California Pronghorn Antelope Hunting Guides and Outfitters

California Pronghorn Antelope: California has many big game animals including Pronghorn Antelope, Antilocapra Americana, a cud-chewing ungulate {hoofed mammal}, native to North America. It is called the American antelope, but it is not a true antelope, but is still very popular with California hunting guides and outfitters that call it by that name. In fact, the pronghorn antelope is not closely related to any other living form of ungulate and is placed in a separate family, the Antilocapridae. The pronghorn antelope’s range extends from southwestern Canada down through the United States including California and into central Mexico. Many of these areas allow hunts for this big game animal and there are numerous hunting outfitters and guides in North America that are willing to help you plan out a guided hunt or trip. During pioneer days, the pronghorn antelope’s numbers were estimated in the millions and migrating herds numbered in the thousands. But hunts for this big game animal during this time diminished the population of this big game animal. Today, these numbers have grown in many sections of the upland plains in the Rocky Mountain area along with other parts of North America, which includes California. Thousands of hunting trips are planned each year to California and other parts of North America for the pronghorn antelope.

Pronghorn antelopes stand about 3 feet {90 cm} at the shoulder. This smaller size makes it harder to see when a sportsman is on a guided hunt for it. A male may weigh in excess of 100 pounds {45 kg}. Females are slightly smaller. Most other even-toed ungulates have lateral toes or dew-claws, but the pronghorn antelope has deer-like feet with two toes on each foot. The toes are encased in a horny sheath. This helps it escape danger when it feels threatened. The pronghorn antelope lives on open, windswept plains and has a special coat which helps to conserve body heat. This sandy brown, full and deep coat is made up of long, tightly packed hair. Each hair forms an insulated covering. The colors of this big game help blend it into the surroundings, thus making it harder for a sportsman on a California pronghorn antelope hunting trip.

The pronghorn antelope is distinctive for its unique horns. Both sexes’ posses slender pronged horns, although some females are hornless. Each horn is a sheath that covers a bony core as in the sheep and goat. Every year the entire outside sheath is eased off the core and is replaced by a larger one. The old sheath is cast off by the growth of the new one underneath. The new sheath begins to grow from the tip of the core and spreads slowly downward until it reaches the base. This annual shedding of the horns occurs in the fall, soon after the mating season has ended, and is a characteristic not found in any other living horned ungulate. Many hunters will come upon these disregarded horns while on trips to the areas that it lives.

The pronghorn antelope is probably the fastest animal in America, with a record of 60 miles {96 km} an hour for short distances. These quick speeds make it harder to hit and will test your skills as a hunter. The pronghorn hunting guides and outfitters that offer this type of big game animal should have tips to help the average hunter bag this trophy. It is a silent animal and employs an unusual method of communicating with other animals. The hairs on the pronghorn antelope antelope’s rump are white and longer than those found anywhere else on its body. The roots are embedded in special muscular sheaths, which make it possible for the animal to erect the rump hairs in a shape resembling a great rosette. When the California pronghorn antelope raises this white rosette or shield, it reflects a great deal of light. The shield is especially brilliant if flashed in the bright sunlight and can be seen from a distance of nearly 4 miles {6 km}. This makes it harder for a hunting outfitter or guide to get their clients close, so a longer short may be the best way. When it senses danger, the pronghorn antelope uses this flashing signal to alert other members of its herd. Coyotes, eagles, and wolves are the principal enemies of the pronghorn antelope, especially of the fawns.

California Hunting Season Schedule

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The breeding season is in the fall – about September. During this time the large bands of pronghorn antelopes break up into small groups, and the bucks’ battle for possession of the does. The fawns, usually twins, are born eight months after mating, sometimes in May or June. They can stand and nurse within an hour after birth and in a few days can run at 25 miles {40 km} per hour. Most hunting guides and outfitters for this big game will know the times for breeding and will plan their client’s trips or guided hunts during the appropriate times in California.