Should I apply for Antelope in Wyoming or not???

[JimP]

The season hasn't started yet..

I have seen states DWR's cancel and change hunts a month before the season starts. Sometimes it takes a bit longer into the year to get a better grasp on what is going on as far as herd health and numbers are concerned.

 

[disabled combat vet]

The season hasn't started yet..

I have seen states DWR's cancel and change hunts a month before the season starts. Sometimes it takes a bit longer into the year to get a better grasp on what is going on as far as herd health and numbers are concerned.

Makes sense just very frustrating !!!!!! I also think they should maybe make type 1 tags buck only and type 6 tags doe only no fawn.

 

[disabled combat vet]

The season hasn't started yet..

I have seen states DWR's cancel and change hunts a month before the season starts. Sometimes it takes a bit longer into the year to get a better grasp on what is going on as far as herd health and numbers are concerned.

It will be interesting to see if the New Director for Colorado CPW makes any changes lol, also if they reduce tags in the Craig area.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

The biologist canceled the type 6 tags in my area which is good but not the type 7 tags which doesn't make sense. I'm not a biologist but to me it makes common sense to cancel the type 7 to.

If the type 7 in that unit is on irrigated land or within so many miles , the landowners are probably complaining and they usually win , not right but that’s the way it seems to go

 

[disabled combat vet]

If the type 7 in that unit is on irrigated land or within so many miles , the landowners are probably complaining and they usually win , not right but that’s the way it seems to go

Yeah makes sense, it's a small certain part of the hunt area.

 

[JimP]

It will be interesting to see if the New Director for Colorado CPW makes any changes lol, also if they reduce tags in the Craig area.

From what I understand they'll have to reduce them. I heard that the semis traveling on HWY 40 just slaughtered the antelope as they were standing in the middle of the road.

 

[disabled combat vet]

From what I understand they'll have to reduce them. I heard that the semis traveling on HWY 40 just slaughtered the antelope as they were standing in the middle of the road.

Maybe they need some wildlife crossings between Craig and Maybell

 

[Hilltop]

Looking at the hunting reg. book, you will find that the antelope tags that are generally referred to as "buck" tags actually state, "any antelope". I don't know how many does are killed when someone can't find a buck, but I don't think that should even be an option when the population is so low.

People might be surprised how many does are shot on any antelope tags. I did it when I was 16 one year. Have seen my buddies mom do it a couple of times. It's not uncommon with some residents. I do think it would be very rare for a nonresident simply due to the expense.

 

[disabled combat vet]

People might be surprised how many does are shot on any antelope tags. I did it when I was 16 one year. Have seen my buddies mom do it a couple of times. It's not uncommon with some residents. I do think it would be very rare for a nonresident simply die to the expense.

Hopefully people don't do it this year......

 

[RICMIC]

I've shot 7 does in WY, and only one buck when I had the tag. I saw a steady decrease in the antelope numbers since 2015, when the zone that I hunted looked like the Seringetti. I was able to build on my knowledge of the area while gaining points to draw a buck tag again, but now that I have enough to draw, the zone is almost void of antelope. I drove through the unit in Sept., and only saw a few on an alfalfa patch, where I had previously seen hundreds throughout the unit.
I don't feel bad about killing does when I had the tag when the numbers supported it, but even if I could draw some now, I would not. Wild game came not be stockpiled, and harvest can be regulated when the situation requires that. But, these weather or disease events are the real killers and they happen beyond anyone's control.

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot 7 does in WY, and only one buck when I had the tag. I saw a steady decrease in the antelope numbers since 2015, when the zone that I hunted looked like the Seringetti. I was able to build on my knowledge of the area while gaining points to draw a buck tag again, but now that I have enough to draw, the zone is almost void of antelope. I drove through the unit in Sept., and only saw a few on an alfalfa patch, where I had previously seen hundreds throughout the unit.
I don't feel bad about killing does when I had the tag when the numbers supported it, but even if I could draw some now, I would not. Wild game came not be stockpiled, and harvest can be regulated when the situation requires that. But, these weather or disease events are the real killers and they happen beyond anyone's control.

Make no mistake the increase in NR hunting has really had an impact on pronghorn in many areas. Lots of NR's like you would show up every year and whack multiple does (nothing wrong with that).

