Do any of you know about Area 32 for Antelope?

Hoping to draw there for Fall 2024

I've hunted there 3 0r 4 times but not since 2006

What are you looking for? I'm pretty sure it took a hit last winter for antelope and deer, just not sure how bad, some ares were worse than they thought, some slightly better than they thought, that country was pretty much snowy the whole winter last year.

I probably should call a BLM guy out there

I know Bates creek reservoir area
but don't know how Antelope Bucks fared

Yes, I know some about 32, Bates Hole it is known by.
One of the areas that did not get hit hard last winter, it had good numbers this past year.
Good access, plenty of public land and an HMA that opens up good private land for hunting.
Varied terrain so no crawling across flat ground to get a shot.

Lots of prairie rattlers in there.
Good fishing nearby.
Might be the area where the BLM bought a huge ranch and now it is open for hunting too.

There is a machinegun shoot up there in June every year, we go shoot full auto rentals and look for rattle snakes.

Draw odds may be different next year.
There is a huge price increase for the Special draw, might put more folks in the Regular draw and force more PPs needed to get the license.
I think the Special draw price is going up to about $900 for antelope, Regular draw stays the same.

Wyte That's Super news.

I have not gone Hunting in Wyoming since
06' when I sent out for the Wrong season (second)

I have 11 Preference points .but I probably will have to put them in a Group draw application for 3 0f us
so if it's still the same our group would have just less than 4 points each.

In the regular non-res draw last year 6 pref points drew 100%, 5 drew 10%. Below 5 no tags were drawn. In the special draw 5 points drew 100%, 4 and below drew no tags. With point creep the draw odds tend to decline each year (more points needed). You can get somewhat of an idea if the odds are going to change significantly when the proposed quota numbers come out in April by comparing them to previous years quotas. With May 31 as the deadline for applications on antelope it gives you time to plan. I would expect you to have a number of areas that are likely to draw with 4 pts, but I would not expect 32 to be one of them. I have been on 3 antelope hunts, none in an area as good as 32, and they all were a lot of fun. Good luck!

Is it true that Group Applications get better odds

ttt

No, it is not true. The pref points for each member in a party are averaged and the party draws as if it was a single individual with that averaged number of points. I don't remember for sure how many decimal points they carry out to, three I think. The averaging is why you see the % drawn listed for points between whole numbers in the Drawing Odds reports.

From the Wy F&G website:

A party is a group of hunters who apply for hunting licenses for the same species, hunt area and type, with the expectation of receiving the same drawing results. All applicants in a party are assigned the same random number; therefore, they receive the same drawing results. Applicants who do not apply as a party are assigned individual random numbers. Applying as a party does not increase the drawing odds. The maximum party size is six (6).

Quotas do not come out until about April next year, do not apply until they do.
The main benefit from party apps is that if they draw your party at the end of the draw all of you will get licenses even if it goes over the quota.
Check draw odds here but next year with the changes in Special draw pricing I'm betting Regular draw odds will go up a PP or 2.

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

Personally I think you will short yourself by going with a party of 3, those 11 PP would be better split in half than 3rds but I understand wanting to include as many as you can.
Area 47 was also ok this year, as was 38.

Maybe hold on to your points for a couple more years. Area 32 didn't get hit as hard as the western part of the state, but lost about 40% of the herd is what WG&F is saying. The red desert herd is almost gone, and that used to be the best area for antelope. STILL, if you have to go next year 32 might be a good choice. I'd let the herd build back, and get more mature bucks while still building points.

Google onX maps and you can see where the west's worst winter kill of 2023 was.

Good but sobering info

We will Apply as a group of 2 for 32
if we get to go...we do. Otherwise i will buy a pref. point for the young man I'm mentoring. and 1 For me.

Sad deal

My old outfitting partner's son had 21 elk hunters this year, they got 3 elk. Out of 9 antelope hunters for his area around Baggs Wyoming zero success. Some areas got nailed hard and others mainly on the eastern slope were luckier.

Was that from last years weather?

Yes winterkill.
32 did not have 40% die off, from the biologists at our meeting, it and 47- North end, did quite well over the winter.

It was brutal in some parts of the state, elk rarely have big issues with snow and last year they did as well.
Some pronghorn areas will take a few years to rebound, deer even longer.
Hard to believe that some area have way too many elk and some had die offs but it happened.
Baggs area as mentioned was really hit hard.

This winter while looking good for less severe weather, needs to produce some snow for us . Been really dry and we need moisture for Spring runoff.
A little snow cover and not so brutal cold would be great.

330 if you plan a scouting trip come out in June for the Machinegun shoot in 32 and do some fishing.

Check back about quotas in April or so.

It's 18 hour drive

I really Appreciate an invite Wytex and boy would I love to hunt Rattlesnakes or fish.... but Unless I get rich, win a truck ....etc I couldn't come out x cept in Sept to hunt

I'm getting a trip with my Daughter- her Husband and their two kiddos my Grandson and g daughter. in a New Wrangler