First timer Wyoming DIY antelope

[JackRuff]

TN college student looking to skip a few days of school this fall to hunt WY antelope. Coming in with 0 pp. no experience at all in western game. Looking for advice regarding units that I can't go wrong with. Added bonus would be such an area that could provide good mule deer potential also. Been hunting my home int TN for my 21 years I've been around. Killed bears in the Tennessee mountains this fall, but now I'm getting the itch to head west.

I have a friend who did extremely well on a first time antelope hunt in Wyoming 48 a few years back. Don't know what has changed there, if anything has on Tag odds. Prospective units so far in my internet scouting show 25, 47, 73 also being contenders. I may be biting off more than I can chew trying to combo a muley/pronghorn on my first time but I figured it wouldn't be a burden to have the info anyways. May trade a tn timber mallard hunt for good info! Like I said, just trying to get out west for a good freedom trip before graduating and hitting the real world. Thanks fellas. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[troybackman]

Welcome Jack. You will have a great first time western hunt if you decide to hunt goats i n Wyoming. Of the units you listed, 25 is the only one you would draw with 0 pp. Take a look at unit 7. You would have to buy the special tag. Access is a issue in most the units with 0 points.

 

[Slugz]

Welcome Jack. IMO its tough with no points but with one a lot of solid to good options open up. I live here in Colorado and don't go up there unless I have one. MRS sections have very very good info. Also double check the WY DGF for tag changes as the overall numbers go up and down a little. Access is a tough one though in the heavy hunted areas. 1 or 2 points opens up some land options also.

 

[Jlrineer1]

Jack I am in the same boat as you, I've done ALOT of research so far. Our group has decided to do an antelope/mule deer hunt. Region C is a green chip area for muleys in the MRS and there's many 0 points antelope areas in that same area 16 ,22, 17, 23. The mule deer region is 100% with the special draw. The season runs Oct 1st-15th for both. There's less public land than other areas in the state but just in zone 16 and 22 there's 62k acres of blm land accessible just off of I90. Zone 23 has another 25k acres of blm land with a WIA and zone 17 is a green chip area for antelope too. My best recommendation is buy the MRS on eastmans website. It's the best $70 I think I spent for western hunting yet. Do your research, buy the blm maps ($4) call the fish and game office buy the onx app and look at the county gis maps. I don't think you'll have any issues.

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[JackRuff]

I appreciate it guys. I'll take that advice and work with it. Worst case I may still try to work with a doe tag in the leftover buys in July. I've got a buddy working horses in Yellowstone this summer. I'm definitely making a trip there this summer for a week or two to stay with him , we're going to trout fish in the park and make a trip to Casper to fish the Platte at some point while I'm there. We may take a day trip and cruise around the units North/Ne of Casper to familiarize ourselves with the area. I'd just like to see something other than the Southeast for a change.

 

[kiwi]

I'm sure you can get a good unit with no points if you go into the special draw. I did my research from here in New Zealand and ended up drawing a tag and shooting a nice buck with my bow. Good luck and I hope you have a great hunt.

 

[grant_stricklin]

You bow hunting or rifle? Opening day mule deer last weekend august or antelope in august?
I've got one point myself and looking to hunt Wyoming antelope or mule deer next year.


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[Antlerville]

Jlrineer1, I'm also planning on heading out to wyoming next year for pronghorn. Unit 16 does appear to have lots of BLM accesable just west of the river. Has anyone hunted 16 before? I was previously planning on unit 25 but i've read its a landmine of private and landlocked public lands, but I've heard the antelope numbers are astounding east of Barr Nun.

Edit:

I just read the harvest reports in 2014 for Unit 16. Non-resident success was 107% and pooled total was 97%, so i think the goat numbers should be good

 

[MinnesotaMan]

I just read the harvest reports in 2014 for Unit 16. Non-resident success was 107% and pooled total was 97%, so i think the goat numbers should be good

Where can you find harvest reports? Are those online Wyoming game and fish site or in MRS. I have found draw results/ odds but not harvest data. Thanks!

 

[siwulat]

Yes they are on the WY GF website. 2014 was the most recent last time I checked.

 

[PlainsHunter]

Where can you find harvest reports? Are those online Wyoming game and fish site or in MRS. I have found draw results/ odds but not harvest data. Thanks!

Here you go. https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Harvest-Reports/2014-Harvest-Report

 

[WY ME]

I appreciate it guys. I'll take that advice and work with it. Worst case I may still try to work with a doe tag in the leftover buys in July. I've got a buddy working horses in Yellowstone this summer. I'm definitely making a trip there this summer for a week or two to stay with him , we're going to trout fish in the park and make a trip to Casper to fish the Platte at some point while I'm there. We may take a day trip and cruise around the units North/Ne of Casper to familiarize ourselves with the area. I'd just like to see something other than the Southeast for a change.

Jack
Take a day or two on your trip this summer and visit Jackson Hole. IMO it's the most beautiful place in N. America with the exception of the mountains around Banff.

 

[Big_Pudge]

I did a combo antelope/mule deer hunt in 2013. I wouldn't do that again. I would choose one species and concentrate on getting a animal you are happy with.

I went back this fall of 15' and did antelope. It was a lot more enjoyable.

Get a GPS with the public lands chip. Also get a list of all the public roads for where you plan to hunt. Just because you see land doesn't mean you can hunt it and a lot of the roads that look like public roads are actually private.

 

[Roger L]

Jack,
3 of us drew area 9 last year (no points but special draw) on the recommendation of one of the wardens/ biologist at the Wy GF. We had a great hunt, plenty of public land. we did pay a minimal trespass fee to hunt a private ranch for a few days that also had plenty of antelope.
Good luck!

 

[Murdy]

There's less public land than other areas in the state but just in zone 16 and 22 there's 62k acres of blm land accessible just off of I90.

Are you meaning park along side the Interstate and walk in? If so, I don't think that's legal, though I'm pretty sure I saw a few people doing it the one time I was out there. There was a thread about this a while ago. Anyways, I'd check it out before you do that. There are a few spots you can get to off frontage roads though in 16.

 

[Jlrineer1]

Murdy, the BLM told me it was illegal to park along the interstate to walk in. There are a couple places I saw on the map that you could pull off directly to blm land. I noticed upper powder river Rd as well. I am not 100% that it's a public road but it is listed on the county GIS as a local road. I am also not sure what the rules are on dropping people off along the interstate to walk in. I was under the impression it was mainly the parking issue.

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[nmmuledeerhunter]

I hunted 16 in October 2012 and I highly recommend using a GPS with a land chip as well as hunting the first part of the season. We were successful on a couple of respectable antelope bucks and a couple of very tasty does. There is a walk in area that had some goats, but the pressure was pretty high.