Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Good Pronghorn units for DYI in 2016?

I would drive up from Arizona. I'm semi-retired, but I completed a marathon in 4 hours 34min this year and keep in shape.

Looking for a decent shot at a trophy pronghorn (70"+) with only 1 point. I have not drawn for AZ and it likely will take years before I get to hunt one here.

I would prefer lots of public land to drive & glass or preferably walk and stalk, but I can also pay a modest trespass fee of $500-$1,000 if it means more access to lands.

Please PM me your thoughts as I do not want to create more pressure on any areas by advertising them publicly unless you feel it is ok.

John, public lands can be a bear cat to draw.. I had relatives put in for areas around here.. Some it took two to three points to draw.. Now the numbers of antelope are down here, so probably in the future, it will take even more..

Truly, if I wanted to hunt this year as a nonres. I would check with the Game and Fish office nearest Gillette.. They have many permits in that area, and usually have an office set up in the fall to help hunters local a spot to hunt.. I have no clue about trespass fees, but for years a paid a modest amount to hunt several ranches.. It was the best hunting I have had before or since.. Unfortunately that opportunity is long gone.. If you want to hunt as you describe, on public land you will have to put up not only with vehicles, but every clown who owns an ATV..

Get the drawing odds report and look for units with 100% for the amount of points you have. Then looks at the access. Don't forget to look at the HMA/WIA info. There are units that have appreciable access that you can get tags with 1 point. I've yet to be in a WY pronghorn unit and not see a 70" buck.

I was planning to start a similar post regarding pronghorn for 2016, we hunt NW Colorado for 3rd season elk and was hoping for a suggestion in SW Wyoming for the week before. DIY public preferred I wouldn't do a marathon to be less crowded but a couple of miles walking in would be ideal.

I've never shot an antelope and wouldn't have a minimum score. I'll apply for a preference point this year but really don't have any idea on Wyoming public available land or pronghorn more than I've seen in passing or TV shows - heaven knows those are dependable information sources. I hope you don't mind me watching answers and adding to the crowd.

I was planning to start a similar post regarding pronghorn for 2016, we hunt NW Colorado for 3rd season elk and was hoping for a suggestion in SW Wyoming for the week before. DIY public preferred I wouldn't do a marathon to be less crowded but a couple of miles walking in would be ideal.

I've never shot an antelope and wouldn't have a minimum score. I'll apply for a preference point this year but really don't have any idea on Wyoming public available land or pronghorn more than I've seen in passing or TV shows - heaven knows those are dependable information sources. I hope you don't mind me watching answers and adding to the crowd.

you can say that again..

Doubt you'll find a unit you can draw in the SW with one point.you're going to have to go east aways.

a Wyoming DeLorme atlas & gazetteer is pretty cheap.buy the red one, they show land ownership.Cross reference it with a WY unit map to check land status in units of interest.those can be found on the WYF&G website,along with draw odds and lots of other info..

Thunder Basin is a lot of fun. I'm not sure what the trophy quality is now (I went while it was still recovering) but it is a huge tract of public land with many pronghorn. Here is my hunt report with some photos to give you a sense of what it looks like. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/6979579/1

If you are willing to pay a trespass fee on a ranch the quality and odds get much better. Personally, I was more satisified getting lesser quality but DIY on public land.

Eric

Seeing 70" antelope and seeing 70" antelope on huntable ground are two very different things. I have 5 public land bucks from area 22 that are all within an inch and half of each other.And all are between 67 and 68.5".All look different and some look like they should score way better then the others. The public land here is WAY to crowded for good trophies and the private is getting WAY to expensive. Add the fact that most of the oil field workers will be laid off this fall and the crowds will be thicker.......
JMHO and I live and work in the North central part of the state and work in prime antelope habit every day.

[color:#FF6600][/color]


What he said

2/3 points will get you into a good hunt.
1 and special draw can too.
I have 6 and ain't spending them this year.
Road through a unit I thought I wanted to hunt
And numbers and quality are way down.

If you go leftover tags, there WILL be difficult access
And plenty of other hunters....