8 points Mule deer – 180+ – Sent letters describing our interests, years of experience, willingness to pay and goal of developing an excellent relationship with the landowner(s), and how we would be respectful of the privilege of the use of their land. It was a great hunt and we didn't feel like we were limited by the access you just hunt it in a different way. Wyoming Bison priority list has been changed. I would really study the BLM map for that area and see if you can find that point where you can hike in, even if its 2-3 miles. And while Wyoming has a lot of public land in general, many of the agricultural areas with the best habitat where antelope numbers are densest have little public land for hunter access. In August, 2012 I called over thirty names on the list and none had any slots left. Mark, Turning an Elk into the Best Elk Burger in the World ! While many states have excellent Antelope hunting, a hunt in Wyoming can be done nearly every year on leftover licenses and ever 2-4 years in a great units through the public draw system. I would appreciate any in site on where to start, camping, a tv use . Many ranchers allow DIY hunters on their property for a fee. Hey Luke, I would really recommend calling the WY Game and Fish in early January. "It's taking at least three years in unit 91, which has a good number of pronghorns. Choice on draw application? This map can be found on the BLM website at :http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en.html. Also, be sure to ask about trespass fees. There are clearly economic factors at play that F&G must include/probably even rely on in their game management. So there are a lot of things to consider before answering your question. Both have a lot of landlocked areas and was wondering your opinion on good places to hunt in these areas or advice. Where should I be scouting/applying? It’s just a matter of putting in the time and finding the buck you are after. advertising of DIY public hunting opportunities. Yellowstone and Grand Teton Park are the best places to hunt but sometimes the rangers get a little peeved if they catch you. The hunter stated he was willing to pay up to $500. How does the group application work. My only real problem is the income they are realizing from fees vs the (false?) ANY SUGGESTIONS WHERE TO HUNT. In this case then, all 11 of those hunters would be drawn and the final eight remaining tags would be leftover tags for sale in July. You may want to also consider the Special License option to increase your odds in the random draw and reduce the points required to draw that hunt area. Stay low," I whispered to my son Cole. There won’t be many so be ready to buy the day they go on sale. Either of these hunts would make for a great hunt. What about units that allow multiple tags? Good Luck ! Are you wondering about units where you can hunt elk, deer and antelope during the same season? If you can wait until July to lock in your hunt area, you will have leftover licenses available in many hunt areas. When you shoot your buck, bone out the meat on the tarp, put it in game bags and head back to camp with meat and horns. Hi Mark Good Luck ! A few units in Wyoming have very healthy sheep herds and are a great place to get a crack at a 160 – 170 inch ram, with a few larger taken every year. Looking forward to your response. I would be coming from Montana and meeting up with some folks from the Midwest. In an effort to secure access We’re not looking for a trophy, just an enjoyable experience and hopefully a couple decent bucks. During the rut, decoys are going to be more effective. I also have a Utah lifetime Deer hunting license. Archery Antelope Hunts Wyoming Guided antelope hunting in Wyoming with Table Mountain Outfitters provides you with the best possibility of harvesting a trophy animal. If you have the time to help me out, I would really appreciate it. Public lands support healthy pronghorn numbers in northwestern Colorado, but it can take several years to draw a tag for those units. Just my two cents. Did parts of the state have a large amount of winter kill this year? Leftovers go on sale on the 17th, not 18th. Obviously, the actual number of 2nd and 3rd choice applicants will be less than that published under Draw Odds. Its certainly getting tougher but if you can handle rejection and put the time in you will find a place o hunt. While you probably won’t be passing up 180 rams hoping for a larger one. In 2010 we lost 60-80% of the mulies and antelope in many areas of eastern MT. This information is great. For whatever reason, the number of second and third choice applicants is not reduced if the applicant draws their first choice hunt area. Draw Odds, Special         License NR Random Draw Odds, Special                  License NR Pref Points Draw Odds, Hire an outfitter – Not DIY,  but a way to get access to private land. We are currently awaiting our BLM maps but we are looking at unit 113 and noticed