First western trip was a success

[FairWeather]

Congrats. Did you find the public chunks to be particularly crowded? I’ve been looking at some units in the middle of the state that are high draw probability with low points. But of course, they have a small amount of public, probably similar to the area you were in. I’ve heard horror stories of just how crowded and even dangerous those parcels can get.

This thread is from 2017

 

[KG92]

I know. I’ve been hearing about those low points units being crowded for more than just the last 5 years. Still relevant. Was just curious.

 

[Caseknife]

Depends where you are coming from, crowded can be a relative term. May be crowded, lots of vehicles and road hunters, on opening weekend and then slow down mid week. If you are from back east and used to hunting on a 20 acre parcel 100 yds from another tree stand, then the wide open landscape out west is not crowded at all.

 

[jwilkstn]

Congrats. Did you find the public chunks to be particularly crowded? I’ve been looking at some units in the middle of the state that are high draw probability with low points. But of course, they have a small amount of public, probably similar to the area you were in. I’ve heard horror stories of just how crowded and even dangerous those parcels can get.

Hard to call it crowded, but after the first day and a half most of the antelope were pushed onto private land from what we saw. If I were planning to hunt a unit with extremely limited public land again, I would arrive ahead of the season like we did to be best positioned for success when opening day rolled around, and I would look for public land that can not be glassed from any roads.

 

[oxn939]

I know. I’ve been hearing about those low points units being crowded for more than just the last 5 years. Still relevant. Was just curious.

Gotta remember that a thread like this is effectively talking about a different era of hunting. Even the units that give out a TON (read: over 500) of tags require at least a point or two to draw now, unless you want to pay $1200 for that special draw life.

 

[KG92]

Hard to call it crowded, but after the first day and a half most of the antelope were pushed onto private land from what we saw. If I were planning to hunt a unit with extremely limited public land again, I would arrive ahead of the season like we did to be best positioned for success when opening day rolled around, and I would look for public land that can not be glassed from any roads.

Thanks for the insight. I’ve heard many times that in units like these, either the very first day or the last week are the best times to hunt.

 

[KG92]

Gotta remember that a thread like this is effectively talking about a different era of hunting. Even the units that give out a TON (read: over 500) of tags require at least a point or two to draw now, unless you want to pay $1200 for that special draw life.

There were a few units last year that were doable with 0 points, but they’re like 90% private with small (yet accessible) chunks of public. But I understand your point and agree. New special draw deal is pretty wild.

 

[Wh1tebison17]

I've tried for a couple years to talk my local hunting buddies into coming out west, and finally gave up on them and teamed up with a new friend from a deer hunting forum we both frequent. We chose a unit with 100% draw odds with zero pp and spent all summer studying and planning.

We allowed two full days of scouting before the opener, and I think that was the best decision we made.. We drove straight through 22 hours from my house, after my partner had driven 10 hours through the night to get that far. He was a machine, and the excitement level was off the charts. Sunrise on the 29th found us in Sundance, WY and we were amazed at the number of deer visible in every direction. We finally arrived in our unit and decided to go ahead and glass as many public tracts as time allowed that fast before determining where to set up camp. Most of the bucks we saw were very similar in size, but one stood out a little.

We set out the next morning curious what the weekend influx of other hunters would bring. We checked out additional tracts of public, and also revisited the best ones from the day before. The buck I had liked the first day was a couple hundred yards from where I had initially spotted him. I picked a possible ambush location, and we went to bed with high hopes for opening day.

My partner had elected to get doe tags only, and chose a tract that held several. I dropped him off there, and we agreed to plan to reconvene at 12:00. I hid my truck and stalked in the dark to my predetermined spot a few hundred yards from where the above average buck had been late in the evening prior, but as sunrise came and went he was nowhere to be found.

I stayed patient and glassed the area all morning, but finally made the call to try plan B. I checked a couple other tracts, and spotted this guy hanging out in a creek bottom almost invisible from any road. I stalked as close as possible, but then had to wait for him to re-emerge from the bottom. Finally, after two hours of patience, he read the script. My shot was true, and I watched him go down through the Leupold. Walking up to my first western diy big game animal was a feeling that will never go away! Thanks Randy, and thanks to all the members here that share their knowledge and wisdom to make a trip like this seem possible! I truly appreciate it!

It was then I realized I was wayyy beyond the predetermined rendezvous time with my travel partner. I hurried to quarter and pack out my buck and raced to the spot I had dropped him off before dawn. I was relieved to find that he, too, had been successful. He had two quartered and waiting on me to return with the coolers of ice.

We got everything out of this adventure that we hoped for. I went on to fill my doe tag, we visited Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore, and this afternoon we got a jump on the long drive back east. Wyoming, this won't be my last time to explore your plains

I've tried for a couple years to talk my local hunting buddies into coming out west, and finally gave up on them and teamed up with a new friend from a deer hunting forum we both frequent. We chose a unit with 100% draw odds with zero pp and spent all summer studying and planning.

We allowed two full days of scouting before the opener, and I think that was the best decision we made.. We drove straight through 22 hours from my house, after my partner had driven 10 hours through the night to get that far. He was a machine, and the excitement level was off the charts. Sunrise on the 29th found us in Sundance, WY and we were amazed at the number of deer visible in every direction. We finally arrived in our unit and decided to go ahead and glass as many public tracts as time allowed that fast before determining where to set up camp. Most of the bucks we saw were very similar in size, but one stood out a little.

We set out the next morning curious what the weekend influx of other hunters would bring. We checked out additional tracts of public, and also revisited the best ones from the day before. The buck I had liked the first day was a couple hundred yards from where I had initially spotted him. I picked a possible ambush location, and we went to bed with high hopes for opening day.

My partner had elected to get doe tags only, and chose a tract that held several. I dropped him off there, and we agreed to plan to reconvene at 12:00. I hid my truck and stalked in the dark to my predetermined spot a few hundred yards from where the above average buck had been late in the evening prior, but as sunrise came and went he was nowhere to be found.

I stayed patient and glassed the area all morning, but finally made the call to try plan B. I checked a couple other tracts, and spotted this guy hanging out in a creek bottom almost invisible from any road. I stalked as close as possible, but then had to wait for him to re-emerge from the bottom. Finally, after two hours of patience, he read the script. My shot was true, and I watched him go down through the Leupold. Walking up to my first western diy big game animal was a feeling that will never go away! Thanks Randy, and thanks to all the members here that share their knowledge and wisdom to make a trip like this seem possible! I truly appreciate it!

It was then I realized I was wayyy beyond the predetermined rendezvous time with my travel partner. I hurried to quarter and pack out my buck and raced to the spot I had dropped him off before dawn. I was relieved to find that he, too, had been successful. He had two quartered and waiting on me to return with the coolers of ice.

We got everything out of this adventure that we hoped for. I went on to fill my doe tag, we visited Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore, and this afternoon we got a jump on the long drive back east. Wyoming, this won't be my last time to explore your plains

Congratulations!!

 

[Trial153]

Congrats!

 

[johnnybow]

Gotta remember that a thread like this is effectively talking about a different era of hunting. Even the units that give out a TON (read: over 500) of tags require at least a point or two to draw now, unless you want to pay $1200 for that special draw life.

Also the there is less animals out there from disease and winter kill. Still doable though

 

[thusby]

I highly recommend unit 21 to anyone with low points. If that doesn’t work try unit 2!