Page 1
Page 1
Started By
Message

DIY Wyoming Antelope Hunt

Posted on 10/23/15 at 8:50 am
Posted by bjt
Member since Jul 2013
49 posts
Posted on 10/23/15 at 8:50 am
Anyone have experience with a do-it-yourself Wyoming Antelope hunt? I am starting to plan for a 2016 trip, and was curious if anyone has done this before.
Posted by dwr353
Member since Oct 2007
2130 posts
Posted on 10/23/15 at 9:28 am to
I have hunted in Wy many times. I would obtain a landowner list that allows hunters(pay) and get private land to hunt on. The animals get nuked on public property. The Game Comm has this list. Check on area and contact ranchers. The locals call them "range maggots" and do not eat them as a rule. You can get access for $500 or less. I have shot them at 500 yards and at 10 yards. Fun to hunt. Just make sure you field dress immediately and clean and cool down quickly. Outfitter will charge you $1800 on up for a hotel hunt that will probably last a morning.
Posted by bjt
Member since Jul 2013
49 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 10:52 am to
Thanks for the info. Is there a particular region that you would suggest. I am thinking 23 near Gillette due to the amount of leftover tags, and the amount of public land there.
Posted by jmkidder
lafayette
Member since Sep 2005
476 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 12:13 pm to
Where do you find this list
Posted by TigerOnThe Hill
Springhill, LA
Member since Sep 2008
6812 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 1:03 pm to
quote:

I am thinking 23 near Gillette

bjt,
In the early 90's I went on a handgun only antetope hunt sponsored by Handgun Hunter's International. I flew into Gillette and rented a 4 WD pickup truck. We stayed at a motel (I think it was a Best Western) in Gillette and hunted a private ranch near Wright, about 40-50 miles south of Gillette. I can't remember the name of the ranch right now, but I bet it'll come to me. The ranch also raised bison and provided bow hunts for antelope. I had a REALLY good time , harvesting a 14 5/8" buck at 225 yds and a doe at 275 yds. Using a 14" barreled handgun, it was a very challenging and satisfying hunt. At the time, doe tags cost $25 apiece and were bought on request at convenience stores. There were 2 hunters from WA state who killed 7 doe antelope between them during the hunt. The hunt was during the first week of October. The first day it was 70 deg, but on the last day there was a light snow and sub-freezing temps. A fellow hunter managed obtaining the buck tags for the group, but the hunt itself was basically "do it yourself." My only regret is that I didn't go on a second pronghorn antelope hunt. Unlike many other western hunts, I did not find the antelope physically demanding and enjoyed seeing >100 head of animals daily. My meat was processed and the mount tanned nicely by Campbell County Lockers. I think you'll enjoy the hunt more if you actually "hunt" them (spot and stalk) as opposed to just driving around "safari style" and banging away at really long ranges. I wish I had a pic available of my buck, but that was a long time ago and I've not scanned the pics. By all means, if you go on the hunt, PLEASE give us a report!
Posted by bjt
Member since Jul 2013
49 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 6:38 pm to
I will definitely post a report. The trip will be for me and my two sons. We will definitely do a spot and stalk as I would like to get within a 300yd maximum shot. We will take this year to get conditioned as well as we can for the longer hikes. This trip has been 5 years in the making, and I am really excited to finally get the chance to see that part of the country!
Posted by TigerOnThe Hill
Springhill, LA
Member since Sep 2008
6812 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 9:05 pm to
bjt, Should be a really good hunt for our sons to go on; they'll have an opportunity to hone their spotting/stalking skills and see LOTS of antelope. On my hunt I was solo. There were some guys though who were hunting as a team. If you take some walkie talkies w/ you and coordinate your stalks you might be able to move the antelope towards one of your hunters.

Some ranches in that area also have prairie dogs. If so, shooting a some pd's can make for a nice change of pace, especially if you tag out early. You might keep that in mind when you contact the ranchers.
Posted by LSUintheNW
At your mom’s house
Member since Aug 2009
35749 posts
Posted on 10/24/15 at 9:30 pm to
quote:

There were some guys though who were hunting as a team. If you take some walkie talkies w/ you and coordinate your stalks you might be able to move the antelope towards one of your hunters.


This is how my friends and I hunt during the day when the deer/elk are bedded down. We push em to the shooters who are setup.
Posted by dwr353
Member since Oct 2007
2130 posts
Posted on 10/25/15 at 1:19 pm to
If you want to hunt public, try the Gilette area. The Thunder Basin grassland is around 3 million ac. I have been hunting Wy for 20 years. It has changed greatly with the oil activity. Get a map from BLM. I hunt private only. The numbers of animals is not what it once was. You could drive from Douglas to Gilette and see hundreds. Not even close now. That being said, I still love going West.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 1Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram