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Family antelope hunt in Wyoming

I would like to take my 2 grown sons and maybe my wife?? on an archery antelope waterhole blind hunt in Wyoming next summer...don't really need a guide, just a ranch with antelope and waterholes...lodging would be great or I can motel it in town......any suggestions??

Thanks, Joe

You will probably need points to draw an area for Wy. but can apply as a group, all or none get drawn. Need to decide on a unit for 1st, 2nd & 3rd choice. Go to Wy. Fish & game to read up on the information.

S.D. can be ordered online & not a draw.. Herds have been down past few years in Wy & S.D. Look at walk in areas both states. Buddy & I are going to Wy. but haven't decided unit yet but we have 4 points too. This is by far the easiest DIY hunt you'll ever be able to do with amazing success in most cases. We have always had shooting from blind hunting & even 1st day blinds have been placed. Good Luck. Sorry, can't suggest any particular area. We tent camp on public land also.

Wyo antelope units with lots of private land in Eastern and NE Wyo generally take few to 0 pref pts to draw. You may also be able to pick up a 2nd doe tag for fairly cheap. If you hunt well managed private land you likely won't have to deal with hunters on public land spooking antelope or setting up a blind beside yours. Also, on guided hunts they should already have blinds set up well in advance of the season so antelope come running to water. You may want to check references and make sure they have experience with bowhunters....possibly talk to past bowhunter references.

As mentioned above you should be able to do antelope self guided...especially if you have a bunch of time prior to the season to set up blinds. Units with more public land and higher quality bucks generally take more pref pts to draw. There is usually a reason some units take fewer pts to draw than others.

Also, in regard to waterhole hunting it certainly helps to figure out units that have few water sources. If you pick a unit with lots of water and don't have time to acclimate bucks to blinds you may be screwed. It also helps to be fairly flexible with hunting dates so you can go when it's hot and dry.

jims about sums it up, but I will add one thing. Evidently, the units in Eastern Wyoming are getting more popular as I have noticed fewer left-over tags in some of these areas. Gonna try to draw in 26 myself this year, and for the first time in years, I'm wondering if I'll get it done. Good luck, and if you get drawn, you're sure to have a good time !

PS: You don't say if you've hunted antelope before, but if you haven't, and you get drawn, I'll tell you all I can about it. I've been doing it for 10/12 years, and have been very successful. Again, good luck !

Wylie -

You can call Wyoming Fish and Game and they will send you a list of private ranches that you can pay a trespass fee to hunt on. This works well if you're coming from out-of-state, or you don't have a lot of time to scout, and you'd like some in your party to have a good chance for success.

Once you get the list, you should do your research on the unit any particular ranch is located in, or check other online resources to see if anyone has had success on the ranch you're interested in.

If you have the time to research, scout and prepare for a public land hunt, Wyoming is a doable DIY antelope hunt. Good luck.

Dry Creek is right that antelope tags have become tougher to draw in recent years throughout Wyo. Antelope numbers are a fraction of what they were several years ago due to winterkill, drought, predators, and disease (blue tongue and others). Obviously fewer antelope means fewer tags issued and it takes longer to draw tags...especially tags in high demand units. It has been "relatively" mild winters the past couple years plus 2 falls/springs with great moisture which equates to great fawn crop throughout most of Wyo. Keep your fingers crossed this trend continues!

Wylie - You can call Wyoming Fish and Game and they will send you a list of private ranches that you can pay a trespass fee to hunt on. This works well if you're coming from out-of-state, or you don't have a lot of time to scout, and you'd like some in your party to have a good chance for success.

Once you get the list, you should do your research on the unit any particular ranch is located in, or check other online resources to see if anyone has had success on the ranch you're interested in.

If you have the time to research, scout and prepare for a public land hunt, Wyoming is a doable DIY antelope hunt. Good luck.

Hate to break the news to you, but the G&F quit doing that a couple years ago and if you can get access to any kind of a list it is probably so outdated it will be of no use.

Topgun is right, I was told this year that G&F can't give me a landowner list as they have stopped.

I can't help much on the water hole hunting idea, but there is "enough" BLM and walk on land in the east (units 15,16,20,23, ect) to make spot and stalk really fun.....

The Ranch I hunt on (same one Dry Creek hunts on is a trespass fee hunt, but like Dry Creek said tags are getting harder to draw and not sure if I will draw this year either and if not it will be the first time ever for me.

I have worked with the landowner and helped build permmanet Blind on most of the waterholes. Also help him line up Bowhunters every year, while getting him to keep it Bowhunting only except one couple (husband and wife) who have hunted there longer than I have.

Ron, I sent you a PM.

Joe

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