WY unit 25 Pronghorn tag

[gofishin12]

My daughter (13) and I received our 2012 pronghorn (3rd choice) tag in unit 25. I haven't been there yet. Any suggestions on an good area?

We will probably avoid the 1st week due to crowds.

Thanks

 

[bullelk]

We bought leftover tags there last year and went into the area with only 1 day to scout. That was almost a mistake. There is so much landlocked public land that we nearly didn't find a place to hunt. Some of the locals were trying to throw us off on where we could go, but thanks to a kind deputy sheriff and a BLM guy we ran into, we found 2 areas that were accessible. We managed to shoot 4 bucks (4 guys) on the first day, due to some hard hunting and a couple of breaks. Moral, get some maps with public land identified, scout when you can, and take the first respectable buck you see. I thought my gps had Wyoming land ownership on it, but unfortunately it did not. I have it now. Gook luck!.

 

[PLP]

25 is very rough to get access in..I contacted (or attempted to)all the landowners around the landlocked land on the southern chunk of BLM..They were all leased out but one,and he was so worried about drought conditions he didnt want to take any chance on letting anyone go across his land...Most of the landlocked land in WY is kept that way by what seems to be a network of outfitters who seem to make a pact to not let anyone cross unless they are guided by them.I talked to the head guy at the county rd dept,and he told me the one road I thought was accessible had been scaled back 2 miles due to budget cuts..Looks public on maps..but wasnt..So no access to that piece..I also offered to pay a trespass fee,and that was a no-go..buy a hunt or no access..There were some parcels on the northern side of the unit that were accessible,but they just dont look that appealing to me,and are limited..I was fortunate to find a landowner in another unit who would let me cross his land(and actually hunt it too)..so I abandoned unit 25..I just feel like sharing this with you because I put alot of hard work into finding a place in that unit,and since you are taking your daughter..want you to know what you are up against.

most people say wait a week..etc.. but from my sources they say its a trick to get guys to stay out the way.As most lopes get pushed off public onto private during the first week..True you may have less competition later in the season,and that would probably be a more quality hunt for your daughter....but thats cause they have filled tags,and spooked the game terribly and give up.That said..I was told you can still get on them,but they will be on extreme high alert,and your odds go down as season progresses....Might as well rub elbows with the rest of em,and camp out on an antelope if you find one,or keep calling landowners hoping to find one who will let her hunt for a fair price..Good luck!!

 

[husker hunter]

hi everyone, im new to this fourm. I have been an eastmans suscriber for a couple yrs now and love their magazines. I have never hunted out of my home state of nebraska but I hunt just about everything here around home. My longtime hunting partner and I have been talking about trying Wy antelope for a couple yrs now so this year we each bought leftover tags for unit 25. We really had no idea what we were doing, I borrowed a wyoming gazetteer atlas from a coworker and after skimming through it we saw unit 25 had a fair amount of public ground so we then got tags for that unit. We were in a hurry to get a tag because we were affraid they would sell out so we took a gamble and thought we would do our homework and research after we got the tags, Huge mistake on our part!

So after learning that access was really tough, I then bought a map for unit 25 from eastmans online and have spent countless hours over the last 2 weeks using google earth and other internet maps, cross referencing with my map from eastmans and the Wy gazetteer atlas. Im planning on buying a good gps with a Wy map card soon and hopefully that helps. I think I have found a spot where a county road crosses some state owned land which in turn connects with a good chunk of blm land, but after reading the above post about the road closure, I am getting very nervious. My friend and I are 24 yrs old and in good shape, so lots of hiking and packing out wont be a problem. Our plan was to pack in and camp for 4 days and hike and hunt as much as we can. We dont plan on trophy hunting, just crossing our fingers that we get a shot at an average animal! This our first hunt in Wy and our first antelope hunt anywhere, so we were hopeing to have a good expierence and learn lots.

Any advice would help, or atleast a little reassurance that im not totally out of luck before my hunt begins! sorry my first post on the fourm is so doom and gloom but thanks for reading

 

[HuntWYODon]

25 is very rough to get access in..I contacted (or attempted to)all the landowners around the landlocked land on the southern chunk of BLM..They were all leased out but one,and he was so worried about drought conditions he didnt want to take any chance on letting anyone go across his land...Most of the landlocked land in WY is kept that way by what seems to be a network of outfitters who seem to make a pact to not let anyone cross unless they are guided by them.I talked to the head guy at the county rd dept,and he told me the one road I thought was accessible had been scaled back 2 miles due to budget cuts..Looks public on maps..but wasnt..So no access to that piece..I also offered to pay a trespass fee,and that was a no-go..buy a hunt or no access..There were some parcels on the northern side of the unit that were accessible,but they just dont look that appealing to me,and are limited..I was fortunate to find a landowner in another unit who would let me cross his land(and actually hunt it too)..so I abandoned unit 25..I just feel like sharing this with you because I put alot of hard work into finding a place in that unit,and since you are taking your daughter..want you to know what you are up against.

