WY Red Desert Die Off

[tellico4x4]

This is where grandsons & I had planned on hunting when we started building points 14 yrs ago... Gotta scout elsewhere now.

Massive Winter Die-Off Reportedly Leaves Few Antelope Fawns, No Mule Deer In Red Desert

Almost no antelope fawns and a complete lack of mule deer in the Red Desert has Joe Kenney of Lander concerned. He’s been visiting the area for years, and thinks this past winter's massive die-off is to blame for the lack of wildlife.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[Buzzard Breath]

The Red Desert was where I originally had wanted to hunt, probably around the same time you and the grandson started putting in for it. But, I did t have the patience and started putting in for tags elsewhere that were easier to draw. I'll hopefully draw be hunting antelope again in 2 more years.

 

[AT Hiker]

Back to back drought years, wild horses, disease and then the winter of 2023 spelled disaster for much of that region.

Fingers crossed the next three years are good on them.

 

[nwsg76]

13 antelope points and 14 deer points and thinking the same thing. Should have applied back in 2022.

 

[tellico4x4]

Knew I'd be an old man before we drew due to grands college & graduate school. Red Desert had elk, deer & antelope and figured we'd start with antelope & learn more about units each hunt, so much for planning . At 70 I have to be realistic on terrain or just be the camp cook for them. Since deer & antelope got hammered so hard, I plan on going out next year and staying the month of September scouting other units for a 2025 elk hunt.

Good news for WY is that so far they have had abundant moisture & cooler than normal temps, so what babies are born may stand a good chance of making it.

 

[megalomaniac]

I had 15 pts for antelope last year. Almost put in for red desert antelope, but it was going to be 3 hours from the area of Ethans hunt, and I wanted to devote the week just to him. Had I known he was going to find a good goat first hour of the first day, I would have burned my points last year.

Now I'm strongly considering just putting in for a mediocre unit next year with Ethan. Averaging my 16pts with his 1 point in 2024 will give us 8.5 points and we will both have a decent tag.... not sure I want to wait 5 or 6 years for Red Desert to recover.

 

[AT Hiker]

I had 15 pts for antelope last year. Almost put in for red desert antelope, but it was going to be 3 hours from the area of Ethans hunt, and I wanted to devote the week just to him. Had I known he was going to find a good goat first hour of the first day, I would have burned my points last year.

Now I'm strongly considering just putting in for a mediocre unit next year with Ethan. Averaging my 16pts with his 1 point in 2024 will give us 8.5 points and we will both have a decent tag.... not sure I want to wait 5 or 6 years for Red Desert to recover.

Wish I had a solid idea for you. I do have one unit in mind that was full of pronghorn prior to the winter kill but we didn't see many over the low 70's but it was full of animals.
I will try and get down there this fall if I have time after my hunt, its on my radar for my wife if she decides to share her points.

I combed through the 2023 odds, looks like it could have been had with 8.5 this year in special. Not sure if its worth the increase in special fees, even prior to the winter kill.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/Hunting/2023-Non-Res-Antelope-Special-Preference-Point.pdf

Also, I am optimistic that it will recover in 3-4 years. Male pronghorn typically hit max horn growth around 3 yrs. Fingers crossed for mild winters and ample moisture.