Burn 2 Wyoming Antelope Points or Save Them?

[ZMT]

Hi all,

I will have 2 antelope points for Wyoming going into the draw this year. I've been looking into a lot of units, many of which have limited public land. When I look try to find a general consensus about the units online, most of what I can find states that the units are worthless if you aren't paying a trespass fee.

I have a few other hunts planned for the year that I know I'll likely strike out on and would prefer to be able to get some meat in the freezer with this hunt. Absolutely 0 concern about trophy quality, purely a meat hunt (but would still like to go for a buck rather than a doe given the population troubles).

Not asking for specific units, but are there some decent ones out there that can be drawn with 2 points? My other concern is the migration - are there some units that would be devoid of goats in first rifle? In other words, should I save my points right now or are there good opportunities with them?

Broke college kid so unfortunately outfitters are completely out of the question, as are trespass fees likely.

 

[RyanT26]

You can have a decent hunt with 2 points. I would wait to see what this winter is like and check to see what WF&G is going to do with tag quotas in the spring before you get a unit nailed down. Wyoming is implementing a fee increase next year on the special draw. It could push more people into the regular draw.
You also need to look carefully at the amount of public land that is landlocked. There are some units that look good checking them out on gohunt or Onx but you may not be able to access them due to them being landlocked or private roads.

 

[ZMT]

You can have a decent hunt with 2 points. I would wait to see what this winter is like and check to see what WF&G is going to do with tag quotas in the spring before you get a unit nailed down. Wyoming is implementing a fee increase next year on the special draw. It could push more people into the regular draw.
You also need to look carefully at the amount of public land that is landlocked. There are some units that look good checking them out on gohunt or Onx but you may not be able to access them due to them being landlocked or private roads.

That makes sense, thank you. I've been kind of confused about the special draw - do you build points for it separately, or do you decide when you apply if you want to be entered into the regular pool or the special pool?

If it's the latter, I don't mind putting in for special draw if that increases my options significantly. Seems like it would still be cheaper than paying a trespass fee on top of a regular tag

 

[406life]

I haven't parsed the draw for WY antelope yet this year, but my take so far:
Numbers are of course down in most of the state, which will push the points needed up. I used to say you could have a decent hunt every other year (1 point), but I'd push that to 2-3 now. For a good hunt (more bucks, better quality, more antelope, more access) I would tell you that 4-5 is what it would take.

And if you are purely after a meat hunt, look at the $50 doe tags for the NE corner of the state. You could get 4 of those, pay a reasonable trespass fee and still be under $500 total.

I will say this year with the drought easing, the quality of bucks was much better this year than past couple. If that continues, the next year or two could see some very nice bucks, even if it isn't as many as a handful of years ago.

I would also not rule out CO ( you from there?) for antelope. There's some leftovers that you can get with opportunity.

 

[pirogue]

Being in college, you’re young enough to save up some more points. Maybe some milder/normal winters are in the near future and will help you out, such as restore some of the tags that were recently reduced, and that helps relieve pressure where some guys feel they have to burn their points

 

[ZMT]

That makes sense, thank you. I've been kind of confused about the special draw - do you build points for it separately, or do you decide when you apply if you want to be entered into the regular pool or the special pool?

If it's the latter, I don't mind putting in for special draw if that increases my options significantly. Seems like it would still be cheaper than paying a trespass fee on top of a regular tag

Wow actually just saw what the increase is. I take that back, definitely opting for regular

 

[ZMT]

I haven't parsed the draw for WY antelope yet this year, but my take so far:
Numbers are of course down in most of the state, which will push the points needed up. I used to say you could have a decent hunt every other year (1 point), but I'd push that to 2-3 now. For a good hunt (more bucks, better quality, more antelope, more access) I would tell you that 4-5 is what it would take.

And if you are purely after a meat hunt, look at the $50 doe tags for the NE corner of the state. You could get 4 of those, pay a reasonable trespass fee and still be under $500 total.

