Wyoming antelope

[Red]

I'm looking to put together a public land antelope hunting trip together for my my dad and myself. I know the trophy areas are in the south with real bad draw odds. I'm just looking for a fun trip with pops, no trophys needed. Does anyone have any experience and can point me towards units with a good amount of public land?

 

[dipper]

110 yard bow kill?

 

[wiscwhip]

My little brother lives in Buffalo(about 70 miles from Gillette), and I have been out gun hunting with him once. They have a good bunch of public ground in the area. My brother will tell you if you come out, come during bow season. He will tell you that for any animal you pursue in that area. During the gun seasons it will be overrun with guys(and it was when I was there). There are some good "goats" in the area. SE of town, it is more private than public, but if you can gain access, there are some giant freaks on those ranches that he see's when he's working in the more remote areas of the mine field.

 

[PRK]

I have taken a couple antelope with my bow outside Douglas. There's a lot of antelope down there. I hunted private land but there are some public lands. Check out the Wyoming game website for the public land blocks. Best bet is to find water and stake it out in a blind. Doesn't have to be much, just a little ground seep that has sign around it. Both my kills were close (8 & 15yds) hunting that way.

 

[Red]

Thanks for the awesome info guys. I would love to hunt with my bow but my dad put down his bow over 30 years ago and just does rifle now. Looks like we might be one of the masses out there in orange. I was out in the Gillette area years ago and remember that you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a goat.

Novemberforever, 110 yards..... That is awesome. My longest pin is 60 and that feels like a hell of a poke. I better get back to the range before I try bow hunting out west.

 

[wiscwhip]

Crossbows are legal weapons for everyone in WY by the way, just a thought to maybe help your dad's situation.

 

[Red]

Very good point wiscwhip. I'll push that angle a bit. I would love to be out there before the orange army. (although getting the canons out is good fun too)
I've been trying to get him to get one for MN. He is old enough and I think he would enjoy the time in the tree/blind.

 

[wiscwhip]

Just in case you have never had the privilege of field dressing one, they are an assault on the senses, especially if they happen to be gut shot! Don't ask me how I know! I will get even little brother, mark my word!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

We gun hunt antelope on public land in Wyoming and to get away from the hunters we always hunt the last few days of the gun season. The gun seasons are usually at least 2 weeks long and almost everyone has filled their tag by the last weekend so we are typically all alone. The antelope are a little spookier after the opening weekend shooting, but at least you don't have to compete against nearly as many other hunters.

For zones with a lot of public land, you might need a few preference points to draw a standard tag, so you might want to look into that as well. I would recommend calling the Wyoming Game and Fish department and see if they can point you to a zone that has what you're looking for. I prefer zones that have larger chunks of roadless areas that offer places for the antelope to get away from road hunters. The G&F department is very helpful and can offer general suggestions and then they will give you contact info for wardens and biologists who work in that area. Those are the people who can give you the best specific information.

 

[Red]

I've chased antelope a number of times in eastern Montana when I was younger so I know how bad they can stink. That hunting was always rifle and pretty rough and tumble. The locals taught us the way they hunt, lots of spotting from the road and driving top speed through stubble fields to blast at running herds.
My dad and I went back in 2010. He drew a tag but I wasn't as lucky. This time we hunted a bit smarter and without the Montana boys. He and I paired up on a few stalks and my dad drilled this guy on the last day. We had a great time and I'd like to give it another go this year but give WY a try.

Ben, Thanks for the info. I floated the idea of a crossbow to him today and he was lukewarm to the idea. He loves his .300 Win mag and is a heck of a shot with it. So, maybe we will do the tail-end of the rifle season, That is what we always did in MT. I'll have to sit down with him this weekend and start the planning.