Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Wyoming Antelope Quotas 2022

Looks like they are going down again, judging by the Commission April meeting.

Not confirmed yet, but proposals show big cuts on most of the units I looked at.

Anyone know why? Was winter kill bad this year?

Drought, winterkill an poor fawn recruitment in many areas. Should have cut doe licenses last year more but winter range needed some relief from too many mouths.
The big snow last spring really took down a large number in some areas of SE Wyoming.
Other areas had EHD issues.
Not a bad winter yet, hoping for 0 wet crusty snows this spring and maybe we'll get some fawns recruitment.
We're getting some green up now and looks like a little better soil moisture going into fawning season, based on snow fall scattered over the winter in our local wintering area and snow piled up behind the snow fences.
Some parts of the state are really struggling with drought and will need help this spring and summer.

Hoping to see many more twins and some triplets with the doe this summer.

Hoping someone in another part of the state chimes in for you on their conditions.

Comprehensive report, wytex.

Thank you.

No antelope in Wyoming
Try Arizona.....

I'll meet ya there and buy you a cerveza!

At least wyoming actively manages their wildlife. Colorado manages on a 5 year plan, and even then they seldom do what's needed because they want revenue...

Sucks what has happened to Wyoming and the west in general. A pronghorn unit I was fond of was an every other year draw not long ago, now its 6-7 points 😖

Numbers have been down a few years now and interest is up so every area is harder to draw now.

We did hear a couple of areas near us are doing pretty well, to the north. I should have included that tidbit. They are the exception though.
Drought is hard to combat, if it's not limiting forage then it's EHD or something like that that will pop up and hit a herd.

Go kill coyotes and bobcats, that always helps.

SE MT saw some ugly Pronghorn declines in 2021 as well. Tags dropped by 30% vs. 2020. NR Applications were up 25% and the net result was that NR draw odds went from a fairly stable ~25% down to 12.5%, from 2020 to 2021.

Thankfully Wyoming allows you to wait until July 1 to put your antelope application in. But don’t forget that date. July second will creep up on a guy.....

Yeah looks like a 50% cut in Non Resident tags this season. I have 3 good friends who come from Nevada ever year to hunt with me, and they may not get to do it this year.

If you're waiting til July to apply then you'll not get a licenses unless it's a leftover.
May 31 is the initial draw deadline, not July.

We killed coyotes on their winter range this past year as we went up to check traps. Saw coyotes most times we were going up and stopped every time to take a shot.
Coyotes don't kill as many as a late deep snow or a bad winter but they sure don't help. Not many bobcats out on the sage flats where they hang out most of the time but there are some.

Pronghorn are one of the species they do not count every year, they estimate based on a few transects driven I believe.
They did fly and do counts last year and maybe year before and saw the declines then, should have reduced licenses a few years back on doe tags to help.

How will the reduction affect landowner tags?

Fingers crossed for your friends. Quality time!

wytex
Work with me........

Is there a link that shows the proposed allocation by unit? Apparently my Google fu sucks. I can't find any info. Thanks.

lol, I get it now. Sorry about that.

No landowner transferrable tags in Wyoming but it could affect the LO quota they can draw from.

Here you go Rick: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/con...0Regulations/CH-5-Draft-03-16-2022-3.pdf

Good luck as well, for your friends Brazos.

Thank you!

Thanks wytex.

We are old duffers and put in for doe tags, we won't be competing with residents JeffP

I’m a NR too , hopefully with enough points to draw the unit I want
Especially if fewer people apply .....
Hence my comedic post.

The last time that I hunted Wyoming, I was very disappointed in numbers compared to prior trips. The weather cannot be controlled, but I think there have been too many tags issued for a long time. I don’t think that I will be going back. It amazes me that people are just worried about getting a tag, instead of worrying about the overall health of the resource.

As long as a healthy breeding population of bucks are present hunting them doesn't hurt like the doe hunts.
Pronghorn have twins most years and triplets are not uncommon. Populations can bounce back pretty well in a few years but a hole in the age classes will be present.

Most think they should have reduced doe tags several years back but recent flights have given them better, more accurate counts and shown the population decreases.
A couple of years of reduced licenses and good fawn recruitment should help but mother nature has to lend a hand too.

I don't often check antelope draw odds, but for the last three years, I have failed at an any antelope permit. My favorite unit was a cinch to draw in past years .. Some times it was my second choice. When I checked the draw odds, I was shocked. All of the units near me sell out the first goround. Times indeed have changed.

I used to just get over the counter leftovers, now if you arent on the first draw you ain't legally hunting antelope. The number of tags available are not compatible with the amount of huntable land available. Land not leased to outfitters is over run with people and the hunting just sucks. And as a resident seeing people camping all over the few sections of decent public land is just frustrating.As other states cut back tags the over flow came here . Now with the numbers here down, and the lack of rain persisting the situation is only worse. The winter was not bad here but there is literally no grass on the prairie East of Buffalo, looks more like desert than high prairie......

Hope you get some good moisture this spring wyoming260.

I am putting in for a different area, because I have always hunted area 22 and its way down in numbers and way up in Michigan and Washington state lead slingers.......We need like a monsoon and a cool long spring before the burn off of summer.

Glad I looked and found this since I was about to
post the question about this hunting.
I got a message that the licenses in WY were being
cut back ( although I don't hunt there) so my curiosity
was up

What's the state's mindset about predator control?
Do they allow you to do reasonable predator control,
or are they fairly greenie when it comes to predators
killing the game animals and livestock?

Predator hunting is pretty well supported in Wyoming. Coyotes are shot on sight with no license required. Mt lions are regulated in take in most areas but not all.
The pronghorn populations are struggling because of habitat mainly, drought and then winterkill. Last springs blizzard was horrible in some areas for wildlife. Mother nature needs to help out a bit.

Not perfect timing, but after accumulating 15 points and having Covid throw a wrench in some plans the last few years, we decided to apply for a zone for my wife's antelope tag this year. Fingers crossed for a draw. Even with lower tag numbers in the state and ridiculous gas prices, we're looking forward to getting away for a hunt if she draws.

15 PP would work nicely between the 2 of you also if she wanted to share her PPs.

Good luck with her draw otherwise!

Suggestions for good entry level places to hunt antelope? I heard SD and WY are good?

Ya, we considered doing that as I've got 7 points currently. A good buddy has 7 as well though and has never been before, so decided I'd hold off and hunt another year with him.

Applied wife in 58. She's not a sure thing but should have a decent shot at drawing.

PP are needed in Wyoming for a better hunt. This year is not the year to get in with 0 PP due to tag cuts. Buy a PP in July and look next year.

Good luck to your wife Rackmastr.

Hopefully we get a little bounce back in numbers next year.

We talked about it this week. Group has decided to apply this year. We were just short on PP last year. My buddy's son decided to apply with us. That should up our average & hopefully put us in the awarded tag column. Good Luck to all that enter. Bob