First time to Wyoming

[revcwood]

There is a small group us us headed to WY next year for Antelope season. My dad, brother, and I all bought points this year, and a buddy is taking his chances without a point. We have been looking at the last WY MRS and the WYGAFD website to find out information on areas. Our goal for the trip is to see lots of animals. We aren't concerned with trophy status, but each of us would like a buck and a doe. My dad hunted near Lusk back in the late 70's and early 80's, but obviously that information is old, and from the MRS, it looks like that part of the state is a bust...is this true?

We were wondering about some of the green chip areas (because we will have 1 point as a group). Is the quota number indicative of the number of animals? IE- does a unit that has 50 tags have fewer animals, or is it just smaller? What would be some good units where we would have an easy time drawing. We are planning on camping as well, so an area with good tent sites would be helpful. We have hunted CO for OTC Elk, so we know the game a little, but would like some help with WY, as we won't be able to go every year...

Thank you for any help - I am sure I will be asking more questions between now and next October!

Christian

 

[dcestnik]

For the most part all have antelope in mass numbers. The lower drawing odds are for more public land and trophy potential. Weigh the amount of public land with your points and the MRS data and you shouldn't have any problems.

http://wygl.wygisc.org/DataServer/

 

[NDHunter]

pm sent. Hopefully it helps. Let me know if you have anymore questions.

 

[revcwood]

thanks guys

 

[freddogs]

On the way home this fall ,I met three hunters in Lusk who had filled a number of antelope doe tags. They said they had seen enough animals and were on a low budget meat hunt. All their tags were filled but I don't know the details. We just talked for a while in a food store parking lot. One point should be enough for a tag. Good Luck.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Don't know the units you are looking at, but the Wyoming G & F web site has drawing pts required, etc. The other thing is if you are applying as a group including the buddy w/o pts, the pts are averaged. So if everyone has a pt and one member of the group doesn't, your group pts will be less than <1. This means everyone who has one pt that applies gets their tags before you do, but you get your tags before those with no pts. Important to know as a few years ago 3 of us applied for a great deer area, 2 had plenty of pts, one has none, we missed out...not enough when averaged.

 

[lineman1779]

a buddy and myself hunted unit 6 last year it was the first time hunting west of wisconsin. we didnt have any pts and both drew tags. we saw plenty of goats and only hunted a small portion of the unit.

 

[revcwood]

Don't know the units you are looking at, but the Wyoming G & F web site has drawing pts required, etc. The other thing is if you are applying as a group including the buddy w/o pts, the pts are averaged. So if everyone has a pt and one member of the group doesn't, your group pts will be less than <1. This means everyone who has one pt that applies gets their tags before you do, but you get your tags before those with no pts. Important to know as a few years ago 3 of us applied for a great deer area, 2 had plenty of pts, one has none, we missed out...not enough when averaged.

We actually decided to make the guys without points not part of our group. They are going to be a the mercy of the leftover tags...we told them for months to apply, but they didn't. We are going with one point.

Some of the units around Casper or Gillette look good for a first time trip - we are trying to get a decent unit we know we can draw. I am probably doing too much reading now....

Can you still buy doe tags OTC, or are they all limited quota now?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

We actually decided to make the guys without points not part of our group. They are going to be a the mercy of the leftover tags...we told them for months to apply, but they didn't. We are going with one point.

Some of the units around Casper or Gillette look good for a first time trip - we are trying to get a decent unit we know we can draw. I am probably doing too much reading now....

Can you still buy doe tags OTC, or are they all limited quota now?

Depends on the area. Usually the leftovers go on sale before the season starts. In the past I have had a friend I know in Wyoming buy them for me. In some areas they go really fast. My suggestion is request the Hunting prospectus and look at the does tag section and apply for the doe tags when you apply for you buck tag. They do have an option that I have used before...you can request a full refund on the does tags if you do not draw your buck tag. Make sure the area you apply for is not indicated as difficult public access, especially if you have not been there before. Good luck.

 

[birdhunter]

There are plenty of antelope in NE WY in and around the lusk area. All the way up to Newcastle and Sundance. West towards Gillette. The reason the MRS shows its not worth it is because it is 90% private land if not more. There are several WIAs that have plenty of antelope. If you are hunting does, a lot of land owners will gladly let you on to take one. Dont let any one buy your tags for you as you MUST purchase your own leftover tags. Last year there was the largest big game bust in the nations history in NE WY and most of it was about landowners selling their tags to nonresidents which is in direct violation of the interstate game law.

 

[SouthernWyo]

It's also a violation of Wyoming state game laws. In Wyoming, big and trophy game licenses are non-transferable.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

It's been a few years ago, we had a friend take a copy of our Drivers License and our buck/either sex tag to a local store that sold the doe/fawn tags and get ours. They might not allow this today, but they used to. It was before licenses were even available on the internet G & F site...don't think they even had one then. The only way anything was available was by mail or direct sale.

 

[revcwood]

So we have it narrowed down some. We are liking unit 27 with one point - the access seems okay and the biologist was helpful. Just got the new magazine, and looked at unit 16 in the MRS. After a little research, it seems like it could be just as good as 27? Some say access is a bugger. Has anyone hunted 16, or should we just stick with 27?

Thanks

 

[EBOLAVIRS]

So we have it narrowed down some. We are liking unit 27 with one point - the access seems okay and the biologist was helpful. Just got the new magazine, and looked at unit 16 in the MRS. After a little research, it seems like it could be just as good as 27? Some say access is a bugger. Has anyone hunted 16, or should we just stick with 27?

Thanks

Don't get too worked up about which unit, just pick one with lots of public land or make arrangements with a landowner if you are going to a unit with lots of private. It really is hard to have a bad antelope hunt in wyoming.