Is WY DIY a true proposition?

[Rob5589]

None

That's basically what I have discovered. Good public access generally starts around 7-8 points. Units that can be drawn with 4 points have minimal public land and even less access to it via private property.

 

[ChrisAU]

A couple years ago with 3 points was way much more of a struggle than I thought it’d be. A blizzard after one day of hunting didn’t help.

 

[long hunter]

2021 spent 2 1/2 days sitting in a hotel due to a blizzard, Wyoming weather is finicky, and you learn to deal with it, the problem this year is going to be drawing tags, I hunt an area that has very limited public access and in the past fair numbers of animals. Wyoming is pricing out the average non-resident hunter. And the situation with the herds is not helping either. Hopefully will draw this year and then look to the Dakotas for future hunts.

 

[BRoth82]

My wife and I went for the first time ever last year in an easy to draw unit. We only hunted public land and she got this one the first afternoon. Scored just over 72"

 

[Banded_spooney]

My wife and I went for the first time ever last year in an easy to draw unit. We only hunted public land and she got this one the first afternoon. Scored just over 72"

Pretty goat

 

[NB7]

4 pts, looking at this year (hopefully). I've found everything from, it's an easy diy; really need private for a decent hunt; you can diy but it's difficult; hire an outfitter. Having a difficult time discerning what my true options are.

Following. I'm in the exact spot as you and wondering the exact same things. Seems like the units you can get drawn in that point range either have very little or almost no public land. Since it's not the most expensive hunt out there, sort of considering just going with an outfitter, although I'd really rather DIY.

 

[Rob5589]

Following. I'm in the exact spot as you and wondering the exact same things. Seems like the units you can get drawn in that point range either have very little or almost no public land. Since it's not the most expensive hunt out there, sort of considering just going with an outfitter, although I'd really rather DIY.

You still have to draw a tag even with an outfitter.

 

[Banded_spooney]

You still have to draw a tag even with an outfitter.

Yes but going outfitted opens up lower point units with tons of private.

If they have good leases, lower quality units aren’t a big issue as there are some good goats in most units across the state if you can access them.

 

[NB7]

You still have to draw a tag even with an outfitter.

Understood. What I'm saying is with 4 points most of the units I can get drawn in are largely private, so I'm wondering if I just go with an outfitter since it's not very expensive (relatively speaking to say a deer or elk hunt.).
Or do I take a chance and go DIY on those same units and hope I can find success on the limited available public land.
Third option keep waiting and accumulating points. But with point creep, winter kill affecting tag #s, potential legislation changes, etc, I'm just trying to make a decision also.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Understood. What I'm saying is with 4 points most of the units I can get drawn in are largely private, so I'm wondering if I just go with an outfitter since it's not very expensive (relatively speaking to say a deer or elk hunt.).
Or do I take a chance and go DIY on those same units and hope I can find success on the limited available public land.
Third option keep waiting and accumulating points. But with point creep, winter kill affecting tag #s, potential legislation changes, etc, I'm just trying to make a decision also.

I have 3 pts. I’ll burn them in the special this year before the price increase next year.

No need to go outfitted in a unit you can draw with 4pts in the special but that’s up to you and the type of experience you want and how fat your wallet is.

 

[OXN939]

With the potential changes, I'm thinking it's a good idea to go ahead and use my points.

I'm sure it's already been said here, but do remember that tens of thousands of people are thinking the same thing (to include the post that happens to be above this one). So, if you have 4 points, you may want to consider applying for a unit that took 2 last year. Otherwise, be prepared for the very realistic possibility of not drawing

 

[Laramie]

Good point above. I also think we see tag reduction like we haven seen in a long time making it even worse. I wouldn't make any plans until late next month as I think it's possible some areas have zero tags.

 

[Rob5589]

I'm sure it's already been said here, but do remember that tens of thousands of people are thinking the same thing (to include the post that happens to be above this one). So, if you have 4 points, you may want to consider applying for a unit that took 2 last year. Otherwise, be prepared for the very realistic possibility of not drawing

Exactly what I have been looking at. 3 last year was the max I looked at, but mostly 0-2. I've reached out to some guides that have areas in low point zones. Figure with the changes coming WY is going to be a one and done for me so I may as well maximize my opportunity. Appreciate your insight.

 

[f16jack]

Tough decision. If there is limited public land in the unit you draw that land will have the antelope run out if it early. A lot of hunters.
Sometimes you get lucky. A buddy of mine drew non res last year with no points and took his young kids with him for a hunt. He filled his tag just before sunset first day. No guide needed in that his unit had plenty of public land.

 

[Kurts86]

It’s really important that you check the year someone made a statement about antelope opportunities available as points have creeped way up and populations that were doing great 5 years ago have probably hit a hard winter and seen tag reductions or license balance allocations change. I’ve been antelope hunting Wyoming for a decade and it’s a lot higher bar to entry on points now and the populations suffered some wrong winters even before this year.

That said I cut my teeth on DIY units that you could get on 1-3 PP’s last year and have never had issues filling tags in 1-2 days. Honestly a lot of those hunts are measured in hours after 1-2 days of preseason scouting.

Everyone I have ever met that went on a guided antelope hunt didn’t have a clue about antelope, they couldn’t field judge them, knew nothing of the animals and they all had easy hunts and they shot unremarkable bucks. I know a guy that went guided one year, the next year he went DIY and got embarrassed pretty badly because of his poor unit choice and timing.

DIY antelope isn’t hard in the relative scale of western hunting. It’s about an order of magnitude easier than elk hunting to learn yet how many clueless new eastern guys go to Colorado elk hunting on OTC tags with sun 10% success rates. A “bad” Wyoming antelope unit success rate in is still 70%.