Pronghorn - Units 75, 80, 90 - comments

Grandstream

New Member
Jan 10, 2016
15
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I've hunted antelope in WY for 35+ years in a variety of units: 57, 58, 63, 68, 74 but never been in the units I have listed above and am trying to narrow down my choice for a special tag w/4 points. I'd be happy to swap or give info on the units I've been. I'm really looking for information on each unit - realistic buck quality, biggest bucks seen, what's the country like, overall impressions, etc. I've been to all the e-scouting locales and was mostly interested in eyewitness accounts of the units the last couple years. Happy to take a PM if anyone doesn't want to give up anything for the general public.

Back in the 80's, unit 57 was the most amazing place I've ever seen for big bucks and numbers of antelope - a heyday that we will likely never see again in our lifetime. I love hunting big antelope and wish the point system was never invoked. Oh well, now to make the best of it...Thanks for your input!
 

Grandstream

New Member
Jan 10, 2016
15
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For what its worth and what I've heard so far: 80 is highly overrated but there were a few really big bucks seen in the 2014 season. 90-1 and 90-2 are great hunts for average to slightly above average bucks. 75 has a lot of pressure but there's a lot of antelope to look over but you will not likely see anything much over 80".

The difficulty in assessing a unit I believe is that very few people are actually good at judging antelope. I'm decent at it but have likely passed on some bigger scoring bucks that had I known, I'd have big time regrets. You will hear people say they saw some 80" bucks but were looking for something bigger - in the entire state of WY last year, per B&C there were only 22 bucks officially scored that went 80" or better. That says a lot about how rare an 80" buck really is...I understand people don't want to give up hard earned scouting information but the reality is, you can't hunt or draw all the different units every year anyway.

Here's what I can report: 57 - one of the best units to hunt anywhere. Loved it the few times we drew. Never killed a booner here but saw several that, for one reason or another, we could not get them killed. One of the top 3 biggest antelope I've ever seen was in this unit. 58 - incredible hunt and wish I could have a do-over there. Killed a 79+ big pronged 15" and actually ran out of days because of a conflicting deer hunt in unit 102. Friend killed a 17" buck with a broken prong or it would have made B&C. There's more potential for a big buck in this unit than any other I've been in - you simply cannot cover it all. 63 - hunted it 3 times and loved the country but very hard to find anything over 75". Have a friend that has killed 2 booners near the lake but we could never find anything that big and it makes you wonder if all the really big bucks have been killed and that there's a cycle for replacement that takes a lot longer than anyone knows. 68 - great hunt and killed a booner here. Very low pressure and a lot of really cool places to look for bucks. Was very impressed with the quality bucks here. 74 - not as good as 68 and although a few bucks bumping 80 were seen, we were pretty sure they were not going to make 80. Some private land here can mess you up but it is fairly open to cruise around as you wish. Seems like it might be good later in the season with some bucks/antelope moving over from the west and up from the south.

I guess another very important consideration in picking a unit is that they are cyclical in nature - weather, harvest, winterkill, tag allocation, point creep, magazine reviews, etc. and that is what makes it hard to pick wisely. A guy hates to burn a lot of years of points for a unit that just does not have what you want in it for quality. some of the reviews on 60/61 are not that glowing and it's one of the best locales typically and has been forever.
 

Doe Nob

Very Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
565
0
Houston, TX
I couldn't find a buck I thought would go over 80" in 90-1 last fall. Loads of mid 70's type bucks, so I think in a couple years it will be there, but not sure how bad this winter was out there.
 

wyohunter1

Member
May 5, 2012
112
1
80 doesn't have near the number of antelope as 75, I live in 80 and have hunted 75 ,I would pick 75 over 80.
 

