Help! Wyoming antelope!

[danwolf]

I did a 2nd Choice pronghorn buck tag then a Leftover pronghorn buck tag in 2018. Was a zoo over by Buffalo. 100s of tag but a few parcels of public land larger than could see the entire parcel in 5 minutes. Opening day through that weekend was a lot of vehicles on the roads and was not unusual to have 2, if not 3, groups shooting at a string of pronghorn crossing a bit of public. Brown and down. Pressure on the public parcels decrease over time though the bucks start to toss of horns if wait too long in the season. I could have filled the 2nd Choice tag but was not my style of hunting to blast away and the only bucks I saw during hikes were not much above the ears. I hiked the only two "big" public parcels in the unit. One parcel has some nasty terrain near the gravel road then you got to land that was hidden from a gravel road. The other parcel extends out with some valleys hidden from the roads though I did encounter a couple of ATVs which was scaring animals onto private, perhaps intentionally. I hiked a bit more than 18 miles total in two days where decided driving roads was not my cup of tea.

I drove the Leftover unit one afternoon and saw a lot of ATVs zooming on the big chunk of BLM I had e-scouted that seemed interesting. So, I did not hunt that tag.

Choose wisely for 2nd Choice tags and Leftover. If you have access to private, are hiring a guide or know the unit then should do great on any unit. If there are 100s of tags and you do not know the unit then do not expect will see unpressured animals on private.

Even 1 point opens up a dozen or more units with a lot less warts on them than 2nd Choice and Leftovers. 2 points should get you a much more satisfying experience than I had. I hunted two very good pronghorn units in WY using tags I drew with points and the bucks did not act as if had been pressured. I did not see many hunters on the roads nor out hiking. Plenty of time to field judge and make stalks.

Sounds frustrating. I have zero points and was thinking of applying, I think I'll just get a preference point and apply next year then.

 

[wytex]

You have a chance at a random draw tag in a good area for a 1st choice, if not drawn you can still get that PP.

 

[danwolf]

You have a chance at a random draw tag in a good area for a 1st choice, if not drawn you can still get that PP.

Looking at those chances now...

 

[huntinsonovagun]

I did a 2nd Choice pronghorn buck tag then a Leftover pronghorn buck tag in 2018. Was a zoo over by Buffalo. 100s of tag but a few parcels of public land larger than could see the entire parcel in 5 minutes. Opening day through that weekend was a lot of vehicles on the roads and was not unusual to have 2, if not 3, groups shooting at a string of pronghorn crossing a bit of public. Brown and down. Pressure on the public parcels decrease over time though the bucks start to toss of horns if wait too long in the season. I could have filled the 2nd Choice tag but was not my style of hunting to blast away and the only bucks I saw during hikes were not much above the ears. I hiked the only two "big" public parcels in the unit. One parcel has some nasty terrain near the gravel road then you got to land that was hidden from a gravel road. The other parcel extends out with some valleys hidden from the roads though I did encounter a couple of ATVs which was scaring animals onto private, perhaps intentionally. I hiked a bit more than 18 miles total in two days where decided driving roads was not my cup of tea.

I drove the Leftover unit one afternoon and saw a lot of ATVs zooming on the big chunk of BLM I had e-scouted that seemed interesting. So, I did not hunt that tag.

Choose wisely for 2nd Choice tags and Leftover. If you have access to private, are hiring a guide or know the unit then should do great on any unit. If there are 100s of tags and you do not know the unit then do not expect will see unpressured animals on private.

Even 1 point opens up a dozen or more units with a lot less warts on them than 2nd Choice and Leftovers. 2 points should get you a much more satisfying experience than I had. I hunted two very good pronghorn units in WY using tags I drew with points and the bucks did not act as if had been pressured. I did not see many hunters on the roads nor out hiking. Plenty of time to field judge and make stalks.

Interesting about the one point opening up several more units. I must be looking at it wrong or something. I bought my first point last year but thought it looked like I needed 3-4 points to really open some stuff up. Looks like I need to spent some more days filtering through different units again!

 

[LopeHunter]

Interesting about the one point opening up several more units. I must be looking at it wrong or something. I bought my first point last year but thought it looked like I needed 3-4 points to really open some stuff up. Looks like I need to spent some more days filtering through different units again!

You should see quite a few units at 2 and 3 points Regular so that does take 3-4 years.

I assumed Special and that is not a great assumption. I will lay out my reasoning for Special when applying for Pronghorn hunts in WY as non-resident.

Would you rather hunt 3 times in 10 years for pronghorn bucks or 5 times? Is the Special tag worth $230 more (after consider fees and frequency will draw)?

In a decade, an non-resident applying with Special draw for pronghorn can expect to draw 4 to 6 pronghorn buck tags with high harvest rates and very good access to public lands. The same applicant selecting Regular draw each year can expect to draw 2 to 4 tags in the same 10 year window. The number of units an applicant can draw at 1 point with Special are greater currently than the same applicant can draw at 2 with Regular but should have similar hunts nonetheless. And, you might pull a random tag even as build points.

