DIY Pronghorn for two - Bucket list hunt

[BIDZ]

Hello all,

A good friend and I are putting a lifelong dream of traveling west for pronghorn into motion. We are in KY and neither of us have hunted big game out west. We're looking at either Wyoming or Colorado as our top two options for antelope states. I've spent the last month or so reading everything pronghorn related on the interweb and I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with the info available; not to mention getting tags seems to be a lot harder than it is here in KY (everything but elk is OTC here). So....

We're not looking for someone's GPS coordinates for the "honey hole" (well we are, but I won't come out and say it!), but we definitely need some guidance as to when/how to apply, where to find good draw success/areas with good access to public land, etc. I'm willing to do the leg work, but like I said, all of the info available has become a little overwhelming. We've decided to pool our questions and call both G&F offices to clear as much up as possible. The last thing we want is to drive 20+ hrs to have a bad experience due to lack of research. Is there anything specific I need to ask when we call?

We're planning to both purchase a PP this year for WY and enter the draw next year utilizing the option to earn a PP in the event of a non-draw. If we want to ensure that we both get tags rather than one of us draw and the other be forced into a camera man position, is there an option to enter the draw (for any state with antelope) as a party? Also, if we don't draw is it possible to purchase leftover tags and still have good chances at public land? If we have to look for access to private land, what does that usually cost and how far out do we need to lock that down?

I'm sorry for the long post, but I would greatly appreciate any and all guidance on this topic. I'm new to the forum and I'm hoping to make a dream come true and come back to KY with a couple of antelope. If we're able to make this trip I'd love to make it a regular thing. Also, if anybody would be willing to go a step farther and help us get on and shoot some speedgoats, we'd be happy to return the favor and put someone on a hunt here in KY (assuming anyone would want to make that trip).

Thanks in advance!

 

[Trigger50]

It can be overhelming at 1st. Antelope is a good choice for your 1st western trip. Southern & western WY have more public land & bigger goats. But w the avail public land, tags will take longer to draw. The farther north & east that u go, there's generally more antelope but less public land. Although central WY antelope pop. is down. If it takes u 2 yrs to draw, the population might bounce back. If your willing to spend the extra $$$ the special tag can get u the license a yr or 2 earlier. If a unit has alot of public land the tag will be hard to draw. If your willing to pay a trespass fee, u can easily draw a tag in a unit with little public land. Call the local cities or county for a possible list of ranchers that allow hunting for a trespass fee. Plan on hunting later in the season & start calling from the bottom of the list for better chances. Mention that u have doe tags & will fill them. Ranches that dont allow motorized travel should get a look for sure. Dont sweat it. Do some planning & calling. But most of all just go. Its fun ! CO has very good antelope hunting also, it will prob take longer to draw the tag.

 

[elkantlers]

Only thing I would add is look for Wyoming Units with Hunter Management areas and walk In access areas. Some Units have thousands of acres availabe to hunt.

 

[JohnCushman]

Can't beat the OTC archery opportunities in Colorado

 

[mdunc8]

Probably the best thread around for researching antelope units in Wyoming - http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=249283

 

[BIDZ]

Wow, thanks guys for the info and support. I'll be putting a lot of time following the steps laid out in the research thread. It is a little ways out, but I'll try to report back with my research and plans... and hopefully some hero shots standing over a couple nice pronghorn next year!

 

[Cornell2012]

Welcome to hunt talk! Plenty of information here and lots of people who can point you in a good direction to start.

 

[sbhooper]

You are headed in the right direction by doing your homework well in advance. You will always be successful on antelope with the attitude that you have. They are no big deal to plan for and a wonderful animal to hunt. The difference between a super-trophy antelope and one that anyone will be happy with, is actually very little. They are all great fun and a great trophy. I have one more trophy hunt and then I am done. I have just as much fun killing does as I do bucks and the meat is one of the top on my list, if cared for properly.

Keep checking back here, doing all your homework and have fun. You will not be disappointed. I will give you all the help that I can and many others here will do the same.

 

[JohnCushman]

About 2/3 of Colorado is OTC for archery antelope and there is a bunch of public land. Season starts August 15th and runs to September 20th.

 

[BIDZ]

Again guys, thanks for the support. JohnCushman I'm definitely intrigued by the OTC option for Colorado. I've been to Colorado once (not hunting unfortunately) and have always want to go back. The only hang-up is I'd rather rifle hunt my first time out just as reassurance (i.e., I don't want to shell out the money and come back empty handed). Although bowhunting is something I feel very confident about, Pronghorn are completely foreign to me. Archery would be a subsequent adventure once I've learned a little.

Also, the "special" draw option has got my attention. Can anybody tell me if it's worth it to shell out the extra money? I'd hate to pay so much for a tag, but factoring in the potential wait of drawing a good unit in WY with enough public land and the cost of trespass fees if we opted for an area with more private land it is looking more economical.

Ideally, I'd like to hunt next year, but if we had to set out until 2016 I could live with it. In theory though, if we each bought 1 PP this year and put in for the NR "special" draw next year we could be hunting in a decent unit by September-ish, which sounds a lot better than waiting.

