Questions from an Antelope Novice

[manitou1]

Wildwilderness: I would be overjoyed to get any info on ranchers that hate antelope and allow folks to hunt them. I go every year and most all of the private land is leased to outfitters or ranchers charge exhorbitant fees.

 

[deerkiller]

Wildwilderness: I would be overjoyed to get any info on ranchers that hate antelope and allow folks to hunt them. I go every year and most all of the private land is leased to outfitters or ranchers charge exhorbitant fees.

this has never been my experience while hunting multiple years in WY from Oregon, I've nothing but pleasant memories and lasting friendships from Wyoming Ranchers I've met and befriended

 

[manitou1]

Oh, I have great friendships with ranchers and never have had a bad experience. Most ranches in the N.E. part are leased to outfitters. I wasn't saying the ranchers were unfriendly. I do have a private ranch to hunt, but the fact is, at least the areas I hunt, most are leased. I just didn't want to give someone the impression they could drive out and knock on a few doors and have a ranch to hunt. That isn't the case in many areas. I have friends that live there and don't have permission to hunt private ranches. My wife grew up in the areas I hunt and we have been vacationing out there for decades, so I am pretty familiar with those specific areas. Actually moving out there soon.
I am glad you have had good luck, as I have, with acquiring private access.

 

[deerkiller]

Oh, I have great friendships with ranchers and never have had a bad experience. Most ranches in the N.E. part are leased to outfitters. I wasn't saying the ranchers were unfriendly. I do have a private ranch to hunt, but the fact is, at least the areas I hunt, most are leased. I just didn't want to give someone the impression they could drive out and knock on a few doors and have a ranch to hunt. That isn't the case in many areas. I have friends that live there and don't have permission to hunt private ranches. My wife grew up in the areas I hunt and we have been vacationing out there for decades, so I am pretty familiar with those specific areas. Actually moving out there soon.
I am glad you have had good luck, as I have, with acquiring private access.

don't get me wrong, it takes honesty and some diligence - I have traveled out in the summer several times to work on projects with them but that has been as much fun as the hunts - you are lucky to be moving there though !

 

[TalusHunterCA]

don't get me wrong, it takes honesty and some diligence - I have traveled out in the summer several times to work on projects with them but that has been as much fun as the hunts - you are lucky to be moving there though !

That's very nice of you. I hope to meet some friendly ranchers (and also help out somehow) since I have two doe whitetailed deer tags for the Laramie region. I am thinking that some ranchers might welcome the culling of a couple of doe deer on their land.

 

[wildwilderness]

I recommended talking to the local CO to get names of ranchers to contact. That is different than cold knocking a door. However you have nothing to loose on knocking doors other than 5 min of time. You already don’t have permission to hunt so all you can do is gain permission. Doe tags are way easier to get permission for

 

[deerkiller]

in most conservative areas in the west the whitetail is not yet appreciated on a general basis, at least that's what my limited exposure says - WY F&G also gives a "little stipend" to landowners in the way of reimbursement coupons (some skoff at the mere idea, others take it in stride) Just a note, I was told by a F&G field biologist that a high percentage of deer in many regions are testing positive for CWD related maladies these days so keep this in mind

 

[AO13121]

Normal hunting gear will definitely suffice. As mentioned above, rangefinders are nice, but not needed. Field dress and get the hide off ASAP. Antelope meat gets a bad rap, but all the ones I have harvested are delicious when taken care of quickly.

 

[d90rick]

good binos on a good tripod is helpful. i would add full leather boots, those prickly pears go through almost anything. leather gloves and knee pads

 

[silverbullet555]

good binos on a good tripod is helpful. i would add full leather boots, those prickly pears go through almost anything. leather gloves and knee pads

What gloves are you all using. I was looking for some puncture resistant industrial gloves, but didn't have as much success as I would have liked. I bought acteryx knee pads after my last hunt and pulling cactus thorns out of my knees.

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[d90rick]

the arcteryx pads are great. i just use regular ol' deerskin gloves (not the cheapo's) from lowes etc.

 

[deerkiller]

the arcteryx pads are great. i just use regular ol' deerskin gloves (not the cheapo's) from lowes etc.

Deer or Elk hide gloves - DON'T be bashful, pull the darned staple out and try them on, DO NOT buy the ones that are thick and stiff, the supple gloves is what you want -those "knee caps" are the ticket I think - knee replacements so kneeling on ANYTHING works for about …… 1/10th of a second

 

[wytx]

Get you some tactical gloves, they have extra padding on the palms and are for shooting.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

If you shoot one, cut the scent gland on their cheek off with a pair of gloves then toss the gloves. That is how people get stinky meat

 

[FlyGuy]

I’ve never been on a goat hunt yet but I’ll give out this advice to the OP anyway:

Don’t shoot at skylined goats!

I’m down here in TX too and know that you’ve likely never hunted that kind of wide open country like you will in WY. It is nothingness on a whole different level. Just be mindful of you basic gun safety rules. These soft rolling hills can be deceptive. It may seem like that nothingness goes on forever and ever, but There could be a farm, house, tractor, or other hunters approaching those goats just over that rise.

I know that is basic stuff, but people get caught in the moment on a “simple” hunt and forget things basics sometimes, and I think especially so when they’ve just never in their lives hunted in country where it was something to contend with. You just hear too many horror stories about accidents like that over the years.

I hope you have a great hunt. It should be a great adventure and will open up your mind to all the possibilities of western hunting. (But be prepared, it might just ruin whitetail hunting for you forever!)





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[deerkiller]

I’ve never been on a goat hunt yet but I’ll give out this advice to the OP anyway:

Don’t shoot at skylined goats!

I’m down here in TX too and know that you’ve likely never hunted that kind of wide open country like you will in WY. It is nothingness on a whole different level. Just be mindful of you basic gun safety rules. These soft rolling hills can be deceptive. It may seem like that nothingness goes on forever and ever, but There could be a farm, house, tractor, or other hunters approaching those goats just over that rise.

I know that is basic stuff, but people get caught in the moment on a “simple” hunt and forget things basics sometimes, and I think especially so when they’ve just never in their lives hunted in country where it was something to contend with. You just hear too many horror stories about accidents like that over the years.

I hope you have a great hunt. It should be a great adventure and will open up your mind to all the possibilities of western hunting. (But be prepared, it might just ruin whitetail hunting for you forever!)





You can’t cheat the mountain

EXCELLANT POST !!

 

[JohnnyDesert]

Carpet feet and knee pads are great to have for the stalk.

 

[deerkiller]

Carpet feet and knee pads are great to have for the stalk.

knee pads are essential - haven't ever gotten the chance to stalk close enough to an antelope for needing to be sneaky quiet though

 

[JohnnyDesert]

knee pads are essential - haven't ever gotten the chance to stalk close enough to an antelope for needing to be sneaky quiet though

I really am referring to archery, I forgot my carpet shoes on my last antelope kill and took my shoes off to get in the last 80 yds in crunchy dry grass

 

[silverbullet555]

If you shoot one, cut the scent gland on their cheek off with a pair of gloves then toss the gloves. That is how people get stinky meat

I just do the gutless method, but thanks for the tip as getting scent glands away from meat.

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