Unit 73 Antelope...looking for places to stay?

[tsbret]

I put my wife in her first draw this year and with my 4 points it averaged out enough to draw a Unit 73 antelope tag. I did my research after drawing the tag and will be hunting the NW corner of the unit. I got back from a BC sheep hunt about a month ago and have been swamped and can't get up to the unit before the 18th of Oct. We've got to make a couple of stops coming home and don't want to pull a trailer up from S Texas unless I have to.

Question: Any recommendations on where to stay for about 4-5 days that is about an 1 hour or less drive away each morning or evening from the NW corner of the Unit ? There seems to be plenty of places in Thermopolis but I'm not sure what kind of drive we're in for...anybody know about the Tensleep area? Thanks for any ideas!

Bret

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Welcome to the forum, tsbret, I'm sure somebody here can point you in the right direction.

I hope you stick around ... I would love to hear about the BC sheep hunt!

 

[Drhorsepower]

Check your pm

 

[tsbret]

Thanks Dr...I PM you a reply
Bret

 

[robsev]

There is a motel in Edgerton - just east off of I25 on the very east corner of the unit. I just got back from there yesterday. We set up a tent right in the area. We had rain and drizzle Friday and all day Saturday - miserable. Couldn't even get down the roads with my Sportsman 500. Tried to do some walking - couldn't even do much of that with all the mud sticking to your boots. The sun finally came out Sunday afternoon and we saw probably 80 total antelope and not one buck over 12 inches. Had to leave Monday afternoon so we really didn't have a whole lot of time to hunt but I was still somewhat disappointed in this "Blue Chip" unit. The only highlight of our hunt was a 516 yard shot I made on a coyote about noon on Monday. I was pretty impressed with my 270 WSM. We covered mainly the northern part of the unit - There's a little place called greasy lake, just pretty much a little mud hole - we went about 4 miles south, sat on hills and glassed areas you could see 5 miles, and we saw absolutely nothing.

 

[Manualman]

I have been hunting area 73 the last 2days and haven't seen half the antelope I did 2 years ago. Took 2 does today but haven't seen a shooter buck

 

[robsev]

Sounds to me like 73 should probably be taken off the Blue Chip status for next year.

 

[Drhorsepower]

I went up there last year and saw the most antelope I have seen in my life. All12-13 range. We saw 50 different bucks the first day driving around. I don't believe that so much could change in one year. I could be wrong. I don't know if I would consider a blue chip as far as quality goes but then again I killed a dandy out of there. It is just persistace of staying out there and hunting hard for a week.