Where to burn 2 points?

[jnagel32]

Two buddies and I are looking to head to WY to hunt pronghorn next year. We have 2 point average and are trying to decide what unit to apply for as first choice. I am currently looking at Unit 29 and hunting the grasslands. Does anyone have any experience in this unit or better suggestions to burn 2 points?

 

[Bhill552]

29 wasnt a sure draw last year with 2 points. If point creep continues it may be a hard draw. I also am currently looking for a good 2 point unit they seem hard to find. Lots of 1 point units or 4 point units. Good luck on the search its part of the fun

 

[jnagel32]

29 wasnt a sure draw last year with 2 points. If point creep continues it may be a hard draw. I also am currently looking for a good 2 point unit they seem hard to find. Lots of 1 point units or 4 point units. Good luck on the search its part of the fun

Yeah I'm finding that out as well. It's hard to figure out what we can draw. The draw odds are all different between the fish and game website, gohunt, and toprut. So I don't know what's more accurate. I assume the fish and game would be?

 

[BuzzH]

Yeah I'm finding that out as well. It's hard to figure out what we can draw. The draw odds are all different between the fish and game website, gohunt, and toprut. So I don't know what's more accurate. I assume the fish and game would be?

The GF website is the actual draw odds from last year. No way to predict what the odds will be in 2018. Your best bet may be to wait until after the April season setting meeting is final to look at the quota's then. If the winter continues like it is, I would expect an increase in pronghorn tags in some units.

I just strolled through the NR regular draw with 2 points on the GF website...too many good options to recommend one. Don't over think it...

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

A few years ago I put into the Wyoming antelope draw with 2 points and the special draw, being quite convinced that I needed 60%+ public land to have a good hunt. I didn't draw that unit and ended up on a leftover hunt and had a great time with a little work. Now I'm convinced that very few units in the state aren't worth hunting antelope in given the opportunity rather than mentioning the good ones.

As BuzzH mentioned I would compare the 2018 quotas to the 2017 quotas as a baseline of comparison once released since 2 points will historically get you nearly all the eastern half of the state for antelope. Guys I have seen get displaced from the units they usually hunt are because the NR quotas get cut rather than the slow march of point creep. Wyoming is very active in managing their quotas annually compared to my experience in other states and they will react to a bad winter with lower tag numbers.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Listen to what BuzzH said!!!

 

[wytex]

Yes wait until after they set the quotas and have winter counts done.
Don't overlook the type 2 tags also.

 

[jnagel32]

The GF website is the actual draw odds from last year. No way to predict what the odds will be in 2018. Your best bet may be to wait until after the April season setting meeting is final to look at the quota's then. If the winter continues like it is, I would expect an increase in pronghorn tags in some units.

I just strolled through the NR regular draw with 2 points on the GF website...too many good options to recommend one. Don't over think it...

Buzz, I was wondering when the odds and tag allocation would be updated. Thanks for the info. I'm a planner, so I like to get started and get a game plan as early as possible. We are all in the military so we have to forecast what we have going on then and our leave for this as well, so the difference in a season opening on 20 September as opposed to 1 October is huge for us...

Yes wait until after they set the quotas and have winter counts done.
Don't overlook the type 2 tags also.

Forgive my ignorance, but I haven't really looked into Type 2 tags. Type 2 are tags that are private only, correct? Does that include private land that is in the Access Yes program (WIA)?

 

[midwesthunter]

Buzz, I was wondering when the odds and tag allocation would be updated. Thanks for the info. I'm a planner, so I like to get started and get a game plan as early as possible. We are all in the military so we have to forecast what we have going on then and our leave for this as well, so the difference in a season opening on 20 September as opposed to 1 October is huge for us...



Forgive my ignorance, but I haven't really looked into Type 2 tags. Type 2 are tags that are private only, correct? Does that include private land that is in the Access Yes program (WIA)?

Type 2 tags will be only a certain part of the unit. Example type 1 tag you can hunt the whole unit, type 2 you can only hunt east of hyw ?? or certain distance from irrigated land.

You have a lot of good options with 2 points and a little more with the special tag. Look at the 2017 drawing odds for preference points, Look at the units that was 100% draw with 2 points. Then start looking at the units and see if its something you like. That would be a good start, don't over look 1 point units either.

 

[wytex]

Type 2 tags can be only certain parts of a unit but sometimes just open later and encompass the entire area. We hunt a type 2 tag every year and have very good success. Our type 2 tag also is open later in the season, it goes until Nov.
Many avoid type 2 tags because of the later opening dates, but you will avoid the opening week frenzy by waiting.

 

[wytex]

You would be pretty safe to plan a late Sept.-early Oct . hunt. Most all seasons open either mid-late Sept or Oct 1 and go until Oct 31.
Avoid opening week and the last weekend of the season for reduced pressure.
Doe tags can be open as late as Dec. 31 in some areas.

 

[efw]

Buzz, I was wondering when the odds and tag allocation would be updated. Thanks for the info.

I could be wrong on this but I’m pretty sure published odds won’t change; what’s out there is for 17.

Allocations however do change odds so keep an eye out for areas with increased allocations over last year. It’s also a great indicator of survival and overall antelope numbers.

Not many bad choices; I’d create a ruberic for judging areas against one another now so when allocations come out (I think that’s late April?) you’ll be able to just plug them in and get your ap hammered out.

Don’t overlook the fact that you can have a great hunt on a second choice unit and build points at the same time... you can apply for a dream unit as first choice on the slim possibility you score via the random draw but if you don’t get your first choice you get a point.

Good luck!

 

[Walkathon]

Be careful with the Type 2 tags and make sure you read the regulations for each one. The Area 29-2 tag was only valid on private land last year.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I could be wrong on this but I’m pretty sure published odds won’t change; what’s out there is for 17.

Allocations however do change odds so keep an eye out for areas with increased allocations over last year. It’s also a great indicator of survival and overall antelope numbers.

Not many bad choices; I’d create a ruberic for judging areas against one another now so when allocations come out (I think that’s late April?) you’ll be able to just plug them in and get your ap hammered out.

Don’t overlook the fact that you can have a great hunt on a second choice unit and build points at the same time... you can apply for a dream unit as first choice on the slim possibility you score via the random draw but if you don’t get your first choice you get a point.

Good luck!

The odds charts that are up for 2017 will be that way, but they can certainly change for the 2018 draw even if more tags are allocated because odds depend on both how many tags there are and even more important is how many people apply. The latter can change quite a bit and this may be a year where that happens due to the price increase. Some diehard hunters won't care what the price is and will apply while some will drop out because they feel the prices are just getting too high for them. In that case the odds will normally get better, but you just don't know what will happen until after the draw each year and see the odds that they post that same day.

 

[vanish]

I burned my WY pronghorn points last year due to the $$ increase, so its real.

 

[JDH]

The GF website is the actual draw odds from last year. No way to predict what the odds will be in 2018. Your best bet may be to wait until after the April season setting meeting is final to look at the quota's then. If the winter continues like it is, I would expect an increase in pronghorn tags in some units.

I just strolled through the NR regular draw with 2 points on the GF website...too many good options to recommend one. Don't over think it...

What he said...the odds increased in the unit I hunted in 2017 due to increased tags.