Private Land Antelope

[brookhunter19]

All,

I am looking for recommendations for ranchers or outfitters that you guys have used in the past, that let you pay an access fee to archery hunt antelope. I don't need a fully guided antelope hunt. I can camp on my own, set up my own blinds, and have a 4x4 truck. I am just looking to pay for access to private property. I have been on three antelope hunts in the past, south and east of Gillette, and would like to try a new area. There has been nothing wrong with my expereince hunting on the ranch where I have hunted in the past. The only problem is that the rancher does such a good job managing is ranch for antelope, that he is booked out for 5 years. I am looking for ranchers or outfitters in Wyoming or South Dakota.

Thansk for your help!

brookhunter

 

[jenbickel]

Is there a reason you dont want to do public land?

 

[WYrider]

I would try a Public land hunt over in Meeteetse. Lots of goats and public land. Not much hunting pressure at all. Have pulled nice goats out of there every year.

 

[Elkoholic307]

Is there a reason you dont want to do public land?

I'm wondering the same thing. There's so much public here.. why would you target private land only?

Unless, you're worried about someone stealing your blind?

 

[brookhunter19]

I would be up for trying public land. I guess I have been kind of spoiled hunting on our private ranch spot in the past. The rancher we hunt with does an excellent job. One of the real advantages that I have experienced hunting with our rancher, is that he will dry up as many of the natural water holes as possible, so that the antelope will have to water at a specific wind mill location. Also he knows what kind of animals he has on the ranch, because he watches them all summer. Therefore he will tell us where the nicer bucks are at, which is nice considering that we are out of staters. Like I mentioned earlier, I would continue to go with our rancher, but he is booked out for 5 years. It sounds like you guys feel that there is enough public land to go around, maybe I will give a public land hunt a try next time. Is it hard to locate water holes on public land? Thanks for the info WYrider, greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

brookhunter

 

[jenbickel]

It is not hard at all to locate water holes on public land. If you do hunt public land, I would just give yourself at least a day or two of just scouting the area out that way you kind of know. A lot of the public land around here has lots of like methane roads and stuff on them so you can drive around a lot of it.

 

[sjsmallfield]

I would have to agree. It is not hard to find the water holes on public. We hunted in WY in 2009 and found about 7 or 8 water holes in 4 days, and we hunted a pretty small area. Just get a good map/maps and check out the area a couple days prior to the hunt. Good luck!

 

[Drhorsepower]

I feel ya brook. When I went to Wyoming, the area I hunted, where there was blue on the blm map, it was private. I found one water hole that wasn't. I talked to the ranchers and they wanted a pretty penny for me to set up my blind. I wanna say 4-500$

 

[Codes]

Come on guys, half the fun is finding all this by yourself or with a buddy. Who needs someone to find their waterholes or where the big bucks hang out? If you have 3 days to hunt spend 2 of them scouting. Scouting is a valuable tool that doesnt get used as much as it should.

No offense to outfitters or people that use them. There is no better trophy than those taken on public land! But if there is to many people on the public land and you dont want to deal with that......pound on some doors! Its a lost art but it still works.

And remember always spend more time scouting then you do hunting, it will pay off in the end!

Good luck.