My 2010 Montana Pronghorn
In Part 2 of this series we discussed three key differences in Wyoming antelope hunt areas:
- Trophy Potential
- Hunt Seasons
- Public Access
Part 2 focused on Trophy potential. 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. Fortunately, there are lots of other options for hunting antelope in WY. Antelope densities in the state are highest in the Northeastern and Eastern Central sections of the state. Unfortunately for DIY hunters, these areas also have limited public access. Draw odds in the eastern sections of Wyoming fall in line with the amount of public land in the hunt area. Those areas with good access will be oversubscribed for first choice applicants and will require 1-3 preference points to draw. As a result, no tags are left for 2nd or 3rd choice applicants. The areas with little public land will be undersubscribed, requiring zero points to draw. As a result literally hundreds of the tags allocated to these hunt areas go unsold each year. Looking below at the land ownership map of the state you can see that the Central and South Central counties discussed in Part 2 of this series are primarily BLM land. (Yellow). The eastern third, particulary the northeast areas of the state have little public land.
The above image shows the antelope hunt areas overlayed on the BLM Surface Management map available for the State of Wyoming. This map can be found on the BLM website at :http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en.html.
You may obtain any BLM detailed surface management maps for your hunt area. The maps are a scale of 1:100,000 and cover an area approximately 30 x 50 miles. The maps are color-coded to show land status (Federal, State or Private ownership). These maps do not show private land owner names. Other features on the maps are roads, topographic, contour and elevation symbols, rivers, streams and lakes. The Surface/Mineral Management maps also show mineral ownership shading. These maps are available at any Wyoming BLM office for a fee of $4.00 each.
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
| Hunt County Area | 2012 NR Tags | NR 1st Choice Applicants | Tags Remaining | |
| 15 Sheridan | 557 | 159 | 398 | |
| 16 Johnson | 354 | 174 | 180 | |
| 17 Campbell | 681 | 329 | 352 | |
| 22 Johnson | 715 | 339 | 376 | |
| 23 Johnson/Campbell | 1419 | 526 | 893 | |
| 25 Converse | 695 | 122 | 573 | |
| 24 Campbell | 555 | 182 | 373 | |
| 21 Johnson | 507 | 198 | 309 | |
| 26 Converse | 1080 | 469 | 611 | |
| 19 Campbell | 162 | 78 | 84 |
As you can see, these areas have hundreds of licenses remaining after the first choice draw. These will be used for second and third choice applicants and the remainder sold as “leftover” licenses. . If you decide to hunt in one of these hunt areas, you have a few choices to consider to be able to access the thousands of antelope here:
- Hire an outfitter – Not DIY, but a way to get access to private land
- Contact the Game and Fish regarding Landowner Lists – These are landowners that allow hunters on their property. The openings fill up fast. In August, 2012 I called over thirty names on the list and none had any slots left. Also, be sure to ask about trespass fees. Some owners will require them.
- Pay a trespass fee. Many ranchers allow DIY hunters on their property for a fee. Generally you can drive around the area and talk with ranchers and land owners to find out who allows fee hunting. Free access in these counties is becoming rare. Expect $200-$1500 per person for access.
- Plan on hunting what public access land there is in the area. This includes the state’s Walk In access program (more on that later) and existing state sections, BLM, National Forest, etc. Note: Much of the public land visible on maps in these areas may not be accessible to the public. If not accessible by a numbered road on the map, it probably lies behind private sections.
The advantage of these hunt areas is your ability to always draw a license here as your second choice draw every year while building preference points for your desired trophy hunt. Some hunters have had luck getting free access to private land in these areas just by asking. However, if you don’t have the time to pre-scout the area and do the legwork required to hunt you may be disappointed. Trespass fees are a reasonable way to access private land but again will require some legwork to determine where that option is available. Consider posting an ad in the local paper, or even on Craigslist to advertising your need for hunting access. It’s not a bad idea. Obviously, if you post an ad stating a willingness to pay a “reasonable” trespass fee your going to have more success ! Another advantage of these areas is the number of leftover unsold tags. 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.
