Selecting a "Premium" Unit for 11 PP

[Rackmastr]

Hey All,

Starting to do a bit of research into drawing down in Wyoming on 11 Preference points as a Non-resident. My wife has 11 points and shot her first buck this year (a great 76" Alberta buck). We think that with her current points the best strategy is likely to draw her in a 'premium' unit to give her an opportunity at a pretty unique experience and then go back down in a few years when I've got 6-7 points and do a hunt in another zone.

I hunted unit 67 3-4 years ago and had a great time. I killed a heavy but short buck and was amazed at simply how many bucks we saw. Likely getting better at judging bucks would allow a guy to pick apart the little nuances about each buck, but I was very happy in killing a buck with super mass and character.

I've been reading and looking at sites and recommended zones and obviously the zones like 58, 60, 61, and 64 pop up quite a bit. At times a handful of other zones show up, but these ones seem pretty 'consistent'. To be clear, I fully understand that each and every zone produces great bucks and drawing a zone like this will not guarantee a thing, other than a tag lol. I'm now just curious what the best strategy is for pinpointing that decision other than selecting one out of air. This site, MRS, Hunting Fool, talking to biologists/wardens, and general internet research seem to get a guy close....any other tips or suggestions in making that determination? Winter kill in one zone vs the other? I'd imagine any of the choices can produce an excellent hunt, but obviously want to make as close to the 'best' decision as we can.

Public land is a priority, and we will likely hotel it, which does seem to be a main decision factor in the zone selection. Unit 61 seems to have a good opportunity in Rawlins for a decent hotel option.

If anyone has any specific suggestions, I'd love to hear them here or via PM.

 

[LopeHunter]

Lots and lots of NR in the Max pool. If you are aiming for only the best few hunts in WY then check the odds. If 10% last year with Max points then might be 10% this year though I think will actually be worse as hunters merely building points, perhaps like your wife, now feel WY can not be trusted so are looking to actively draw a tag rather than sit on the sidelines. If a unit had 10% odds then that could take 10 years of applying to draw. The Max pool will erode but there are simply not enough tags for NR in the premium deer units to allow all the Max applicants to draw out in 2 or 3 years. The odds were relatively good when so many were content to build points while in the Max pool. That has ended a lot of those sideline point builders so should see a shake-up where Max pool folks realize might take a decade to pull a primo tag in the preference pass bucket. Some will drop done to slightly less esteemed units and the cascade will continue leading to accelerated point creep where is faster than 1 point per year for the mid-tier units.

Pick a great unit and most likely that there are a handful of tags for the NR preference pass split between the Special and Regular buckets. Was some winter kill in portions of WY last year so maybe 2018 quotas get cut in a few units after the harvest info is parsed from 2017. That will make things tougher to draw. The winter kill usually takes out a lot of younger deer and does so are still about the same number of mature bucks for 2 or 3 years then there is a gap with the pre-winter kill mature bucks gone but only 2-4 year old bucks on the mountain. Check with the bios.

Good luck. Is sometimes tough to drop down to mid-tier when know you are in a unique position to perhaps draw the best deer unit in WY. You can hunt in 2018 if were willing to drop down or apply as a party with 5+ points then try again as a party in 5 or 6 years with 5 points.

The Colorado point creep is not as bad at the bottom 1/4 of units since some folks like to hunt often. The risk with building points for years or decades is the cost for the hunt is higher since the annual costs added up longer plus a chance that particular year will have poor moisture so smaller antlers or lots of fire or a government strike that shuts down access to government land, or you have an appendix decide to go on strike, etc.

Good luck to your wife and once she has the tag hope she gets the world record!

 

[Rackmastr]

Thanks LopeHunter for the insight, and ya I need to do some more looking into options really that give me a good idea about the draw odds for each zone and the number of years that it may take to draw some of the premium units vs picking a really good mid-tier zone for the number of tags. I have browsed over some of the units and points required to draw each but also need to look closer at the exact percentages of those people applying at 11 points (last year who will be 12 this year) and what that means to odds, etc.

