Wife and kids antelope hunt????

grouseslayer

Active Member
Messages
132
I'm currently researching trying to find a antelope hunt to put my wife and 2 daughters in for in 2020. Going into the draw they will be sharing 8 points (wife and oldest daughter each have 4). Youngest daughter turns 12 next year and the oldest will be 17 so this is our only shot with the reduced youth rate. The wife has hunted some and harvested a deer, oldest has hunted a little but hasn't harvested, hunting isn't really her deal, youngest is the most ambitious started last year and harvested a doe antelope in Idaho. With that being said I am looking for a hunt they can all draw on the West side of the state with 2.66 points and have a chance at 12-13?+ bucks in around 3 days of hunting and get to see some neat landmarks or scenery and make it a vacation and not just a hunt. Thermopolis and Dubois area seem the most scenic. From my research most of the units contain large amounts of private land or are private land type hunts. With that said I'm hoping for some hands on info from people that have been in these units or that know the areas well. These are the units they can draw and what I have found in my research. My hope is to find a unit they can have a chance to hunt antelope when we see them and not have them all be off limits cause we can't access the land they are on.
56- has poor access
76-2 have to hunt close to the bighorn river or southern part of the unit
77-2 have to hunt on or within 1/2 mile of private
79 only 28% draw odds in 2018
82 they will be right on the edge having enough points
84 fair amount of public but are the bulk of the antelope in the lower private stuff?
97/117 appears to have a large reservation
 
from what I know you have the low down on each of those units and what it has going against them. 12-13" bucks shouldn't be hard to turn up in any unit. i'd pick based on access (don't forget to look up to see if there are Walk in Areas in those units) and your scenic qualities you're searching for and go have fun. I'd wait till after the draw this year and see what point creep is doing. some of those units might see a jump with more and more NR putting in each year. i'd also look to see what units you could draw some doe tags in along with the buck tags to get some freezer filling done at the same time.
 
That sounds like a fun hunt..of your options 82 would be the best. Check the draw after this year to see. You can kill 3 goats in 1/2 day in that 12-14" range. Good luck.
 
Consider only the wife and oldest daughter applying together with their four points. You'll have better options. Then your youngest daughter could apply for doe tags in the same unit. There just aren't many options with 2.6 points, especially in the part of the state you're looking at.
 
That would be my #1 thought but the youngest will be the one that really appreciates the chance to shoot a buck. I'm really curious to see how this hunt goes. The youngest will either be hot on the gun and ready to shoot right away or she's really going to want to hold out and get the best buck we can find.
 
I am looking forward to this hunt as much as any that I have planned in the near future. This is kind of Dads dream vacation before the oldest moves on in life. 82 is what I am leaning towards with the accessibility and 76-2 is probably my second choice just not sure how accessabe the river and south of the Buffalo Creek Road is. Also really wanting to make sure the area is neat enough for them to enjoy.
 
The youngest will be in for a doe tag for sure if they are available. Just so she can get some shooting in right away, since she would be the most interested in holding out for the best buck we could find.
 
It really might depend on how the quotas end up that year but you might need to be in the special draw in order to get the kind of hunt you want with the 2.66 point average. I don't believe you will pay the youth price if you go in the special draw, so it could be an expensive hunt. Or look at other parts of the state with units that take less points to draw.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-20-19 AT 05:49PM (MST)[p]Thats a hard roe to hoe. In my opinion you will be making things harder on yourself.
Not saying killing 3 bucks with the ladies is impossible. Its the units your limited to.
I'd put the youngest in seperate for the same unit as the point holders and roll the dice in the random for buck and doe. You could also try a type 2 for a later hunt and still get her doe tag?
Either way it sound like you will have the little one on your side for many more hunts in the future.
Good luck!
 
Look at unit 110. Then put in for doe tags 83-6 and 83-7 most of the landowners in 83 will let you shoots does. Hunted does in 83 last year had a good time.
 
Looks like 110 is out of their reach. Sounds like you have experience around 83 do you know anything about 76. If you have any iinfo about 76 type 2 that you are willing to share feel free to pm me. Thanks for the info you have provided.
 
Most of all raise you expectations. Let those 12-13 in bucks walk and take a mature buck. Conditions are good for horn growth this year, if winter kill is not an issue in your hunting areas.
Thermop has the hot spring pool for soaking after the hunt and is a neat little town.
 
Thermopolis does seem like a neat little town to visit. We will be looking for the better bucks we can find. Since they all have little experience I have a hard time making them hold out if they like a buck. I will discourage them from shooting any 1 1/2 year old bucks though. Thanks for your advice.
 
As long as the hunter is happy that's all that matters on size, but mature bucks over 13" should be a good starting point for consideration. That being said, I've taken a 12 " buck that was aged at 6.5 yrs old, genetics do matter as well as age.

Advice above on putting just some of you in on the buck tag pool is good, if doe tags would be just as fun for some then forego the any antelope tag and load up on doe tags.
Hunting trophy doe horns can be just as challenging and fun as hunting bucks for their headgear.
 
82 is probably the best of what you mentioned, but don't ignore some eastern units.

As far as antelope maturity, they are different than mule deer or elk, and are fully mature much earlier. Near maximum horn size is achieved by 2.5 years. They continue that horn size until 4.5 years, then it drops off. They usually die by age 7-8 Genetics plays a much bigger role than age in horn size or even year to year nutrition. Passing a 2.5-3.5 year old 13" buck probably won't ever allow someone else to shoot a 15" buck. So have the girls shoot the first adult buck they see that they want to shoot.
 
I'm not sure why you are hung up on Thermopolis or NW Wyoming. I would suggest you look around the Saratoga area. Beautiful country and you can draw area 50 pretty easily for all 3 for a buck in the special drawing. Area 47 north of Medicine Bow is also a possibility. Not as pretty, but still a cool hunt.

There's decent access in both areas and the hot springs in Saratoga are also good, as are the ones in Thermop.

If you decide to go this direction, shoot me a pm and I will try to help you with further suggestions.

Best of luck.
 
47 may have some significant winter kill, talk with that biologist before you put in there. They sounded kind of dire at our season setting meeting.
I agree whole heartedly with the Saratoga area. Great little small town and good fishing.
 

Wyoming Hunting Guides & Outfitters

Badger Creek Outfitters

Offering elk, deer and pronghorn hunts on several privately owned ranches.

Urge 2 Hunt

We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.

J & J Outfitters

Offering quality fair-chase hunts for trophy mule deer, elk, and moose in Wyoming.


Yellowstone Horse Rentals - Western Wyoming Horses
Back
Top Bottom