First Time WY Pronghorn Hunters from WA Considering Areas 91, 93, & 96
- Thread starter WA280Guy
- Start date
WA280,
Remember your not in WA any more. If you have 5 solids days to hunt you can pass on 75 in and smaller bucks and still kill one of those on the last day if you have to, in any of those areas. Buy a few doe tags to get the edge off if you need to.
I bought the special tag a few years back and drew an area with no points. I killed a 15 1/4 inch buck my tallest so far but he probably only scores 77-78. I'm happy with him and the 278 yd shot I made but in retrospect, I should have held out a few more days and hunted the area a little more. I probably on hunted 1/2 of my hunt area.
I've only killed 10 antelope bucks so I'm no expert, but It's my opinion that if you only kill a 77 inch or lesser buck in any of those areas with the special tag, you wasted your money and time. You need to have decent optics and know how to judge them quickly. Buy Mike's book. I live in Bothell WA and your welcome to come up and see the ones I've taken dink's included.\
Good luck in WY. I wish I had 3 points.
Remember your not in WA any more. If you have 5 solids days to hunt you can pass on 75 in and smaller bucks and still kill one of those on the last day if you have to, in any of those areas. Buy a few doe tags to get the edge off if you need to.
I bought the special tag a few years back and drew an area with no points. I killed a 15 1/4 inch buck my tallest so far but he probably only scores 77-78. I'm happy with him and the 278 yd shot I made but in retrospect, I should have held out a few more days and hunted the area a little more. I probably on hunted 1/2 of my hunt area.
I've only killed 10 antelope bucks so I'm no expert, but It's my opinion that if you only kill a 77 inch or lesser buck in any of those areas with the special tag, you wasted your money and time. You need to have decent optics and know how to judge them quickly. Buy Mike's book. I live in Bothell WA and your welcome to come up and see the ones I've taken dink's included.\
Good luck in WY. I wish I had 3 points.
Musket Man
Veteran member
I agree with holding out and trying not to get trigger happy and shoot one to soon but why is it a waste of time and money if you kill a buck that scores 77 or less? There are more important things then score and aslong as the hunter is happy with his hunt thats what matters.
Your right, score has nothing to do with it. But if you banked points and are going to spend the extra money why not make it a real antelope hunt and not an antelope shoot. I had more fun hunting antelope when I made a good stalk and passed on an antelope that wasn't what I thought he was. I stalked my last buck 3 1/2 hours before I killed him and passed on 10 other bucks before him. I really enjoyed my hunt doing it that way. Every stalk you make or blow you learn a little more about antelope hunting and that's the fun part. Shoot a 75 incher from the road and you have meat but learned nothing about antelope hunting.
As you know good antelope tags in WY are harder to draw than they were 20 yrs ago. It will take 3-5 years of points in the reg draw to draw another good areas, why not hunt hard give it a fair chance.
Just my 2 cents on this.
As you know good antelope tags in WY are harder to draw than they were 20 yrs ago. It will take 3-5 years of points in the reg draw to draw another good areas, why not hunt hard give it a fair chance.
Just my 2 cents on this.
Musket Man
Veteran member
I see what your saying now. It can be easy to shoot to soon on your first few antelope hunts. Its also hard to judge them. My last good tag I got a 76'' antelope which was probably pretty good considering the drought and Im very happy with him! Next time I draw I will be holding out for something better then the last one. But regardless of size if the hunters is happy with his animal that is what really matters!
It would be nice if theses guys that ask for advice let us know how they did or even if the drew their tags.
I shoot at the Renton gun range which is close to Kent where he lives I could take photo's of my bucks so they could get an idea on size but Mikes book does such a good job they need to buy it.
I shoot at the Renton gun range which is close to Kent where he lives I could take photo's of my bucks so they could get an idea on size but Mikes book does such a good job they need to buy it.
Musket Man
Veteran member
Mikes book is great and I would recommend it to anyone! It has really helped me having a few I have killed to look at and compare side by side. Going to hunting shows and looking at antelope would help a new hunter alot too.
Hi Fish, you, Musket Man and other forum contributors don't know how much we appreciate your advice and input. This info is invaluable for us WY rookies. Your offer to connect is much appreciated. I work in Kirkland just off Lake WA Blvd. at Carillon Point. We are super close to Bothell. Do the I-405 commute back & forth to Kent. Let me chat with my hunt buddy, also working in Kirkland. We would love to chat with you directly and pick your brains some more. Thanks again for the offer! WA280Guy.
MWScott72
Active Member
I hunted 96 back in '06. Most of the goats seemed to be in the north portion of the unit. There is a highway out of Far son that divides the unit and I saw far more goats on the north than the south. Along with your hunting maps chip, I would make sure and have a 1:100,000 BLM map. Here in Salt Lake, Utah - Idaho Map Supply is a great resource. They can print just about any custom map you can think of.
Thank you MWScott72 for the great info. I will check out Idaho Map Suppy in SLC. About ten years ago I killed a very nice high mountain mulie buck not far from you in the Lone Peak Wilderness, just east of Alpine, UT. What beautiful country, but coming from sea level to that elevation took some serious effort to hunt. Thanks again for your help. I am hoping to draw a Utah bull elk hunt in the Bookcliffs before I get too old! All the best.