most people say wait a week..etc.. but from my sources they say its a trick to get guys to stay out the way.As most lopes get pushed off public onto private during the first week..True you may have less competition later in the season,and that would probably be a more quality hunt for your daughter....but thats cause they have filled tags,and spooked the game terribly and give up.That said..I was told you can still get on them,but they will be on extreme high alert,and your odds go down as season progresses....Might as well rub elbows with the rest of em,and camp out on an antelope if you find one,or keep calling landowners hoping to find one who will let her hunt for a fair price..Good luck!!

I bought a leftover 25 tag once....That's why there are so many leftover. Mostly private. The show that in the regs also. I still busted an average loper there but learned my lesson. The is some state and BLM land there but like PLP said, access is sometimes a problem.
I hunted a 25,000 acre ranch in Chugwater Wy. on the eastside for 5 yrs.. 1 General deer tag, 1 limited quota whitetail and one antelope tag plus numerous does tags every year. Come 6th yr. Mr. Rancher leased property to an outfitter, mainly for the big witetails in the river bottom. I called the outfitter and told him I hunt there every year. He basically said too bad so sad boo hoo. I asked him how much he charged to DIY hunt deer and antelope. He wanted 300 for loper and 500 for deer, in 1988. I politely to him to fck off. The rancher charged us $100 to hunt for as many tags we had and for as long as we wanted. He made a little off the land owner coupons...

 

[husker hunter]

I read in the regs that 25 is a limited public but at first glance of a blm map it looks like a lot, here in Nebraska there is hardly any public compaired to Wy. In my opinion 25 has quite a bit of public, its just land locked. When I was looking at my atlas before i got my tag i didnt realize that most of the roads i was seeing were private. At this point i really dont care if i even kill an antelope, i just hope i can find a place to camp and hunt. Im really scared that i will make the 12 hour drive only to turn around and drive home because i cant find a place, but im going to be optimistic and give it my best.

And HuntWYODon, I feel your pain about leased ground. My grandparents old farm is now leased to an outfitter, they wouldnt even let me take a walk around the property just to bring back some old memories!

 

[PLP]

husker hunter county rd 705 (E.ormsby rd I believe)that comes off of 87(old salt creek hwy)..does NOT go all the way to the converse county line,and does not reach that piece of blm land that would connect you to ALOT of land..It stops short on private.It does hit another piece,but nothing big.I spoke to that landowner at the end of the rd and I spoke to the landowners down south of there at cole creek sheep co..They are leased out and the leasee did not seem happy to talk to me whatsoever..she told me there is NO ACCESS..not by trespass fee or anything......you may be able to find someone on the SW corner of that chunk..I couldnt...I contacted the head guy at road and grounds for natrona co,and also did get ahold of someone at WG&F that told me it is landlocked.The guy at roads and grounds said it was all the way to the county line,but they scaled it back due to budget cuts..It is odd to me how a public road gets scaled back JUST ENOUGH TO CUT OFF A TON OF PUBLIC ACCESS..DONT YA THINK?There are sections up on the northern end of the unit,and western end of the unit you can get on.

Things is in the leftover units in the east side of WY..every SINGLE one that has to hunt public is looking at the same 2 or 3 spots...they are all trying to figure out which piece they can walk to from a public rd..they are thinking the big pieces may attract the most hunters so let me find a small piece..there just arent many angles that someone else wont think of..the only difference may be catching an antelope at the right place at the right time,or finding a landowner by knocking door to door..Other than that you will prolly be riding around scouting hoping to catch one in the open....waving at everyone else doing the same thing..lol

I'm in Nebraska now too..Not far from you..shoot me a pm...I can go into more detail with ya..

 

[HuntWYODon]

I read in the regs that 25 is a limited public but at first glance of a blm map it looks like a lot, here in Nebraska there is hardly any public compaired to Wy. In my opinion 25 has quite a bit of public, its just land locked. When I was looking at my atlas before i got my tag i didnt realize that most of the roads i was seeing were private. At this point i really dont care if i even kill an antelope, i just hope i can find a place to camp and hunt. Im really scared that i will make the 12 hour drive only to turn around and drive home because i cant find a place, but im going to be optimistic and give it my best.

And HuntWYODon, I feel your pain about leased ground. My grandparents old farm is now leased to an outfitter, they wouldnt even let me take a walk around the property just to bring back some old memories!