| Hunt Area & Primary County | 2012 Hunt Dates | Random Draw Odds | Pref Points Regular NR Lic. Draw Odds | Special License NR Random Draw Odds | Special License NR Pref Points Draw Odds |
| 1 – Crook | 10/1 – 11/20 | 100 % | 90 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100% w/0 Pts |
| 2 – Crook | 10/1 – 11/20 | 100 % | 82 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 5 – Weston/Crook | 10/1 – 11/20 | 10 % | 20 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100% w/0 Pts |
| 6 – Weston | 10/1 -10/15 | 100 % | 89% w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100% w/0 Pts |
| 7 – Weston | 10/1 – 10/15 | 15 % | 35 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 9 – Niobarra | 10/1 – 10/31 | 75 % | 67 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 27 – Campbell | 10/1 – 10/15 | 5 % | 50 % w/1 Pt | 100 % | 100% w/0 Pts |
| 29 Converse | 10/1 – 10/15 | 100 % | 74% w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100% w/0 Pts |
| 32 Natrona | 9/25 – 10/31 | 8 % | 80 % w/1 Pt | 100 % | 80 % w/0 Pts |
| 46 Carbon | 9/25 – 10/31 | 5 % | 54 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 50 Carbon | 9/16 – 10/31 | 52 % | 58 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/ 0 Pts |
| 39 Albany/Platte | 10/5 – 10/31 | 50 % | 85% w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 71 Natrona | 9/15 – 10/31 | 70 % | 79 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 72 Natrona | 9/15 – 10/31 | 6 % | 89% w/1 Pt | 70 % | 63 % w/0 Pts |
| 113 Johnson | 10/1 – 10/31 | 66 % | 63 % w/0 Pts | 100 % | 100 % w/0 Pts |
| 115 Washakie | 10/1 – 10/31 | 40 % | 38 % w/2 Pts | 50 % | 33 % w/0 Pts |
Before we delve into these units’ statistics, I would like to talk for a moment about the benefit of buying the “special license”. As you can see, most of the better hunt areas with adequate public land have 20 % to 80 % draw odds with a regular license and 0 points. However, almost all have 100% draw odds with the special license. Recently, I was reading an interesting string of posts on a popular hunting forum. An out of state hunter was asking if anyone knew a ranch or property owner that utlilized trespass fees. The hunter stated he was willing to pay up to $500. Several responders stated that he could probably find one in the area for that, but to expect many owners would be asking even more. An astute reader responded and asked the hunter if he had considered a “Special License”. 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. (??) I think he was missing the point. In effect, you can avoid the “trespass fee”.. by paying the extra $240. 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. You also significantly increase the odds of drawing one of trophy units. I agree that $526 is a lot for an antelope tag, but you ensure a quality hunting experience and a annual draw in better units. That’s my case for spending the extra money on the special license.
Back to the table above. 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. Let’s take a closer look at the stats behind a couple of these units. Its important to understand how this works for developing your strategy for the draw.
Game Area 1 had a 90% draw odds with 0 Points and 100 % random draw odds for 1st choice applicants. Here are the numbers:
- 106 total regular non-resident licenses were allocated to Unit 1.
- 78 Tags (75%) of those went to the preference point draw for first choice applicants. 28 Tags (25%) went to the Random Draw
- There were 87 total first choice applicants, 78 of those, or 90%, were drawn
- The remaining 9 First Choice applicants were unsuccessful in the point draw, so they were put in for the Random Draw. Since there were 28 tags allocated, 100% of the first choice applicants were drawn. Based on these numbers, your odds of drawing this area with 0 points are actually 100%, not 90%.
- After the 9 first choice applicants were drawn, there were still 19 remaining random draw tags. 9 hunters elected Area 1 as their second choice and 2 hunters chose it as their third. 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.
There is a caveat to these statistics though. For whatever reason, the number of second and third choice applicants is not reduced if the applicant draws their first choice hunt area. There is no way to know the exact draw odds for second and third choice because of this. Obviously, the actual number of 2nd and 3rd choice applicants will be less than that published under Draw Odds.
Another caveat: As in the Regular license draw, the Special License draw also allocates 25% of the tags to a Random Draw. Any license not allocated in the Special License Random Draw becomes a leftover license.. EVEN if 100% of the Regular License applicants did not get drawn. Lets look at the stats for Game Area 9 to incorporate this into our hunt plan.
- 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
- There were 655 first choice applicants, 444 were drawn (67%) and 211 did not get drawn went into the Random Draw for the 148 tags.