I will say this year with the drought easing, the quality of bucks was much better this year than past couple. If that continues, the next year or two could see some very nice bucks, even if it isn't as many as a handful of years ago.

I would also not rule out CO ( you from there?) for antelope. There's some leftovers that you can get with opportunity.

Thanks, I think I'll save them for now then. How can I go about buying doe tags? I had thought I would have to use points for them.

No, unfortunately not from CO but looking to move there within the next few years.

Being in college, you’re young enough to save up some more points. Maybe some milder/normal winters are in the near future and will help you out, such as restore some of the tags that were recently reduced, and that helps relieve pressure where some guys feel they have to burn their points

Good idea. I'll stick to saving them up for now, no use in wasting them if I won't be successful

 

[pirogue]

If it's the latter, I don't mind putting in for special draw if that increases my options significantly.

Putting in for the Special( the way WY has started gouging), and being a “broke college kid”, just don’t go together.

 

[ZMT]

Putting in for the Special( the way WY has started gouging), and being a “broke college kid”, just don’t go together.

Yup, that's why I corrected myself after I saw what the increase was. Thought they were staying at $600, which isn't too absurd, but doubling in price is

 

[il_cop]

Depends on the hunt/experience you're after. I've found there's a threshold in quality of both at 3 and 4 pnts special and reg respectively.

 

[ZMT]

Depends on the hunt/experience you're after. I've found there's a threshold in quality of both at 3 and 4 pnts special and reg respectively.

Thanks, I'll hold out at least another year then. With the special license changes I doubt I'll be able to draw anything all that great

 

[long hunter]

Hunted Wyoming this past Oct. on a trespass fee killed a nice buck goat burned my points, glad I did Wyoming is becoming rich man's hunt.

 

[wytx]

Not sure I would count on a large number of doe tags for next year.
Drought is not gone and we have no snow right now at the end of Nov. Not looking good for water next Spring.
Doe tags do not take PPs, are random draw.
Wait til April to make a decision, when quotas come out.

 

[Jgill19]

Depends what you consider a good hunt. If going and seeing some goats and shooting a buck would be a great hunt, you can do that with two points. If you want to go go pick over a ton of bucks every day and hopefully shoot a mid to upper 70's buck, 2 points might not be enough. My first antelope hunt was a leftover unit, probably takes 1-2 points now, almost no public ground. Just driving to and from spots hoping to find some goats on it. We both tagged out, only took two days. We had a blast!

 

[voltage]

I would wait if I was you. Many people will say 2 points in enough for a good hunt, and that was true in 2019. However, that is not nearly as true today. Between point creep and declining populations, a 2 point hunt wouldn't be much fun for me.

 

[JRay]

Wait a couple years and do some other hunts in the meantime

 

[eaglemountainman]

I would never presume to give anyone advice on what to do with their points.
As for myself, I have 4 points going into next year. Given the recent back to back to back severe winters, relentless drought and disease decimating the herds, I'll likely continue to build points for few more years. Hopefully, with a few years of favorable conditions, the herds will bounce back. Fingers crossed....

 

[Lytro]

Save your points. IMO, a meat hunt for pronghorn is a waste of time and money with the little meat they yield. Not sure where you live, but whitetail doe tags seem to be pretty easy to come by just about anywhere.

 

[dogcat]

Hard question. I debate this every year and decided to use my points and hold out. If unsuccessful in WY, there is always NM and CO. I have taken many pronghorns, still chasing an 82", have had two close. It is hard but fun

 

[Deano0686]

Question about the price increase for the special. Would you guys say (if a guy was willing to pony up the insane price for the special) this would be a good time to do it? I’m assuming some of these units in the special will take a couple less points than they normally would due to people not wanting to pay that much and the talk of big winter kill. Maybe even more than a couple? Or is my thinking off. I’ve never hunted antelope but I have 4 points. Was thinking this might be my chance to get in a quality unit that may have taken 6 or 7 points last year perhaps?