You can't even walk around on your grand parents property ? Do they still own/live there ? If so, I don't see how an outfitter can deny you access if you have your gran parents permission to be there. I'd tell the outfitter watch SOB. I might be missing something and they are no longer with us or own ?
PLP will get you lind out, I have no doubt. He's a good man and knows his sht. He's got a lot of been there done that experience for a young man, young compared to me... Talk turkey with him. He'll blow your mind with what he has done. My head is still spinning !
I shot my buck in the northern part of the zone. Been many years. May be where PLP is talking about. Don't ever buy a 25 tag again ! LOL ! Good luck with your hunt and try to have fun.

 

[husker hunter]

HuntWODon, I should have clairified more. My grand parents died about 14 yrs ago, their neighbor bought the property, but he retired from farming and now leases it out. so last august i was in the area and asked to walk around and got ahold of the outfitter that leases it and he said no because it was too close to deer season and he didnt want me to spook any deer.

As for the antelope hunt, im still going but not with high hopes. I will take your advice and move on to another unit next yr. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good trip. Good luck to gofishin12, Im planning on going early so I can let you know how I do if you are waiting til the end of season. If I dont find any antelopes hopefully I can get a few rattlers to make the trip worth while

 

[Sawfish]

If I dont find any antelopes hopefully I can get a few rattlers to make the trip worth while

Do you mean: as in rattlesnakes?

 

[HuntWYODon]

HuntWODon, I should have clairified more. My grand parents died about 14 yrs ago, their neighbor bought the property, but he retired from farming and now leases it out. so last august i was in the area and asked to walk around and got ahold of the outfitter that leases it and he said no because it was too close to deer season and he didnt want me to spook any deer.

As for the antelope hunt, im still going but not with high hopes. I will take your advice and move on to another unit next yr. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good trip. Good luck to gofishin12, Im planning on going early so I can let you know how I do if you are waiting til the end of season. If I dont find any antelopes hopefully I can get a few rattlers to make the trip worth while

Hey, leave those rattlers alone ! LOL !

 

[husker hunter]

yes I mean rattlesnakes, Im a snake nut! I really want to get a big one mounted, I practice catch and release on the little ones. my goal is to get one over 4' to mount

 

[sjsmallfield]

Im a snake nut!

I think HuntWYODon has you beat. Just a guess from his other posts on the subject.

 

[husker hunter]

yep, I just looked at those post. Very impressive! did you catch your snake as a baby HuntWYODon? Im new to the sport, I have only caught a few small rattlers in western nebraska but im hooked now. I would just like to get a couple close encounters during my antelope hunt. I was thinking if the weather keeps on its track, snakes will be out later this fall. Hopefully unit 25 is crawling with snakes!

 

[HuntWYODon]

Hah ! Another snake lover ! I've had that western (Hopi from Az. ) since a new born . Be 17 yrs. old next mon. I caught him while archery elk hunting near Flagstaff in 1995. Had a bull tag too...
He is the calmest snake I own and loves to get out and be held. I think it thinks I'm it's daddy . Lol ! Never struck or even rattled at me. Weird . You will probably be hunting in Sept. or Oct. I presume. Prarie rattlers will still be out. When I hunt out of Cody every yr. in Nov. they are already in hibernation ;( . I just got me colapsable snake hook for 8 bucks that fits in my pack nicely. Weighes nothing. You ought to find you one . Careful with the Prarie's tho , they have a mean disposition like diamond backs and southern pacific's ! Be careful !

 

[canvsbk]

You guys give me the creeps....

 

[HuntWYODon]

yep, I just looked at those post. Very impressive! did you catch your snake as a baby HuntWYODon? Im new to the sport, I have only caught a few small rattlers in western nebraska but im hooked now. I would just like to get a couple close encounters during my antelope hunt. I was thinking if the weather keeps on its track, snakes will be out later this fall. Hopefully unit 25 is crawling with snakes!

You sound crazier than I ! What month is your hunt ? Oct. ?

 

[husker hunter]

yes i will be hunting in early oct. I just hope they dont want want in my tent at night lol.

 

[HuntWYODon]

yes i will be hunting in early oct. I just hope they dont want want in my tent at night lol.

I know what you mean. Keep it zipped ! I a lot of times here in Ca. just through my bag on a pad with no tent when I back pack hunt. Here in Oct. snakes aren't hibernating yet and I know the cold blooded suckers seek warmth. Kinda makes you keep one eye open along with the bears. The first night out like that I always have bad dreams anyway. The second night I'm so tired I don't care what happens. I had a dream once that a bear was pulling on the bottom of my sleeping bag. I woke myself up kicking my legs in the bag at the bear. I didn't want to go back to sleep. When I did, I started having the same dream again !. The next night I wouldn't of woke up if a real bear was pulling on my legs. I was at 9,900 ft. Fish Creek saddle. That was about 20 yrs. ago ! Not long after that I bought a little back pack tent. At least it keeps the rain off you instead of using a bivey sack.
Don't forget you cloth snake bags !