I am planning an Antelope hunting trip to Wyoming in the fall and was hoping some Sigforum members may be able to help share some info. We have done a decent amount of research but most of the info we have found is several years old and not always applicable.

Currently we plan to hunt on public land in the NE area of the state for a couple reasons.

1. Neither I nor my hunting buddy has accumulated any WY preference points yet. We have found a hunting area in the NE that will allow us 100% draw odds this year (based on prior years’ data) if we purchase the special license
2. Success rates in this area appear to be quite high (based on prior years’ data).
3. There is a decent amount of public land in this area with good public access.
4. We don’t yet know any locals with private land and don’t want to gamble that we could find someone who would allow us access when we arrive
5. While driving through to Montana for an Elk hunt last year my buddy saw quite a bit of Antelope activity in this area

Our biggest concern is that we don’t know what the density of other hunters will be like in the area we have picked. It’s possible the hunting pressure on the public land will be enough to drive the Antelope onto private land depending on when we go in the season.

Can any Sigforum members help with recommendations for hunt areas we should look at or resources we should be talking to? Any info you are willing to share is appreciated.

The game wardens we called in those areas were only marginally helpful. In fact, it seemed like they were geared towards discouraging non-residents from coming to hunt there. We are both responsible hunters and just want to learn as much about this area as possible before making this trip.

My email is in my profile if you prefer to contact me that way, I can provide more detail by email if needed as well.

Thanks a bunch!

Good luck. My neighbor goes to a large, private ranch in WY antelope hunting most years. I don't know exactly where, it doesn't sound terribly expensive.

The way he describes there is a lot of game(antelope), and few hunters. I think the 'doe' tag is a bit cheaper, they both have horns, so you have to look for the black patch, so I hear.

Just an idea should you consider the private ranch route.

Brett, I'd help if I could, but I know the NW and the SE (marginally well). I just don't know the part of the state you're aiming at. Good luck

Make sure you have a good long range rifle. You probably won't be able to get closer than 200 yards, more like 300+ yard shots. Does do not have horns. Get a buck tag if you can, they are much easier to shoot than the does. Around here we call them speed goats...They are actually goats, not true antelope.

They also have bow tags for antelope. Absolutely no idea how anyone can get close enough to them to shoot them with a bow.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
Good luck. My neighbor goes to a large, private ranch in WY antelope hunting most years. I don't know exactly where, it doesn't sound terribly expensive.

The way he describes there is a lot of game(antelope), and few hunters. I think the 'doe' tag is a bit cheaper, they both have horns, so you have to look for the black patch, so I hear.

Just an idea should you consider the private ranch route.

Ok thanks. If you think of the name of the ranch we will look into it.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Brett, I'd help if I could, but I know the NW and the SE (marginally well). I just don't know the part of the state you're aiming at. Good luck

I'm definitely not dead set on the NE corner, it's just what we have found so far that looked promising. We are willing to go anywhere in the state. If you have recommendations on any good areas I would appreciate it as we will certainly check them out.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
Make sure you have a good long range rifle. You probably won't be able to get closer than 200 yards, more like 300+ yard shots. Does do not have horns. Get a buck tag if you can, they are much easier to shoot than the does. Around here we call them speed goats...They are actually goats, not true antelope.

They also have bow tags for antelope. Absolutely no idea how anyone can get close enough to them to shoot them with a bow.

Thanks for the info. 300-400 yards is what we were expecting and we will be prepared. I'm bringing my Tikka in 260 Remington shooting handloads with 143 grain Hornady ELD-X bullets. My buddy is bringing his Tikka in 270 Win, shooting the factory loaded 145 grain Hornady ELD-X. Both should be great for Antelope at those distances. Assuming we end up at the right spot of course and conditions cooperate.

I could speak to my Dad on how he set up and squired licenses for our trip we took to Montana in '04 for antelope.

Yes, it's VERY different than hunting whitetail deer in PA with a million trees and shots under 100 yards. There it's all prairie and flat and treeless and the shooting ranges were far longer. My Dad used a .300 Win Mag or a 7mm Magnum if I recall correctly with a shooting sticks tripod thing. I'm pretty certain he shot his antelope while sitting on the ground.

Brett, look at Units 48 and 50. The two are between Elk Mountain and Rawlins, separated by I-80. Plenty of public land in both units and good pronghorn populations. Be aware that in some parts of both units the BLM land is checkerboarded in with private--have a GPS. That's not true all over the units though. There are large areas of public area where that won't be an issue.

In the west, look at 88 and 89. Again, plenty of public land.

Maybe not much help, but I went on a couple goat hunts outside of Gillette Wyo back in the 90's.

