Antelope 103

fuzzyvelvet · Feb 9, 2019

I am looking at doing a fun family hunt with my first time hunting daughters and wife for does. Hoping to see lots of animals and not have major access issues. I know access can be difficult but how big of an issue is it? Are the chunks of state land and walk-in areas fairly easy to access? I want this to be a fun successful hunt. I may also pick up a buck tag. What size of bucks can be expected? Thanks.

TOPGUN · Feb 10, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Feb-10-19 AT 11:31AM (MST)[p]I have no idea how you came up with unit 103 because if you look right in the Hunt Planner on the G&F website it shows that only 20% of the unit is public land with very poor legal access. Just look at the map there and it's simple to see that it's not a good pick when the G&F says to lock in a private place to hunt for sure BEFORE you apply.

fuzzyvelvet · Feb 11, 2019

Maybe I should have phrased that differently...I understand there isn't much public land in the unit. I am looking for a unit that has decent odds of drawing doe tags as well as buck tags 2nd choice. I am looking at 103 since it fits those requirements. Just wondering if the state and BLM is completely land locked and inaccessible or of there are public roads access a majority of those areas? Thanks.

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

>Maybe I should have phrased that
>differently...I understand there isn't much
>public land in the unit.
> I am looking for
>a unit that has decent
>odds of drawing doe tags
>as well as buck tags
>2nd choice. I am
>looking at 103 since it
>fits those requirements. Just
>wondering if the state and
>BLM is completely land locked
>and inaccessible or of there
>are public roads access a
>majority of those areas?
>Thanks.

I don't know how to say it any plainer than I did in my previous post or what the Hunt Planner explains. Most of that 20% of public land in 103 IS NOT LEGALLY ACCESSIBLE because there are no public roads accessing any of it that you can legally drive on. Find another unit and forget 103!

nripepi · Feb 12, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-19 AT 09:40AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-19 AT 09:38?AM (MST)

>I don't know how to say
>it any plainer than I
>did in my previous post
>or what the Hunt Planner
>explains. Most of that
>20% of public land in
>103 IS NOT LEGALLY ACCESSIBLE
>because there are no public
>roads accessing any of it
>that you can legally drive
>on. Find another unit
>and forget 103!

There are very few good options of doing what he wants to do, doe tags and 2nd choice buck without the same access issues. Doe tags were 86% draw for non-residents so there is a chance you get the buck tag (I am guessing 2nd choice special), but not the doe tags. I think you are stuck wanting to have your cake and eating it to. It might be easier to pay and have them draw a buck tag versus hoping for a doe tag in an all public unit...

I would recommend keep trying to find info from others and talk to biologists about the public, maybe get a list of landowners to call about doe hunting in 103...there are a few small walk in areas in there and an HMA that you can apply for access, but you won't know until August 22nd about access. Typically it is easier or cheaper to get private access for doe tags than buck tags and it is also easier to find those doe groups on the little bit of public in there. Haven't hunted this specific unit, but have been in nearby units with the same issues and working little public, HMAs, walk in areas...it really depends if you want that type of hunt with your family or not (it sounds like you don't)...it is hard to plan what you want to do because doe tags are not as easy to draw in units with a lot of public as they once were...and if you want to try for one of those better mostly public units for does (less than 25% chance of draw) and go 2nd choice doe (your 2nd choice doe is likely a worse unit than 103!). I really wish there were preference points for antelope doe tags so you could plan this out in advance to do what you want to do...I am in the same boat. Heck I would pay the same price of a doe antelope tag for a preference point!

Maybe just try and find private access for your family for doe tags in an easy to draw unit...then go from there?

nripepi · Feb 12, 2019

Also, remember that you can apply for two doe tags...so you could do a combination where you try for a hard to draw tag on your 1st choice, a unit like 103 on your other first choice and then maybe a worse unit as a 2nd choice where you could then look for access if you draw? You could find a good area next to a more private area where you are looking...

