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DIY Hunts
Jan 25, 2017 21:10:22 GMT -5
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Post by (Not Ronald) Reagan on Jan 25, 2017 21:10:22 GMT -5
I know lawrencecountyhunter has done this but has anyone else? Any advice you'd be willing to offer for even just a pronghorn or mule deer hunt on huge public lands out west? Thanks! |
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Jan 25, 2017 21:27:17 GMT -5
For antelope, Wyoming is definitely your best bet. Everything you need to know is somewhere on their website, just have to dig around for it. Most decent tags take a couple years worth of points to draw, so start buying now if you want to go in the next 2-3 years.
There are a lot more options for deer, some hunts take a few points, some are OTC/100% draw.
To boil it down to basics, first figure out what species you want to hunt. Next, research which tags you can draw. Then see which have good public land access. Finally, consider what terrain you want to hunt, compare season dates, success rates, etc. Then go do it.
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DIY Hunts
Jan 25, 2017 21:36:49 GMT -5
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Post by (Not Ronald) Reagan on Jan 25, 2017 21:36:49 GMT -5
For antelope, Wyoming is definitely your best bet. Everything you need to know is somewhere on their website, just have to dig around for it. Most decent tags take a couple years worth of points to draw, so start buying now if you want to go in the next 2-3 years. There are a lot more options for deer, some hunts take a few points, some are OTC/100% draw. To boil it down to basics, first figure out what species you want to hunt. Next, research which tags you can draw. Then see which have good public land access. Finally, consider what terrain you want to hunt, compare season dates, success rates, etc. Then go do it. I've played around on the website and I'm amazed by how much public land there is... It's something I'd like to do in 4-5 years with a buddy pretty cheap because I'll be on the tail end of college lol. I'm currently leaning towards going to a school in Arkansas and it's right on the Ozarks national forest. I think I'll start putting in for elk tags now so my chances are actually good if I get to go there. |
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Post by esshup on Jan 26, 2017 0:45:13 GMT -5
In Wyoming you can just buy preference points, you don't have to pay for a tag and wait for a refund like Colorado. A buddy and I are still buying Elk preference points, we started when the system first started, we just haven't figured out when/where to go, but that hunt will be guided. IIRC preference points are $50 Elk, $50 deer, $30 antelope. If you DO go for antelope, try to get a buck and doe tag.
DIY is very doable for Antelope and if you aren't picky, you can shoot one in one day. Get comfortable shooting out to 300 yds or so, remember NOT to kneel or lay on the ground without some sort of pad - there are cactus all over and some are 1/2" high. Good binoculars and/or a good spotting scope will save a LOT of walking. 10-42 binoculars. I wouldn't go higher. A rangefinder is VERY useful, things out there look way different than here. For antelope, you can pull tags with 1 to 3 preference points in area 72 or 73, one is harder than the other, both have plenty of public or private that is open to the public land.
As for caliber, if you might chase after Elk, I'd look at .300 Win Mag. It's legal now on private property in Indiana, and you can use it on both elk/deer/antelope out west. 30-06 will do too, it just doesn't have the flatter trajectory that the .300 WM has.
I think now all non-residents have to put in for the draw in Wyoming, nothing is OTC now.
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DIY Hunts
Jan 26, 2017 7:27:58 GMT -5
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Post by (Not Ronald) Reagan on Jan 26, 2017 7:27:58 GMT -5
In Wyoming you can just buy preference points, you don't have to pay for a tag and wait for a refund like Colorado. A buddy and I are still buying Elk preference points, we started when the system first started, we just haven't figured out when/where to go, but that hunt will be guided. IIRC preference points are $50 Elk, $50 deer, $30 antelope. If you DO go for antelope, try to get a buck and doe tag. DIY is very doable for Antelope and if you aren't picky, you can shoot one in one day. Get comfortable shooting out to 300 yds or so, remember NOT to kneel or lay on the ground without some sort of pad - there are cactus all over and some are 1/2" high. Good binoculars and/or a good spotting scope will save a LOT of walking. 10-42 binoculars. I wouldn't go higher. A rangefinder is VERY useful, things out there look way different than here. For antelope, you can pull tags with 1 to 3 preference points in area 72 or 73, one is harder than the other, both have plenty of public or private that is open to the public land. As for caliber, if you might chase after Elk, I'd look at .300 Win Mag. It's legal now on private property in Indiana, and you can use it on both elk/deer/antelope out west. 30-06 will do too, it just doesn't have the flatter trajectory that the .300 WM has. I think now all non-residents have to put in for the draw in Wyoming, nothing is OTC now. Thanks, I didn't realize you could purchase points out there. For elk I definitely want to do that with a bow. I have no desire really to shoot an elk with a rifle yet. Dad's told me stories about shooting at Antelope in Nebraska and he was estimating distance to be about 300 yards with his 30-06 which is doable, but his buddy ranged it and it was 1,100 yards away because it looked so flat you have no judge of depth at all. |
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Post by steiny on Jan 26, 2017 10:28:35 GMT -5
I've done DIY mule deer and antelope hunts to WY many times, as well as elk hunts in both ID and CO. Toughest part is figuring out the regs and picking a spot to go. There are millions of acres of public ground in the west that are wide open to hunting at no cost. There are also many states and regions withing those states where you are assured of drawing a tag. Most information is available in the web, and I've found state wildlife agency folks to be very helpful on a few occasions.
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Post by treetop on Feb 1, 2017 16:26:01 GMT -5
Done lopes and mule deer lopes are easy but 200 to 300 yards on either is very real unless you are on a water hole. One thing that helps is a online plot map for your GPS around 100 bucks will get you one with even the owners name of its hard to tell were state ground starts and stops in some areas, YOU DONT WANT TO TRESSPASS out there they will have you charged in a heart beat, great people but trespassing happens to them all the time I never had a issue but I was told by several people know were your at at all times there are no excuses out there. Look at there web site they have owners that post hunting on there land most have a trespass fee or doe only but most of the fees are small.
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Post by esshup on Feb 14, 2017 0:14:00 GMT -5
Another thing to watch for is unethical outfitters. My cousin lives in Wyoming and we were antelope hunting. He knows a LOT of landowners there, and went to one property only to find "Leased to "XYZ" Outfitters" on the posts by the gate. He called the landowner and was told to rip the signs down, they leased the property next to his but NOT his, and they were trying to stop other non-paying hunters from hunting in the area.
He was not a happy camper, and my cousin said that next year the neighbor denied the outfitter another lease.
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Post by (Not Ronald) Reagan on Feb 14, 2017 20:52:36 GMT -5
Another thing to watch for is unethical outfitters. My cousin lives in Wyoming and we were antelope hunting. He knows a LOT of landowners there, and went to one property only to find "Leased to "XYZ" Outfitters" on the posts by the gate. He called the landowner and was told to rip the signs down, they leased the property next to his but NOT his, and they were trying to stop other non-paying hunters from hunting in the area. He was not a happy camper, and my cousin said that next year the neighbor denied the outfitter another lease. Been there done that on a free hunting trip I won to Montana a few years ago... |
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