Fredbear329
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Does anyone know what the public access is like in Antelope Unit 21? I've read mixed reviews. Does anyone have first hand experience?
Wyoming Antelope Unit 21
- Thread starter Fredbear329
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Have you tried the hunt planner? Then tried the biologist? They offer a lot of info!
TN_Rifle_Junkie
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Welcome to HT!!!
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Unlike hunting pressure or animal behavior, public access is a static factor. It’s just info you’ll need to obtain, and then you’ll have close to 100% accurate knowledge on the subject. Anyone’s opinion on access there is somewhat irrelevant since this is a matter of facts. There is either public access to a particular parcel or there isn’t, unless you drop in from the sky. It’s kind of like asking, what is people’s opinion on how many US States there are, based on firsthand experience! I can tell you there are at least 42 States because that is the number I’ve set foot in, but at the end of the day I’ll put my money on their being 50.
Start with OnX and note where major roads cross public land. The public land access summary on the WG&F page for this unit is also helpful. Then look up the county Road and Bridge info to confirm if specific roads have public access, and you may have to make a phone call or two, or PM a HT member who lives nearby or has hunted there.
I have OnX e-scouted for my fall antelope unit with every public access marked with a waypoint. I made a couple calls to WY gov employees today to clarify a few remaining details. I’ll have a set of back up paper maps too.
Start with OnX and note where major roads cross public land. The public land access summary on the WG&F page for this unit is also helpful. Then look up the county Road and Bridge info to confirm if specific roads have public access, and you may have to make a phone call or two, or PM a HT member who lives nearby or has hunted there.
I have OnX e-scouted for my fall antelope unit with every public access marked with a waypoint. I made a couple calls to WY gov employees today to clarify a few remaining details. I’ll have a set of back up paper maps too.
ElkFever2 is spot on. You don’t need our “opinions” about this. You need to look at a map. Start here:
wgfd.wyo.gov
Plenty of access points. Anyone telling you access is tough is probably someone who believes that good access=not having to get out of the truck.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Wyoming Hunt Planner
Plan your Wyoming big game hunt. Our hunt planner has application dates and deadlines, season dates, drawing odds, harvest statistics, access information and more.
wgfd.wyo.gov
Plenty of access points. Anyone telling you access is tough is probably someone who believes that good access=not having to get out of the truck.
MinnesotaHunter
Well-known member
Your first mistake was probably reading eastman's or something like that. You would have been better off dusting off a map and seeing for yourself. I do have firsthand knowledge of antelope hunting in that unit. The one piece of advice I would give you is that not all road in that unit are public, so know where you can, and cannot, drive...
I can assure you that if you do some research, and burn some boot leather, maybe won't kill a monster, but you can kill a decent buck in 21.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I have been in 21. Anyone telling you there isn't much public access is off. There is a lot of land you have to get your ground pounders on and just walk it but access is not much of an issue. Plus you don't find the good antelope, especially trophies by sticking to the roads anyways. As the others said, do your own homework and look at On-X maps and Google Earth for likely areas for antelope. Make contact with the WGF, BLM and State lands people (State Lands and Investments) and ask them questions on any specifics regarding public land access. Look at the harvest reports on the WGF website too. Success rates for that area is pretty good.
ChrisC
Active member
Sort of along this same point, when I was there in 2017 there was public land marked with a private sign as well (the road eventually led to private but the sign was placed on a fence line well before you reached private). OnX was very helpful.
Fredbear329
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I've looked at maps but Ive never went out west before I was just wanting to know what to expect. I didn't know if all of the roads were public.ElkFever2 is spot on. You don’t need our “opinions” about this. You need to look at a map. Start here:
Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Wyoming Hunt Planner
Plan your Wyoming big game hunt. Our hunt planner has application dates and deadlines, season dates, drawing odds, harvest statistics, access information and more.
Plenty of access points. Anyone telling you access is tough is probably someone who believes that good access=not having to get out of the truck.
I would contact the Road and Bridge Dept for each county, Natrona and Johnson. Email the superintendent and ask about specific roads.
Remember some county roads will pass through many different landowners, at fence crossing or property changes along the road there may be a cattle guard on the CR with signs that say private property, those signs are for the lands along the road not the road itself.
Verify with the Super. which roads are in fact public and not just maintained by the county, county road maps will or can show all roads maintained by the county not just all public roads.
Some ranchers may pay the county to maintain their private road in to their homes. Some county roads can also pass right through their yard so to speak, corral areas etc.
Remember some county roads will pass through many different landowners, at fence crossing or property changes along the road there may be a cattle guard on the CR with signs that say private property, those signs are for the lands along the road not the road itself.
Verify with the Super. which roads are in fact public and not just maintained by the county, county road maps will or can show all roads maintained by the county not just all public roads.
Some ranchers may pay the county to maintain their private road in to their homes. Some county roads can also pass right through their yard so to speak, corral areas etc.
Fredbear329
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Just the info I needed thanks!
ClearCreek
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wytex gives great advice here when she says contact the road and bridge (R&B) departments. There are road segments on the county R&B websites that are not public roads.
For example: I went in and talked to the R&B folks the other day about a road segment in southern Johnson Co. that appears on the R&B map. I was told they (R&B) leave some segments on the maps because, at times the county ambulance and fire fighting crews, especially if some members are new to the area, use the R&B maps when responding to emergencies, fires, etc. The road I was asking about accesses a large parcel of BLM land, but it is NOT a public road.
This road may be shown on OnX maps as well, I am not sure.
ClearCreek
I’ve hunted it before, and like most units in this category it is possible to have success. I found out it takes a lot more boot leather than the average antelope hunt. You are probably drawn to the big expanses of BLM on the western half of the unit. Most of that is fairly mountonous and doesn’t hold very many antelope to begin with. Add in the October 15th opener and most antelope have vacated those steep “foothills” by that time. Not to mention the masses of people showing up for the general deer and special draw elk hunt. It’s quite the zoo. So it is possible, but it’s far from easy. Just be prepared if you choose this hunt.
