Help Needed - Planning WY DIY Antelope Hunt

[Rydonn]

Hello,

Starting some research for a DIY Antelope hunt in Wyoming for next fall. I've done virtually no research yet as I just made this decision a few days ago. If anyone has ever done one of these and could give some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

The most difficult decision I'm going to run into is which unit to hunt in. In looking at the regulations there are almost 100 units, and I still haven't read on enough to go through the draw requirements. Do you apply for only one area out of all of the units? Like I mentioned above, still haven't wrapped my head around all of this yet.

Please help, any words will be good ones. Thanks

[carpsniperg2]

Do a search on here it has been talked about a few times and there is some great info. If you really want to take the curve out. Join eastmans and get there MRS "I think that is what they call it" It breaks down all the units. There is limited units that you can have a chance at 100% drawing a tag. Some have tons of public ground and others have almost none. They break that all down for you. I did one last year and me and my friend shot 10 in 2 days and I was able to shoot a record book buck. It is a great hunt when it all comes together. You can apply for more then one unit as well. Some have 0% chance of a first year draw others have a small chance. So it is good to put in for those small chance units as a first pick if a guy gets lucky. Then take the 100% tag as a 2nd pick.

[gasman]

And once you have narrowed down to a dozen units, contact the local Bio and his feed back. I found them to be very helpful.

Just because the area had 100% draw and little public land does not mean you will have a tuff time fill the tags 

[carpsniperg2]

That is very true some units do have little public ground. Yet still offer good harvest numbers.

I think gasman did a pay to hunt thing on his last trip over there. If you check out the units and talk to the bio's they can tell you ranches that sell trespass fee's to hunt one. Gasman can tell you more about that then me probably. I might be mistaken but think that is what they did and had good luck

[CAMPMEAT]

My buddy lives there and shot one yesterday. He lives in Cheyenne.

[gasman]

That is very true some units do have little public ground. Yet still offer good harvest numbers.

I think gasman did a pay to hunt thing on his last trip over there. If you check out the units and talk to the bio's they can tell you ranches that sell trespass fee's to hunt one. Gasman can tell you more about that then me probably. I might be mistaken but think that is what they did and had good luck

Yes, we did a play to play but only because we found a land owner that was not charging an arm and leg for access, other wise, I was prepaired for public land hunt with my research.
We did talk with some guys that were hunting public ground, they were doing well, and I believe some members here also hunt public ground along the Powder River  (wich is where I was goingto hunt and probably will if I go back again some day) and did well also.

The WFG and lots and mean lots of good info on it http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/home.aspx

Look at the HMA and WIA for hunting 

[CAMPMEAT]

That is very true some units do have little public ground. Yet still offer good harvest numbers.

I think gasman did a pay to hunt thing on his last trip over there. If you check out the units and talk to the bio's they can tell you ranches that sell trespass fee's to hunt one. Gasman can tell you more about that then me probably. I might be mistaken but think that is what they did and had good luck

Yes, we did a play to play but only because we found a land owner that was not charging an arm and leg for access, other wise, I was prepaired for public land hunt with my research.
We did talk with some guys that were hunting public ground, they were doing well, and I believe some members here also hunt public ground along the Powder River  (wich is where I was goingto hunt and probably will if I go back again some day) and did well also.

The WFG and lots and mean lots of good info on it

Look at the HMA and WIA for hunting 

? the picture ?

[gasman]

That is very true some units do have little public ground. Yet still offer good harvest numbers.

I think gasman did a pay to hunt thing on his last trip over there. If you check out the units and talk to the bio's they can tell you ranches that sell trespass fee's to hunt one. Gasman can tell you more about that then me probably. I might be mistaken but think that is what they did and had good luck

Yes, we did a play to play but only because we found a land owner that was not charging an arm and leg for access, other wise, I was prepaired for public land hunt with my research.
We did talk with some guys that were hunting public ground, they were doing well, and I believe some members here also hunt public ground along the Powder River  (wich is where I was goingto hunt and probably will if I go back again some day) and did well also.

The WFG and lots and mean lots of good info on it

Look at the HMA and WIA for hunting 

? the picture ?

  Fixed it..................

[CAMPMEAT]

Why yes, yes I can tell. Thank you..........

[Rydonn]

Ok thanks. I've only driven through the NE corner of the state on my way to Atlanta and saw a decent amount of them near Buffalo, but the WY F&G website says that the NE corner of the state is mostly private land. I was trying to avoid a trespass fee because I have heard that they are very heavily populated just about everywhere.

How does the multiple tag thing work (Carp - you mentioned you and your buddy shot 10)? Do you apply for your tag and then buy over the counter tags for units that had leftovers? Can you travel across state lines with that much meat in your pickup also?

Would it be worthwhile to apply for a mule deer tag for the antelope tag areas I am applying for? Any parts of the state better for a combination type hunt than others or are they simply everywhere? Sorry to raise more questions from your advice ha

[washingtonmuley]

You still have one day left to buy a preference point for next year. That would help your chances out.

[carpsniperg2]

You still have one day left to buy a preference point for next year. That would help your chances out.

Thanks for the reminder Just cost me a 120.00

You can buy a set amount of doe tags in a unit. You can put in for them but most have some left over in the units that are 100% draw for buck tags. We each drew our buck tag and bought 4 doe tags to go with it. They are only like 34.00 each or something like that.

[WAcoueshunter]

Hopefully you bought the preference point for 2012.  After that, buy Eastmans' and look at their MRS (or get last year's copy from a friend).  That will help immensely in narrowing down the search in terms of public land access, success rates, trophy quality, and overall quality of the hunt.  Start saving your $$ so you can afford the "special" draw versus the regular draw - that will get you a better unit with the same number of points, but will cost you an extra few hundred $$ for the buck tag.