DIY Antelope Hunt in Wyoming advice?

[cyprant]

My buddy and I are beginning to plan an antelope hunt in Wyoming. We have determined that an outfitter is out of our price range and are trying to figure out how to find a place to hunt. There is very little public land in Wyoming so that is also out for us. We would like to find someone who has land and will accept a "trespassing fee" and could point us in the right direction. Does any one have any advice or experience doing something like this?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I've been hunting Wyoming for 'lopes for four or five years.

Always done DIY on public land - PLENTY of public land (BLM). LOTS of goats. You don't need a guide all you need is a computer.

I go with another guy and we split the fuel cost. buck tags are around $265 and does are I think $35. Depending on where you go you'll need a preference point or two so I'd start buying preference points...$30 I think.

The Wyoming Fish and Wildlife has a very helpful "plan you hunt" section.

We used google earth to find water holes, wrote down the coordinates, had several likely spots for our ground blinds then showed up on 14 August - day before season - and set up blinds, hunted opening day 15 August. It's a formula we've used over and over and seems to work.

 

[HuntMeister]

Tons of public land in Wonderful Wyoming!!
Lots of private in the eastern half of the state. It has been awhile since I researched it so I may be wrong but, I believe the G&F can give you some info for trespass and or walk in areas. I do know that once you narrow down an area you can call out to local sporting goods and such and they will know of landowners that will allow trespass hunts. If you decide on the eastern part of the state and a trespass type hunt I have some contact info for some ranches that were allowing trespass hunts back in '08, do not know if they are still good contacts but happy to share them.
If it were me planning a Lope hunt, unless you are committed to doing the hunt this year or next, I would buy a preference point and try to get in a unit with lots of public ground.
I have been building points to make a return to one of the better quality Antelope units in the western part of the state. You can also apply for a "special" tag which basically is paying more money to jump ahead of the line. I have not looked yet this year but since they implemented the point system you have until the end of September to purchase a point.
Some of the eastern units never sell out of tags due to all of the private land.

Get yourself a Delorme Atlas Gazetteer, Wyoming Atlas & Gazetteer - DeLorme it will give you a good idea of where the public lands are. Most of your hunting on public will likely take place on BLM ground. Once you narrow it down for BLM, contact the BLM, BLM - The Bureau of Land Management and get yourself maps of the area.


Start your research here, Wyoming Game & Fish Department this site has lots of great info besides just the hunt regulations.

Antelope hunts are truly a blast and unless you are holding out for a book buck there is no good reason for you to not fill a tag or two. Good luck!

 

[cyprant]

Thanks for the info guys. One of the things I forgot to leave out is that my buddy has very bad knees and wants to stay in the flat areas (eastern part of state). I think this is why there is not as much public land. I would appreciate any extra info you may have. I'd be very interested to call a few ranchers even if they can help give me an idea how much it would cost to trespass and what not.