- 148 of the 211 first choice applicants were drawn in the Random Draw – (75%)
- Overall, 592 first choice applicants were drawn (444 + 148) for an overall success rate of 85%
- Area 9 had 180 Tags allocated for the Special License draw and 59 tags for the Special License Random Draw. There were only 2 applicants total ! So 237 Special License tags for area 9 would be leftover to purchase in July. The good news is these licenses are sold at the regular license price!
By now I probably have you really confused ! If you have hung in so far, we can look now at how all of this information can be applied to develop your Wyoming antelope hunt strategy. Here are some stratgies to consider
Hunt Plan – I am only interested in hunting in areas with high trophy potential.
Strategy: Only apply in the Trophy hunt areas. You have 1-3% random draw odds while also building the preference points necessary to eventually draw in that unit. The other option here is to just purchase a preference point annually until you build enough points to guarantee a draw in the unit. 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.
Hunt Plan– I would like to eventually hunt a Wyoming trophy hunt area. Meanwhile, I would like to be guaranteed a chance to hunt Wyoming this year.
Strategy: Put in for a trophy hunt area as first choice. For your guaranteed hunt you have a couple of options: If you want to lock in an area during the draw you will need to select a unit which historically has tags still available for a second choice draw. If you can wait until July to lock in your hunt area, you will have leftover licenses available in many hunt areas. Remember that these sell quickly! Also, consider the Special License as an option to improve your odds for the trophy unit and increasing the units with tags remaining for your second choice selection.
Hunt Plan– I am not interested in waiting to draw a trophy hunt area. However, I would like to hunt in an area where there is good public access and a chance at a nice buck.
Strategy: Review the Wyoming landownership maps, draw odds, and success rates and select your desired hunt area. Put in for that area as first choice. You can find areas that meet your criteria and have regular draw odds of 40% or better for 0 point applicants. Most areas with regular license tags still available for second choice draws will not meet your criteria for public land access so don’t bother with a second choice unit. If you don’t get drawn for the area of your first choice, be ready to buy a leftover tag in July when they go on sale if there are any available for units that meet your requirements for public access. There won’t be many so be ready to buy the day they go on sale.
Again, consider the Special License as an option to improve your odds for your first choice unit and provide good units with 100% draw odds as your second choice selection. 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.
These are just three of many ways to put a hunt strategy together using the information provided. Leave a comment if you have questions and I will do my best to help! Good luck ! Mark
Antelope Season Dates by hunt area can be found on WY Game & Fish website under “Hunting”, “WGFD Regulations” – http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1000179.aspx
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Draw Odds for Regular, Special License, and Random Draw are available at :http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1000157.aspx
- Walk in Areas & Maps can be found at WY Game & Fish website at http://gf.state.wy.us/plpwhmprogram/frmWalkinHuntingHome.aspx
Good reading. There are 4-5 of us that are looking into a antelope/mule deer combo for 2014. How does the group application work. I understand that it’s more of a all or none, but what if all of us purchased preference points this year. would that be viewed as application with 4 or 5 prefernce points that could possibily help the odds in a better than average/trophy area?
You need to look at the units you want to hunt and how long you are willing to wait. Preference points will help a lot in some units..in others you don’t need any to draw and they would be wasted. In the hard to draw units, one point isn’t going to make any difference. As I mention in one of the articles, there are some decent units you have a pretty good chance of drawing with one point. So yes..for those units buying a point this year would be a great idea. Keep the “special” license in mind too. Its more expensive but gives you 100% draw odds in some great goat units.
Chris, WY takes the total number of preference points held in the group and divides it by the total number of hunters applying in the group. So if you had 4 people with one point each, your total of 4 pts is divided by 4 hunters = 1 preference point. So your group draw odds is the same as a single hunter with 1 point. Still, in some of the units one point makes a big difference.
Mark,
I am considering unit 46, 47, and 48. I have been talking to someone about these units. He said it has a good amount of public land. He says he has hunted one of them for a few years now and has been drawn under a reg tag every year. I am considering the “special” tag for my dad and I. I just want to make sure we get a tag. Thoughts? I noticed on the WY draw resulst this year there are “Type 1” and “Type 2” hunt types? What is the difference? They have different allocated tag nunbers and draw results. What is the differance?
Thanks!
Type 2 areas are either a second season in the unit or a separate area within the unit with different boundaries. Often the type 2 units appear easier to draw but its because they are mostly private land. Do you plan on hunting 2014?