The land up there is majority private so we only hinted the Public lands which equated to two 1 square mile parcels.

There were about 12 of us and we filled our tags in 2 days.

Being all private land up there, the goats were pretty relaxed and not pressured. both of my goats were taken at less than 100 yards.

Awesome, thanks guys!

I wouldn't hesitate to call the DNR and ask the biologists about land owners and how to contact them.

Your hunting dollars keep them employed to a large part. It's kinda their job to put you on game , if you really think about it.

I hunt Antelope every year in Wyoming. Where you are looking is a great part of the state, and not having to worry about the draw is attractive. Call G&F and talk to biologists or wardens near where you want to hunt. They will help. Opening day is October 5. Always. Get out early on opening day and your shots won't be nearly as long as they will after they've been pressured a few days.

Use a long range rifle with a light bullet, and be sure it is equipped with a bipod that you can steady with prone and at a sitting position. Shorter legs may not get you above the grass. I most often use a 7mm with 139gr bullets. Practice shooting prone with gloves, and wear knee pads since you are likely to have to low crawl at least I always do.

Wind is constant. It can be 25 at 6 am and 65 by noon. Dress in layers.

You wil have a ball! Good luck!

Watch out for the tiny barrel cactus with the caterpillar fur-sized needles. According to my father, who planted an elbow dead into one of those damned things while hunting antelope in the Medicine Bow Mountains, those needles can go through thirty layers of canvas and still embed themselves in your bones.

Buddy, I've got fresh Intel for you.

Traveled from Casper to Rawlins yesterday morning. Without exaggerating I believe I saw 1000 antelope from the hiway. At least 500 on the Pathfinder alone. They haven't dropped their young yet, but they seem to have over wintered great.

My neighbor hunts every fall. He has taken a nice buck. Now he gets only doe tags, as they are pretty high priced for a grocery bag of meat and a set of antlers he doesn't plan to mount. He was getting three doe tags at a time I recall. <$50 @ I think and bucks were well over $200 I think.

I don't know anything about any of this.

But it sure sounds like a helluva lot of fun.

Fresh, clean air. Spectacular scenery. Thrill of the hunt. Wide open spaces.

I'm sold on it!

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If you go into a private ranch and tag out early they might even be able to put you onto a Prairie Dog Town for some .22-250 long range fun

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
Buddy, I've got fresh Intel for you.

Traveled from Casper to Rawlins yesterday morning. Without exaggerating I believe I saw 1000 antelope from the hiway. At least 500 on the Pathfinder alone. They haven't dropped their young yet, but they seem to have over wintered great.

My neighbor hunts every fall. He has taken a nice buck. Now he gets only doe tags, as they are pretty high priced for a grocery bag of meat and a set of antlers he doesn't plan to mount. He was getting three doe tags at a time I recall. <$50 @ I think and bucks were well over $200 I think.

Non Resident Buck tags are $286, Does are $34. $12 habitat stamp and $2 Search and Rescue gets you over $300. When I first started hunting, I would quarter my antelope, but the last few years, I just clean them out, then skin them, so that I get a little more meat than when I used to butcher them on the tailgate of the truck. One other trick is bringing a Sawzall and a couple of extra batteries. It makes is so much easier than cutting the legs off with a knife and a handsaw, plus you can use it to open the sternum and pull out the heart and lungs when you have taken the head off.

I disagree with not mounting at least one, I have a very nice looking buck in my office, with great horns along with a European mount that remind me of good hunting every time I glance at them. Most antelope heads go for about $400 and I paid $120 for the skull mount a couple of years ago.

I'm so glad to hear that the herds are back! Blue tongue disease caused a reduction in the number of tags for a couple of years.

Thanks guys, all really great info that I am writing down in my notes.

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
Buddy, I've got fresh Intel for you.

Traveled from Casper to Rawlins yesterday morning. Without exaggerating I believe I saw 1000 antelope from the hiway. At least 500 on the Pathfinder alone. They haven't dropped their young yet, but they seem to have over wintered great.

My neighbor hunts every fall. He has taken a nice buck. Now he gets only doe tags, as they are pretty high priced for a grocery bag of meat and a set of antlers he doesn't plan to mount. He was getting three doe tags at a time I recall. <$50 @ I think and bucks were well over $200 I think.

That's right in the middle of the state. From some info we found those hunt areas produce all sorts of trophy and record setting bucks so they are in very high demand. It will take a few years of accumulating preference points for us to be able to hunt in those areas, but it's great to hear that the herds are looking good!

IMHO have the meat made into summer sausage and breakfast sausage. Makes GREAT sausage, but the "chops and roasts" option is less tasty. There was no fat in the meat of the antelope that I've harvested.