WY Unit 18 v. 113 v. 25 v. 23

[bjochem]

Setting up a hunt this fall for my GF, her brother and cousin. I will be along to spot and pack. These 3 units caught my eye so far just based on odds and numbers of hunters. We won't be looking for monsters. I keep reading about WY access issues, any info on any of these being better than others? We will be heading out on the 6th of Oct I believe with rifles. We already have our map chips and phone apps ready to rock. I know most won't offer up too much info but any help would be great. This will be a first time hunt for all of us. Thanks in advance.

 

[bjochem]

I guess 4 units. 23 is just in there because I know alot of people hunt it. Primarily looking at the other 3.

 

[Husker hunter]

25 is tough, I've hunted it. I personally wouldn't do it again. Of those units I would choose 113

 

[ClearCreek]

Antelope Hunt Area 113 does not have easy public access to public lands. There is a large piece of BLM land in the middle of Hunt Area 113 but it is not easily accessible. There is some access to BLM lands in the south part of the hunt area, but people get that license then are disappointed about the access to public lands.

Hunt Area 18 has some national grasslands that are accessible but not the antelope numbers that you would find in hunt areas further west.

Hunt Area 23 has some licenses good for the entire unit (Type 1-any antelope; Type 6-doe/fawn) but most of the licenses issued in Hunt Area 23 (the Type 2-any antelope; Type 7-doe/faen) are valid only on private land. Getting access to private lands to hunt antelope is not impossible, but it is extremely difficult.

You have been given an opinion on Hunt Area 25. I am not familiar with that hunt area.

ClearCreek

 

[480/277y]

I hunted 25. Tough limited access. Lots of lopes on private.

 

[Gut Shot]

I hunted birds in unit 18 last year. Saw very few antelope. That area seems to be having trouble recovering.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I hunted does in 25 recently. We hunted for a total of a few hours and I saw two bucks on public. Access is very limited, and it wouldn't be my first choice for a buck tag, but it's do-able, for sure.

 

[Flatrock]

Like everyone has said, all of those units have access issues. I'm sure you could shoot a couple bucks in any of those units but you will have to deal with lots of hunters on limited public land. Most guys won't walk very far so if you walk in a mile, you can at least get away from most people. If it's your first hunt though, it might not be the most enjoyable hunt in those marginal units.

Do you have any points?
Are you going to apply in the regular or special draw?

 

[bjochem]

The 3 hunters have 1 pt each and we will be putting in for the regular draw. If hard access means walking 1-2 miles we are in. This isn't our 1st western hunt, just first lope hunt. I really appreciate all tthe opinions, even though its making me second guess our choices.

 

[Flatrock]

The 3 hunters have 1 pt each and we will be putting in for the regular draw. If hard access means walking 1-2 miles we are in. This isn't our 1st western hunt, just first lope hunt. I really appreciate all tthe opinions, even though its making me second guess our choices.

It's not so much that you have to walk a mile or 2. It's that there might be 500 tag holders in the unit and only 5 legal access spots.

You can shoot an antelope in pretty much any unit with some effort. It's just that it isn't as enjoyable when you are battling a bunch of other hunters.

 

[Bamaboy16]

I took a solo trip up to 113 this past October with a Type 1 tag. I got there on a Thursday the 3rd week of the season and literally had the unit to myself, I couldn't believe it.

There is a massive patch of BLM on the western portion of the unit that is inaccessible by road but you can walk to it via parking north of 387. I shot my buck 2 miles from the truck on a strip of BLM just north of 387.

There is a good road that runs north up the eastern side of the unit but you'll eventually be dead ended by private, I didn't see any antelope over there anyways.

I'd go back to 113 in a heartbeat after my experience in it, I saw lots of antelope and no hunters to compete with. That may be just my experience, but it turned out great.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I took a solo trip up to 113 this past October with a Type 1 tag. I got there on a Thursday the 3rd week of the season and literally had the unit to myself, I couldn't believe it.

There is a massive patch of BLM on the western portion of the unit that is inaccessible by road but you can walk to it via parking north of 387. I shot my buck 2 miles from the truck on a strip of BLM just north of 387.

There is a good road that runs north up the eastern side of the unit but you'll eventually be dead ended by private, I didn't see any antelope over there anyways.

I'd go back to 113 in a heartbeat after my experience in it, I saw lots of antelope and no hunters to compete with. That may be just my experience, but it turned out great.

Hwy 387 is the southern and eastern boundary of unit 113 and does not give access to the western side of the unit like you mentioned. It gives access to the southern part of the unit by parking off of it or going north off of it on BLM 116 that goes a few miles up into the unit and a couple spots along the southeastern part of the unit. That is the difference in going out to a lot of the units on the opening week as compared to letting the crowds leave and having a lot of units almost to yourself the last half of the season.

 

[Bamaboy16]

Right, 116 is the road I mentioned that you eventually dead end into private when you head North. But if you look on OnXmaps you can walk all the way up to that big western portion of BLM. If you head north up those oil roads and drive as far as you can until you have to park, you can hoof it up and over to that big patch. I walked all the way up to the edge of it before I had realized I'd gone far enough for a dang antelope because it was about 7 miles. Anyways, my original point is that in 113 is there are plenty of spots IF you are willing to walk. But be warned, that's some nasty washed out country.

 

[dirtytough]

I’ve hunted 113. I would think you could find a better unit for 1 point but maybe not? Access is the main problem with it. If you drive as far north from the south boundary as possible then start hiking in the terrain starts breaking up. It’s rougher then what I imagine as antelope country. Good luck whatever unit you decide on.

 

[bjochem]

What I did to pick the units was go through the NR pref. Point draw stats and found the units that were 100% draw for 1 pt or less. I put those all on a spreadsheet for the last 2 years. Then I added the draw quota. Then I sorted by highest pts and least tags. So the ones I picked ended up being 100% draw odds and low NR tag numbers. Then I roughly looked at the WY maps and picked ones with good amounts of public. One thing I did not account for is resident tag quotas

 

[5Speedjim]

When looking at different areas make sure the public land has legal access. Lots of it is landlocked.

 

[bjochem]

Any opinions on 1 or 43 instead of 25 and 113? Those are now on the radar too. I had overlooked the HMAs until yesterday.