2024 Wyoming - Casper / Medicine Bow Units

[ereffett]

Looking to plan a 2024 antelope hunt with 6 points. Based on license availability, draw odds and success rates for past years, I think I'm narrowed down to 6-8 units either in the Casper area or around Medicine Bow. Does anyone have any experience or advice for those general regions? Thanks!

 

[EdP]

I did a guided hunt in Region D (Medicine Bow) for MD in 2021. There were plenty of antelope around. One of the hunters in camp had a pronghorn tag in addition to his deer tag. He and a guide went after pronghorn the afternoon he arrived in camp. He had several shot opportunities and came back with a nice pronghorn buck.

There isn't much in Medicine Bow other than the Virginian Hotel and a gas station, and pretty much nothing between Medicine Bow and Casper as I recall. Some folks were DIYing it from campers on BLM land crossed by local roads. If you are prepared for camping on BLM off a gravel road in potentially bad weather, I think it is a great option. If your intent is to stay in a hotel and eat in a restaurant after hunting all day, something closer to Casper may be a better option.

 

[TBarron]

There’s some nice cabins for rent in Alcova just west of Casper on the North Platte River. Good antelope units in that area and great fly fishing after you tag out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KHNC]

THat guy is long gone by now. No need to update this.

 

[Yellowhammer66]

Speaking of Alcova. Has anyone fished or hunted with Cowboy Drifters?

 

[ereffett]

I did a guided hunt in Region D (Medicine Bow) for MD in 2021. There were plenty of antelope around. One of the hunters in camp had a pronghorn tag in addition to his deer tag. He and a guide went after pronghorn the afternoon he arrived in camp. He had several shot opportunities and came back with a nice pronghorn buck.

There isn't much in Medicine Bow other than the Virginian Hotel and a gas station, and pretty much nothing between Medicine Bow and Casper as I recall. Some folks were DIYing it from campers on BLM land crossed by local roads. If you are prepared for camping on BLM off a gravel road in potentially bad weather, I think it is a great option. If your intent is to stay in a hotel and eat in a restaurant after hunting all day, something closer to Casper may be a better option.

Thanks EdP. I'm leaning towards DIYing it so Medicine Bow seems like a decent option. Since my first post, I talked to the Game & Fish biologist in both the Casper and Medicine Bow area - they both said a lot comes down to the winter and to check back in around April to see how things look. For your 2021 hunt, were you bow or rifle?

 

[ereffett]

There’s some nice cabins for rent in Alcova just west of Casper on the North Platte River. Good antelope units in that area and great fly fishing after you tag out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome - thanks TBarron. I passed through pretty close to Alcova in September on the way to an elk hunt and there were definitely antelope around.

 

[EdP]

My 2021 MD hunt was rifle as was the other hunter's pronghorn hunt.

 

[johnbow]

Mt son and I drew area 25 and filled our buck tags. The area just west of 25 is worth trying to draw with your points I believe. IT has alot more public land then where we were at. Looked like there was plenty of goats to hunt in the general area.

 

[ereffett]

Mt son and I drew area 25 and filled our buck tags. The area just west of 25 is worth trying to draw with your points I believe. IT has alot more public land then where we were at. Looked like there was plenty of goats to hunt in the general area.

Thanks for sharing that…25 is one of the main ones I was looking at and I think 73 just once west.

 

[johnbow]

Thanks for sharing that…25 is one of the main ones I was looking at and I think 73 just once west.

Not sure i would burn 6 points on 25. Alot of the public land you can't access.

 

[JBirthisel]

I live in Casper and wouldn’t burn my points in 25. It’s mostly private, the public is land locked.

 

[Mr Lahey]

Good choice on area. I believe that general area(south of Casper) did not get hit by the die off that happened last year across much of the rest of the state. We hunted a unit just south of there (west of Laramie), that was one of the few units that increased tags for 2023. Second week of the season on a large HMA that was pretty much a lock to get on. Silly amount of animals to choose from. We got 1 buck on the first morning for my son, another buck in the afternoon for my father-in-law and a third buck for me the following day. Spent the rest of the trip fishing in the Medicine Bow mountains and sitting in the Hot Springs in Saratoga.

 

[ereffett]

Good choice on area. I believe that general area(south of Casper) did not get hit by the die off that happened last year across much of the rest of the state. We hunted a unit just south of there (west of Laramie), that was one of the few units that increased tags for 2023. Second week of the season on a large HMA that was pretty much a lock to get on. Silly amount of animals to choose from. We got 1 buck on the first morning for my son, another buck in the afternoon for my father-in-law and a third buck for me the following day. Spent the rest of the trip fishing in the Medicine Bow mountains and sitting in the Hot Springs in Saratoga.

Sounds like a pretty good trip!!

 

[Wihunter12]

Speaking of Alcova. Has anyone fished or hunted with Cowboy Drifters?

I have fished with them 3 times and stayed in there rental cabin for 5 nights. Feel free to pm with any specific questions

 

[johnbow]

Good choice on area. I believe that general area(south of Casper) did not get hit by the die off that happened last year across much of the rest of the state. We hunted a unit just south of there (west of Laramie), that was one of the few units that increased tags for 2023. Second week of the season on a large HMA that was pretty much a lock to get on. Silly amount of animals to choose from. We got 1 buck on the first morning for my son, another buck in the afternoon for my father-in-law and a third buck for me the following day. Spent the rest of the trip fishing in the Medicine Bow mountains and sitting in the Hot Springs in Saratoga.

Sounds like a great trip, We spent the rest of our trip catching trout on the platte river. It was a trip of a lifetime for my 16 year old son and I. Can't wait to get back in a few years