Wyoming is Reducing Number of 2021 Antelope Tags

[Big Fin]

I had a very interesting conversation last night with a biologist with G&F. He is well educated on pronghorn and we had an interesting back and forth on how fertile doe antelope are. He was shocked that my local area is down to 75 tags from 1000/1000. He told me many don't take this downturn of pronghorn numbers seriously enough. I got his meaning. He also said he sees similarities with antelope and the decline of our mule deer herd.

Scary stuff...

I worry about that. It causes me to wonder if this is a fluctuation or a long-term trend we are now seeing that will be with us for the foreseeable future. I sure hope not.

If there is one species where I think of "The Good Old Days," it was the ability to draw Wyoming antelope just about every year from 1998 to 2006, and in some very good units. Then along came the brutal winter of 2006-07. Then again the winter of 2010-11 and again 2016-17. Wyoming pronghorn cannot catch a break.

I wish there was an organization focused on pronghorn, their conservation, and their habitat needs. I have added the Wyoming Migration Initiative to my annual donation list and have had them on my podcast and volunteered our platforms as one of their media distribution partners. Though not formally focused on pronghorn, their research for pronghorn and the sanctity of pronghorn migration seems to be a great use of the money and platforms toward the cause of pronghorn. If any of you are so inclined and worried about pronghorn, I hope you would support their work via earmarked donations through the U of W. Here is their page - https://migrationinitiative.org/

If Wyoming ever went to the old Utah system where non-residents could only apply for elk or deer or antelope, I would never again have a Wyoming elk or deer preference point in my profile, even knowing the superb deer and elk quality I would be opting out of.

 

[antelopedundee]

That video was taken during our big snowstorm a few weeks ago which definitely killed some pronghorn.

I figgered that, but twas sent to me by a friend in Douglas. My comment about running out of antelope was intended to be a little sarcastic. There are just 200 doe/fawn tags for area 29 and none of them are for public land.

 

[antelopedundee]

This was taken at either Wheatland or Chugwater, can't remember which.

 

[duckhunt]

When will the official tag numbers be posted? I dont see anything on their website as of this morning.

 

[bpitt]

I know this will effect our antelope draws, but I'm for it. We saw very few antelope on public land this past season, where we saw several the year before. It was DRY. When it comes to conservation, you do what you gotta do.

 

[antelopedundee]

I figgered that, but twas sent to me by a friend in Douglas. My comment about running out of antelope was intended to be a little sarcastic. There are just 200 doe/fawn tags for area 29 and none of them are for public land.

My brother's astute reply was "that's a lot of snow".

 

[WapitiBob]

When will the official tag numbers be posted? I dont see anything on their website as of this morning.

notebooks will have the updated numbers provided to the commission

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Game and Fish Commission

wgfd.wyo.gov

 

[Shangobango]

It's very nice to see a State actually manage the wildlife instead of just using it as a cash cow. If numbers are down tags should be cut.

Yup.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Winter of 19-20 was pretty tough on them too in several areas. Crusty drifted snow made life tough for them.
Glad to see they're actively cutting tags and hope the numbers recover sooner than later. I'll start rationing the ones in my freezer in anticipation of not drawing this year.
Populations definitely fluctuate wildly from my personal observations in the field, but I've noticed a downward trend over the last 10 years or so where they go up and down but haven't really come back to the higher levels of 10+ years ago or 20+ for the guys that have been reporting about the old days.

 

[Shangobango]

Does anyone think that units that didn’t have cuts in Type 1 tags will see more apps due to cuts in other units?

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Does anyone think that units that didn’t have cuts in Type 1 tags will see more apps due to cuts in other units?

Ummm, yeah...

 

[Shangobango]

Ummm, yeah...

I guess what I am asking is if the average hunter is paying attention to this.

I appreciate the thoughtful response.

 

[thomas89]

I guess what I am asking is if the average hunter is paying attention to this.

I appreciate the thoughtful response.

I really doubt the average hunter is paying attention. Not to mention the whole "Dude we had a great trip last year in XX, you gotta put in with us! They had tons of tags leftover last year!"

I know last year when I called to ask permission to go after a pair of doe antelope on private, the woman said her husband would probably say no to access because the herd was really hurting in that region. Thought about passing on them, but they came on to public and I shot them both anyhow.

 

[bullbugle307]

I know this will effect our antelope draws, but I'm for it. We saw very few antelope on public land this past season, where we saw several the year before. It was DRY. When it comes to conservation, you do what you gotta do.