Mark this was good reading. 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. 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. Without paying trespass fees is there anyway into these spots?
Jordan,
Unit 113 has a lot of BLM land but from what I have read it does appear to be mostly landlocked. I wouldn’t rule it out though until I studied a BLM map in detail. Here in Montana, I have found access to such blocks of land that many hunters call “landlocked” by private. 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. As long as you can legally set foot on the BLM along a public road, you can traverse the entire contiguous block.
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. You may find some whopper bucks in there. Take a game cart as a way to retrieve your antelope, or a pack frame, some game bags, and a small tarp. 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. A boned out buck, cape and head is about 40-50 lbs.
Planning a Bucket List DIY Archery Antelope hunt in Wyoming, prepared to pay the Premium for Special License, what Zone would you suggest. For 1st. Choice on draw application?
Hey Kal,
Sorry for the delayed response. So there are a lot of things to consider before answering your question.
Since this is a bucket list hunt I am assuming its a once in a lifetime hunt ? That said, if it was me I would be looking for the best quality hunt/experience that I could find for an antelope archery hunt.
When you look on Wyoming’s Game and Fish web page they mention Archery Season dates for antelope but I cannot find where that is posted. They mention that the archery dates are set in April. From what I found on the web it does appear that most units have an early archery season starting around August 15th. So here’s the thing. You definitely don’t want to be archery hunting on a public unit during rifle season. So that would be the 1st decision point for me. Find a unit that has a separate archery season date that coincides with the antelope rut and doesn’t overlap with rifle season. Some of the WY units have early rifle seasons in September. So determining hunt dates by unit is one of the first things I would do. An August hunt will likely be pre-rut so with archery you are looking at hunting over water or spot and stalk. During the rut, decoys are going to be more effective.
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. Many really good units have fairly high draw odds for the special tag, but not necessarily 100%. If you must hunt 2014, then narrow your selection to those units that have 100% draw odds with the special tag.
Next decision is accessibility. WY Game and Fish publishes the % of land that is public in each unit. Having hunted WY where there is little public land I would recommend picking one of the units that has a lot of public access. It just gives you more options.
I have found the Game and Fish folks ( biologists, G&F officers) to be very helpful if you call them now before it gets too close to the application deadline. Tell them what you are looking for and they can give you some guidance on the units to hunt.
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. There tends to be a high percentage of public land, high success rates, and draw odds with the special tag are generally very high.
Email me at N4thehunt.com if you have any specific questions. Good Luck ! Mark
Mark,
I’m tryig to understand the “hunt area map” I’m looking for area 35 and 36 on there and i can’t seem to find them… does this mean that they fall under the hunt area 0f 34 and when i apply for the draw i should put down 34? as my area of preference?
Justin,
Sorry for delayed response. In 2013 units 35 and 36 show up on the Unit Map in the SE corner. In 2014 they have disappeared on the map and apparently been absorbed by unit 34. I would call WY Game and Fish (they are always helpful) and ask how the drawing for those area will work. They may have just eliminated those units altogether as individual draw units. Good Luck !
Mark,
What about units that allow multiple tags? I am looking to put in for a buck tag and also get a doe tag or 2 for the same unit. Are there units like this? I am going for meat more than trophy. I would prefer to hunt 2015, with multiple tags (don’t necessarily NEED a buck tag either) and end up with a preference point. Any suggestions?
Your articles really helped clear up some confusion. Thanks!
Hey Luke, I would really recommend calling the WY Game and Fish in early January. they aren’t very busy then and I have had great luck talking to them. I agree with your strategy but admit I don’t know a lot about their doe tags. I do know that they have some areas/tags that I think are doe only. But I am not sure if you have to apply for them or can buy some of them over the counter. 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. They want to save their bucks but also want the herd thinned. WY Game and Fish has a list of landowners in that area that allow hunting and it might be a place to start. I found that when I called names on the list in July that they were already booked up.. but if you get it first of year you might have success. When I hunted near Gillette we had mixed results on public land in unit 18. I wouldn’t recommend that unit but we saw a lot of antelope on private and I bet if we had asked someone would have let us hunt does. 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.
Mark,
I have 4 son’s from 16 to 13 yrs of age. Looking for a unit the boys could al get drawn for a buck. Would put in as a party I assume. Any suggestions for youths. Also, one boy is a hear transplant. are there any special hunting consideration for kids with health issues like that?
