In my early years, while hunting in southeastern Colorado I had one of those particularly frustrating seasons. The bucks were either on top of ridges that had gentle slopes with does on the look out in every direction, or in places that were difficult to access without being seen. It was the last day of the season and the animals had been pushed hard in the area I was hunting. When a vehicle stopped or a person was seen within a half of a mile, the animals would leave the territory.
In the middle of a cloudless afternoon, I spotted a herd that had two bucks in it. Even at approximately three quarters of a mile the antelope were still nervous as I pulled my vehicle to a halt. As I set up my spotting scope to get a closer look, I wondered to myself how I would ever get into shooting range. I was looking down into a barren dry lake that had cultivated land surrounding it. This was probably my last chance at bagging an antelope for the season. The lay of the land was such that I was able to crouch-walk, then duck-walk a little farther. Soon, I found myself, for all practical purposes, out of cover. The animals were still bedded, however, with no apparent concern for me. I found myself crawling, praying that somehow I would be able to get close enough to get a shot. I had never stooped this low, literally, to hunt antelope before. I had slowly progressed to this desperate point out of necessity, not out of intent or design. Yet, after about thirty minutes of crawling I found myself in range and was able to put my tag on an average buck antelope that I couldn't have harvested any other way!
That season left me with thorns and cactus needles in my hands and knees, but with a new and effective hunting strategy. Since then, I have added some highly recommended items to my regular hunting gear when pursuing antelope. Extra heavy mittens, like those used for welding, are great for protecting your hands against cactus and such (they even make a good rest for your gun when shooting from the prone position). I also have pads for my knees for the same reason mentioned above. One type of well-constructed kneepads is made for installing carpet. In addition, with the popularity of in-line skating and skateboarding, you can find comfortable kneepads at most stores that stock sporting goods. These two items are relatively inexpensive, but priceless in terms of equipping you to make a successful stalk in seemingly impossible terrain.
From the hunting season mentioned above, to this past hunting season, my hunting partner, Steve Hugel, and I have used crawling as part of our stalking strategy. Even when the animals see us, they dismiss us as an animal (or, at the least, non-threatening) and allow us to get into shooting range with great success.
I highly recommend this hunting strategy if you are interested in consistently tagging out in spite of inhospitable terrain and hunter-wise bucks. If you are hunting with a partner, make sure that you crawl in a line, with the other person either directly in front of or behind you. For those whose physical limitations preclude such a strategy let them stay where you started your stalk and watch the show. Either way, the antelope only see a minimal amount of movement.
The strategy of stalking "on all fours" will work, and has worked on big game other than antelope and even on coyotes. A word of warning: this type of hunting, though successful, is not for everyone. It can sure cause the muscles and joints in your arms and legs to become sore, especially the morning after. Of course, I do not crawl when there are easier ways to make a successful stalk. But, when I find myself with territory to traverse and not much cover to conceal myself, I get down on all fours and crawl. It may not sound traditional or manly, but experience has taught me, it works!