480/277

Very Active Member
Feb 23, 2013
629
1
No antelope in wyoming
Anyone with more than 7 points is a hoarder....
Last year I thought I wanted to spend my points on 67
So I put boots on the ground during the season
Glad I did not spend my points
Thats my advise
Hunt a left over unit
Then go recon which ever unit you want to hunt
Preferably in season
Unless you have more than 8 points
Then you should just spend them on unit 16
 
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arwaterfowler

Active Member
Dec 4, 2011
229
15
Omaha, NE
No antelope in wyoming
Anyone with more than 7 points is a hoarder....
Last year I thought I wanted to spend my points on 67
So I put boots on the ground during the season
Glad I did not spend my points
Thats my advise
Hunt a left over unit
Then go recon which ever unit you want to hunt
Preferably in season
Unless you have more than 8 points
Then you should just spend them on unit 16
Good plan. I hunted 67 last year. It was a fun hunt but a little disappointing in the top end quality. I scouted 5 days and hunted 4. I worked the rim on the south side, the flats on the north and the desolation in between. I found a 76" in an obscure pocket and got him. Nice goat they can be had in other units that take less points.
 

PlainsHunter

Active Member
Feb 29, 2012
430
33
Central MN
I hunted 68 in 2014 and ended up shooting one that was 72". I'm lousy at judging them but I don't think I ever saw one that was over about 75". I'm sure they were there, but I couldn't turn any up. I also skipped opening day and I'm not sure how many big ones get killed the morning of opening day. Guessing many guys have particular animals picked out ahead of time and have a good idea where they are at first light opening morning.
 

480/277

Very Active Member
Feb 23, 2013
629
1
Well given how long it takes to get a tag in some of these "blue chip units" even for residents, I am positive the locals that live there and state guys that can recon before season have the bigger lopes located. I would if I had thier advantage. So, when I choose my unit, I will be there the week before season opens. With any luck as rosey finger dawn gives way to shooting light , the unit will be one less monster buck....
Yeah that's the plan
 

Fink

Veteran member
Apr 7, 2011
1,961
204
West Side, MoMo
Well given how long it takes to get a tag in some of these "blue chip units" even for residents, I am positive the locals that live there and state guys that can recon before season have the bigger lopes located. I would if I had thier advantage. So, when I choose my unit, I will be there the week before season opens. With any luck as rosey finger dawn gives way to shooting light , the unit will be one less monster buck....
Yeah that's the plan
I posted in another thread that I hunted 75 last fall, later in the season. The entire time I was there, I wondered how many big bucks had already gotten killed off the unit, before I ever stepped foot in it. Next good antelope tag I draw, I'll be like you, and be there before season, and sleep on a buck and kill him opening day. That, or pick a unit with lower antelope densities, and fewer tags.
300+ tags in a unit equates to a lot of dead bucks in those first few days.
 

Grandstream

New Member
Jan 10, 2016
15
0
Good comments - thanks!

In my experiences, the biggest bucks are contrary to what people think - they are young in age, not old like trophy elk or deer. It makes sense that a lot of good "new" bucks get whacked on opening weekend and I don't think I'd want to miss scouting a week or so before the season opened and to camp out on a buck if it's worthy.

It also makes sense because I've seen it happen - that bucks will appear later in the season in areas you've already ground pounded - always fun to find those types of bucks - reminds me of wandering whitetails that pop up one day out of nowhere.
 

shootbrownelk

Veteran member
Apr 11, 2011
1,535
196
Wyoming
Good comments - thanks!

In my experiences, the biggest bucks are contrary to what people think - they are young in age, not old like trophy elk or deer. It makes sense that a lot of good "new" bucks get whacked on opening weekend and I don't think I'd want to miss scouting a week or so before the season opened and to camp out on a buck if it's worthy.

It also makes sense because I've seen it happen - that bucks will appear later in the season in areas you've already ground pounded - always fun to find those types of bucks - reminds me of wandering whitetails that pop up one day out of nowhere.
I've seen some dandy bucks in #75 the LAST week of the season, up so high you'd never think to look there. I found a couple of pockets of antelope while Elk hunting. The big, old and smart ones know how to avoid....until after the season is over. I saw a big buck the last week in belly deep snow a few years ago, I never forgot it. Not all the big ones get shot off the first few weekends.