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

nripepi---I see that it now took you a lengthy post and then a second one to tell him what I did in that short one of mine that he needs to find another unit with decent legal access plus the tags available that he's looking for.

dz · Feb 12, 2019

Disclaimer first is that I have never hunted unit 103. With that out of the way I have hunted many units in Wyoming that have been designated as having public access issues. I took a quick look at the maps for 103, and came to the conclusion that there is probably lots of land to hunt there. I would call the local Bio first and way before you take any info from the internet. The longer of a conversation you can have with a Bio or Game Warden the better. So do some homework before you call and have lots of road questions and area access questions. I think I could find a place to hunt.

DZ

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-19 AT 01:40PM (MST)[p]>Disclaimer first is that I have
>never hunted unit 103.
>With that out of the
>way I have hunted many
>units in Wyoming that have
>been designated as having public
>access issues. I took
>a quick look at the
>maps for 103, and came
>to the conclusion that there
>is probably lots of land
>to hunt there. I
>would call the local Bio
>first and way before you
>take any info from the
>internet. The longer of
>a conversation you can have
>with a Bio or Game
>Warden the better. So
>do some homework before you
>call and have lots of
>road questions and area access
>questions. I think I
>could find a place to
>hunt.
>
>DZ

How in the world could you just look at the maps on that Hunt Planner and come up with that conclusion?! FYI I have a BLM CD-ROM that I purchased right from the G&F a number of years ago. I blew up unit 103 on my big computer screen and there are just a few roads in that entire unit that are either state or county maintained and very few of them hit public lands. Yes, with a GPS and landowner chip you could find a few spots to hunt along with the 3 available WIHAs. Do you think he and the wife and daughters will be able to hunt those few areas without being overrun with people? The Hunt Planner is now really great in describing what a person will face access wise compared to just looking at the * that has been used in the past. He may luck out and be able to get referred to a private rancher that will allow access with or without a fee and if he's determined to hunt 103 that's what I'd be looking at or moving on to a unit with more public land.

mulecreek · Feb 12, 2019

Never hunted in 103 but I would be surprised if you couldn't find antelope in that NF land.

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

>Never hunted in 103 but I
>would be surprised if you
>couldn't find antelope in that
>NF land.

If the OP had just asked about going to 103 for himself I would have just said hit the Access Yes lands and the few public lands that a legal road hits. However, he wants a good hunt with his wife and daughters along with particular tag options and that's why I'm trying to steer him away from 103.

mulecreek · Feb 12, 2019

They let women and children in Access Yes lands and Nat Forest.

dz · Feb 12, 2019

Yes Top I think he could have a great hunt or I wouldn't have said it. Don't be a jerk. We each can give our opinion if we so desire. We all don't need to only get the TOP opinion and live by it. Give yours and let others give theirs and leave everyone alone. I respond very little on here mostly because of the MM police that think they need to tell all of us that have an opinion that we are stupid. All of those other idiots that hunt public land in 103 or the other 50 units that have access issues are complete idiots. They all should be hunting up by Buffalo. Right that is the only good place in WY.

DZ

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

>They let women and children in
>Access Yes lands and Nat
>Forest.

No kidding, LOL! I told you why I tried to steer him away and he can go wherever he wants to. I sure as heck don't plan on getting into a pizzing match over someone just asking for suggestions on where to take his family.

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

>Yes Top I think he could
>have a great hunt or
>I wouldn't have said it.
>Don't be a jerk.
>We each can give our
>opinion if we so desire.
> We all don't need
>to only get the TOP
>opinion and live by it.
> Give yours and let
>others give theirs and leave
>everyone alone. I respond very
>little on here mostly because
>of the MM police that
>think they need to tell
>all of us that have
>an opinion that we are
>stupid. All of those
>other idiots that hunt public
>land in 103 or the
>other 50 units that have
>access issues are complete idiots.
> They all should be
>hunting up by Buffalo.
>Right that is the only
>good place in WY.
>
>DZ

