Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game WY antelope with 1 point

A buddy and I each have one point in WY and are talking about an antelope hunt this year. Anything worth doing, or should we just buy more points and wait? We're not concerned with record books. Just looking for a fun hunt for two guys who won't have any chance to scout ahead of time and will go DIY.

I would guess if you are willing to deal with private land, you can draw this year.. Some of our local areas with lots of public land and good bucks take several points up to five to draw.. Personally, if I were you I would check out the ne part of Wy. for ranchers who permit hunting.. Talk with the game and fish office in that area, probably Gillette.. Rather than waiting I would try for this year.. Antelope are not real difficult to get.. You would need some sort of 4 wheel drive, just incase of very rough roads, or mud.. Otherwise, you normal deer hunting gear, and GOOD binos or spotting scopes or both.. Otherwise, a good scoped flat shooting rifle and your set..
Time will be important to you.. In the area I live, the first weekend is nuts.. Locals, out of state hunters, have the antelope wild.. A bit later in the season for me is better by far. Also like most game, early and late is the best time.. Not for the reasons you hunt early and late for deer.. Antelope don't seem to move much at night.. So they are up feeding before dark and in the early morning.. I guess like deer also.. But at these times they are less wary..
I would take a caliber that bucks the wind very well.. It is your big enemy in this country.. If you have a good .270 your set.. Don't wait.. Life is short..

I've spent time shooting prairie dogs in NE Wyoming, so I'm familiar with some of the country out there and have a few ranchers that I can contact for leads/suggestions. As far as rifles are concerned, I've got a few that would fit the bill (.270 WSM, .270, .260, etc). Thanks for the input, WyoCoyoteHunter.

8, If you have those contacts, do it.. Your all set.. Antelope are pure fun.. They make great jerky, and are not bad eating otherwise.. It only took me 40 years to try them instead of making jerky... Have fun!!

Thanks!

Best meat there is. Please don't make jerky out an antelope, it's simply too good for such a use.....Unless you gut shoot it and run it over half the country. Then jerky is fine

prairie, I have been shooting antelope every year for 40 years.. I think the first one's we shot we ate like venison.. We ate everything we shot in those days.. But here, everyone said they are only good for jerky.. So the next fall and every fall since then, that is what I have done with them.. I used to give an old couple in town a couple each fall.. They loved 'em.. But I still made mine into jerky.. They make the best jerky going.. But last fall L2S commented on how much he loved antelope, so the last doe I shot we ate the tenderloins for lunch.. It was very good.. But my stepgrandkids, beg for antelope jerky.. Tough situation!!!

Shoot more goats.

wyo, that would be fun, but the law only allows so many!!!!

You can get reduced price doe/fawn tags while you build up your points. I'm building points in CO, but I go to WY for doe every chance I get. 100% success so far.

I hear ya on the "keeping people happy" deal. If jerky is what you eat, then so be it. The thing with jerky is you can use about any kind of gut shot rutty game and still make it taste good. Melt in your mouth antelope steaks are such a delicacy, I just can't bring myself to grind them up.