Your Best Tips for first time wyoming antelope hunt?

[ribka]

You do know we will all be royally po'd if you don't post photos, right??

X2 and lots of pics!!

[seth30]

I would love to go but I transfer back to sea duty next August, and dont have a chance of getting a clean season

[Widgeondeke]

Rifle season opens in 1 month!!! 

Sled - get dry ice in Casper the day before hunting. It will keep meat frozen/fresh for a week plus to get home.

Widgeondeke

[xxlx7]

any of you guys that have done this already eat some meat the night of the hunt to celebrate the killing and feasting of a hunt? We're gonna be in Buffalo wy from the 29th-6th at the crazy woman or creek campground, if any of you other hunt wa hickerbillies are gonna be there!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Kyle

[cryfowl]

Is it sad that I am almost entirely packed for my trip?  I am leaving Sept. 28th and will be staying in Gillette and coming home on Oct. 8th, unless we tag out early.  First time for speed goats and can't wait!  Bought a chestfreezer that will fit in the back of my truck and am taking my meat grinder and vacumn sealer to process everything (I hope) before we leave.

[gasman]

Are you guys sight seeing on your way over? With that much time, you mide as well 

Thats a lot of time to hunt speed goats. I dont know any one that took more then 2-3 days to fill there tag, unless they were trophy hunting. We filled 10 in 2 days and could have done it in one.

I like the freezer idea 

[Rob]

Is it sad that I am almost entirely packed for my trip?  I am leaving Sept. 28th and will be staying in Gillette and coming home on Oct. 8th, unless we tag out early.  First time for speed goats and can't wait!  Bought a chestfreezer that will fit in the back of my truck and am taking my meat grinder and vacumn sealer to process everything (I hope) before we leave.

Think of a plan B.  I expect you will tag out on 10/1, or 10/2 if you are picky.  Prarie dog shooting is good if the weather is nice.  There is fly fishing to be had in Buffalo too.  If you are a golfer, there are a couple courses in town.  (personally I took up hunting so I don't have to golf).

We will be hunting between spotted horse and Recluse so we stay in Gillette as well.  We plan to arrive in Gillette on 10/6, hunt 10/7, and pick up our meat on 10/8.

Should you decide to have your meat processed, Olds processing on the north end of town is dependable.  they will cut, package, and freeze your meat for you.  but get in as early as possible if you tag out on 10/1 or 10/2 as they fill up fast.  These little old ladies run the place and it is like being run thorugh the soup nazi's line.  But they are good.
http://www.manta.com/c/mtk5y0v/olds-processing

Granny's kitchen has a good breakfast if you want to get on the road early. 
http://www.manta.com/cmap/mmd0l43/granny-s-kitchen-west

There is a good sporting goods store on the South side of town.  Rocky Mt. Discount sports I think:
http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.aspx?encType=1&v=2&ss=yp.sporting%20goods%20stores~sst.0~pg.1&where1=Gillette%2c%20WY&style=r&cp=44.293185~-105.504765&lvl=11&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLSV#bGlkPXluOTg5eDE2NTA3MTAw


Have a great time!

[Rob]

Oh, and if you are driving, you are only a few hrs from Yellowstone if you head south out of Livingston MT.  I have done that loop before.  very pretty.

[xxlx7]

I will say I'm sight seeing, as well as takin a vacation from the old lady!! We got 4 guys comin out there, and figure that's alot of lopes to put down, and with the amount of beer drinkin, i'm sure a couple mornings will be r&r instead of huntin..

[cryfowl]

Definately doing as much sight seeing as hunting.  Going to the Little Bighorn, Devils Tower, Sturgis, Mt. Rushmore, may hit Yellowstone on the way home depending on if the East entrance isn't snowed in.  I am a die hard Waterfowler and it is open while we are there too, so if I can find a spot, I will definately give it a shot.  If I can legally hunt it, I will go after it.   Rob- We are going to be hunting the walk in area just East of Recluse.  The other walk in area near Recluse pulled out of the public access hunting this year after I applied for the draw, so my hunting area decreased by half.  I did spend the money on a good GPS with the land owner program, so there are still tons of other areas to hunt.  If we tag out quick, I am going to buy some more tags for area 23.

[Rob]

You are going to see a lot of prong in that area.  The first time my dad hunted that area, he hunted on the ranch on the west side of the Hwy turnoff to Recluse.  You will see a large field there and it is not unusual to see 100+ prong plus a couple dozen mulies in that field.  We will be hunting a ranch just on the other side of the hills behind that field.

The prong are amazing, but you will be taken aback at the # of mule deer in the area.  (although the #'s did get hit really hard with the winter of 2010).

Some photos to whet your appetite

[Rob]

Note that all these phots were taken on different years, on the first week and a half of October.  Weather can be sunny and 80, rainy, or snowy and blowing.  We have hunted in 88 degree sun, and -8 degrees with 25 mph sustained winds.  be ready for anything!

[HardCorpsHuntr]

Lots of great advice already given.  A few suggestions:
 
 

• Practice crawling with your rifle and hunting gear
• If you stop the truck to glass a buck, don't get out of the truck there.  Drive out of sight, then work back on foot.
• One good tactic is to stop the truck below the top of a rise, then get out, sneak over the top and glass.
• After driving your area, pay attention to the basins with no visibility from a 2-track.  A few hundred square feet with a 6' depression easily hides a herd; antelope learn where these spots are, they are very reliable after the first few days, especially on hard-hunted public areas.
• Most walk-in areas are very good.  Most antelope hunters don't walk.  See previous bullet.
• Hunting into the wind, on foot, over undulating mountain foothills is a great tactic.  Lots of antelope hide in these small finger draws, especially on public ground.
• Have your rifle sighted in, and practice shooting at 100, 200, 300 yards at a minimum.  If you aren't accurate, you will miss a ton of shots.

I'll add one to DL's that he forgot.

• If you and your partner are trying to convince each other to shoot a certain goat in front of you, give in, as it may just be a 84 incher

[cryfowl]

Dang it, now I am even more excited about going than before.  Well, it looks like I should have bought a Buck Tag too.  I bought one doe Deer tag so far, but it looks like it is only good for Whitetail.  Hope I find one lonely and confused Whitetail doe amongst all the Mulies.

[Rob]

We have heard that the whitetails hang out closer to crazy woman creek, or the powder river.  I'd focus on those areas