Wyoming do it yourself hunt

 

QBall Said:
A few buddies and I are looking for info on antelope hunting in Wyoming. Are there any regulations that are extremely differnt than ND? Which unit has best chance of drawing a tag? We dont need to shoot giants. Just looking for a few days of fun. Any other advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

You can cypher everything you'll need right here:

http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1000045.aspx

Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

I'll be doing this same hunt next year if I draw a tag! You guys going bow or rifle?

I'll be doing this same hunt next year if I draw a tag! You guys going bow or rifle?

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

Your kidding right?

5575 Said:

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

Your kidding right?

Nope.  SE quarter of the state is damn near off limits.  Tons of BLM land all land locked by private land.  Most of the ranchers are outfitters.  A buddy got to hunt some land north of Lusk because he was neighbors with the guy in Cheyenne.  You grab a map and look and see all that BLM land and you think you have it made.  then you get out there and you can't get to any of it without a helicopter.  I don't know how bad it is in the ne quarter but I can't imagine it's much different. 

 Just start researching it a bit and things will come together. I'll be the first to admit, that Wyo G&F website is HORRIBLE for finding info. I got quite a few questions together and then went on to get answers to them questions via searching western hunting forums, as well as a few PMs. Visit Eastmans forums, they are helpful, especially the MRS section. On Your Own Adventures is another forum worthy of searching. 

Compare draw odds to amount of public land available and weigh out the pros and cons. Some units are all public land, some are all private. Be prepared to fork out cash for access to private land. You'll never draw the highly sought after units without about 3-4 years of preference points or more, so avoid them too. Once you pin down a unit go to the BLM website and buy a map for that unit. You can also get good maps at mytopo.com. 

I haven't been there before, so I'm a noob too. But I will likely be going there for a week to chase goats with the bow in 2012. I'm looking for opportunity over quality. Need to get my feet wet somewhere. I'll be applying for units that have an archery only season and also for that season to correspond with peak rut, but not rifle season. Less pressure the better. If you're going during rifle season, there is no such thing as "less pressure". On the flip side, I've read sooo many posts from people who have filled out within the first hours of season via rifle it's ridiculous. If going during rifle I don't think you can pick a bad unit.

These links are a good place to start...


http://gf.state.wy.us/wildlife/hunting/NonResident/index.asp

http://gf.state.wy.us/admin/Regs/index.asp

http://gf.state.wy.us/wildlife/hunting/stats/demandpdf/index.asp

 

eyexer Said:

5575 Said:

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

Your kidding right?

Nope.  SE quarter of the state is damn near off limits.  Tons of BLM land all land locked by private land.  Most of the ranchers are outfitters.  A buddy got to hunt some land north of Lusk because he was neighbors with the guy in Cheyenne.  You grab a map and look and see all that BLM land and you think you have it made.  then you get out there and you can't get to any of it without a helicopter.  I don't know how bad it is in the ne quarter but I can't imagine it's much different. 

NE part of the state is the WORST from what I gather. Don't appear to be any public land in them units.

It isn't so much land access as it is dealing with very few public roads.  As you will find out in searching out maps, etc there are designated roads you are legally able to drive on (and I'm meaning even full grade legit gravel roads that could be private).

In other words, there is no public ROW of section lines in Wyoming.  So if a road isn't public, isn't on public land and/or you do not have permission to be on a road that isn't either of the first two you can get in pretty quick trouble.

Another very frustrating thing is you cannot jump corners.  By that I mean if there is a section of school land to the NE and you are standing on the SW on some other public land you cannot go to the NE UNLESS it is public land adjacent to you.  To be more clear, if private land is in the NW and SE you cannot go to the public land by corner jumping.  Yes, plain ridiculous!

Furthermore, if there is public land that is landlocked you must seek permission to access it and you'll find a lot of landowner like to keep it theirs.  I laugh every time I hear that or I guess chuckle because many think it is their little piece of heaven.  I guess it can be but if your one piece of heaven is 640 acres just think how many millions of acres you CANNOT access that are public land and landlocked controlled by other landowners!  I think I'd rather give up my control of 640 instead of losing access to so much other public land.  Of course, you can use a helicopter to fly into the land.  They tried to fight that the air space was private but they lost that.

Um what else?  Think that is it besides posted signs are not required.  So everything is posted unless otherwise indicated.

On that note, get maps and lots of maps.  Learn the area, learn what roads you can be on and be ready to defend yourself when you are out hunting.

Good luck sir!

You can PM me. I was there was just there on a DIY mulie hunt and could have shot a ton of speed goats and some great ones also!

Hundreds of thousands of public acres in awesome antelope country in Wy, good grief. Lived there as well "central"
Get a good gps and maps and have a blast!

yes roads are few and far between.  and when I was there we had no internet so that really would help I'm sure.

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

all land is posted the public land if surrounded by private will require a trespass fee

It is (was) a 100.00 fine for trespass.  

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

all land is posted the public land if surrounded by private will require a trespass fee

It is (was) a 100.00 fine for trespass.  

I would recommend buying a subscription to Huntin Fool or Eastmans Hunting journal. Eastmans has a MRS section for subscribers only  that gives you alot of info. Huntin Fool breaks down the different units with amount of public land, draw odds, quality, etc...... 

marksman Said:

eyexer Said:
Land access is a big problem in most of the state I believe.  It was when I lived there 20 years ago. Pretty sure it wouldn't be any better now

all land is posted the public land if surrounded by private will require a trespass fee

It is (was) a 100.00 fine for trespass.  

wish I knew that back in the day.  but back then I was afraid they could still shoot trespassers. 

Last fall when we were there, stopped at the visitor center in Wright, the lady gave us two computer generated booklets. One had names of land owners for mule deer and the other for antelope. Have not called any of them yet, but need to do so for next years hunt. Do not know how many charge a fee or how much, land owners do get reimbursed from the state, when you turn your harvest, or land owner proof of permission receipt to them.  

tearbear Said:
I would recommend buying a subscription to Huntin Fool or Eastmans Hunting journal. Eastmans has a MRS section for subscribers only  that gives you alot of info. Huntin Fool breaks down the different units with amount of public land, draw odds, quality, etc...... 

Eastman's is a great asset for these kind of hunts. The issue dealing with antelope should be out in March, April, or May. Can't remember precisely, but they cover the elk, moose and deer in the first issues of the year.

Yes walk-in land is available and similar to how block management works in Montana.

Point is, there is plenty of opportunity but you "ain't in North Dakota no more."

Be aware but don't be completely intimidated.

Whisky-   I went into the last web site you had listed, went under 2011 draw, Antelope, non resident random draw. I looked up the 3 units the 3 of us app for in 2011, what does the total quota column numbers mean? some are 2, 6, 22,0, 239 and so on. Somewhat confused.