Appreciate the insight and its the type of thing that makes the planning enjoyable as well.

 

[480/277y]

Any unit that took 10 points to draw last year will give your wife a great hunt.

 

[Rackmastr]

Any unit that took 10 points to draw last year will give your wife a great hunt.

Was pretty confident of that. My decision is going to come down to whether applying in one of those vs blending and applying in a zone like 67 (which I have hunted) will give as good a quality of hunt with both of us having tags, or if its just worth drawing a 'premium' unit for the one time it may happen. Still bouncing back and forth between those ideas....lol

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Holy cow man 10 points or more is a ton of points for Wyoming Antelope. I would consider doing one of the upper tier units that are not max points. Unit 67 would be towards the top of my list, 114 would be another. I saw a monster come out of 67 last year, and have seen several 80+ inch goats in 114, just dont have the points to get a tag there myself. Pick one and go have fun, I would not wait any longer.

 

[Rackmastr]

Holy cow man 10 points or more is a ton of points for Wyoming Antelope. I would consider doing one of the upper tier units that are not max points. Unit 67 would be towards the top of my list, 114 would be another. I saw a monster come out of 67 last year, and have seen several 80+ inch goats in 114, just dont have the points to get a tag there myself. Pick one and go have fun, I would not wait any longer.

Yep having 11 points is a pretty cool spot for sure. Wife had been applying with me since the beginning and then when I drew last time (with a group of friends) she kept applying since she wasn't able to come on that hunt.

I've read a lot about 114 being a tough zone for private land access. Not that its something I haven't dealt with a bunch, just figured public was easier to deal with in a new area, but it has crossed the list before.

Cool thing about her being an 11 and me being a 3 right now is it does give us some 'averaging' options as well if we want to draw and hunt together vs her drawing by herself and doing two separate hunts.

Thanks for the insight Honeybadger!

 

[wytex]

Lots of really good areas with 7 PP if you average .
Are you looking to get away from everyone, meaning being way out away from towns for your hunt, or looking for an area with good bucks but close enough to go enjoy some local sights when the tags are filled.

After this winter, when season setting meetings and population numbers come out we'll have a better idea of what winter left us for antelope.
If winter is not too severe there will be great hunting for both of you in some 7 PP areas. You might get in some sage grouse hunting and fishing also.

pm sent

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Yep having 11 points is a pretty cool spot for sure. Wife had been applying with me since the beginning and then when I drew last time (with a group of friends) she kept applying since she wasn't able to come on that hunt.

I've read a lot about 114 being a tough zone for private land access. Not that its something I haven't dealt with a bunch, just figured public was easier to deal with in a new area, but it has crossed the list before.

Cool thing about her being an 11 and me being a 3 right now is it does give us some 'averaging' options as well if we want to draw and hunt together vs her drawing by herself and doing two separate hunts.

Thanks for the insight Honeybadger!

I have no idea where you read that about 114 because other than the stretch along the river north and south of Worland the unit is over 90% public land. 114 would fit what you're talking about if you want to motel it since you could stay right in Worland and go out from there every day since a mile or two out of town is almost all public to the north, south, and east of there. That's sort of my neck of the woods for the last 20 years or so and I'd highly recommend it along with unit 67 that was mentioned.

 

[480/277y]

Was pretty confident of that. My decision is going to come down to whether applying in one of those vs blending and applying in a zone like 67 (which I have hunted) will give as good a quality of hunt with both of us having tags, or if its just worth drawing a 'premium' unit for the one time it may happen. Still bouncing back and forth between those ideas....lol

Give your wife the opportunity at a "blue chip" then

I was going to spend my points on 67
After hunting a leftover unit I took a trip down to scout 67. I was underwelmed and would had been pissed if I took internet advise and blew my points there.

