Hunting multiple animals at once

[mac53]

I am planning a hunting trip to Wyoming in 2 years. I am wanting to do a mule deer/ antelope hunt.
But am starting to rethink that, instead of hunting for both at the same time.

would I be better off to concentrate on one animal then go back to hunt the other later?

Do antelope and mule deer live in the same areas?
From what I have gathered is that they live in different areas, as in the mule deer live at a higher elevation and antelope live in a prairie area.

So, am I over thinking this or should I just roll with it and see what happens?

 

[ThreeOhSeven]

That's a pretty generalized question. Wyoming has a very diverse selection of habitat. Are you hunting in the mountains or prairie?
IMO, for mountain hunting, you would be better off hunting archery elk and rifle muleys since their season and habitat overlap more. There may be a small window where both rifle seasons overlap in select areas.
You will see antelope in some mountainous regions but you are correct in that the majority are in the valley. It's all region dependent. Figure out where you want to hunt, study the regs and maps and see where the best habitat overlap is.

 

[wytx]

How many PPs do you have for each?
Yes it can be done , the pronghorn easiest to fill and mule deer will take work.
In the pronghorn area maybe 2 days hunt if you're not trophy hunting- just looking for a mature buck.'
Mule deer will take the time and miles.

Different habitat for the most part but yes they can be found in same type of terrain.

 

[mac53]

Right now I have 3 points for antelope and 2 points for mule deer, but adding to both every year.
Not trophy hunting just a good buck of both specie's
More looking for the adventure and I have always wanted do something different.
I'm from south central Indiana and all I've done is walk to a tree stand and wait for a white tail to show up.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy it every year, but it's time to do different things. My kids are grown and out of the house so it's time.

 

[LongWayAround]

There's a number of threads on this topic.

I think you would be more limited by what area you go to.

 

[TreeDux]

If you’re hunting public land on your own I would pick one or the other. Especially if you have an interest in going more than once. Tags take points and points take time. You can definitely hunt for one and scout for the other on the same trip. Figure out what a given area has to offer and learn it or decide to try something new next time. Of course you can always see a giant specimen of the other species and not have a tag - it happens, but I no longer plan the utilization of my points on this premise.

 

[TaperPin]

I am planning a hunting trip to Wyoming in 2 years. I am wanting to do a mule deer/ antelope hunt.
But am starting to rethink that, instead of hunting for both at the same time.

would I be better off to concentrate on one animal then go back to hunt the other later?

Do antelope and mule deer live in the same areas?
From what I have gathered is that they live in different areas, as in the mule deer live at a higher elevation and antelope live in a prairie area.

So, am I over thinking this or should I just roll with it and see what happens?

You aren’t going to see mulies and antelope together in 90% of antelope country, but you can easily hunt antelope one day and mulies or elk the next. One day just to say we did it, we were up the mountain at first light looking for elk, drove down to hunt a nearby antelope area and finished hunting the foothills for mulies. It’s much much better to focus on one animal at a time. Decide what kind of mule deer terrain you like to hunt and go from there, because foothill deer, deer in the PJ, mountain deer and timberline deer are all hunted differently.

Where you camp also affects how you hunt. Antelope can be effectively hunted mid day so missing first and last light isn’t a big deal, but the more you drive the less you’re hunting. If your camp requires an hour drive to the mule deer spot, you are less likely to be in position by first or last light. Sometimes the best mulie country that you can reach can’t be hunted by glassing and you’re walking ridges or draw bottoms and that can be done mid day. I’ve driven two hours one way to walk a single big ridge mid day and came up with an exceptional deer. This kind of hopping around is a grind with lots of driving, some steep hard climbs, and is very hit or miss. Moderately low odds of success, but a great way to see the state.

As a warning, one year I decided to find a mulie in what’s basically great antelope hunting. I scouted over a month of weekends driving almost every jeep trail to glass and drive as many draws on the edges of where antelope hang out. Nadda. Only a couple deer of any kind. Very low percentage hunting. It did eventually produce a big buck for someone that’s still talked about today, or that deer was actually shot somewhere else and the shooter only gave the location to throw people off.

 

[Scorpion]

It can be done in certain areas, but not all. We have an area in one state that the deer and antelope overlap to some degree, though the best spots for each are separate. There are also elk. We have killed elk, deer, and antelope within a 5 mile radius.

Since you’ve done no western hunts before, I’d focus on one species. While your there spend some time looking for the other species and see if it makes sense to burn your points.

That said, my personal rule is that I will generally get tags for anything I can in a certain area. Focus on one species and the other tags are targets of opportunity.

 

[180ls1]

Yes, my concurrent multi species hunts have not worked out well.

That said, I would not have have an issue hunting deer then switching to lope once I have one down, or visa versa. I would not look for both at the same time though.