WY Antelope For a Newbie?

[Carter123WA]

Hey Guys,

To start things off I'm a complete newbie to western style hunting currently living in the Mid West who is looking at putting together a solo rifle public land antelope hunt in Wyoming this fall.

I have absolutely zero expectations here involving the critter, don't care if it's a doe or the most under-endowed buck in the state, just want to get out and experience a taster of this type of hunting.

I'm perfectly happy walking as far as necessary and camping out where needed so road+lodging accessibility isn't a big concern. I like to walk and would honestly prefer something other than truck hunting if possible.

I don't have any points for WY yet, so right now I'm just trying to work out which unit/area would offer at least a reasonable chance of success and enough public land to get me going while having decent enough draw odds (regular or special draw, buck, doe, either, whatever) that it would be worth applying.

I've been scouring OnX and GoHunt religiously for the past few days, but being a noob it's rather difficult to separate the crappy areas from the ones with real potential.

Any suggestions on where to look and how to do it, along with other potential factors I may not have considered yet?

 

[Laramie]

You have a decent chance of drawing doe tags in a decent area. You have very little chance of drawing a decent any antelope tag. Anything requiring 0 points is that way for a reason.

Your best bet is to select an area that requires 5+ points right now and apply for doe tags there If you draw, should be a fun hunt.

 

[Glockster26]

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Hunting

wgfd.wyo.gov

Lots of good info.

 

[Glockster26]

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Get%20Involved/2022%20April%20Regulations/CH-5-Draft-12-03-2021-1.pdf

Proposed quotas

 

[406life]

You're already spending $300 for a tag, and probably $300 for food and lodging, and probably another $300 for gas. You might consider paying $100-300 for a trespass fee in the NE corner of the state, pick up a tag that is likely to be a leftover, and go hunt this fall. Unless you are, for some reason, dead set on hunting public. Then you are probably 3 years away from a drawing a decent hunt. For me, I'd rather just go hunting.

 

[Carter123WA]

You're already spending $300 for a tag, and probably $300 for food and lodging, and probably another $300 for gas. You might consider paying $100-300 for a trespass fee in the NE corner of the state, pick up a tag that is likely to be a leftover, and go hunt this fall. Unless you are, for some reason, dead set on hunting public. Then you are probably 3 years away from a drawing a decent hunt. For me, I'd rather just go hunting.

Thanks for the info. I'm not totally dead set on public and would definitely consider something like this if it wasn't cost prohibitive. Do you know if there is a way to find all the ranches/landowners who offer such programs?

 

[Carter123WA]

You have a decent chance of drawing doe tags in a decent area. You have very little chance of drawing a decent any antelope tag. Anything requiring 0 points is that way for a reason.

Your best bet is to select an area that requires 5+ points right now and apply for doe tags there If you draw, should be a fun hunt.

Yeah my hope is to find a solid unit to get a good shot at a doe tag this year, but which also has good size buck potential to return to in a couple years once I've built up some points.

If I do end up getting a doe tag in say area 17, would I then also be able to buy a point for that area or another come summer or would I have to wait for next year?

 

[manitou1]

You're already spending $300 for a tag, and probably $300 for food and lodging, and probably another $300 for gas. You might consider paying $100-300 for a trespass fee in the NE corner of the state, pick up a tag that is likely to be a leftover, and go hunt this fall. Unless you are, for some reason, dead set on hunting public. Then you are probably 3 years away from a drawing a decent hunt. For me, I'd rather just go hunting.

Man, p.m. me if you know of tresspass fee hunts for that price. Wife and I live here and don't see those around here. Would be a great deal.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

Yeah my hope is to find a solid unit to get a good shot at a doe tag this year, but which also has good size buck potential to return to in a couple years once I've built up some points.

If I do end up getting a doe tag in say area 17, would I then also be able to buy a point for that area or another come summer or would I have to wait for next year?

Yes try for a doe tag and get your point in July !!
Damn just looked at odds for nonres doe tags pretty popular looks like!!

 

[zrodwyo]

Man, p.m. me if you know of tresspass fee hunts for that price. Wife and I live here and don't see those around here. Would be a great deal.

Yep…I would pay way…way… more than that for access if I knew of a willing rancher.

 

[Laramie]

You're already spending $300 for a tag, and probably $300 for food and lodging, and probably another $300 for gas. You might consider paying $100-300 for a trespass fee in the NE corner of the state, pick up a tag that is likely to be a leftover, and go hunt this fall. Unless you are, for some reason, dead set on hunting public. Then you are probably 3 years away from a drawing a decent hunt. For me, I'd rather just go hunting.

That was the going rate 25 years ago... $500 to $1500 is the norm now for the decent ranches to hunt on. If you know of cheaper ones, it would be wise to keep them quiet and treat the landowners well.

 

[ClearCreek]

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Get%20Involved/2022%20April%20Regulations/CH-5-Draft-12-03-2021-1.pdf

Proposed quotas

I don't think those are the antelope license quotas for the 2022 season as they are still working out the license quotas. Quotas should be available about mid-March.

ClearCreek

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

I don't think those are the antelope license quotas for the 2022 season as they are still working out the license quotas. Quotas should be available about mid-March.

ClearCreek

Those are the proposed quotas for 2022, now they will have all there public season setting meetings and looks like the commission meeting will be held April 19-20 where everything will be finalized.

 

[Laramie]

I don't think those are the antelope license quotas for the 2022 season as they are still working out the license quotas. Quotas should be available about mid-March.

ClearCreek

They are for 2022 but I would expect several of the quotas to be lowered. Quite a few areas struggling with recruitment right now for some unknown reason.

 

[406life]

That was the going rate 25 years ago... $500 to $1500 is the norm now for the decent ranches to hunt on. If you know of cheaper ones, it would be wise to keep them quiet and treat the landowners well.

Yep…I would pay way…way… more than that for access if I knew of a willing rancher.

I've hunted WY for several years now and actually only paid for access twice. Neither was over $300. The rest of the time it's a handshake, cup of coffee, or bottle of whiskey. Finding quality access isn't difficult, but requires effort. I've had the same experience across the west.

 

[406life]

Thanks for the info. I'm not totally dead set on public and would definitely consider something like this if it wasn't cost prohibitive. Do you know if there is a way to find all the ranches/landowners who offer such programs?

F&G used to have lists, but these have largely dried up. You'll have to be resourceful and develop your own.

 

[Laramie]

I've hunted WY for several years now and actually only paid for access twice. Neither was over $300. The rest of the time it's a handshake, cup of coffee, or bottle of whiskey. Finding quality access isn't difficult, but requires effort. I've had the same experience across the west.

I have actually never paid and been hunting Wyoming since the 80s. There are places like you suggest but they are extremely challenging to find for someone who lives hours away from Wyoming. It's unrealistic to suggest that as the norm for guys travelling in for a few day hunt and searching online for trespass hunts.

 

[NEWHunter]

If you’re willing to spend up for the special draw you might be be able to get a type 1 tag to hunt. With your willingness to work you will probably find success if you can shoot. That said, over $600 for a very marginal tag is alot of money.

 

[cnelk]

I just spend about 3 1/2 minutes on the WGF website and found how a new hunter [or any hunter] could hunt multiple antelope this year.

Its all there... just go find it

 

[Seamaster]

Even a doe tag is a tough pull in areas with good public access.

The last trespass fees that I have seen were $750-$1,000, and then only to hunters that were previously known to the landowners (returning hunters, etc.). Most of the good ranches have been leased by outfitters or only let family and friends hunt.

If you are a very lucky fellow you might draw a tag in the random draw somewhere, but public land with zero points is pretty grim.