BTW… 4 elk and 2 deer down in 2014 on public land. Dad, I mean guide is busy, and could use some help.
Thanks,
Mark D.
Hi Mark, The draw odds have changed dramatically in WY in last three years. I assume you have zero points for Antelope in WY? If so , you have a tough challenge to find a decent unit with public access. Just the way it is. I hunted unit 18 in northern WY and it was very tough and I would not recommend it. We took one buck and had shot at another in four days and we were covering miles on foot. I will email you with some ideas for units.
Hi, I loved the article very informative! My question is very much like Mark Ds. I have three kids all wanting to go antelope hunting what areas would you recommend that would have a high success rate and possibility of getting doe tags as well. Also, I don’t mind paying for the “special” tags if it gets me a great hunt for my kiddos. Thanks for your help!
I was wondering if anyone has the names of the landowners that allow access around Gillette, wy? Looking for a hunt this fall 2015 for four people. Thanks
Mark, We have hunted unit 91 3 times in the last 8 years but it has gotten really hard to draw now. 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. Have studied every article and map for hours. Unit 113 seems to hold promise as well as 27 and 7…any thoughts on these or maybe some I over looked? Also in general are ATVs allowed on these BLM land in Wyoming? I know we use them in 91 on Bureau of reclamation dirt roads. Thanks in advance Marty
Marty, I drew a 2016 antelope tag for unit 91 for the first time and trying to do my homework on the unit. I would appreciate any in site on where to start, camping, a tv use .
Dale Hendrickson
Hi Mark,
Great articles. No experience with hunting Wyoming at all but have hunted in Colorado for many, many years.
Three of use planned on going to CO this fall to hunt antelope in areas 3/301 (north of Grand Junction). Based on the past year’s drawing stat’s, I thought we would at least get a doe tag since those areas were all undersubsribed that last two years. Not this year – none of us got tags. 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. So I’m looking at options in Wyoming now.
He and the other gentlemen coming with us would be just as happy to shoot a doe. I’d prefer to shot a buck but under the circumstances (him being the age he is), I’ll settle for a doe if we are able to make this happen and go.
Does the following statement from one of your posts above still hold true?
“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.”
If so, which units would you recommend that we focus on if we just want to hunt does? And is it a good assumption that we would be able to get left over doe licences in those area(s) in July? It appears that a hunter may be able to obtain more than one doe licenses as well. If so, is it your experience that landowners will let you harvest more than one doe on their land?
Looking forward to your response. Thanks again for all the information that you’ve provided so far.
John Madden
I was wondering what would be better to hunt in, area 17 or 23. Both have a lot of landlocked areas and was wondering your opinion on good places to hunt in these areas or advice. Have hunted once for antelope in Wyoming, but had permission on land, however this year the game and parks aren’t giving out numbers to call for landowners permission. Called game warden and wasn’t much help either. Thanks again!
Hayden,
Units 23 and 17 are very similar..lots of antelope and no public access. I would pick one and go a couple days before the open date and start knocking on doors. A couple hundred bucks will help a lot.
If you go into some of the small towns and go to the feed store or tack store or hardware and ask around you will find somewhere to hunt..but it might cost you a bit. The trick is to find a place to hunt. Antelope aren’t hard to kill once you have access. So use 2-4 days to find that access and then 2-3 days to kill a goat. Its certainly getting tougher but if you can handle rejection and put the time in you will find a place o hunt. Sorry I cant be more help.. The good news is..IF you find a ranch willing to let you on you can buy an over the counter tag every year
Love reading the posts. Some friends and are planning a pronghorn hunt for 2016 all having 5 pps. Wondering if you or anyone has any info on decent areas to help us start our planning early. Tim
I just got back from hunting antelope in WY area 23 and will never go there again. I would estimate that at least half of the so-called public lands were not accessible because of no trespassing signs on the sole road leading to them. Have complained to WGFD about the complete lack of advice about this situation in either their website and regs. The few landowners we did talk to were “NO” you can not enter and even a couple hundred bucks wasn’t incentive enough.
Bob,
Thanks for the comment. On some of their hunt info, Wyoming does mark these units with an asterisk and notes that you shouldn’t apply for a tag unless you have a place to hunt. Unfortunately, as you state above, its isn’t always obvious. A number of hunters have emailed me with similar experiences.
First a big thank you to Mark for this write-up and the info. Even years later, it remains a good reference.
