, good idea or not?