Typical cost to access landlocked BLM in WY?

[huntinsonovagun]

Threads like this are what deter me from making the trip to a “2nd choice” location. Never having been there before, I’d hate to spend the money, and more importantly the time, to get there and be bombarded by people. I’m not afraid of a little competition, as I hunt public land 95% of the time here (and actually prefer to since I’m not quite so confined by fences), but I sure don’t want to make a 1-way 15+ hr drive to get skunked because there’s not enough ground or too many people- that’s frustrating. At the same time, I feel like the best way to figure it out is make the trip to see for myself. Some people can have a great experience and someone have a terrible experience in the same unit. I guess just do as much research as possible and hope for the best?...

 

[utah400elk]

There is absolutely no need to pay anything to hunt antelope in WY. I almost payed $1500 for a ranch hunt in WY when I lived in Utah. I moved to WY a couple years later and learned that it would have been a total waste. There is plenty of public to hunt and there are a ton of landowners that will allow people to hunt antelope.

 

[VikingsGuy]

There is absolutely no need to pay anything to hunt antelope in WY. I almost payed $1500 for a ranch hunt in WY when I lived in Utah. I moved to WY a couple years later and learned that it would have been a total waste. There is plenty of public to hunt and there are a ton of landowners that will allow people to hunt antelope.

In my experience, neither are true for unit 9, but if someone wants to prove me wrong by PM'ing me the contact info of some agreeable landowners in that unit I would be very happy to be proven wrong.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Another option to consider is spending the $ on a bow and hunting during archery season. Much less pressure that time of year in units with limited public access.

But you are probably better off to just find a unit that has ample access and draw a buck tag every 3-5 years and mix in doe tags, deer tags, whitetail tags, cow tags etc in the years in between.

 

[psycho]

When I was driving around Wyoming and Montana I found lots of locked gates when all the maps I had showed them to be public roads. I was told 1k to 3k to be able to shoot some antelope on some of the farms but I would rather go home with nothing then pay that. I was able to find back roads nearly everywhere I wanted to go but it took a lot longer. I know its not an "access fee" but that was my experience in Wyoming. Montana was a crazy packed house like stated above. I like being away from everyone but it was fun to chat with so many people while hunting as there was a hunter on every ridge and plenty driving past blasting up the place. Every animal on that small chunk of ground was either shot or shot at.

 

[efw]

A lot of good comments & suggestions but one thing has been said that I really think deserves repeating/emphasizing.

We in the east go out and see landlocked public land and say “oh I should be able to cut a deal with that rancher cuz it’s ‘our land’ anyway...” but they don’t see it that way AT ALL. Culturally there is a much different mentality there around land ownership & access. You won’t be paying for access to public land but to his ranch. Period.

Good luck!

 

[Trial153]

Defacto ownership.

 

[llewellinsetter]

No reason to pay anyone anything. I thought I needed to wrap up some private options before my group made the trek to unit 26 last year. Cheapest option was $500 that fell through and everything else was $1000+. The four of us stayed on public land and managed four respectable bucks for the unit. We could have filled as many doe tags as we wanted. There is no reason to pay to hunt antelope unless you are after a specific animal that you can't access or you want an easy chance at a world record on a fenced property.

 

[wytex]

In my experience, neither are true for unit 9, but if someone wants to prove me wrong by PM'ing me the contact info of some agreeable landowners in that unit I would be very happy to be proven wrong.

sent you a pm

 

[utah400elk]

If you want to travel to WY and hunt lope you can. If you want to travel to a specific spot and a specific unit...you may have to pay. I have helped a number of people get goats for free in WY. It’s not hard and there is more opportunity than people would like to believe. If anybody tells you that in order to have a good hunt you need to be in “unit 9” then I can’t help you. There is a lot of false info about WY and lope hunting. I have seen great goats (82+ ) come from OTC areas.

Best of luck in next years hunts.

John

 

[HONEYBADGER]

You used to be able to pick up a decent tag via 2nd choice application as a non-resident, but that changed about 4 years ago. Tag cuts, decline of other species, mags/hunting services pimping antelope hunting in Wyoming has drawn a lot more interest in Wyoming speed goat hunts. You can probably still find some spots as a resident since it seems local landowners are more willing to take care of local people, which is what I would expect as a local as well, but 2nd choice non-resi tags are just what they used to be. I used them for many years for good hunts, but anymore the experience is just not what you drive that far for. You typically dont want to be surrounded by other hunters, constantly watching your gps, and chasing already frazzled game.

Over the last 4 years I have had two second choice tags in units that I will never go back to. I harvested animals but it was just not the Wyoming experience you want. I have also had a couple first choice tags that provided amazing experiences.

 

[VikingsGuy]

If anybody tells you that in order to have a good hunt you need to be in “unit 9” then I can’t help you. There is a lot of false info about WY and lope hunting. .

Best of luck in next years hunts.

John

Nobody told us we needed to be in "unit 9", but we were first timers to WY and trying to draw second chance and based on research and some advice from a few folks on the forum that is where we applied and drew. If you have some other suggestions for units were we may have better hunting with a second chance draw or connections to friendly landowners, a PM would be welcomed as we begin to plan next year.

Thanks!

 

[utah400elk]

Unit 38 is a great unit with plenty of public land for anybody to hunt. There are several ranches near Farthing WY, that would always allow public hunters. I have personally talked to several but never hunted their property because of the abundant public land. They were always fall back areas but never hunted more than two hours to find multiple bucks on public.

 

[Wulffhunter]

Or just get doe tags in areas with better access while you build points.

Even doe tags are getting harder to draw in good areas too

 

[rjlefty3]

Another option to consider is spending the $ on a bow and hunting during archery season. Much less pressure that time of year in units with limited public access.

But you are probably better off to just find a unit that has ample access and draw a buck tag every 3-5 years and mix in doe tags, deer tags, whitetail tags, cow tags etc in the years in between.

This is a great option.

My first western hunt was a rifle antelope hunt on an OTC tag. It was a zoo and very difficult, although I managed to find a good area and have some good chances there.

I went back twice with archery equipment. It's a lot tougher obviously, but I chased multiple goats around every day and had all the public land I wanted to myself. Easy to find camping spots, antelope, and there was no competition so I could go after then how I wanted. This past year I took a hunting buddy out and we both tagged out. It's a hunt you could do every year and I plan on doing it again the future.

 

[FLS]

Ranches still offering trespass fees are getting harder to find. I pay a $500 trespass fee and have 55k acres to myself and a few friends. I can hunt every year and it’s worth every penny IMO.
I hunted a couple of times DIY in 23 and 24. Killed decent bucks on BLM and state property. It’s doable with a little homework and some boot leather. I’d skip the opening week. It’s a damn zoo. We found several dead antelope that I’m guessing were shot from the road, ran across the hill out of sight and were never recovered.