Antelope WY unit 89 or 107?

[armedhiker]

Trying to decide between units 89 & 107. My wife and I have 8 points and was planning to go special. Any information to help decide would be appreciated. This will be my first antelope hunt in 24 years and that one was guided.

 

[EdP]

What research have you done? All the info below is from the Wy G&F website. Based on that info I would choose 89. Also, 89 is 75% public land so I would not use an outfitter, but I don't doubt there are some available if that is how you want to go. Wish I had 8 points to burn but will probably burn my 2 points and hunt a much lesser area and still have fun. Good luck whatever your choice.

Neither area has been recommended for a reduction in quota. That's good news and the mtg to finalize the numbers is Apr 19 & 20. 89 is a lot bigger and has a significantly larger quota. You should have no problem drawing either area with 8 points based on the 2021 odds, but the non-res quota for 107 is so small that a relatively minor increase in applicants could cause you a problem.

There is also this (from the Wy G&F website) regarding 107:
Topography and Vegetation: Most of the pronghorn habitats on are sagebrush prairie and rolling hills, with alkaline saltbush and greasewood flats in low spots with poor drainage.
General Statement Regarding this Hunt Area: Antelope are found throughout the sagebrush habitats of the hunt area, with densities in the area usually being greatest south of the Sweetwater River. Weather may vary from dry and windy with temperatures in the 70s and 80s to freezing cold with significant snowfall, even in the September portion of the hunt. Fall snowstorms can initiate migration for many of these antelope, and can force them out of the hunt area, especially in October. Hunt Area 107 is remote, far from services or cell coverage, and carrying extra fuel, water, food and spare tires is advised. Most roads in this hunt area become muddy and nearly impassable when wet, while roads in more sandy areas may remain drivable even with a little precipitation. Rut for pronghorn in this area typically peaks in the last week of September and the first part of October.

As compared with this for 89:
Topography and Vegetation: This hunt area is bordered on the west by the crest of the Wyoming Range. The northern border is South Cottonwood Creek east to the Green River, south to LaBarge Creek and northwest up said Creek to the crest of the Wyoming Range. The highest elevations are dominated by rock and alpine habitats, leading down to mostly coniferous forests, followed lower by aspen forests, then rolling sagebrush foothills and mostly private agricultural grasslands near the major drainages in the bottom of the valleys. Pronghorn are well distributed throughout this hunt area, occupying the rolling sagebrush hills in the north, the sagebrush foothills of the Wyoming Range on the west, the private agricultural lands along North and Middle Piney Creeks in the central portions of the area, and the xeric salt desert shrub flats and hills of the Dry Basin.

General Statement Regarding this Hunt Area: Consult the interactive hunt map planner for public lands available for hunting. Pronghorn generally move from northwest to southeast in this hunt area during seasonal fall migrations to winter ranges to the southeast of the area and beyond. However, pronghorn can be found throughout the year in most areas of the hunt area.

 

[armedhiker]

What research have you done? All the info below is from the Wy G&F website. Based on that info I would choose 89. Also, 89 is 75% public land so I would not use an outfitter, but I don't doubt there are some available if that is how you want to go. Wish I had 8 points to burn but will probably burn my 2 points and hunt a much lesser area and still have fun. Good luck whatever your choice.

Neither area has been recommended for a reduction in quota. That's good news and the mtg to finalize the numbers is Apr 19 & 20. 89 is a lot bigger and has a significantly larger quota. You should have no problem drawing either area with 8 points based on the 2021 odds, but the non-res quota for 107 is so small that a relatively minor increase in applicants could cause you a problem.

There is also this (from the Wy G&F website) regarding 107:
Topography and Vegetation: Most of the pronghorn habitats on are sagebrush prairie and rolling hills, with alkaline saltbush and greasewood flats in low spots with poor drainage.
General Statement Regarding this Hunt Area: Antelope are found throughout the sagebrush habitats of the hunt area, with densities in the area usually being greatest south of the Sweetwater River. Weather may vary from dry and windy with temperatures in the 70s and 80s to freezing cold with significant snowfall, even in the September portion of the hunt. Fall snowstorms can initiate migration for many of these antelope, and can force them out of the hunt area, especially in October. Hunt Area 107 is remote, far from services or cell coverage, and carrying extra fuel, water, food and spare tires is advised. Most roads in this hunt area become muddy and nearly impassable when wet, while roads in more sandy areas may remain drivable even with a little precipitation. Rut for pronghorn in this area typically peaks in the last week of September and the first part of October.

As compared with this for 89:
Topography and Vegetation: This hunt area is bordered on the west by the crest of the Wyoming Range. The northern border is South Cottonwood Creek east to the Green River, south to LaBarge Creek and northwest up said Creek to the crest of the Wyoming Range. The highest elevations are dominated by rock and alpine habitats, leading down to mostly coniferous forests, followed lower by aspen forests, then rolling sagebrush foothills and mostly private agricultural grasslands near the major drainages in the bottom of the valleys. Pronghorn are well distributed throughout this hunt area, occupying the rolling sagebrush hills in the north, the sagebrush foothills of the Wyoming Range on the west, the private agricultural lands along North and Middle Piney Creeks in the central portions of the area, and the xeric salt desert shrub flats and hills of the Dry Basin.

General Statement Regarding this Hunt Area: Consult the interactive hunt map planner for public lands available for hunting. Pronghorn generally move from northwest to southeast in this hunt area during seasonal fall migrations to winter ranges to the southeast of the area and beyond. However, pronghorn can be found throughout the year in most areas of the hunt area.

Thank you very much...The research I've done has been in Gohunt but looks like the WY G&F website has a little better info and I will be going there more. I will be going unguided if I draw.

Thanks again!

 

[EdP]

You are welcome. It is amazing how much info is available on the Wy G&F website. They do a terrific job of that, but to me they could do better at making it easier to find what I am looking for. Sometimes it just takes more digging.

 

[Rich M]

I thought you were gonna go guided, misunderstood. Make sure you have 2-3 pts more than you need, especially since you brought the units up for others to think sbout.

This is gonna be a hell breaks loose year cause they are talking 90/10. Good luck to you.

Wish i gad 8 pts, woulda gone 2-3 years ago. Im at 3 will have 4 this year, going for a guided trip in 2023 cause i dont want to play no 90/10 games.

 

[EdP]

No 90/10 this year for antelope, maybe next year but I hope not. Lots of folks may burn their points this year in anticipation of 90/10 next year. Good reason to have some margin in your draw.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

PM’d ya .

 

[Delgue]

I like 107 because there is water and it borders three top units

 

[armedhiker]

Drew 89-1...can't wait to get out there.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

Drew 89-1...can't wait to get out there.

Congrats

 

[SJT]

Hunted 89 last year. Can share what I know, if your interested shoot me a PM. You’ll see lots of goats.

 

[armedhiker]

Hunted 89 last year. Can share what I know, if your interested shoot me a PM. You’ll see lots of goats.

Just PMd you

 

[WILLMCC]

From my experiences I would also choose 89