Wyoming Pronghorn 2023

[Commutair]

Try unit 24. Keeline road. You won’t have to go far at all. Sorry I spilled the beans..

 

[Kjwink]

Only one point means your options for units are so limited that I'm afraid you don't have many options to be picky over. The good news is antelope habitat is generally easy to get around in.

Honestly though, if this is truly a dream you've had and you are genuinely concerned about your physical ability to pull off the hunt, paying special draw prices to hunt a marginal Wyoming unit with crowds of hunters might not be worth it if you're willing and able to go guided.

If I were in your shoes I'd seriously consider private land options in New Mexico. You can find a trespass style hunt and possibly get a deal on buying two tags instead of one, hunt private with a chance at good bucks and maybe the ability to glass from the truck some. I'd look for DIY or unguided though, I think having a guide over your shoulder would take the fun out of pronghorn hunting.

That's just my advice for if you go guided, I think it's still very possible for you to draw a tag in Wyoming and get on some antelope.

That's great advice!

 

[manitou1]

Try unit 24. Keeline road. You won’t have to go far at all. Sorry I spilled the beans..

Maybe try p.m. next go brother. You just blew that area out for the next 5 years.

 

[Commutair]

24 is not as good as it used to be. Plus there have already been a lot of hunters fighting for bucks. Also it now takes points which is nuts.

 

[CGeminski42]

With one point you will probably only be able to draw an area in the eastern part of WY, which is mostly private land and hunts with outfitters. Do your research.... Google, hunt forums, facebook groups, etc and you can find a decent hunt that is not that expensive.

 

[bpitt]

...have you thought about applying for doe tags? You could keep building points, and use a doe tag to learn an area and bag a doe. That's what we've done for the last 4 years now.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Hello all,

I'm in the beginning stages of planning a Pronghorn hunt for my Fiancée and I in 2023. I plan to buy preference points for us this year and buy the special draw next year. The kicker is, I have Emphysema (COPD) not from smoking, although that didn't help, it's hereditary. I'm working on getting in shape to help with endurance, though I don't know how much better my breathing will improve. I do okay walking if I pace myself, hills get to me though. So with that being said, for those who know Wyoming. What areas of the state should I be looking at with my limitation? I've wanted to hunt Pronghorn for a very long time, when I was young and healthy enough I didn't have the time or the finance to do so. No that I'm retired I have the ability to go.


Thank you, Jeff Holmes

Gone are the days of hunting a good unit in Wyoming with 1 point. You will either be fighting private or fighting private and people. The number of points an antelope unit requires is related to the amount of public land available which is related to the quality of your hunt. Pronghorn points are now what $31? Application fee $15?

What I would call a good pronghorn hunt in Wyoming will now run you about 5 points in the special, climbing every year, with no end in sight. So if you try for a random tag every year and buy a point your looking at $230 just in apps and application fees to get 5pp. The special draw the year you buy your tag will then run you $614 plus 15 app fee so your at $859 total to get your tag after 6 applications.

But if you look back 5 years and compare what obtaining a good antelope tag was then to what it is now, you will see things could be drastically different in 6 years both in terms of money and number of available tags.

In my judgement if you want to find a good hunt you are better off paying for private access and getting your tag there. At least in 6 years you could have hunted at the very least once instead of chasing Gohunt odds every year and wallowing in disappointment.

On the other hand, lightning could strike, you could draw a random and have an outstanding hunt on the cheap and have more fun than should be legal outside of the Lucky Beaver in Reno.

Sorry but antelope hunting is not what it once was in Wyoming. I'm sure everyone wishes it was, but it's not and it's not likely to return anytime soon.

 

[beaglegun]

Gone are the days of hunting a good unit in Wyoming with 1 point. You will either be fighting private or fighting private and people. The number of points an antelope unit requires is related to the amount of public land available which is related to the quality of your hunt. Pronghorn points are now what $31? Application fee $15?

What I would call a good pronghorn hunt in Wyoming will now run you about 5 points in the special, climbing every year, with no end in sight. So if you try for a random tag every year and buy a point your looking at $230 just in apps and application fees to get 5pp. The special draw the year you buy your tag will then run you $614 plus 15 app fee so your at $859 total to get your tag after 6 applications.

But if you look back 5 years and compare what obtaining a good antelope tag was then to what it is now, you will see things could be drastically different in 6 years both in terms of money and number of available tags.

In my judgement if you want to find a good hunt you are better off paying for private access and getting your tag there. At least in 6 years you could have hunted at the very least once instead of chasing Gohunt odds every year and wallowing in disappointment.

On the other hand, lightning could strike, you could draw a random and have an outstanding hunt on the cheap and have more fun than should be legal outside of the Lucky Beaver in Reno.

Sorry but antelope hunting is not what it once was in Wyoming. I'm sure everyone wishes it was, but it's not and it's not likely to return anytime soon.

This is very sad and very true info

 

[WyoDoug]

I am dealing with fatty liver desease myself along with some scarring of the liver (nonalcoholic cirrhosis) plus I had a TIA last year elk hunting so this year speedgoat hunting is my main hunting trip. My physical conditioning is still a work in progress so climbing those hills is still out of the picture. Having said that, you can find area to hunt in for speedgoats quite easy and sometimes sit and wait for an ambush situation. I prefer to hunt later in the season when they are not so spooked and running all day. Much better tasting antelope and where I hunt them there aint no wild gamey taste to them at all.

 

[beaglegun]

We got 24-2 licenses on 2nd choice and we lined up some private land b4 hand. Not what i wanted but it just gets harder and harder to draw anything worth the drive nowadays. I assume we wont have any problem finding 3 average bucks and a bunch of prairie dogs?

 

[Pucky Freak]

We got 24-2 licenses on 2nd choice and we lined up some private land b4 hand. Not what i wanted but it just gets harder and harder to draw anything worth the drive nowadays. I assume we wont have any problem finding 3 average bucks and a bunch of prairie dogs?

Ask the LO - many ranchers can tell you about the population size and horn size of animals that frequent their place.

 

[wvmedic]

Thank you to everyone for the replies, I figured this thread was dead. I kinda semi gave up on the hunt. However, I do still have some interest but I've been concentrating on Black Bear. I went to Main last year and was a bust. Didn't see any Bear at all. Hopefully this year will be different, I'm heading to Western Ontario in 21 days. Not that I'm counting. Hopefully will get into some good Walleye and Northern while we are there and if the odds are in my favor. I just might get a nice Bear on my Birthday.

Jeff

 

[castnblast75]

Also looking to do a bear/fishing trip in ontario in the near future. Please keep us posted. Live in SI,NY which would be driveable. GL, Jim