MWScott72
Active Member
WA280-
It's actually Utah-Idaho Map Supply...after reading my post, I thought the way it was written might throw you. Good luck with that Book Cliffs elk hunt...you and everyone else is trying to draw that unit. It has really been on the upswing as of late. Myself, I'm hoping to draw a front stuffer LE Elk tag for the Central Mtns - Manti unit this year. 11 points going in, and it drew down to that level on the guaranteed tags last year. I'm crossing my fingers!
It's actually Utah-Idaho Map Supply...after reading my post, I thought the way it was written might throw you. Good luck with that Book Cliffs elk hunt...you and everyone else is trying to draw that unit. It has really been on the upswing as of late. Myself, I'm hoping to draw a front stuffer LE Elk tag for the Central Mtns - Manti unit this year. 11 points going in, and it drew down to that level on the guaranteed tags last year. I'm crossing my fingers!
Thanks again MWScott72. Maybe I should reconsider Central Mtns-Manti for my elk play. As of now I have 12 elk points. As a NR I am most likely a couple years away still to consider a play. Thanks for clarifying the map supply. Good luck to you in the Utah elk draw. The Utah submission deadline is only a couple weeks away. All the best.
HuskyMusky
Veteran member
My vote would be to be there for opening day!
IMO you either want to hunt opener, or later in the season, I've done the 2nd week deal before... and while sure you can take a goat with less pressure, to me the animals have been hunted hard for a week now... and they're more spooky than ever!
And of course opening day has the most # of big animals alive...
Either way, best of luck!
IMO you either want to hunt opener, or later in the season, I've done the 2nd week deal before... and while sure you can take a goat with less pressure, to me the animals have been hunted hard for a week now... and they're more spooky than ever!
And of course opening day has the most # of big animals alive...
Either way, best of luck!
Hi Fish, just wanted to followup with you and other folks at the forum. My team was successful in the WY unit 96 special draw. We are all super excited about our first hunting adventure into the West Farson unit for the buck antelope hunt. My buddy's son drew two doe/fawn youth tags in the Dry Sandy unit 91, adjacent to West Farson unit 96. A couple of us have Mike's book and we have the GPS Hunting Map for WY on the Garmins. It is now time to spend some serious time at the Cascade Range in Ravensdale. We'll keep you posted on how the hunt went in WY. Thank you. Gary Turner.
Musket Man
Veteran member
Congrats on drawing!! With the long season in your unit I would try to hunt around the first week in Oct. Good Luck!
MWScott72
Active Member
Congrats WA280Guy - you are going to absolutely love antelope hunting. Make sure and bring some warm clothes as the wind out there can be crazy...not to mention the freak storms that move in and out faster than you can say "holy sh*t!". Check out the north end of the unit as that's where more animals seemed to reside on my hunt in '06. Strangely, I didn't find many along the Big Sandy...don't know if that was a fluke or not.
Did you put in for the Books or Manti - La Sal for your Utah elk app? I drew a ML hunt on that unit. I think it's going to take 13-14 points to draw the rifle hunt as a NR. Not sure what your hunt preference is. The Books will take more though I'm not sure where the break is off-hand.
Good luck this fall. Let us know how you do.
Did you put in for the Books or Manti - La Sal for your Utah elk app? I drew a ML hunt on that unit. I think it's going to take 13-14 points to draw the rifle hunt as a NR. Not sure what your hunt preference is. The Books will take more though I'm not sure where the break is off-hand.
Good luck this fall. Let us know how you do.
Eberle
Veteran member
Thank you MWScott72, I appreciate the hunt recommendations for Unit 96. It looks like there is plenty of BLM land north of highway 28 so we will make that our primary focus.
This year I took the point option for Utah Limited Entry Elk. I reckoned my chances were still really slim as a NR to draw the Books or Manti. I have a funny story for you, well, it is actually true so not much of a story. My buddy from the Alpine/Lehi area is in the Books this weekend scouting for bulls. His oldest daughter, who has never hunted before & just passed Hunter's Ed, drew Limited Entry bull in the Books with no points. She is not a youth hunter. It just shows, that folks do draw these premium hunts without points.
Take care and all the best. I look forward to giving you an October update on our WY pronghorn experience.
This year I took the point option for Utah Limited Entry Elk. I reckoned my chances were still really slim as a NR to draw the Books or Manti. I have a funny story for you, well, it is actually true so not much of a story. My buddy from the Alpine/Lehi area is in the Books this weekend scouting for bulls. His oldest daughter, who has never hunted before & just passed Hunter's Ed, drew Limited Entry bull in the Books with no points. She is not a youth hunter. It just shows, that folks do draw these premium hunts without points.
Take care and all the best. I look forward to giving you an October update on our WY pronghorn experience.
MWScott72
Active Member
That girl will be spoiled for the rest of her life! What a great hunt though for it to be her first. Looking forward to swapping stories this fall. Summer is FLYING by...which is both good and bad.