Good public acess areas

[Yell Co AR Hunter]

I have spent a lot of time studying the point and draw system of the desired public access lands of Wyoming(maybe to much). If you are a nonresident it does not look very good. This goes for elk, mule deer, and antelope. When you look at the total number of applicants with points. Some areas I wonder if you would ever draw a tag. How could a person wanting to hunt the public land justify entering the point system unless they were very young. I considered buying points for elk. Then after reviewing the points it would take to draw a public unit I backed out. I figure 8 to 10 years not even considering point creep. I am 51 years old now. I have to wonder what type of physical condition I would be in in another 10 to 12 years or longer.

It does look like a very good method of funds for the Game and Fish.

I know I have already invested over $350.00 and not drawn a tag. I have decided it is time for me to use those points and should be hunting this fall. It will not be the original areas for deer or antelope I set out for in the start, but I will make the best of it. I just am not willing to wait another 5 to 6 years.

I know the other option is paying for access with an outfitter.

If you are a young man and wanting to hunt the big game of the West. I would seriously consider making a move to a state you can make a living and hunt. All depends on how important hunting is to you, but then you might want to salt water fish who knows.

Just clearing my thoughts sorry.

 

[RANGER619]

I know what you mean. I am 48 y/o and have 4 elk points. I am putting in for a general tag before I get anymore money involved. I am 4-5 years, without point creep, from drawing the units I was wanting. I decided to cut my losses.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

You are pretty much right about Wyoming. There is a deer unit that I have been trying to draw for almost 20 years. I have max NR points (been applying since NR points were started) and apply every year. Historically I have less than a 1% of drawing it even with the points or special draw. Same with elk, would love to hunt unit 100 but saw that would be impossible too several years ago. Used all my elk points & will never apply for an elk point again. I will keep applying for deer and antelope points, but as soon as I find a unit to use them on, I'll never apply for a deer point again either.

At least antelope draw & points are good for me, so I'll keep them coming.

 

[Slugz]

Agree with you. That's why I moved to Colorado��

 

[WY ME]

I think some of you are getting too wrapped up in having to hunt one of the areas that are highly recommended in Eastman's MRS or other publications in order to have a crack at a good animal. There are lots of areas in WY that have good bucks and bulls that aren't necessarily blue chip areas. I've killed good antelope all over Wyoming. In fact I don't even bother to apply to the "best" antelope areas because of the poor draw odds. I've hunted the coveted WY 128-1 area for deer several times but only shot one deer...it's really not that special. The elk areas might be an exception as the limited draws can be pretty good but there's some good elk to be found in the general areas as well. But as AR Hunter said, moving to a western state may be your best option.

 

[dan maule]

I couldn't help but laugh as I read this because it is the same realization I came to lately. Good luck to you.

 

[Slugz]

I couldn't help but laugh as I read this because it is the same realization I came to lately. Good luck to you.

Everyone does after a few " boots on the ground trips".........shhhhhhh.........only hunt the areas in the MRS��
All joking aside.....lots of data out there to pour through to help make informed and thought out decisions. Sometimes though it's too much.....gotta know how to sort through it all and evaluate what's really relevant.

 

[shootbrownelk]

I think some of you are getting too wrapped up in having to hunt one of the areas that are highly recommended in Eastman's MRS or other publications in order to have a crack at a good animal. There are lots of areas in WY that have good bucks and bulls that aren't necessarily blue chip areas. I've killed good antelope all over Wyoming. In fact I don't even bother to apply to the "best" antelope areas because of the poor draw odds. I've hunted the coveted WY 128-1 area for deer several times but only shot one deer...it's really not that special. The elk areas might be an exception as the limited draws can be pretty good but there's some good elk to be found in the general areas as well. But as AR Hunter said, moving to a western state may be your best option.

You are wrong about area 128-1 WY ME. That's a rut hunt, November 1st to the 20th. I've seen huge mulie & whitetails in 128 while elk hunting. You must have been in the wrong areas. Impossible to draw a tag, but the quality of bucks is excellent.

 

[WY ME]

You are wrong about area 128-1 WY ME. That's a rut hunt, November 1st to the 20th. I've seen huge mulie & whitetails in 128 while elk hunting. You must have been in the wrong areas. Impossible to draw a tag, but the quality of bucks is excellent.

I don't think so. I saw the bucks that won the big buck contest that is held by the Stagecoach Motor Inn for that specific hunt every year. As I recall the year I shot a deer the largest buck was a very narrow 180" deer. My buck (4th place) grossed about 172" with the 2nd & 3rd place finishers a couple inches larger. I wouldn't consider any of those deer to be big...they're nice bucks, but not big ones. I see a lot bigger deer killed each year in Jackson and I see big ones each and every year on the winter range in Teton county. I think the 128 winter range hunt area is overhunted.

 

[mntnguide]

I don't think so. I saw the bucks that won the big buck contest that is held by the Stagecoach Motor Inn for that specific hunt every year. As I recall the year I shot a deer the largest buck was a very narrow 180" deer. My buck (4th place) grossed about 172" with the 2nd & 3rd place finishers a couple inches larger. I wouldn't consider any of those deer to be big...they're nice bucks, but not big ones. I see a lot bigger deer killed each year in Jackson and I see big ones each and every year on the winter range in Teton county. I think the 128 winter range hunt area is overhunted.

Agreed...overrated for the points. I know people who have had the tag recently,and yes it's a fun hunt and you will see tons of bucks usually. But a 180" deer is a no brain shooter out there. Whereas I can hunt the highcountry every year and know I will turn up 180-190 class deer in multiple places along with the very reasonable possibility of a 200"+ deer every year. 128 is a good hunt no doubt, but it is by no means the best trophy area in the state

 

[LCH]

I think if you are just starting out, it's wise to forget about the high demand units in states with point systems, and go for the more mediocre units that can be drawn with a point or 2. Get in for a couple years, draw a tag, get out. Apply for the glory tags in states with a complete random draw if that's what you're after.