it appears to be land locked by private ranches. Using this strategy and careful hunt area selection will have you hunting antelope in WY in very good areas two out of three years with a regular license and annually if you opt for the special license. We both have been putting in, and have several perference points a piece for antelope and mule deer, so units with deer also is a plus. Hunting pressure is low and annual hunter success is high (Unit 114 has a success rate hovering around 90 percent with hunters spending three and a half days in the field. Some friends and are planning a pronghorn hunt for 2016 all having 5 pps. If so, there are a lot of options in Wyoming. Required fields are marked *, Dedicated to the Love of Extreme Backcountry Hunting. To learn more about leftover license antelope hunting read our featured article: Wyoming’s Second Chance Antelope. Learn everything about hunting Wyoming Antelope Unit 7. Wyoming Antelope can run 35mph for 4 miles, 42mph for 1 mile and 55mph for .5 miles making the North American Pronghorn the second fasted land mammal. These will be used for second and third choice applicants and the remainder sold as “leftover” licenses. Wyoming moose hunting has historically been about as good as it gets. It appears that a hunter may be able to obtain more than one doe licenses as well. I feel like I am in no man's land with 6 antelope points in WY. As long as you can legally set foot on the BLM along a public road, you can traverse the entire contiguous block. For several years you were lucky to even see an antelope in those hard hit areas. I would prefer to hunt 2015, with multiple tags (don’t necessarily NEED a buck tag either) and end up with a preference point. Thanks, Hi Tyrell, I emailed you back directly but for others benefit, IF you have 4 points and your Dad has 1 then your combined average is 2.5. Public land hunt areas are typically hard to draw. Wyoming Antelope Hot Spots Historically, Units 77 and 114 are two antelope hunting units with good public land access where leftover tags are available. There are so many antelope in some of those units between Gillette and Cheyenne..I am sure someone will let you hunt does if you ask.. you might have to wade through a few “no’s” to find one though. – I spent significant time speaking with F&G reps as well as the warden service. Walk in Areas & Maps can be found at WY Game & Fish website at. These are just three of many ways to put a hunt strategy together using the information provided. Plan to hunt hard and be prepared to get the meat out yourself, or hire someone who can do it quickly — especially if you are hunting in September. Draw Odds for Regular, Special License, and Random Draw are available at : Part 2 focused on Trophy potential. Access by humans usually entails driving a truck or car on a road, parking it, and walking into an area. Hi Mark, The draw odds have changed dramatically in WY in last three years. If it was me, I would likely be looking at the units in Natrona County (32) and others in the central part of the state. Plus you can go 'Premium' and get 5 year stats and access to premium content. I am considering unit 46, 47, and 48. If you wish to purchase any of the 1:100,000 scale maps please contact one of the BLM offices listed on Wyoming’s BLM website: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/offices.html. Each year I get dozens of emails from guys wanting to hunt Wyoming with either zero or one or two preference points. My dad and I are planning to apply for tags next year. The openings fill up fast. Applicants who select hunt areas or types for which licenses are not authorized will have their license fee, but not their application fee, refunded. The above image shows the antelope hunt areas overlayed on the BLM Surface Management map available for the State of Wyoming. Since there were 28 tags allocated, 100% of the first choice applicants were drawn. Thoughts? I was looking at spending the extra on a tag to get a better chance for a good unit. I would proceed with caution if the idea is that the threat of winter die off in WY is keeping people away and that creates an opportunity to hunt. Mark, Hey Mark, This archery antelope hunt remains the best first-time Western adventure as you will see many … When I hunted near Gillette we had mixed results on public land in unit 18. So yes..for those units buying a point this year would be a great idea. I would pick one and go a couple days before the open date and start knocking on doors. If you have been reading Part 1 through Part 3 we have now discussed the two extremes of antelope hunting in Wyoming. So I have a question that came up after reading some other posts regarding hunting antelope in Wyoming. Public access is most important. looking for a unit or units we could hunt at least every other year, my dad is getting up there, preferably with doe/extra tags as well as a buck tag. As far as opportunity goes, it