Bowhunting Wyo - Opener, Early Sept or Rut????

[Whisky]

Hey guys,

First, I want to thank NDHunter on here. He's been VERY helpful, so if you're reading this, thanks a lot!!!

March 15th is coming up quick. Brother and I are still stewing on applying this year yet, or just buying points. If we set our minds on hunting this year we will be forced to pony up for the special draw. We are looking at getting our feet wet more or less, with this years hunt, and get some experience and points under our belt before we wander into the trophy units. This will be a bow hunt. The plan at this time is to put in for special draw with a first choice for a unit we know we won't get, second choice 27, which we should get with the special. If you have other recommendations, I'm open.

I've done most of my research and at this point we just need to decide if we want to drop the cash for the tags. What I need a little more help with is when to go. I understand rut is generally mid-late Sept. I've hunted antelope here in ND during the rut and I do love rut hunting. But, we've also considered going out for opener, as well as Labor Day weekend.

What are your guys' experiences when bow hunting this area during these different times??? Go early before they're pressured and hunt water, or try to spot and stalk, or hold off for the rut and go after them with blinds and decoys?? I'd like to find that happy medium between the heat, educated antelope, and other hunters.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[Whisky]

I will mention, me and heat don't fare too well together. The only reason I'm contemplating going early season is I usually do a mulie hunt mid September-ish. Don't know if I want to give that up for antelope.

Curious what your guys' experiences are hunting early season antelope. Is it pretty much sitting in a hot as heck blind all day over water? Any spot and stalking opportunities, minus the decoys of course.

 

[sjsmallfield]

I haven't hunted them with a bow yet but when we went to WY two years ago during the rifle we hunted Sept. 18-21 and never saw another hunter. I have heard many times that if you wait a week or two after the opener you will run into few to no other hunters in most zones. Good luck!

 

[Joe Hulburt]

I have only bowhunted for pronghorn twice. Once in early August here in Oregon and once in late September in Wyoming. On the early hunt I killed a buck off a water hole after 4 days of waiting. I had tried some spot and stalk but numbers here are not that high and it seemed pretty dang futile. In Wyoming I did all spot and stalk and should have killed a P&Y buck in the two days I attempted stalks but I blew it. I ended up killing one with a gun when the season opened as I was afraid it was going to get crazy once rifle season opened but it turned out we never really saw another hunter and I regretted not spending a few more days with the bow.

If we go back this year it will be for the archery opener with a mix of blind and spot and stalk!

 

[Whisky]

Well, we applied and should get our tags I'd think....

At this point I"m now leaning towards a mid-late Sept hunt. I understand it's hotter than heck in WY in August, and sitting in a blind all day over water just doesn't peak my interest. I can always chase Mule deer in Oct, or in Nov with the rifle hunters. In this years case, the rifle hunters in Western ND may be few and far in between with the drastic tag cuts we're looking at.