Hello: This is my intial post after registering not long ago. I'm now a Michigan resident returning back home to the UP after 25 years living in western Wyoming. I'm a good resource for anyone concerning info. about the Salt River and Wyoming Ranges. My antelope experience is limited to the Red Desert (unit 60) and a couple more on the western end. I know the northern section of 60 very well as I've been fortunate to hunt there a half dozen times. That was before it got to be well known. Anyway, this year I applied for a unit 73 tag with 4 points. That puts me in excellent position to be successful in the draw. Hence, I'm starting a bit of research as I'm going in green. I'd really appreciate any tips from those who have been in unit 73. Everything would be helpful and appreciated. Information such as road access, where to get your meat processed, good places to get a bite to eat, etc. would be great. I've purchased a GPS chip and will be ordering some topo maps. Thanks in advance!!!
Unit 73
- Thread starter stevevan
- Start date
robsev
Member
I've hunted in 73 the last three years. Last fall they herded up early because of the big snow we had in Oct. They were also really spooky. I would stop to glass a herd 2 miles away and they would be moving out before I could get the scope on em. Casper is the closest place to get all the stuff you need. There are quite a few roads in the unit, but as you probably know, watch the weather report because if it even drizzles they suck. There's a blacktop road going right through the middle in case it gets wet and you can almost always see antelope along this road. Trophy quality seems to have gone down, last year after glassing over a couple hundred I only saw two that looked pretty good. I heard they dropped tag numbers significantly in the units around Casper this year. PM me if you have any other questions.
Yes, I've had first hand experience with that Wyoming clay when it gets wet. Not fun at all. I remember more than once breaking camp in the middle of the night after hearing the first rain drop hit the roof. Time then to get back on the pavement!!! I do see where the lic. numbers have been reduced this year. I applaud the G&F for their game mgt. practices and putting the resource at the top of their priorities. Since coming back east, specifically Michigan, I can't be so complimentary to our states DNR. With 30 years experience and education in resource management, I can't see what these guys back here have for a positive objective except the goal to just sell as many licenses as possible. I'm very hopeful to draw the tag and once again get the sweet smell of sage. A good buck would be great but the experience of the open desert would be "deja vu all over".
robsev
Member
It's been a little colder than normal, But the snow hasn't been bad. We have a herd wintering in the pasture behind our house - I counted 34 this morning, and all seem to be pretty healthy. Haven't heard much about the Casper area, so I assume it hasn't been a whole lot different than here.
robsev
Member
I don't really understand why Eastman's upgraded it to blue chip this year. Like I
said earlier, I covered a lot of ground and only saw 2 that might make the B & C minimum. Couldn't get even close to either one of em.
said earlier, I covered a lot of ground and only saw 2 that might make the B & C minimum. Couldn't get even close to either one of em.
I'm kind of tracking this thread as I also put 73 as my first choice with 4 points. Also went ahead and put in for the MD 34 as well. Though with the tag cuts in MD34, we likely won't draw. The responses on here, for the most part, mirror what I've gotten on other forums and from the biologist. We are just after a respectable example of an antelope. 70+ inches if possible. Heck, I'm not sure I can even judge them good enough to know a really nice one when I see it. This is my first trip out there. I definitely can't shoot 2 miles though, so I hate to hear that they are that spooky. Thanks for the responses.
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Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Topgun 30-06
Banned
***That, and the cutters should be well above the ear tips. If a guy can't go out to almost any unit in Wyoming and kill a 70"+ goat in a week, it's not because they aren't there but more because they don't know how to hunt or can't judge them properly and shoot the first one they see that is small.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
After you've looked at a few, the ones with mass and big, long cutters just jump out at you. If you see a small herd of them, there will usually be several bucks. When you start comparing them you will see the difference. The hardest ones to judge IMO, are lone bucks that are a long ways off. Then when the cutters are well above the ears and seem to stick way out there, they deserve a second look.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
Look for one like this. I got him in 2012 and he was in the high 70s because of the mass going way up and decent cutters even though he was only 14".
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I agree with everything said. The place to start is to examine the position of the prong on the horn. If it's above the ears and the width of the cutter is strong, then he's a candidate for a closer look as that cutter should be in the 3rd quarter when the measurements are taken.
Is this the one with three mass measurements below the prong? Awesome looking goat, what a beast!!!
Topgun 30-06
Banned
robsev
Member
Later is actually better. I never go till the last half of the season. I usually see maybe one or two other hunters at the most. A lot of days, especially weekdays, I don't see any. Normally they're not as spooky as they were last fall. I'm thinking the big snow we had in October and bunching up early had something to do with it. Almost seems like in this country, if they issue 800 tags in a unit, 750 guys go out opening weekend and leave the rest of the season to the rest of us.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
If for some reason I can't hunt a whole season for any animal when I go out, I'll always skip the first part of the season and go later with the same result in having the place to myself just as robsev mentioned. It just seems as if 90% of the people that draw tags feel they have to be there for the opener and it can be a zoo. There will be plenty of goats to chase when you get there, but it may take a little longer to find and kill a really good one. That's not bad either because the actual hunt is where it's at and not just the shooting part!
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Yep...agree 100%. I always hunt the last part of the season. Almost no hunters and animals seem to be less skittish. In 2012 I hunted 74 and only saw 2 other hunters.