Does anybody know of how to increase our odds of drawing the same unit? Can two people put in as a hunt party? (in WY)


I've found this 3 part article to be very helpful for understanding the WY system. (Just in case it could help anybody else out there who might find this thread and be in the same boat as me)

Part 1
http://www.n4thehunt.com/2013/01/27/wyoming-diy-antelope-hunting-part-1-drawing-a-license/

Part 2
http://www.n4thehunt.com/2013/01/28...rt-2-planning-your-hunt-for-trophy-potential/

Part 3
http://www.n4thehunt.com/2013/01/30/wyoming-diy-antelope-hunt-part-3-hunt-areas-and-public-access/

 

[mdunc8]

Yes, you can put in with your buddy in Wyoming to make sure both or neither of you draw. If I were you, I'd buy a point in Wyoming, which you can do right now, and go hunting with a regular tag next year. Yes, the special draw will get you a better tag, but I'm not sure it's worth it for your first hunt. I'd be willing to bet that you'll have plenty of fun with just about any tag in Wyoming.

 

[canvsbk]

Pm sent

 

[Khunter]

Get your preference point and study the online wypming draw statistics and pick a wyoming unit with 100 percent draw odds for the regular, non-special draw. Might also want to pick a u it that had doe tags available leftover..check the online doe tag list for this year for a clue. Then you get a buck and a doe each perhaps and great meat and a great hunt.

Then when you come to wyoming, make time to stop in to Colorado for OTC elk on the same trip. As the seasons overlap.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Get your preference point and study the online wypming draw statistics and pick a wyoming unit with 100 percent draw odds for the regular, non-special draw. Might also want to pick a u it that had doe tags available leftover..check the online doe tag list for this year for a clue. Then you get a buck and a doe each perhaps and great meat and a great hunt.

Then when you come to wyoming, make time to stop in to Colorado for OTC elk on the same trip. As the seasons overlap.

Telling him that is not the greatest advice one could give someone without also adding that he should look at whatever unit he decides on to make sure there is plenty of legally accessible public land to have a good hunt. Many of the units with 100% draw success are because of people getting tags with access to private lands that encompass the majority of the unit. That's why they are generally a 100% draw and have leftover buck and/or doe tags.

 

[gwhunter]

Hey bidz, you're in the same boat now that I was in 2 years ago. My only problem was that I didn't join this forum sooner! So it looks like you have an advantage. I'm going on my very first hunt in the western states this year for pronghorn in Wyoming. I was a lurker on this site for a couple of months trying to find out as much as I could and just recently started giving my two cents.

From what I've combed through on this site, the advice given in the n4thehunt articles is pretty much spot on for what it seems like you would want to be doing. I also want to echo the words of ccc23454 and say "just grab a leftover and go". I wish I would have just made that decision a couple of years ago when I started planning. The more I look into and research hunting out west the more it seems that unless you want to tag a giant bull or B&C lope, you can pretty much go hunting every year by snagging leftovers and OTC tags. Wish I would have know that when I first started dreaming about heading out west. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[BIDZ]

Scouting

Thanks again guys. I've been looking at some of the units with 100% odds and just cruising around google maps I think I've found a small herd of antelope and I wanted to share. It might be something else, but I like to think thats what I found.

Now i just need to figure out what part of this unit is public. Anybody know of a good resource for that? The WY g&f site unit map didn't indicate public and private.

 

[ccc23454]

best way I know of is to find the GIS data for that county. most counties tax/land maps are available online just got to find it and best part is its all free. the mighty GOOGLE will find lots of info on any public lands if you use it right and that's part of the learning process. From scratch I think the easiest way for your research is just join eastmans, find a area in MRS with good public land and high hunt ratings to start, its not that hard if you just spend time doing the research but trick is learning what those resources are. I still think you should be focusing on OTC bow CO or doe tags in WY this year after you buy pref points. Best way to learn is to do!

p.s. don't count on those antelope being in same place as those sat pics next season...lol

 

[mdunc8]

You can use mytopo.com do it quickly online. If you can find them close to home, I like having the Delorme maps for each on the states I hunt. However, I prefer having BLM maps along with the HuntingGPS maps when I really start getting into the research stage and while in the field.

 

[Tom]

Thanks again guys. I've been looking at some of the units with 100% odds and just cruising around google maps I think I've found a small herd of antelope and I wanted to share. It might be something else, but I like to think thats what I found.

Now i just need to figure out what part of this unit is public. Anybody know of a good resource for that? The WY g&f site unit map didn't indicate public and private.

http://www.plicmapcenter.org/view.php?st=WY&ag=BLM&typ=Antelope

 

[MTpubliclander]

I think the DNRC mapping system shows public ownership I always use the Montana Cadastral site here in the big sky country. Also Montana is still recovering from our big die off a few years ago but we also have some areas with lots of speed goats and lots of public land, I should be chasing them with my Bow in less than a mnth here I think I found a good water hole with a blind opportunity close by!
Good Luck to you Antelope are probably one of my favorite hunts.