 

[1BigDeer]

67 Caution

I covered 67 from one end to the other last year and in the end took a very nice buck, BUT while there were lots of antelope and lots of bucks, there were very few/almost none over 80". Definitely one, the one I killed and maybe one other. Great unit for high 70's type bucks and perhaps there will be some of those that make the magic mark next year. If it was my points and I could, I'd scout or ask experts/locals before I cashed in.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Both those units ARE considered blue chip units by most of the outfits like Eastmans or Huntin Fool, but no unit has many 80" or better bucks in it no matter where you go. Antelope are also hard to judge on the hoof and it takes someone with a lot of experience to know the difference between a 75" and an 80" buck. My buddy has taken 6 bucks the last 6 years from the same unit that have gone between 75" and an all time B&C buck that went 84 4/8" and it isn't a "blue chip" unit, but we get out and way away from areas where one can't glass from a road unlike many guys that never leave their vehicle to get bucks like that.

 

[skull]

I hunted area 114 a few years back just, outside of Warland, tons of pronghorns and some really nice ones.
You will have to venture in a little bit away from the main road.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

Unit 58: You could stay in Rock Springs. South half of the unit is all public.

Unit 60: You could stay in Rock Springs or Rawlins depending on which side you'd like to access it from. Northern half is pretty remote. Not a ton of antelope until late in the season when they migrate south. But then you might have to deal with snow. North half of the unit is all public.

Unit 61. Stay in Rawlins. Great Thai food place. I order "the usual" so you know I eat there far too often. North half is mostly public.

Unit 64: You'll probably want to camp out for this one. Rawlins is about 1:15 from the southeast corner of the unit. And it's open range on the way there and back if you were in Rawlins and making the trip in the dark. My Dad hit a cow last year. It wasn't pretty. Almost all public and you probably won't have to open a single gate during your hunt.

Unit 114: Stay in Worland or Thermopolis. Thermopolis is pretty close if you hunt the south west end of the unit, but G&F will probably follow you around wondering why you were driving through 76 and 114. Also I think the motels are a tad nicer in Thermopolis, but "nicer" sometimes is only relative. Mostly all public land.

No one has mentioned 57. Weird.

I've hunted all of them. Unit 61 is probably my favorite, but that could be because I know it the best and have hunted it the most. As for trophy size: they're all great, but no matter how good any unit ever is in Wyoming, it'll never be like an Arizona unit where you can go find several 80+ bucks in a few hours. Sometimes, even in the best units, it can take over a week to dig out a big one, if at all.

 

[Rackmastr]

Thanks for the summary Eli it's appreciated and thanks to everyone for the PMs. Been busy chasing cats but I'll respond when I'm back at work.

Funny you mention 57 as it came up in my research as well. I do really enjoy the planning and the logistical side of hunt planning as much as the hunt at times haha.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I'm surprised that Eli mentioned staying down in Thermopolis to hunt 114. Worland is right on the west side of the unit and there are several very nice fairly new motels right as you go out of town heading east toward the Big Horns.

 

[mtmiller]

Peace

 

[The Hedgehog]

Less points required certainly doesn't equate to less of an awesome hunt. You, your wife, and somebody else with zero points could party up and draw some exceptional antelope hunts.

 

[Rackmastr]

Less points required certainly doesn't equate to less of an awesome hunt. You, your wife, and somebody else with zero points could party up and draw some exceptional antelope hunts.

No doubt it's still a strong consideration to apply both of us together (which puts us at 7) and do a great hunt with both of us. Non resident license costs are one consideration vs spreading it out over two different hunts, but yep it's a consideration given the time, length of drive, etc to apply together and have a great hunt with two tags.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

I'm surprised that Eli mentioned staying down in Thermopolis to hunt 114. Worland is right on the west side of the unit and there are several very nice fairly new motels right as you go out of town heading east toward the Big Horns.

Maybe I should have clarified that cheaper motels aren’t so good in worland. Cheaper motels in thermopolis seemed to be nicer. I’m very cheap. I probably haven’t stayed in all of them, though.