WT 2015 Antelope

[wisconsinteacher]

I figured I will start a new topic on my 2015 WY antelope hunt. I am planning on going with a good buddy who just took a new job as a principal so we didn't know if he would be able to get time but his boss hunts so we got the okay to apply and hope for tags. We drew in area 7 with 1 preference point each. Today I called and booked a motel for the first 4 days of the season in Newcastle.

My plan is to take my Ruger 25-06 that shoots 110 AccuBonds and for a back up, I plan on taking my Browning ABolt 270 with 130 Btips. My plan is to have both zeroed in at 200 yards and hope to practice out to 300 with both rifles over the next few months. I need to order some BML maps and download the HuntingMap app on my phone next.

We are still trying to decide if we should get doe tags for a unit south of us incase we have an extra day. We hope to hunt 3.5 days to fill our two tags as of right now.

 

[Vince]

Get the doe tags mate.
Congrats on getting drawn.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMike]

By all means, get the doe tags! Sounds as if you have the right equipment. Should be a good hunt.

 

[wildgene]

...chances are about 1 in 10 you might have to shoot 400-500yds...

...chances of hitting something are about 1 in 10 if you haven't put in some time shooting that distance...

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I see that reduced price tags go on sale July 15th, but where do you find the list of where there will be doe tags left over?

Never mind, I found it.

 

[JD338]

That is where I hunted Antelope the first time. Had a lot of fun and saw plenty of antelope but that was years ago.
Get the doe tags.

JD338

 

[Gunner46]

I got drawn for unit 8 (good in 6 also). Booked the hotel in Newcastle also. Where y'all staying ?

Not much in the leftover department, unless you plan on some driving, but I'm still going to try to pick up a couple doe tags anyway. I've got 6 days.

 

[Dr. Vette]

As I noted previously, get the doe tags. Get 2 each if possible. You can "hold out" if you want and buy 2 more later on, but it might end up being a different area.

If possible, practice for over 300 yards. Not sure offhand what scope you're using (reticle vs turret) but be ready for long. Our doe last year were 242 and 300 yards, but we practice at home for 400+.

Trust your rangefinder, but use it extensively before you go so you know how it works.

If you have a Garmin for the truck be sure to download the Garmin Base Camp software. Use GPS FileDepot to find Wyoming maps, and install the Western Land Ownership onto your GPS. This really helps see where you're at IF you decide to install the OnXHunt maps on a handheld. When you're driving around in your truck then using the larger screen of your dash GPS is a lot easier than staring at a handheld.
I also install a few other free GPS maps from the FileDepot so I can switch between them, but the Land Ownership one is my primary one when driving around.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/wy

Ask more questions as you have them.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Thanks Dr.V for the great info. I plan on getting doe tags. Now the hard part picking what zone to focus on. Zones 22, 23, 24, and 19 are close to our area and have tags left. I am guessing most of these areas are all private land so I need to get on the phone to find some land to hunt on before they go on sale.

We are staying at the Sundowner Motel.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Thanks Dr.V for the great info. I plan on getting doe tags. Now the hard part picking what zone to focus on. Zones 22, 23, 24, and 19 are close to our area and have tags left. I am guessing most of these areas are all private land so I need to get on the phone to find some land to hunt on before they go on sale.

We are staying at the Sundowner Motel.

We tried last year to get permission, but were later in the year when searching. There is "less" public land in those areas but it is still plenty for hunting. We ended up in Area 16, which has limited accessibility, yet still had our 2 doe within half a day. Due to wanting to get to our deer hunting area when it opened we decided not to buy tags and hunt a second day but I suspect we would have had 1-2 more.

 

[Guy Miner]

Wyoming is a sportsman's paradise.

Don't limit yourself to public lands. There are a LOT of landowners who offer hunting on their lands, usually for a trespass fee. Contact the local chamber of commerce to see if they've got a list of landowners who allow hunting for a fee. Sometimes your party will have the whole ranch to yourself. Think thousands and thousands of acres...

Guy

 

[Dr. Vette]

I may have an Area 7 contact if you want to pay a trespass fee.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Well a little update on the planning for the antelope hunt. Today I got my tag in the mail and was able to work with my car gps to get land ownership maps downloaded. (Thanks Dr. Vette). Last week I double checked my 25-06 and 270 loads at 100 off the bench. The 25-06 shot .566" and the 270 shot .739" so they are ready. I have a few 2-D antelope targets cut out for the range so I can practice from field positions.

So far, all is going well and I hope to keep shooting and reading maps to prepare for the hunt. I am also walking and riding bike to get in shape.

 

[Guy Miner]

Sweet!

Hunting antelope is an absolute blast. I enjoyed every minute of my two hunts. They're so cool... And tasty too!

Best of luck!

Guy

 

[cloverleaf]

officially jealous WT. Good advice and info so far (I am learning too) Maybe some day again.... Enjoy, CL

OH... Thought of something for you. Jack OConnor did a great section on "judging" big game animals in his book "Big Game of North America". To quote him, "Many folks go on their first big Game hunt and drop the first antelope they see...only to be disappointed, shooting a small buck", or words to that affect. Not that horns are all the deal but part of the fun is looking at a variety of bucks and having some idea of what constitutes a decent buck in your area. I also spent some time looking at Google images of pronghorn....look at a few an you get an idea of what big and small look like.

One last piece of advice, "Hold on The hair" Its hard to get a real good feel for shooting in the wind unless you do it a lot. I am not good at it. I will say that, until I learned this simple rule I shot over the backs of more antelope than I took..... Drop is a constant, wind is not. You've got an approx. 10 inch vital area. Pick A SPOT on that 10 inches and try not to over think it. Dr Vette said it, trust your range finder. I have always hunted w/o one so I suppose hold on the hair is a little more of an operative term.

Hope you don't feel I'm "talking down to you" just things this ole flatlander learned the hard way.

IF you get lucky and have a chance, watch a couple bucks try and steal each others does. One of my favorite things in the world....impressive to say the least. For me antelope are the "Rodney Dangerfield of big game...."they don't ge no respect...." :lol:

I could go on.....main thing is ENJOY. CL

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Cloverleaf, you are not talking down to me. I am all ears. I did shoot a buck a few years ago with a bow but that was on private land and a different kind of hunt. My goal is to shoot one bigger than him. I plan on having a rangefinder with me at all times.

FYI, I just got my doe tags.

 

[sask boy]

Good for you WT, I am looking forward to the photos and good adventure story or two :wink:.
Both of those rifles you are taking will do a excellent job and I my humble opinion Antelope is the best tasting wild game !! Get the hide of quick and enjoy!!
Remember shoot straight, have fun and most of all be safe :mrgreen:.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[BretN]

Where did you end up getting doe tags? Just spent a long weekend in the Black Hills and seeing game everywhere has me a little fired up for hunting season already. My 12 yr old goes through firearm safety soon and she has been talking about hunting. Don't know if she actually will, but I'd like to take her to WY to chase pronghorns. Lots better weather than Nov. in MN and she'll see a bunch of game and actually have good chances to fill a tag. Can't say the same for northern MN currently. Good luck with your hunt.

 

[.280 Remington]

I work in Torrington, let me know where you are chasing the does. I'm about 45min from Lusk

 

[Darkhorse]

Be sure and shoot your rifle when you get there. Coming from sea level, I've noticed my rifles shoot high at the elevation and atmospheric difference in the west. That's one reason flatlanders miss high so much.