Ditto. Driving one of areas I used to hunt last year we saw a fraction of the pronghorn we normally do. We saw then in all the same places, but there were way fewer than in years past. That area didn't have a tag reduction last year or this year. One of the other areas I've hunted did have a tag reduction, and I fully support it.

 

[Bigjay73]

Aint hunting 31 this year. Holy mole!

 

[WyoDoug]

The tag reductions aren't in response to over harvest. We've had really dry weather and some untimely storms. Antelope populations fluctuate widely based on the weather, doesn't take but a year or two to see it. You can have zero tags issued in an area that has a few years of poor fawn recruitment and see a drastic reduction in numbers. Another few years and there are too many for the land to handle. Not an easy balance. Unfortunately "good" years seem to be fewer and farther between. I wish I could say I'm optimistic numbers will bounce bag quick and tag numbers increased again, but I'm not.

They will bounce back in the areas I hunt especially with the abundance of irrigated land and natural and manmade water sources other than rain.

Other areas that do not have water sources other than rain or a significant portion of irrigated land will take much longer because the food supply will be down.

 

[Bluffgruff]

They will bounce back in the areas I hunt especially with the abundance of irrigated land and natural and manmade water sources other than rain.

Other areas that do not have water sources other than rain or a significant portion of irrigated land will take much longer because the food supply will be down.

How you figure? Seems like the ground water just got recharged a bit.

 

[WyoDoug]

How you figure? Seems like the ground water just got recharged a bit.

You would think right? Before the groundwater can be recharged even with a massive storm, that snow has to stay around for a spell. Or you need regular rain or snow to allow this to happen. None of that really happened. You don't want the mountain snow to even melt until well into May. It has to melt slowly so it can be absorbed by the soil and percolate down to the aquafers and underground streams that feed the springs. When it is too warm too soon, the ground is saturated and can't absorb more water. So the water runs off into streams and rivers or evaporates and does not resolve the drought situation. The ground is like a filter. It can only absorb and percolate so much water. The run off is wasted and does not benefit the areas where the massive storm hit. Most of the massive snowfall was melted within two weeks of the storm with exceptions in certain areas. Because of this, Nebraska probably benefited more from the water this storm did than Wyoming did.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

I worry about that. It causes me to wonder if this is a fluctuation or a long-term trend we are now seeing that will be with us for the foreseeable future. I sure hope not.

If there is one species where I think of "The Good Old Days," it was the ability to draw Wyoming antelope just about every year from 1998 to 2006, and in some very good units. Then along came the brutal winter of 2006-07. Then again the winter of 2010-11 and again 2016-17. Wyoming pronghorn cannot catch a break.

I wish there was an organization focused on pronghorn, their conservation, and their habitat needs. I have added the Wyoming Migration Initiative to my annual donation list and have had them on my podcast and volunteered our platforms as one of their media distribution partners. Though not formally focused on pronghorn, their research for pronghorn and the sanctity of pronghorn migration seems to be a great use of the money and platforms toward the cause of pronghorn. If any of you are so inclined and worried about pronghorn, I hope you would support their work via earmarked donations through the U of W. Here is their page - https://migrationinitiative.org/

If Wyoming ever went to the old Utah system where non-residents could only apply for elk or deer or antelope, I would never again have a Wyoming elk or deer preference point in my profile, even knowing the superb deer and elk quality I would be opting out of.

Pronghorn was low on my list to hunt for years until I found out that it evolved here in North America. Seems like we should do whatever it takes to figure out how to keep them around. I don't think that there safety is a individual States concern but rather an North American concern. I think that they need to do what's in the best interest of the critter regardless if we get a tag.

I have heard a lot of different opinions on how they taste. That and that they are difficult to bow hunt but allegedly not so much with a rifle.

 

[WyoDoug]

The total number of tags was the same even when one person can shoot 4 does and 2 bucks.
Antelope are highly productive when conditions are good, but decline quickly when conditions are poor.
Winter of 2010-2011 was catastrophic in some parts of WY, but things were much better by 2015. I like the decrease in pressure.

You can still "legally" draw up to two full price Type 1 or 2 any antelope tags and up to 4 reduced price doe/fawn tags. Now being successful in the draw is another story. If you are lucky enough to draw a depredation hunt like I have once, those tags are in addition to any other tags the WGF may issue but you are only allowed one of those per year per species with exceptions for moose, sheep, mountain goat or grizzly bear which have specific statutory limits.