can’t be beat and nearly every hunt area has good bucks. Hayden, Any license not allocated in the Special License Random Draw becomes a leftover license.. Most of the info is still good, but there are typically some price changes. Compare changes in elevation, ruggedness, public land and even stats like number of hunters, hunter success and more. We'll all have two preference points going into that draw. We are not concerned with having trophies so much as shooting a buck and maybe getting an extra doe to help fill the freezer. Also in general are ATVs allowed on these BLM land in Wyoming? So determining hunt dates by unit is one of the first things I would do. I have no points and do want to go hunting this fall. After the 9 first choice applicants were drawn, there were still 19 remaining random draw tags. They have some public land with decent access and good antelope populations. Looking for a hunt this fall 2015 for four people. So in Wyoming high point value equals public land. Thanks again for all the information that you’ve provided so far. The central part of WY offers some good units. For 1st. I was wondering what would be better to hunt in, area 17 or 23. As a result, no tags are left for 2nd or 3rd choice applicants. He said it has a good amount of public land. We're all in good shape, experienced hunters. There are literally no good units available right now at these license levels that can be drawn with less than 3 or 4 points. Looking at these numbers, you may be wondering how a unit can have a 100% random draw odds but only 90% first choice draw odds. Consider posting an ad in the local paper, or even on Craigslist to  advertising your need for hunting access. Average antelope bucks … Mark. Leave a comment if you have questions and I will do my best to help! My dad is 85 and wants to go since he has never taken an antelope and doesn’t know how many more years he will be able to hunt. Not this year – none of us got tags. There tends to be a high percentage of public land, high success rates, and draw odds with the special tag are generally very high. With a special license you can be assured of drawing one of the better units with lots of public access, even as a 2nd Choice area. Public land hunt areas are typically hard to draw. You can find areas that meet your criteria and have regular draw odds of 40% or better for 0 point applicants. Also what would be the odds of getting doe tags for that same unit. The areas with little public land will be undersubscribed, requiring zero points to draw. Of course like everybody, we would like to hunt a unit with easy public assess and a lot of pronghorn. Regarding winter kill, western WY and Southeastern ID had record snowfalls in much of that area. These units have few if any tags left over for 2nd or 3rd choice applicants after the first choice draw is completed. I'd suggest a trespass fee although I dont really know where to find some thing like that. Most hunt areas in these parts of Wyoming have ample public access on lands managed by the BLM. Often what that means is there is no “easy” access to the public land, in other words, you have to do some hiking from a remote point where the BLM land touches a public road. You could look at a region D, K, H, Y, or F with a general elk license. Would it still be a good choice or no? View Harvest Reports, Draw Odds, Preference Points, Regulations, Elevation, Maps, Vegetation Analysis, really anything pertaining to hunting Antelope this fall! In most of these units you will be able to buy a tag over the counter even during the antelope season, giving you time during the summer to lock down hunting plans. Strategy: Only apply in the Trophy hunt areas. Three of use planned on going to CO this fall to hunt antelope in areas 3/301 (north of Grand Junction). Those areas with good access will be oversubscribed for first choice applicants and will require 1-3 preference points to draw. Neil 6 months ago, “I was wondering what units would be my best bet for rifle elk, mule deer, and antelope with the points I have or should I wait till I get more points for the trophy I’m looking for a chance at?”. I just got back from hunting antelope in WY area 23 and will never go there again. Other features on the maps are roads, topographic, contour and elevation symbols, rivers, streams and lakes. Thanks for the great write up. This includes the state’s Walk In access program (more on that later) and existing state sections, BLM, National Forest, etc. If you wish to purchase any of the 1:100,000 scale maps please contact one of the BLM offices listed on Wyoming’s BLM website: Hunt    County                         Area. We hunted Bison HARD for the entire season south of the park,. There is no way to know the exact draw odds for second and third choice because of this. The other option here is to just purchase a preference point annually until you build enough points to guarantee a draw in the unit. Antelope