My experience unfortunately is much like Mr. Lommel’s above. I began my planning early 2016, making use of all info available from WY G&F, the web, and previous experience hunting from a lodge/with an outfitter in WY. I’ve seen first hand just how limited the access is to land, how vague the boundaries are, and how so much can be left to interpretation when actually on the ground with hostile leases and landowners.
In an effort to secure access
– I spent significant time speaking with F&G reps as well as the warden service.
– I used ‘the list’ of landowners’ contact info to inquire about access and trespass fees. Most of the list was outdated and the responses I received ranged from humorous to rude.
– 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.
Not one favorable response.
There are clearly economic factors at play that F&G must include/probably even rely on in their game management. My only real problem is the income they are realizing from fees vs the (false?) advertising of DIY public hunting opportunities.
Access by humans usually entails driving a truck or car on a road, parking it, and walking into an area. You will notice F&G does not provide accurate/updated parking and foot access locations in their publications. This leads to some very uncomfortable situations.
But have your credit card ready and apply now for 2017 tags!!!!
Hey Chris, Thanks for your feedback. It sounds like you put a lot of effort into getting access in Wyoming only to be disappointed. I am hearing similar stories from other hunters who opt for units that show some public land only to find that which is accessible is overrun by hunters, or, what appears to be accessible isn’t due to it being landlocked by private. Each year I get dozens of emails from guys wanting to hunt Wyoming with either zero or one or two preference points. 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. There are literally no good units available right now at these license levels that can be drawn with less than 3 or 4 points.
The headaches you had just ruin an otherwise great experience.
Hi Mark
Just wanted to ask your opinion on hunting units. I have no points and do want to go hunting this fall. I was looking at spending the extra on a tag to get a better chance for a good unit. Just wanted to know your thoughts on witch units I should apply for. Also what would be the odds of getting doe tags for that same unit.
Hey Jason, I’ll email you .. but unfortunately, even with a “special license” you’re looking at minimum of 2-3 points for decent unit with public access.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the great write up. My dad and I are planning on putting in for the Wyoming pronghorn hunt this year. I have 4 points and my dad has 1. Of course like everybody, we would like to hunt a unit with easy public assess and a lot of pronghorn. Is there any good options for us? With us having a combined 5 points will that put us at 2 for the draws? We would rather have a lot of access than see a ton of pronghorn if we have to settle for one or the other. Did parts of the state have a large amount of winter kill this year? Do you think that will make it easier to draw some of the harder to draw units? What unit would you suggest? Again, thanks for all the great information.
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. You will be drawn before applicants with 2 points, but after those with 3. That is why when you look at the Wy Game and Fish draw statistics it shows results for 1 point, >1 PT, 2 Pts, >2Pts etc. Regarding winter kill, western WY and Southeastern ID had record snowfalls in much of that area. WY has put out warnings that there has been loss of big game in some units. The extent of that has not been quantified in anything I have seen yet. Remember that while April may be a spring month in many states, in the west there is still heavy snows in the mid to high elevations until June. So the full extent of the loss of antelope and mule deer is probably not known yet by the biologists. I was in southern Idaho and eastern OR in February and the deer were congregating along the roads trying to find food. In 2010 we lost 60-80% of the mulies and antelope in many areas of eastern MT. For several years you were lucky to even see an antelope in those hard hit areas. 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. They may be staying away for good reason. Check with a biologist for the area you are looking at before applying. Just my two cents. Mark
Hey Mark,
This information is great. My dad and I are planning to apply for tags next year. I think I want to apply in area 9, Niobrara County. However I’m still trying to understand the preference point system, drawing as a party, and “special licenses” etc. Area 9 had good draw odds according to your chart, but that was several years ago. Would it still be a good choice or no? We’re not looking for a trophy, just an enjoyable experience and hopefully a couple decent bucks. If you have the time to help me out, I would really appreciate it. Communication through email would work great. Thanks, Riley
Hi Mark,
I have a few questions about this antelope tag process. I am planning on going with 1-2 other guys in the next few years and figured planning ahead was a good idea. We are not concerned with having trophies so much as shooting a buck and maybe getting an extra doe to help fill the freezer. 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. We have zero points and would be willing to pay the extra for a special draw, but we want to stay public land even if it means some foot miles. I have done some reading on Unit 18 but I dont see it in your list of public land ease of access.Thanks!