Wyoming antelope hunt with 0 points

Thedeerfarmer

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
115
Location
Polo, IL and Fort Collins, CO
I'm currently a college student living in Fort Collins and looking to try Wyoming Pronghorn next year. I do not have any points built up, but I am hoping to try for an extra doe on a reduced price tag as well as a buck for the meat. Hopefully, I would be able to hunt the south east portion of the state on a leftover or draw tag as it would be close. Any advice or a shove in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

TauPhi111

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
598
Location
Ohio
Tagging in on this thread. I have some friends that live in Fort Collins and I would live to hunt WY antelope, preferably in that southeast region.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2014
Messages
1,043
Location
Southwest Colorado
Units on the eastern side of Wyoming have harder public access, but that means the tags are easier to draw.. Id suggest getting OnX maps and locating units that you think would give you enough access as well as comparing last years draw odds to find a unit that can be drawn with 0 points. Its going to be tough and there wont be many that check both boxes. Once youve found those units Id suggest not posting them on here, because the more that apply the worse your odds get....
 

FreeRange

WKR
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
433
Location
N. ID
Having researched this a bit I'd add do some internet forum scouting about any unit you're thinking of applying for AND call local wardens. One unit in particular I liked looked super good on paper, obvious public access, easy draw, good numbers of antelope but in reality most peoples experience on the ground was that a lot of what appeared to be well graded public roads were in fact just oil company access roads that the public could not access. More than a few people found that out once they'd arrived in the unit and everyone got crammed into the very limited public access area.
 

FreeRange

WKR
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
433
Location
N. ID
Having researched this a bit I'd add do some internet forum scouting about any unit you're thinking of applying for AND call local wardens. One unit in particular I liked looked super good on paper, obvious public access, easy draw, good numbers of antelope but in reality most peoples experience on the ground was that a lot of what appeared to be well graded public roads were in fact just oil company access roads that the public could not access. More than a few people found that out once they'd arrived in the unit and everyone got crammed into the very limited public access area.
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2017
Messages
59
Location
TX
I did it this year with no points and had a blast. Apply where you can draw a buck tag and then get onxmaps and figure out where to hunt. Antelope are everywhere. Have fun.
 

js2397

FNG
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Messages
3
I have a friend that is a grad student at CSU, if you PM me your info I will send it to him. He's been hunting antelope around there for about 10 years.
 
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Messages
75
I’d drive across the border n start knocking on doors, or write up a nice letter asking permission, offering money or labor in trade n see what happens..i bought a truck from a dealer in FC last Labor Day n we drove into Wyoming, and seen hundreds of antelope right off the highway(all pp tho)...
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
1,774
Wyoming is getting crazy for sure. I used to take my daughter to a place on the WY/CO border, a real sleeper unit every year. I arrowed 3 bucks, she rifled 2 and missed one her last year. It now takes 5ish points for that unit. Crazy how things change in 10 years. Whatever you find, make it happen fast.
 

TreeWalking

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
266
Your first choice is the only choice that considers accumulated points. You can shoot for the moon with your first choice as a strategy and you might draw in the 25% of tags that are random in the 1st Choice. You can draw a SE quadrant unit with 2nd choice and might even be a few you can draw as a 3rd choice but demand is growing so a unit that was a Leftover Tag unit in 2012 might only be drawn as 1st Choice now.

You can see trends in the draw reports. Special draw offers 40% of non-resident tags and costs more for the same tag offered in the Regular draw where 60% of tags are offered.

WY jacked up some costs for non-residents so the 2018 non-resident elk draw saw an increase in point creep as a bunch of applicants decided was not wise to merely build points anymore so were actively applying for tags this year. That demand increase may also show up in the pronghorn draw. There are hunters that are trying to draw a moose or sheep tag in WY so were buying relatively inexpensive points for elk, deer and pronghorn. Costs went up so rather than walk away from WY in 2018 there were hunters that now looking to burn their points and once they draw an elk, deer and pronghorn tags then plan to abandon WY. Me included. I just burned my elk points this year. Have family members that tried but they are max pool so are dealing with 1 in 10 odds and might take a decade to burn the points so likely that drop to mid-tier units in 2019 so creep will accelerate again.
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
986
I drew two doe tags last year in a different part of the state with no points. So it can be done.

I have contacts in the southeast portion, but can get to other portions quicker. I could fly to Denver, work for a few days and then hunt for a few days since I'll already be there. But then I'd have to fly my meat home.

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cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,799
Location
Colorado
Be sure to carefully read the WY regs this year, I know of certain unit changes that will take place this year over last year.
Almost got bit!
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
986
Be sure to carefully read the WY regs this year, I know of certain unit changes that will take place this year over last year.
Almost got bit!
Can you give a little insight into how they changed?

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cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,799
Location
Colorado
I would suggest to research the hell out of the unit(s) you are interested in.
And remember, the WGF Commission meets in April to set the proposals in stone
 
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