2018 Antelope Hunts

[JimP]

This might be a little bit early but it is better to be early than late.

My brother in law wants to go antelope hunting in Wyoming next year. He is 76 and not getting any younger and from what I have seen on the odds reports he will be into his 80's if he keeps putting in with me for out choice unit. I am planing on to stay on track for unit 61 which is still a ways off for either of us. He has 5 points after this years draw in the non resident pool.

So if you wanted to hunt next year and only had the 5 points where would you start looking at? He isn't as mobile as he used to be but I'll be with him on any hunt that he draws and between the two of us we can usually get things done.

He isn't looking for a top tier buck but would like to get a respectable one. I'm going to start looking at units next week for him and see if I can get some of the preliminary stuff figured out for him.

Thanks.

 

[wy-tex]

Several units have type 2 tags that are just as good as the type 1 tags. Look at the units west and north of Laramie up towards Casper for a few. Good access and some great hunting for good bucks.
Luckily you can wait til after this winter to apply in case of a bad winterkill.
License increases next year so odds may change.
This page has the odds for this years regular preference point draw:
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Drawing Odds/DRAW_ANT_PP_NONRES_2017.pdf

 

[mattdeere]

Hi Jim,

As I'm sure you know Wyoming has a ton of opportunity for Antelope. "Respectable" has a different meaning for everyone. With 5 points I would say he has a better than average chance at getting a quality tag in several areas.

I hunted 93 last year and had many opportunities at good bucks. Shot "Respectable" one in my book. Not the biggest I saw but still nice.

What zones are you guys looking at for him?

 

[JimP]

Right now everything is up in the air on just where he might want to go.

I'm the computer guy so it is up to me to see if I can find a good unit for him. Like I mentioned he is getting up there in age and playing the point game is for younger hunters. But then I'm 64 and sometimes I wonder why I play the point game.

We had been putting in for unit 61 down in the south central part of the state and I'll continue putting in for it for at least a few more years.

 

[zpooch]

I'd prefer to go hunt than to build points at that stage. Having said that I hunted 61 as a resident last year and wasn't blown away by the quality. I ended up with a 74". This year I'm hunting 63-2 which was about 100% draw for me. Just my 2 cents

 

[JimP]

We have been putting in for 61 on recommendation from a cousins husband that hunter there 8 or 9 years ago, and I have never step foot in it to check it out. I'm going to try and get up there this summer and just check things out and this is one reason that I am reaching out for ideas on where to go.

 

[WapitiBob]

If the unit starts with a 4 or 5, you're on the right track.