Wyoming Antelope - Bad News

[Laramie]

Looks like a good frost is possible middle of next week in the Laramie area. That would stop end the threat for this year but no clue how many have been lost already.

 

[Rich M]

We'll find out how it affects everything in May 2022.

Appreciate you bringing this forward. Thanks.

 

[Jimss]

Does where I hunted this year had gobs of twins and even a few triplet fawns. What's sad is currently there are only a few fawns left. I noticed this same thing in a different unit last year. Fawn crop has been ok but they just aren't surviving. There was plenty of water in portions of both of these units. Neither unit is that close to where they say they've encountered EHD. I wonder if areas outside where they've located EHD they just haven't monitored yet and it's a lot broader than they say it is..... or there is something else going on?

Something definitely is happening to the fawn crop. It could possibly be a combination of factors or it could be something devastating like a disease? I'm certain that coyotes get some of the fawns but not enough to totally decimate the fawn crop. Hopefully the WG&F can figure out what's going on and how to combat it fairly quickly.

If antelope are concentrated on the few water sources available later in the summers it may be possible to spray midges on the few waterholes where antelope are concentrated....if EHD is the culprit rather than sitting around twiddling thumbs? It's a real bummer seeing tags cut. That not only impacts hunter demand for tags but also revenue losses to the WG&F selling fewer tags. That $ could be put to use conserving and protecting antelope numbers. I certainly hope the WG&F jumps on this soon! The task force could be a place to get things rolling.

Anyway, something definitely is going on. Antelope numbers can rebound pretty fast but if year after year fawns are born and aren't surviving their first year it can carry dramatic, long-term impacts on the population. I can guarantee antelope numbers in South, Central, and South Central Wyo is a fraction of what it was 3 to 5 years ago. There has been winterkill in some of those areas but something else is going on. Boy, if there is a bad winter it could be even a lot worse than it already is!

 

[RyanT26]

The antelope section of rokslide has just been depressing this year. I’ll be around Casper with my son in six days, it will be his first trip. I hope it’s not as bad as it sounds but sure in hell doesn’t sound good either.

 

[Jimss]

Numbers are way down but there are still nice bucks. It may take a while to find them though..especially in some units.

 

[Laramie]

I just spent several days near Laramie. Numbers were down but still saw quite a few antelope on public. The thing that really stuck out, as mentioned by several others, we saw very few fawns... Very few. Out of about 60 does, only one had twins with her. One herd of 16 does and one buck had 2 fawns. Not sure if it was EHD or something else but it was concerning.

 

[matchbook454]

The antelope section of rokslide has just been depressing this year. I’ll be around Casper with my son in six days, it will be his first trip. I hope it’s not as bad as it sounds but sure in hell doesn’t sound good either.

I’m going to be around Casper for the opener as well. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck to you and your boy. Hope it’s not as bad as the forum makes it sound. There are supposedly more Antelope around Casper than most other states have total. Hope that’s true and that even with drought, winter kill, and EHD there are still plenty around for us to get some nice bucks.

 

[NickD40]

There was some mention of a potential frost this week. Anyone confirm or deny?

 

[HiMtnHntr]

We had 26 degrees in Laramie earlier this week. 30 the night after.

 

[Jimss]

I just returned from another trip to Wyo and took a closer note of fawns. Most of the fawns I saw had grown quite a bit but there definitely were fewer than immediately after they were born this spring. Quite a few does had 0 fawns but there were some fawns that have survived. I am confident in saying that something is definitely going on with fawn recruitment.

 

[steveokanevo]

Was planning my second WY antelope hunt for next year. Finally built enough points to draw 73 or 47. The affected areas seem close to both units. Praying it wont be too terrible.

 

[AntlerFever]

How’s the Buffalo /Sheridan general area looking as well as the Kaycee area. Trying to decide if I should start buying points for 2024.

 

[long hunter]

We will be hunting that area 10th thru 14th mule deer mainly but there is a doe antelope tag or two with the other hunters in our group, will let you know sometime later in oct. how things went, I was also planing on a return trip in 2024 for antelope but will make a final decision after this year. With the point creep and all the talk of less tags makes one wonder if the trip is worth it. Might be time too consider how other states are doing and if there is a better opportunity there, I really like Wyoming but it might be time for a change of scenery. Sitting on one antelope point right now 2024 would give me 4 pts. 2019 drew the area for antelope with no points, guess times are changing.

 

[RyanT26]

Just leaving 26. Managed to fill tags. It was the first time I have been here for opening weekend and won’t every do that again, not that later in the season was much better last year. No one shot at my downed antelope this year, so that was a plus.
IMO antelope numbers where way down. Pressure was through the roof. I spoke with several other hunters they all shared the same thoughts. Still no freeze or frost in the area and when I spoke to the GW he stated he has received a bunch of calls from hunters who have found dead antelope and mule deer he believes to be ehd related.

 

[go_deep]

My son is a second year hunter, I let him fill his tag 2 weekend ago with a buck. We'll be eating my buck tag and all our doe tags, the vast amount of land void of Antelope is disturbing.

 

[bowhunterjae]

This is very sad news!

 

[wapitibob]

I saw tons of Antelope. Horn length was down a bit with most of them petering out above the prongs.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

We spoke to a local who grew up in the area and he said that there are 80% less antelope today than 3 years ago. There was a lot of country that seemed void of antelope, so I can see it.

South-Central WY


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[HiMtnHntr]

The die-offs are localized. Some areas have decent numbers, some have very few. For people who have been around wyoming awhile, antelope numbers overall are very bad.

 

[Lhook7]

I had two doe/fawn tags in an area I have hunted for the last nine years. We usually see hundreds of antelope on the HMA, the first, and only, day out, we saw 15. Our party had a total of 10 doe/fawn tags and decided not to try to fill them. I also shared this information with Game and Fish when I took the end of season survey.