Wyoming Deer and Pronghorn Draw

[trealtree]

Anyone putting in? I am still struggling about what units to put in for. I am sure we will end up hunting Region B. Anyone have suggestions as to where to put in with 0 points?

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Points only for me this year. If somehow I find the free time, I may buy a leftover antelope tag and pay a trespass fee.

 

[4onaside]

Anyone putting in? I am still struggling about what units to put in for. I am sure we will end up hunting Region B. Anyone have suggestions as to where to put in with 0 points?

Don't know anything about the deer units, but there are several goat units where you don't have to draw at all. Just buy a leftover tag after the draw. And they have always been available. Problem is two fold with you. The goat units for which tags are easy, usually have very little public land, which is one of the reasons, that you can get a tag. LOL But with you, I would think that you would want to have the same deer/goat unit for obvious reasons. That is, unless you want to deer hunt, and then drive 400 miles during the same time frame to goat hunt.

 

[trealtree]

Well I am planning on hunting region B with a leftover tag. But I want to put in for a better unit with a slight chance at getting drawn. I just cant figure out which one.

 

[megalomaniac]

I'm putting in with 4 PP in the special draw for goats... should have around 66% chance at the unit I've researched. And it's probably in the top 10 in the state for quality and availability of public land.

 

[trealtree]

Sounds like a fun hunt.

 

[trealtree]

Its official I just put in for unit 102 first choice and Region B for 2nd choice. I have a .07 % chhance to draw unit 102. So it look slike I am going to Region B.

 

[4onaside]

Its official I just put in for unit 102 first choice and Region B for 2nd choice. I have a .07 % chhance to draw unit 102. So it look slike I am going to Region B.

Just out of curiosity, since it takes 50 pts with a regular license in 102 and 21 pts with the special license, why bother? lol
I've seen some real busters in unit 16 from torrington to lusk (hwy 85?) and also some wallhangers in Region B, same highway.

 

[trealtree]

Its official I just put in for unit 102 first choice and Region B for 2nd choice. I have a .07 % chhance to draw unit 102. So it look slike I am going to Region B.

Just out of curiosity, since it takes 50 pts with a regular license in 102 and 21 pts with the special license, why bother? lol
I've seen some real busters in unit 16 from torrington to lusk (hwy 85?) and also some wallhangers in Region B, same highway.

I wanted a pref point. And I did not want to wait and buy a leftover for region B. And actually that is exactly where I am planning on hunting. north of Lusk. Shoot me a PM with any tips if you dont mind.

thanks

 

[trealtree]

Anyone have any horror stories of hunts out west gone bad?

 

[4onaside]

Anyone have any horror stories of hunts out west gone bad?

I'm not sure what you mean about "gone bad". I have never had any terrible experiences, but if you mean have I been and not killed game, then I can answer yes. Actually, while your expectations are always quite naturally high, in my experience, a first time into an area, do-it-yourselfer probably has an excellent chance of not killing game,because it really takes me a season to learn the spots, where to hunt, where not to hunt, where have I seen game, etc. Then to, I have fallen into the trap, if you want to call it that, of becoming a tourist when I should have been hunting harder. With me, this is understandable, because if you have never been out there, to me, the country is so different than what we are used to in Tennessee,that I am facinated by it. Whatever you kill or not, however, I believe that you will have a great time. I always do.

 

[trealtree]

I dont mind if I dont kill anything. I was wondering more along the lines of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service etc.. :) Vehicle breaking down on the way out. Forgetting to chamber a round. Having a deer shot out from under you by someone 600 yds away.

 

[4onaside]

I dont mind if I dont kill anything. I was wondering more along the lines of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service etc.. :) Vehicle breaking down on the way out. Forgetting to chamber a round. Having a deer shot out from under you by someone 600 yds away.

None of the above. I have probably made more dumb, game busting mistakes locally turkey hunting than anything else. However, I did experience that there are a lot of cell dead zone areas in Eastern Wyoming, probably depending on your carrier, or course. None or which were discovered in any emergency situations. And, I have missed several antelope, probably being not used to the distances(and not being that good a rifle shot to start with, LOL). However, if you miss one, in most areas you'll get another chance. And, we experienced snow the second week of October this past season. Common in the mountains, but not so much so in the plains, except in 2009. Be prepared.

 

[trealtree]

I am sure me hunting with a muzzleloader will add to the challenge. But it will be even more rewarding when I shoot a mulie. Maybe I should invest in one of those COW decoys that was discussed on here earlier this year. :)

 

[antelope280]

Some of the areas took a bad hit from the last two winters-the deer area that I like to hunt really took it hard. Check with some folks and make sure you've got some deer where you're going. It's fun to hunt mulies with a ML, I've been lucky enough to shoot a couple with one. Forget the cow decoy, it's a pain in the rump. :)

 

[Tree Man]

Last year there were leftover license for Region B. With the economy the way it is I expect the same this year. If I go this year I will buy a leftover license. But the economy is going have to get a lot better.

