Antelope hunting

Whiterock · Jan 25, 2011

Do you like to hunt in early season or wait and hunt later in the season.My largest buck was taken in the third week of the season.Cooler weather and less hunters.

bucklover · Jan 25, 2011

You are absolutely correct about hunting later. However, I can't wait that long, especially if I've been keeping an eye on a particular buck. There is antelope hunting, and then there is hunting "an antelope". So my advice is to hunt every day you can. That's what we wait all year long for. Unless you find the "one", be patient and enjoy the best time of the whole year.

TOPGUN · Jan 26, 2011

I almost always hunt the last two weeks of the three week season where we go to avoid the orange mob!!! It's really amazing what the difference in one week makes and the hunt is much more enjoyable.

oregonmuley · Jan 26, 2011

I've done both - last year was ny first year hunting the start of the season. I hunted about the 3rd day and I'll never do that again. I much prefer later in the season as mentioned, your not tripping over a bunch of atv hunters every minute.

sasquatch · Feb 4, 2011

The unit that i'm interested in is in northern wy with a nov. 1st start date. I know the weather could be hit or miss but would you guys still recommend the second or third week and risk the weather issue? Thanks in advance...

tagsoup · Feb 4, 2011

Are you sure about Nov. 1st for a start date? I didn't know any units even went that late into the year. Let alone start that late. I could be wrong.

TOPGUN · Feb 5, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-11 AT 08:25AM (MST)[p]He's referring to unit 81 on the south side of Cody and I believe it's the only one with a late opener like that. It has an earlier Type 1 season that is limited to a portion of the unit and then a Type 2 any antelope season that opens on 11/1 for the entire unit. I don't believe the weather would be that bad there then, but the later you hunt goats the bigger chance there is that they will be shedding their horns. That said, the 14 1/2 inch goat that I shot in 2009 wasn't until about 10/24 and they all still had their horns intact.

YukonDall · Feb 5, 2011

WHEN YOU HUNT THAT LATE THE ROADS CAN GET REALLY MUDDY.....MAKES IT HARD TO GET AROUND...........YD.

TOPGUN · Feb 5, 2011

That's why God gave us two legs and feet, just in case the going gets tough, LOL!!!

YukonDall · Feb 5, 2011

TG.....DO YOU USE YOUR LEGS & FEET TO GET INTO, OR OUT OF YOUR HUNTING AREA, TO AND BACK FROM A GAS, OR FOOD RUN, TO PICK UP A HUNTING PARTNER, OR A DOWNED ANTELOPE ???? DID NOT THINK SO...BUT CUTE ANSWER...............YD.

sasquatch · Feb 5, 2011

I was actually refering to 83. According to Eastman's that unit will open Nov. 1st. Thanks for the input...

HiMtnHntr · Feb 5, 2011

Some of the most fun I've had as been the last week of September. It's still warm (I'm a wimp when it comes to cold weather), and the bucks are rutting like crazy.

tagsoup · Feb 5, 2011

>
>I was actually refering to 83.
> According to Eastman's that
>unit will open Nov. 1st.
> Thanks for the input...
>

You better check Eastmans website. That information is wrong. They have updated dates on there site.

canyoncrosser · Feb 5, 2011

So when does it open and close?

tagsoup · Feb 5, 2011

>So when does it open and
>close?

http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/11appbooklet/11R24.pdf

TOPGUN · Feb 6, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-11 AT 09:48AM (MST)[p]As stated in my earlier post, unit 81 is the only unit that I see in the game regs. that opens Nov 1. Unit 83 opens on Oct 9. The closing dates are not finalized until early summer for any of the units.

PS to YD on my road comments: I stay on the main roads for gas, groceries, etc., but have been know to walk in quite a ways to hunt a unit if the roads aren't passable. That is one way to get away from the crowds and why at 63 I can still hunt and stay up with a lot of the younguns! Oh, and the last few antelope have been boned out where they fell and backpacked out to the truck. Last year it took us 4 trips of at least 1 1/2 miles to get that bull elk out on our backs in the rain. I'm just one tough, old SOB! Some just say I'm the latter, LOL!!!