2010 Wyoming Antelope questions

[geales]

I am trying to put together a hunt for next year for myself and a friend. I am helping him pay for a lot of this trip so we are trying to keep it low cost and simple. I have put in for a prefence point for each of us this year. This will be my first hunting trip outside of the midwest. My head is spinning with looking at draw odds for public hunt areas and just maps in general. Does anyone have any good tips? I know I should call G&F biologists, but I would like to have a few hunt areas in mind with decent odds before I call. The central part of the state seems to have decent amounts of public land and also decent draw odds. Does this sound right? We would like to have a shot at a decent buck, but that isn't our only goal. Thanks for sharing any tips you might have.

George

[trad_bowhunter1965]

George
I have never hunted Wyoming but I have hunted other States the G&F biologists is a great place to start and BLM. Blake

[JimB]

Besides obvious questions about draw odds and public land,I would also want to know as much as possible about the terrain where I would hunt.

If you have to spot and stalk,very flat country with no small ridges and ditches can make that almost impossible.Water sources would be my next question.Too many and they won't be a lot of help to you.A few scattered ones may be ideal.

[Missouri Sherpa]

There are more antelope in Wyoming than people so you will be in the right place.  The tags in the eastern part of the state are easier to draw but there is not nearly as much public land to hunt as there is farther south and west. Just because the map shows a lot of public land that does not mean you can get to it.  If you have to cross private land you may have to pay a tresspass fee to get to the public land. I know of a block of BLM land that is 11 miles wide and 16 miles long that you couldn't hunt without paying a tresspass fee.  That private land is now leased up by an outfitter and the BLM is inacessible. The public land that has good access will see a lot more hunters.    I would want to line up a place to go before putting in for the tag.

[centaur]

Lots of the area around Casper is loaded with goats, and there is a good bit of public land, as well. Areas 62 and 63 are good ones, as are the areas along the Shoshoni Hwy (Hwy 20-26 out of Casper). Lots of flat land, but lots of hilly terrain, too, so spot and stalk is a possibility, but take it from one who knows, stalking antelope is an exercise in futility most of the time. Hunting waterholes is much more productive, but spot and stalk is a hoot.
Get some BLM maps of prospective areas that will give you an idea of the terrain, or do the Google Earth thing to see what the area looks like. Early season antelope weather can be 90 degrees or snow, depending. And you might want to plan around the rut, which has been going on for about two weeks now. The bucks have the ladies on their minds, but are herded up, so there are lots of eyes to see you.