Antelope Scout Trip

Bob92057 · Apr 28, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Apr-28-17 AT 01:43PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Apr-28-17 AT 01:42?PM (MST)

My oldest son got accepted into College for this fall and we'll both be flying out for another visit in mid June. As part of his orientation there he'll be heading out for 3 days of camp/orientation.
Since I'll have 3 days off thought I would head over to the Wy GnF office in Cheyenne and drive around south central area for some antelope pre-scouting areas. We both have 2 goat points so far and might not apply for another year but would like to get the lay of the land while I have a chance.

I'll have usual BLM maps and onX chip gps and will now research GnF site for details odds and such for units near Cheyenne. Want to better understand the public access through county road issues as well as access the hunt management areas.

Looking for any suggestions, ideas or places to see while there.

Thanks
Bob

jims · Apr 29, 2017

You will likely notice on your BLM land status maps that on both sides of I80 heading from a ways west of Laramie to the Utah border there is a swath of checkard-board BLM/private on each side of the interstate. The only access you have to those 1 mile sections along that stretch is those sections that cross a public road or are in walkin/HMA areas. All roads that aren't county or interstate are private and shut off. The walkin and HMA areas often have dates when they are open to access for those with certain species tags so make sure to check into the regs for each particular area before wandering onto them when they may be closed and if you don't have a tag.

jm77 · Apr 29, 2017

Not true about access, you can corner cross.

elkantlers · Apr 29, 2017

>Not true about access, you can
>corner cross.

Please explain. Did something change?

jims · Apr 29, 2017

I guess I need to be more specific. I was talking about driving on roads with truck, atv, etc. It's up to you whether it's worth risking corner crossing while hiking.

jm77 · Apr 29, 2017

>>Not true about access, you can
>>corner cross.
>
>Please explain. Did something change?

Nothing has changed, been this way for years.

Bob92057 · Apr 30, 2017

Yeah that's been one of my concerns is access to BLM due to checkerboard ownership.

Any recommendations on what type of BLM map or others, that show county roads in relation to BLM / State holdings?

I've ordered BLM maps for other states and hunt areas and it's a guessing game on what you actually get.

BHBO · Apr 30, 2017

When I was in school in Laramie I hunted north west of Medacine Bow I think area 47. Lots of public but lots and lots of hunters. We found that if we didn't hunt opening weekend and tried to get to the hard to reach places we had good hunts. Never killed anything real big but it was the easiest area to draw with the most public land back then. Its been about 10 years though. If we didn't draw we would get leftover tags for areas that had little public and just drive public roads looking at maps and looking for antelope. Again if you don't care to much about size it can be a fun hunt. Seems like almost everyone killed some sort of antelope every year doing that.

TOPGUN · Apr 30, 2017

>Yeah that's been one of my
>concerns is access to BLM
>due to checkerboard ownership.
>
>Any recommendations on what type of
> BLM map or others,
>that show county roads in
>relation to BLM / State
>holdings?
>
>I've ordered BLM maps for other
>states and hunt areas and
>it's a guessing game on
>what you actually get.

Google the county you want to hunt in and their website will probably show a map of all the county roads that are maintained by public taxes.

pymulies · May 1, 2017

Jim I know you are well informed but this is what I've found.
It is not considered trespassing by the state without intent to do something illegal. For example corner crossing then hunting adjacent private.
But according to the Feds it's still trespassing.
Does that mean that you can still be charged?
Py

TOPGUN · May 1, 2017

>Jim I know you are well
>informed but this is what
>I've found.
>It is not considered trespassing by
>the state without intent to
>do something illegal. For example
>corner crossing then hunting adjacent
>private.
>But according to the Feds it's
>still trespassing.
>Does that mean that you can
>still be charged?
>Py

The Feds have nothing to do with corner crossing and I have no idea who told you they do!

Bob92057 · May 1, 2017

Appreciate the info from all.

After reviewing reports draw odds and land ownership I was leaning towards unit 38 but with little public land that may be a tough hunt. Seems the allotted number of tags Vs successful hunters in some of these units can be misleading based on available public land.

Again this will be a scouting trip this year just to learn some areas around Cheyenne or Laramie area.

pymulies · May 1, 2017

LAST EDITED ON May-01-17 AT 09:17PM (MST)[p]TG
No one told me. It's on the Blm website, so I guess you can argue with them. Pretty simple google search should work. I also don't know about you but I think they have control over enforcement on their own ground.
Py

wytex · May 1, 2017

Head over to the Saratoga side, by way of I-80. Might be able to get some fishing in while over there. You can see the lay of the land for those antelope areas, some may be drawn with your 3 PP.