Best unit in Wy?

okie archer

Member
Feb 5, 2015
54
55
Coweta, Oklahoma
I have read different opinions on this subject just lookinh for more. Some say burn your points every 2-3 years. Some say big bucks are in most units you just have to find them etc.
What would you consider the top unit for trophy pronghorn that has good amount of public land and how many points would it take now not considering point creep? I am will to wait for 10-12 points of thats what it takes. Are the Red Desert units the best?
 

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,796
2,162
Eastern Nebraska
In reality, someone just starting will wait a very long time to reach the top tier units. Points required will continue to climb. Major tag reductions due to winter kills will compound the problem. If your goal is a premium unit, your wait will be well over 30 years and maybe over 50. All of that said, the biggest antelope I have seen taken was in an area currently requiring 5 points. My advice is start buying points and reevaluate yearly.
 

mallardsx2

Veteran member
Jul 8, 2015
3,811
3,011
My group of 6 is applying this year. We have waited quite a while to draw these tags. I hope they are worth the wait. Point creep has been eating us up pretty good for some of the better units.

If we draw this year and really like the unit it looks to me that (with the trend of point creep) it will be 10 more years to get back into the area again. So we better shoot straight! lol

None of us have hunted antelope before. So it should be a good time.
 

DanPickar

Active Member
Mar 4, 2014
290
99
Wyoming
Good advice here. There are plenty of units that have big bucks, it all comes down to how much time you have to hunt and if you can hold off shooting good bucks and wait for great bucks. Just because a unit takes 12 points doesn't mean there are B&C bucks available that year. I suggest you see how hard of a winter it was in your area you want to apply for and how much spring moisture that unit got. March is critical for horn growth. That being said. March was fairly mild for us this year is northern Wyoming, but didn't get a lot of moisture. Green- up lagged a bit. April was cold and wintery. Finally greening up now and getting some precip. I'm guessing it will be an average year for antelope horn growth.
 

jimss

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
230
93
There's a lot more to antelope horn growth than conditions that exist in 1 particular year! I've learned a great deal over the years from what I've seen in the field as well as learned from several knowledgeable antelope hunters/guides. It helps to know the conditions that exist, winterkill, predators, fawn recruitment, moisture, etc over a select period of time. If you put all your marbles into 1 hunt (even in the best unit in Wyo) and it happens to be a poor year you may be sorely disappointed. Top tier antelope units in Wyo definitely have what it takes to produce the top bucks in Wyo but that doesn't happen every year! On the other-hand, if you pick the right year in the right unit you may be rewarded!
 
I look at this way. I can hold out and wait 15, 20, 30 years to draw a premium tag and maybe/maybe not, shoot a bragging buck of monstrous proportions. After all, there are no guarantees in fair chase. Personally, I'd rather draw every 2-3 years and get out hunting. At the end of my life I can look back and say I have had a hell of a lot more enjoyable experiences afield, building cherished memories shooting some fine bucks. Not to mention eating a lot more antelope, deer, elk...whatever, plus the very real possibility of shooting a toad on any given hunt.
 

Rich M

Very Active Member
Oct 16, 2012
758
566
It all depends on what you are looking for - an 80 inch antelope? or just a "nice goat"?

I did a 0 point unit in 2017 and ended up 25 yards from a huge herd buck. Had 4 doe tags and no buck tags. That's pretty much why he was there. Very neat encounter and got my first antelope.

The hunts in themselves are fun. If you don't need a B&C class antelope - just go and have fun as soon as your public land access requirements are met.

The point game just recently changed with a huge influx of folks. It used to be 5 points for a decent hunt 0-1 for combat hunting. Now it seems like 10 points will get a you a little elbow room in your hunting. I've only gone once and am looking forward to the next trip.
 
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WapitiBob

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,384
53
Bend, Orygun
The top hunt areas will take 14-15 points this year. Those guys got in on the ground floor.
There are 36,697 people going into 2021 with 1 point, 21,797 with 2.
Starting today you will likely not live long enough to draw the 2-3 top end hunt areas.
 

Jrod

Active Member
Jan 30, 2012
262
6
Livermore, CA
This was unit 67. It’s no secret. I won’t be saving up points for goats there anymore. Great cutters, little weak on top. Probably about 75” or so
Saw one that was larger but couldn’t get close enough in the wind for a good shot. This was a herd buck and was working his tail off to keep out the other goats. A smaller buck had busted me at 80 yards and he came to chase him out. Lucky me.
 

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jimss

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
230
93
If you are interested in B&C, antelope are one of the toughest critters in N Amer to field judge correctly. There is always the chance of walking up to a buck after it's shot and there is dreaded ground shrinkage. It happens to the best of us. Mass is a large chunk of an antelope's score and if you get the base measurements wrong the score will likely drop considerably. It's sometimes tough putting all your eggs in one basket waiting years and years for 1 tag but if you are skilled at field judging and are super patient wading through bucks you may be rewarded with an awesome buck in a premium unit. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some years even premium units may be tough to find 1 B&C buck. You may be able to find a similar trophy buck in a unit that takes fewer pts to draw but it may take days and days to find one.