densities in the state are highest in the Northeastern and Eastern Central sections of the state. However,  I would like to hunt in an area where there is good public access and a chance at a nice buck. You have ample time to plan so don’t stress that. Most of the list was outdated and the responses I received ranged from humorous to rude. I hunted unit 18 in northern WY and it was very tough and I would not recommend it. If not accessible by a numbered road on the map, it probably lies behind private sections. We are looking at doing a group hunt for 2014 and have taken your advice on the special tag buy in looking at our first choice, second and so on. Its important to understand how this works for developing your strategy for the draw. Could you contact me with some units you think would be good for a couple dudes that are willing to hike anywhere and camp in the middle of no where to do something we have never done. Any suggestions for youths. So lets take a look at some of  these hunt areas which should draw the attention of all but the most serious pronghorn trophy hunters. The hunter responded that he saw no reason to pay an extra $240 for a tag when there were plenty of  regular licenses available in the area he was considering. Wyoming antelope hunts with Big Horn Outfitters are extremely exciting and offer very high opportunity and success rates. An out of state hunter was asking if anyone knew a ranch or property owner that utlilized trespass fees. Any suggestions? By the end of the season we saw two cows and a calf, they must not leave the Park until deep snow drives them out. Or guided hunts ar reasonable for non trophy goats. So that might be a pretty good choice, although you’re a few under max points which can make pulling some of the popular units a little more difficult. I assume you have zero points for Antelope in WY? Wondering if you or anyone has any info on decent areas to help us start our planning early. In 2014 they have disappeared on the map and apparently been absorbed by unit 34. An August hunt will likely be pre-rut so with archery you are looking at hunting over water or spot and stalk. Keep this in mind when applying for this hunt, it will take some effort, and time to get away from the crowd and find a legal animal. Trophy units in the south/south central portions of the state with lots of public access and 1-3 % random draw odds. I am thinking about putting in for a antelope in Wyoming. Communication through email would work great. Have complained to WGFD about the complete lack of advice about this situation in either their website and regs. 106 total regular non-resident licenses were allocated to Unit 1. Trophy units in the south/south central portions of the state with lots of public access and 1-3 % random draw odds. I think he was missing the point. Next you need to decide whether you want to hunt in 2014 or can possible wait a year or so if you don’t get drawn in year 1. However, to get drawn you will have to put in for a first choice in the draw and use any accumulated preference points to improve your draw odds. You will be drawn before applicants with 2 points, but after those with 3. Game Area 9 in Niobarra County had 592 Regular Licenses allocated in 2012, 444 went to the Preference Point draw and 148 went to the Random Draw. Any unit advice? Another caveat: As in the Regular license draw, the Special License draw also allocates 25% of the tags to a Random Draw. Hi Mark, any suggestions. I was in southern Idaho and eastern OR in February and the deer were congregating along the roads trying to find food. Trophy is not a concern, just looking to have some fun with my dad before his adventure days are gone. Strategy: Review the Wyoming landownership maps, draw odds, and success rates  and select your desired hunt area. Remember that these sell quickly! Thanks. We have averaged 95% kills and 99% shot opportunities on antelope bucks since 2009. Just so I can narrow this down, does anyone know of any particular units in WY where I can expect to draw w/ decent public land (and access to it), 1 pp, and a decent shot at a buck? If you’ve read that post, you now understand the reality of what it takes to draw one of the coveted tags in one of Wyoming’s storied trophy antelope hunt areas. Here is what I have heard though.. if you go to some of those central unit areas that have a zillion tags, many of the landowners that turn down buck hunters will let you hunt does for free or even a small fee. What unit would you suggest? I do know that they have some areas/tags that I think are doe only. In effect, you can avoid the “trespass fee”.. by paying the extra $240. Based on these numbers, your odds of drawing this area with 0 points are actually 100%, not 90%. Because of stories like yours, my position on WY is to build at least 4 or 5 preference points and guarantee a decent unit with a lot of public access. 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