Wilderness Backpack Pronghorn Hunt

2rocky said:
My NV rifle antelope was killed in a wilderness area, but was in view of a road. I still had a 2 mile packout on my back though.

WSA's are funny. Lot's of times locals don't abide by the designation because they think it's not a REAL wilderness. If you see a 2 track don't be surprised if you see a SXS or 4 wheeler at the end of it.

My best suggestion is find water and hunt like you are after open country mule deer. If you are in canyon country, ID the trails that go off the plateau to water in the river below. I've seen more than a few bucks bedded 200 - 500 yards back from the rim.

Also look where legal roads bisect the wilderness, and get to a view point where you can look at the country behind the ridge shielding the area from view of the road. Add water to the mix and you have a good recipe for finding pronghorn.

Now don't get the idea you are gonna park one place and walk around finding antelope. You gotta find the high point from where the road ends, and hike to it. 3D exaggerated view in On X or Gohunt will help you ID that. You are still gonna be driving to access points.

Don't be surprised if you find antelope in the trees.

View attachment 287565

View attachment 287567
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Last time I had a hunt with wilderness study area a call to the blm office stated it’s not a wilderness and just in review of becoming one with you being allowed to drive on any established rd or two track
 
Nm252525 said:
Last time I had a hunt with wilderness study area a call to the blm office stated it’s not a wilderness and just in review of becoming one with you being allowed to drive on any established rd or two track
Click to expand...
Pretty sure that blm person was incorrect. I have hunted a wsa most of my hunting years and vehicles are definitely not permitted.
 
Couple tips:
Solve your hydration issues by skipping the water altogether and pack in a couple of warm Coke Classics. So refreshing.
Solve your meat-spoilage issue by carrying in a styrofoam ice chest that you filled a quarter way with ice from the Flying J beverage center (you can get the ice chest there too) dump the antelope, plop it there, and carry that sucker out.

Good luck, man. Wish I could get out there with you.
 
rtraverdavis said:
Couple tips:
Solve your hydration issues by skipping the water altogether and pack in a couple of warm Coke Classics. So refreshing.
Solve your meat-spoilage issue by carrying in a styrofoam ice chest that you filled a quarter way with ice from the Flying J beverage center (you can get the ice chest there too) dump the antelope, plop it there, and carry that sucker out.

Good luck, man. Wish I could get out there with you.
Click to expand...
Almost, nailed it. Here is a Pro tip from Dylan, swap the Cokes out for bud light so if you do get cramps, you will be happy and won’t think they are in your legs.
 
Last edited:
rtraverdavis said:
Couple tips:
Solve your hydration issues by skipping the water altogether and pack in a couple of warm Coke Classics. So refreshing.
Solve your meat-spoilage issue by carrying in a styrofoam ice chest that you filled a quarter way with ice from the Flying J beverage center (you can get the ice chest there too) dump the antelope, plop it there, and carry that sucker out.

Good luck, man. Wish I could get out there with you.
Click to expand...
Many times the 2 tracks are grandfathered in . I just spent 5 days in a WSA where the WSA boundary showed the 2 tracks as open along their path. Signage on the "end" of the trail indicated it was closed beyond there. Being that there were some private land tracts beyond there I'm sure the private landholder just drove on up to his spring to do his maintenance, according to the tracks I saw.

There were other 2 tracks visible that were mapped but not on the map as open. They had obviously been used this year.
 
There are some BLM WSA that I am familiar with that have two tracks that are open. It even shows the roads as being open in the national forest travel plan maps I have. Seems stupid to even call it a WSA with the two tracks open.
 
atlas said:
There are some BLM WSA that I am familiar with that have two tracks that are open. It even shows the roads as being open in the national forest travel plan maps I have. Seems stupid to even call it a WSA with the two tracks open.
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They may be “cherry stemmed” if the routes don’t go all the way through the WSA. If they did that the road isn’t technically within the WSA boundary. I don’t know how common it is to do that with WSAs, but I know it’s done pretty regularly with Lands With Wilderness Characteristics inventories so I could see it having been done with LWCs too.
 
Been a while since I've updated.

Opening day was yesterday, and I have let my project team know that I'll be turning into a pumpkin at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday. I have my bins packed and ready, food is ready, several cases of water are already stashed, just need to throw the rifle in a case and then I can leave straight from work at lunch time. From my jobsite I can hit the trail head and be at where I plan on setting up camp in 4 hours, which means I'll have about 3 hours of glassing light left on Thursday. I'll be solo for Friday, but is sounds like my hunting partner is going to try and make it for the weekend, and I'm glad that he's coming - for his sake. He needs some wilderness therapy.

I've been back into my wilderness area twice, and have seen the same two bucks, both with does. "The Dink" oddly enough had 17 does two weeks ago, and in just one morning I was witness to several interactions that were narrated by Sir David Attenborough in my head. Ya know, brown chicken brown cow type interactions. I spotted "Squiggles" a quite a ways off, but he was pushing 4 does around as well. That was two weekends ago, so it could be completely different up there now.

It's been a long off season. I'm ready to hunt.
 
BackofBeyond said:
Been a while since I've updated.

Opening day was yesterday, and I have let my project team know that I'll be turning into a pumpkin at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday. I have my bins packed and ready, food is ready, several cases of water are already stashed, just need to throw the rifle in a case and then I can leave straight from work at lunch time. From my jobsite I can hit the trail head and be at where I plan on setting up camp in 4 hours, which means I'll have about 3 hours of glassing light left on Thursday. I'll be solo for Friday, but is sounds like my hunting partner is going to try and make it for the weekend, and I'm glad that he's coming - for his sake. He needs some wilderness therapy.

I've been back into my wilderness area twice, and have seen the same two bucks, both with does. "The Dink" oddly enough had 17 does two weeks ago, and in just one morning I was witness to several interactions that were narrated by Sir David Attenborough in my head. Ya know, brown chicken brown cow type interactions. I spotted "Squiggles" a quite a ways off, but he was pushing 4 does around as well. That was two weekends ago, so it could be completely different up there now.

It's been a long off season. I'm ready to hunt.
Click to expand...


You watched him in his most intimate moments “several” times?

Bit pervy if you think about it ehh?

Haha good luck man, sounds like you’ll have a good time!
 
BackofBeyond said:
Been a while since I've updated.

Opening day was yesterday, and I have let my project team know that I'll be turning into a pumpkin at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday. I have my bins packed and ready, food is ready, several cases of water are already stashed, just need to throw the rifle in a case and then I can leave straight from work at lunch time. From my jobsite I can hit the trail head and be at where I plan on setting up camp in 4 hours, which means I'll have about 3 hours of glassing light left on Thursday. I'll be solo for Friday, but is sounds like my hunting partner is going to try and make it for the weekend, and I'm glad that he's coming - for his sake. He needs some wilderness therapy.

I've been back into my wilderness area twice, and have seen the same two bucks, both with does. "The Dink" oddly enough had 17 does two weeks ago, and in just one morning I was witness to several interactions that were narrated by Sir David Attenborough in my head. Ya know, brown chicken brown cow type interactions. I spotted "Squiggles" a quite a ways off, but he was pushing 4 does around as well. That was two weekends ago, so it could be completely different up there now.

It's been a long off season. I'm ready to hunt.
Click to expand...
Good luck!!
 
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