The thing is, 10, 15, 20 years ago there were thousands of pronghorn buck and doe tags that were not even being issued. With the popularity of pronghorn hunting, there isn't a single tag that goes unsold now.

I believe the GF has been over-issuing pronghorn tags for decades and got away with those high quotas because the tags never sold out. I used to sometimes buy a leftover buck tag the last day of the season, just to fund the department and had no intention of hunting it.

One herd near my house you could buy 2 buck and 4 doe tags the last day of the season when I moved here, high of 1100 permits available. That unit is now issuing zero doe tags and only 250 buck tags and it takes several points for a NR to draw it. Interestingly enough, 3-8 years ago the draw odds for buck tags was better than doe tags. Very few residents applied for that unit and could be drawn 3rd choice 3 years ago.

That's not a situation of a bad winter, drought, or anything but over-hunting.

This particular area isn't the only one that this has happened to.

 

[disabled combat vet]

Make no mistake the increase in NR hunting has really had an impact on pronghorn in many areas. Lots of NR's like you would show up every year and whack multiple does (nothing wrong with that).

The thing is, 10, 15, 20 years ago there were thousands of pronghorn buck and doe tags that were not even being issued. With the popularity of pronghorn hunting, there isn't a single tag that goes unsold now.

I believe the GF has been over-issuing pronghorn tags for decades and got away with those high quotas because the tags never sold out. I used to sometimes buy a leftover buck tag the last day of the season, just to fund the department and had no intention of hunting it.

One herd near my house you could buy 2 buck and 4 doe tags the last day of the season when I moved here, high of 1100 permits available. That unit is now issuing zero doe tags and only 250 buck tags and it takes several points for a NR to draw it. Interestingly enough, 3-8 years ago the draw odds for buck tags was better than doe tags. Very few residents applied for that unit and could be drawn 3rd choice 3 years ago.

That's not a situation of a bad winter, drought, or anything but over-hunting.

This particular area isn't the only one that this has happened to.

My friend who's a resident says the same thing about the area we hunt that it has been over hunted for years......

 

[manitou1]

Yup. Overhunting is an issue no doubt... to the point it is not near as enjoyable to go out and hunt any more.
It is now a race... a competition to get on animals vs a relaxing day afield.
It shows the selfishness and greed attributes of humans that I dislike very much.

 

[disabled combat vet]

Yup. Overhunting is an issue no doubt... to the point it is not near as enjoyable to go out and hunt any more.
It is now a race... a competition to get on animals vs a relaxing day afield.
It shows the selfishness and greed attributes of humans that I dislike very much.

I agree, like I said before I would whether hunt every other year for a quality hunt instead of every year for a quanity hunt

 

[WapitiBob]

Quit selling doe tags for $40 friggin dollars. Kind of hard to get twisted when the state treats the resource like they're a nuisance that needs to go away.
CO got it right, nr Cow tags the same price as Bull tags.

 

[disabled combat vet]

I wonder how many people will shoot a Doe /Fawn on a Type 1 tag this year with how the winter has been...... either resident or non resident ??

 

[JimP]

There will always be those hunters who will shoot the first one that the see that is legal for the tag that they have.

Then there are the others who will hold out to the end of their hunt before they pull the trigger, I would image that most non residents will be this way but you never know. Then there are the others who will shoot a doe and then complain that there are no animals left to hunt.

 

[disabled combat vet]

There will always be those hunters who will shoot the first one that the see that is legal for the tag that they have.

Then there are the others who will hold out to the end of their hunt before they pull the trigger, I would image that most non residents will be this way but you never know. Then there are the others who will shoot a doe and then complain that there are no animals left to hunt.

I really hope people really think about not shooting a doe/fawn before they pull the trigger...... also I really think game and fish should make a type 1 tag buck only not a any type tag........

 

[disabled combat vet]

Well talking to my friend from Casper it looks like I'm going to put in for a point even though it's frustrating!!!!!

 

[Rich M]

Yup. Overhunting is an issue no doubt... to the point it is not near as enjoyable to go out and hunt any more.
It is now a race... a competition to get on animals vs a relaxing day afield.
It shows the selfishness and greed attributes of humans that I dislike very much.

Selfishness and greed would be reflected in not allowing others to play more than having to compete over game in a limited access unit - you & I knew what we were getting into with the combat hunting units.