Wyoming Antelope Unit Information

[BrentSte]

Hey guys, new to the forum. I am beginning to plan and research a 2015 antelope trip in Wyoming for my brother, 15yr old son, and myself.

Ideally, we would like to find an area we could hike into and camp away from the roads with reasonable chances of seeing some numbers. We aren't looking for trophies, just respectable animals to learn how to hunt as we build points for better units to later on use that experience for better results.

I have specific questions about Units 113, 17, 22 and 23. All have very good success rates and available tags, yet I can see where the limited access makes it more difficult. We have no issues finding that one point of access and then walking it in from there, we just want to make sure we aren't selecting a unit to drive 22+ hours and find out we dont even have the opportunity once we do all the walking.

Not looking for anyone to hand over their honey-holes, I want to find em myself. I just want to make sure the areas we select will give us opportunity to have a good hunt.

Thank you all in advance for your help

 

[Hilltop]

Consider hunting does in one of the "better units" that require a few points to draw a buck tag in. You will gain actual experience in an area you plan to buck hunt in and you won't be fighting for access. Another option is to pay a trespass fee for a decent ranch to hunt bucks this coming year. I'm not saying you can't shoot a public land buck next year but I am saying these other options would be less risky when travelling from so far away. You are starting your research early enough that you should find plenty of options. Good luck.

 

[2rocky]

To be honest, I think of Antelope as one species where Road hunting is considered the norm. You will get plenty of chances to get out and walk, but I think it is unreasonable to expect to do an "Away from the road" foot based antelope hunt short of sitting in a blind on a water hole.

Even in the most roaded units there are places not visible from the road you can hike into. In my Nevada Pronghorn hunt I drove 10 miles from camp to where I killed my antelope, in a wilderness, 3 miles from the truck. The 4 days prior were spent covering 80 or 100 square miles finding where the antelope were in the unit.

Antelope country is big country and you have to be mobile. You blow one stalk, and head out and find another bunch, 2 miles, 12 miles away.

 

[ithunter]

2rocky is exactly right...it was quite a shock my first speed goat hunt the amount of time you are almost required to drive around. We still walked as much as we could to glass over and around hills and valleys that you couldn't see from the road... but at the same time you cover so much ground driving just to see how everything is laid out. Unless you are in a blind there is no sit and wait...its more find them and go after it.

 

[Triple BB]

Who hikes in for antelope unless you have one specific goat yer after...

 

[Murdy]

I'm kind of in the same boat, making my first trip out this year. I would suggest getting map overlays for google earth (I got mine from OnXmaps), identifying public land that touches a road that appears public, then calling local government to make sure the road is, in fact, public.

 

[Kansas]

I'm going into unit 25 here in a couple weeks. Tried to get up there in August to find a good area to camp out for the week but was unable to find the time. It's a difficult access unit but I'm hoping I can get on a decent buck and connect. I'm not a big fan of trespass fees I want a true DIY hunt. I'll let you know how it goes for me.

 

[shady oaks]

identifying public land that touches a road that appears public, then calling local government to make sure the road is, in fact, public.

Spot on. I've been in contact with 2 different county road commissions asking exactly that. I saved the numbers in my phone just in case I find something I overlooked and want to know once I'm out there.
Find the number. Store the number. And good luck.

 

[Musket Man]

Harvest stats in units with alot of private land can be very misleading if you are hunting public land because most of the antelope are most likely killed on private land. Also alot of roads on the BLM maps might not be public roads you can drive on. Most roads that have a name or number are public. Look for larger chunks of BLM that have access from a public road and you can walk in a mile or so where most hunters wont go. be sure to get a gps and map chip so you can tell what is public land and where you can hunt. You can have a good hunt in these units but it will be a tougher hunt then a unit with lots of public land.

 

[canvsbk]

Musket hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't even consider going with out the GPS and map chip. And good luck with that phone service out there...

 

[Musket Man]

You could always just go scouting instead of getting a leftover tag. I spent 9 days scouting antelope this year and I think I learned more about them then I ever have hunting.

 

[BrentSte]

Thanks for the information guys! I look forward to reading up on how everyone does this season in the weeks coming.

I have resolved myself to the fact that cruising the roads may be the most efficient method, but I still have lots to learn and figure out. I really do appreciate all of the feedback.