 

[Chris Tripp]

Anyone have any horror stories of hunts out west gone bad?

Umm yeah... Foxpark, Wyoming, I lost a camo pack years ago with about 5 grand worth of gear. Set it down, went like 100 yards down a draw to take a dump then came back to where I am sure I started at to find no pack. Not sure if someone saw me set it down or what happened. Another time in '04 we got snowed in at elk camp in the LoLo region in Idaho for an extra week, didn't bring any meat home, ate most of it there.

 

[trealtree]

Some of the areas took a bad hit from the last two winters-the deer area that I like to hunt really took it hard. Check with some folks and make sure you've got some deer where you're going. It's fun to hunt mulies with a ML, I've been lucky enough to shoot a couple with one. Forget the cow decoy, it's a pain in the rump. :)

I have been calling around trying to get some private land to hunt in region B. no luck yet. I plan to call the wardens later on in the year to check the herd condition.

 

[trealtree]

Anyone know if snakes are legal to kill in Wyoming? I would like to catch one and skin it out if I see a big rattler.

 

[FallRutSpringStrut]

Me and a Buddy of mine put in for Region W today. If we get drawn we have someone that is going to show us the ropes in that region. He has been there many times and always seems to see and take plenty off game.

 

[antelope280]

Region W is a good area, there are good deer, antelope and elk down in that part of the state. Fairly easy terrain, lots of tall sage.

 

[4onaside]

Whatever you boys do, you need to do it in the next couple of days. Application deadline is the 15th. I applied for goats on line last night, Unit 72, West of Casper.

 

[trealtree]

I have already put in for Unit 102 deer and region B Deer.

 

[4onaside]

Whatever you boys do, you need to do it in the next couple of days. Application deadline is the 15th. I applied for goats on line last night, Unit 72, West of Casper.

I don't know anything about the unit, other than there really are no "bad" units, numbers-wise etc. in the Cowboy state. Some units are rated better as trophy units than others. However, I could care less, if a goat is mature, he's good enough for me. You have to have a place to hunt, so public land availability is an obvious consideration. I picked this one because of proximity of decent motels and eateries. If I don't get drawn, the area where I went last year usually has left over tags. I found a good population of goats up there,although a snowstorm ran me out prematurely, but I didn't care much for the town/facilities.

 

[tellico4x4]

Taking wife & grandsons to Unit 72 as well.

 

[tellico4x4]

FYI - we usually "camp" at the Quality Inn. They have a really good full breakfast bar

 

[trealtree]

I tried to talk my wife into hunting lopes but her answer was "They run too fast". I was like hmmmm. She has never hunted before and I told her you dont shoot them while they are running. :) She really wanted to hunt Elk but I talked her down to a Mule Deer. I asked her why she wanted to hunt Elk she said "because they are bigger". I dont think she understands just yet.

 

[4onaside]

I tried to talk my wife into hunting lopes but her answer was "They run too fast". I was like hmmmm. She has never hunted before and I told her you dont shoot them while they are running. :) She really wanted to hunt Elk but I talked her down to a Mule Deer. I asked her why she wanted to hunt Elk she said "because they are bigger". I dont think she understands just yet.

Well, an elk IS a whole lot bigger target than a goat. Even I can hit an elk. LOL

 

[4onaside]

Taking wife & grandsons to Unit 72 as well.

Have you been there before? Apparently you have, if you know about a Casper motel breakfast bar. LOL Do you hunt public land? I count one Walk In area that has 71 sections in it(45,000 acres). Lots of BLM land also, and while the law says that you can hunt it if a public road accesses it and there are no crops growing on it, I still am suspect that the rancher who leases the grazing rights would try to hassle you. Do you have any preference points, or did you apply on a special license draw? Last year the draw without points was 100% for non-residents, but the year before was 14%! I still haven't figured that one out. Also, I talked to a trespass hunt broker, who told me that he had never had a regular draw non-point non-resident draw! I told him that there was no way that I would pay for the special license, but I would talk back with him, if I drew on the regular draw. Frankly, since I have never laid eyes on the unit, I would not be terribly disappointed if I didn't get drawn, because I know where some, public land goats are up around Newcastle, where there are usually leftover tags. Trouble is, I don't like the town, motels, restaurants, etc. Plus, its a little further than Casper.

 

[trealtree]

I tried to talk my wife into hunting lopes but her answer was "They run too fast". I was like hmmmm. She has never hunted before and I told her you dont shoot them while they are running. :) She really wanted to hunt Elk but I talked her down to a Mule Deer. I asked her why she wanted to hunt Elk she said "because they are bigger". I dont think she understands just yet.

Well, an elk IS a whole lot bigger target than a goat. Even I can hit an elk. LOL

Yes, but she weighs 115 lbs with her hair wet. And couldnt carry 30 lbs on her back for a mile to save her life... lol I am thinking of the logistics of getting all that meat out. I figure I can pack out a mulie in a few trips alot easier than an elk. After she sees all the goats maybe she will want to shoot one next year. :)