Just wondering if we can get a little help from the Wyoming guys. My son and I are considering a trip out to Wyoming next year to try for Antelope and mule deer. This time it will be a DIY. We currently have only two preference points each. I've hunted with outfitters in the past tnear Kaycee, Gillette, Buffalo , Douglas, and Morecroft, but really want to try DIY this time with my son. I've looked at the fish and game website and we have ON X, but having been there I know that roads that are shown to be public are sometimes blocked, and are looking for some Public Access that will be open when we get there because we don't want any trespass issues. Any and all input appreciated. Arrowsmith

Im assuming its a rifle hunt? Anyway, there is lots of BLM land around the powell and cody area. And you are not far from the Shoshone national forest. If you have a successful draw in these hunt areas, I could also possibly help you get on some private land. Just a thought.

Mr Kelley, thank you for the input. I've never been that far north and west in the state. Are there Antelope up that way? Arrowsmith

Get a blm map

Hello, yes, I have the maps and the ON X chip showing public and private, but many roads marked public in areas I've been to in the past may cross private property before reaching the public, and anyone who's been "out west" knows that if landowner/rancher says road is closed, it's closed. Do not want to debate this issue just looking for public access that will be open when my son and I get there. Thanks for input. Arrowsmith

I Hunted a 10,000 acre private cattle ranch for 15 years as a kid into adulthood.
At age 70 the Ranch owner got Married for the first time and his step sons started guiding on it . It went from 100.oo access fee to $1,500 per animal.
So I did the deep dive for Public access.. What a shock

Buy BLM MAPS
STATE LAND MAPS
TALK TO The Game Warden about Animal population in the area you want to apply for.
As important Talk to the BLM agent on the phone for the areas about Animals and Access

Also Access YES Is a program that Allows Walk in hunting on Ranches that allow hunters to cross into those parcels enrolled in Access YES.

SERIOUSLY: all those things were Needed to find where we could hunt Safely with no landowner issues.

We only went for Lopes.

The Wardens who worked the said areas ...boots on the Ground were the most helpful.

Scott

I never had any issues with Wyoming ranchers but I didn’t trespass. I only experienced one time on x in Wyoming where I hunted where it showed a two track that ended up on private ground. I turned around and went somewhere else. I did a lot of driving and looking. I wasn’t hunting trophy level animals. Would have taken them.

with 2 points you probably are not going to draw an area with a lot of public access.

You need 2 BLM maps. A Surface Management Status to show land owner status for public or private,and a Motor Vehicle Use Map to see if the road or trail is open for any public use.

And Make sure the Maps are Current

yes there are antelope here. Not as many as say over where you already have hunted but there are what I would say as decent numbers. Let me know if I can help down the road.

Thank you for all the great advice. 70sdiver, that is my thought exactly which is why I started this thread. I'm figuring that with two points I'm going to be in a unit that is mostly private, but there is public to be had as long as you know how to correctly and legally get into it. I will order the two BLM maps, current ones! Coupled with the Onx unit I should be able to stay on public roadways. Mr kelly, if I decide to put in for that unit I will certainly keep you in mind. Thanks again for your help. If anyone else has any input it would be appreciated. Thanks again, Arrowsmith

First look over the draw odds for pronghorn: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Drawing-Odds/2022-Drawing-Odds
Keep in mind that numbers are down due to drought and a bad winter kill. They may rebound a bit next year for a few more licenses.

Will you consider the Special Draw, more expensive and mostly better odds?

Look over the hunt planner map after you look at odds for specific areas, it shows public and private lands and most public roads : https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Hunt-Planner/Antelope-Hunting/Antelope-Map

Mule deer will have 2 options: General region licenses and specific area licenses- Limited Quota licenses. Check draw odds for those as well, same link above.

Do not apply until they set the final season quotas in April, things can change.

I would suggest that mule deer will be harder to fill than pronghorn. I would be easy to spend 4-5 days looking for a decent mule deer buck and maybe a couple of days for pronghorn. The combo can be done but might be less pressure to fill on one species. Do pronghorn one year or mule deer, then the other the next. You can combo fishing instead of hunting animals, or bird hunting.

Wytex, great info. I have successfully hunted both species on several guided hunts to Wyoming, and I realize it would be a tall order to do on a DIY hunt, but health reasons dictate that I go next year, and I would like to have my 30-year-old son with me. Many times while hunting Antelope I came across mule deer, and vice versa. Would just like to have both tags in our pockets if the opportunity came up. I am also considering going fully guided again, but, after making several calls to previously used Outfitters I have found the cost of the Hunts has gone up exponentially. The last hunt that I went on in the Northeast part of the state was a combo for mule deer and Antelope and cost $5,000. It was an awesome lodge, five star service, fully guided with food provided. That same hunt today 8 years later is just under $10,000 per person not including airfare, licenses, vehicle rental, tips, Etc. All in for the both of us we would probably looking at 25-27k not including taxidermy. I have spoken to a few other Outfitters that were more about 7,000 per person, but even then times two, all in we're going to be near 18k. I'm paying for the hunt for myself and my son, and I don't know if Mama will consent to those numbers even though I know she wants us to go. The other thing is I don't know if even four trophy animals are worth that kind of money to me anymore. We have all sorts of antelope, mule deer, and Elk mounts in the house and cabin and this Hunt is more of a Nostalgia thing for my son and I. If only Beaver would shine I could probably make enough money to justify it! LOL Thanks again, Arrowsmith

Chambers of commerce have list of landowners that allow trespass hunts. Maybe consider that option.

Aglinscreek, I will be calling the chambers for tresspass info as I think that may be a good compromise, but I have read many times where the lists are outdated. Going to give it a try though. Thanks again. Arrowsmith

There are some big blocks of blm land. Big enough you could stay on public land all week without worrying too much I would think.

Drasselt, yes there are, but most of those unit's take 6 8, or 10 preference points to draw. We have 2 each to work with. Thanks. Arrowsmith

Just got my letter saying either buy a point or lose the 3 I have for antelope, trying to decide if i want to keep playing the point game there.

Hunted the national grasslands unit 27 with two points in 2013, now better have 7. Hunted a new place in 2016 that we could get a tag in with 2, this fall it was going to take 5 points there, went to another unit again, it is called creep, worse all the time.