Say you could draw 5 tags with Special in the 10 year window or or save money then draw 3 tags at Regular. In a decade applying in Special then you would spend 5 x $629 for each Special tag expected to be drawn then 5 x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 per year to apply so cost per hunt is $690. Regular would be 3 tags x $341 then 7 years x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 a year to apply so $463 per hunt. So, $230 more per drawn tag and can expect to get two more tags per decade. The hunt quality is similar if not slightly better on the Special units you would be accessing.

To me, $231 more per tag to hunt more often in a 10 year window is worth it though I am not buying tags for kids these days which can add up quickly. I really enjoy pronghorn hunts so 5 hunts is something I look forward to the next 10 years more than merely 3 hunts.

You could likely draw 3 tags the next 10 years in Montana for even less than WY Regular tags. Pronghorn bucks would likely be smaller. Colorado would be more and not likely would draw 3 tags and bucks likely smaller. New Mexico would be about the same cost with a chance for larger bucks though would be a stretch to draw 2 tags in the non-guided pool the next ten years. Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona would be difficult to pull even 1 tag. Not sure about Idaho.

 

[antelopedundee]

You should see quite a few units at 2 and 3 points Regular so that does take 3-4 years.

I assumed Special and that is not a great assumption. I will lay out my reasoning for Special when applying for Pronghorn hunts in WY as non-resident.

Would you rather hunt 3 times in 10 years for pronghorn bucks or 5 times? Is the Special tag worth $230 more (after consider fees and frequency will draw)?

In a decade, an non-resident applying with Special draw for pronghorn can expect to draw 4 to 6 pronghorn buck tags with high harvest rates and very good access to public lands. The same applicant selecting Regular draw each year can expect to draw 2 to 4 tags in the same 10 year window. The number of units an applicant can draw at 1 point with Special are greater currently than the same applicant can draw at 2 with Regular but should have similar hunts nonetheless. And, you might pull a random tag even as build points.

Say you could draw 5 tags with Special in the 10 year window or or save money then draw 3 tags at Regular. In a decade applying in Special then you would spend 5 x $629 for each Special tag expected to be drawn then 5 x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 per year to apply so cost per hunt is $690. Regular would be 3 tags x $341 then 7 years x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 a year to apply so $463 per hunt. So, $230 more per drawn tag and can expect to get two more tags per decade. The hunt quality is similar if not slightly better on the Special units you would be accessing.

To me, $231 more per tag to hunt more often in a 10 year window is worth it though I am not buying tags for kids these days which can add up quickly. I really enjoy pronghorn hunts so 5 hunts is something I look forward to the next 10 years more than merely 3 hunts.

You could likely draw 3 tags the next 10 years in Montana for even less than WY Regular tags. Pronghorn bucks would likely be smaller. Colorado would be more and not likely would draw 3 tags and bucks likely smaller. New Mexico would be about the same cost with a chance for larger bucks though would be a stretch to draw 2 tags in the non-guided pool the next ten years. Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona would be difficult to pull even 1 tag. Not sure about Idaho.

If it means hunting instead of sitting home and reading here about other peoples' hunts by all means pay the extra for the special. Also if you can find one it might be better to pay the fee plus a little extra to a landowner in a harder access area who would let you hunt every year.

 

[huntinsonovagun]

You should see quite a few units at 2 and 3 points Regular so that does take 3-4 years.

I assumed Special and that is not a great assumption. I will lay out my reasoning for Special when applying for Pronghorn hunts in WY as non-resident.

Would you rather hunt 3 times in 10 years for pronghorn bucks or 5 times? Is the Special tag worth $230 more (after consider fees and frequency will draw)?

In a decade, an non-resident applying with Special draw for pronghorn can expect to draw 4 to 6 pronghorn buck tags with high harvest rates and very good access to public lands. The same applicant selecting Regular draw each year can expect to draw 2 to 4 tags in the same 10 year window. The number of units an applicant can draw at 1 point with Special are greater currently than the same applicant can draw at 2 with Regular but should have similar hunts nonetheless. And, you might pull a random tag even as build points.

Say you could draw 5 tags with Special in the 10 year window or or save money then draw 3 tags at Regular. In a decade applying in Special then you would spend 5 x $629 for each Special tag expected to be drawn then 5 x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 per year to apply so cost per hunt is $690. Regular would be 3 tags x $341 then 7 years x $31 for bonus points in years did not draw plus $15 a year to apply so $463 per hunt. So, $230 more per drawn tag and can expect to get two more tags per decade. The hunt quality is similar if not slightly better on the Special units you would be accessing.

To me, $231 more per tag to hunt more often in a 10 year window is worth it though I am not buying tags for kids these days which can add up quickly. I really enjoy pronghorn hunts so 5 hunts is something I look forward to the next 10 years more than merely 3 hunts.

You could likely draw 3 tags the next 10 years in Montana for even less than WY Regular tags. Pronghorn bucks would likely be smaller. Colorado would be more and not likely would draw 3 tags and bucks likely smaller. New Mexico would be about the same cost with a chance for larger bucks though would be a stretch to draw 2 tags in the non-guided pool the next ten years. Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona would be difficult to pull even 1 tag. Not sure about Idaho.

Wow! Great perspective!