Judas Priest! Where in the flock did I say you couldn't give information> Answer---I didn't! All I did was state exactly why I tried to steer him away from 103 with the particulars he wants for his family and various tags he wants. Sorry that you don't agree, but no point in being nasty and calling someone a jerk when they're just trying to help a fellow member. When I try to help someone I do a lot more research than just look at that G&F map or make guesses. Now mulecreek comes back with his smartazz posts along with your BS post like I'm saying I'm the only one to listen to. If the OP takes your advice and does well there, then great. If he comes back pizzing and moaning about getting bad information that screwed the family hunt up, it's not my fault.

dz · Feb 12, 2019

"Judas Priest! Where in the flock did I say you couldn't give information> Answer---I didn't!"

What does this look like to you?

"How in the world could you just look at the maps on that Hunt Planner and come up with that conclusion?!

Where did I say I just looked on the hunt planner to give advice? I didn't.

"FYI I have a BLM CD-ROM that I purchased right from the G&F a number of years ago. I blew up unit 103 on my big computer screen"

I only have a small screen.

"and there are just a few roads in that entire unit that are either state or county maintained and very few of them hit public lands."

Hmmmm I see plenty of land that a guy can get to Legally.

Yes, with a GPS and landowner chip you could find a few spots to hunt along with the 3 available WIHAs. Do you think he and the wife and daughters will be able to hunt those few areas without being overrun with people?

Yes I do, or I wouldn't have told him so. I see one piece of State property that is three miles long and two miles tall. I see some great opportunity if a guy wants to hike a bit.

"The Hunt Planner is now really great in describing what a person will face access wise compared to just looking at the * that has been used in the past. He may luck out and be able to get referred to a private rancher that will allow access with or without a fee and if he's determined to hunt 103 that's what I'd be looking at or moving on to a unit with more public land. "

Yes this sounded like a Jerk to me as all of this was in my response that I thought a guy could find a place to hunt.

nripepi · Feb 12, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-19 AT 08:17PM (MST)[p]I would say I gave him much better ideas than you did Top, you hammered him for no reason. Have you been to 103?

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

>I would say I gave him
>much better ideas than you
>did Top, you hammered him
>for no reason. Have you
>been to 103? If not,
>shut up.

I give up! I didn't "hammer" him at all, but just tried to tell him what the G&F site says along with what my BLM computer mapping showed to back up the G&F comments to not apply for it without having private land locked in to hunt. No, I haven't set foot in that unit and it doesn't sound like you have either or even looked at a good map to see what I stated is true. I will shut up though because I've never been on a thread like this before just trying to help with what I have available and been told to shut up. You have a good evening now and help him all you want, but please know that some of the ideas you gave him aren't even possible under the g&F draw structure!

jm77 · Feb 12, 2019

Last year we did a youth antelope hunt on two ranches, in an area that had 100% odds for a doe/fawn tag.

Your two daughters could get permission to hunt does on a good sized private ranch, for no charge, that borders an HMA that you could hunt on.

PM me

TOPGUN · Feb 12, 2019

That sounds like a winner Jeff! Thanks for any help you can get the OP so his family can go on a good hunt with probably no worries about hunting pressure or access issues!

nripepi · Feb 12, 2019

Sorry about that TopGun. I think you gave him good advice, but I also think he could easily end up in a Unit like 103 if he can't find private access for does somewhere or doesn't have the time or want to try and find that private access. I think 103 is likely doable on public and I would take my kids there, heck I might be there this Fall after looking over all of my maps of the unit!

I think my advice on applying for a Unit like 103 (86% draw) as one of their two first choice applications and then go for a neighboring unit like 42 (70% draw) or if you are feeling lucky 47 (20% draw) is the right way to do it. On your 103 app, choose a unit that is 100% to draw a doe tag on the 2nd choice and put that unit. Worst case scenario is you only draw that one tag and you then go start trying to find private access for doe tags.