antelope unit 62

[ToddT]

After too many years of waiting, I cashed in on a unit 62 tag. I have taken a half dozen antelope, all in unit 23 and with very limited access. All with trespass fees, and limited boundaries. Not that I didn't have enough property to hunt on, but it will be unbelievable to be able to go and go, and keep on going, with very little private to get in the way. I did draw the type 1 tag, so I should have all of the property I want to hunt.

I plan to do one of a couple things. If I only gun hunt, I plan to show up a few days prior to the opener, and scout while covering as much ground as possible, then hopefully, I will already have a couple of potential candidates in mind either route I take.

The second route would be to hunt with archery. I figure that no one will be there, especially since there are only 40 tags to start with, and the bucks will not have been picked over.

I chose the unit for a couple reasons, primarily, there are only 40 tags given out, and it has been said that almost every unit will have a book buck. So with fewer being shot, I figured more would be able to escape hunters, making for more quality bucks left after the dust settles. Also, being in Carbon county and on the edge of the red desert, I am certain the genetics are there.

Anyway, I would appreciate any advice, as I am certain this will be my only hunt in that unit as the required points is staying at around max, so I don't think that will level off anytime soon, so I doubt I will ever be able to hunt there again, so I want to make the best of my time there. More specifically, if I choose the route of archery, and I may try archery, then if unsuccessful return with the rifle. The bad part about the rifle option, is I won't be able to hunt with the rifle until the last half of the second week, so a large portion of the herd will have already been picked up, so I am really leaning towards the archery route. But it would be extremely helpful if someone could point me to some possibly productive waterholes. Or anything in general would be helpful also. And any pictures, or stories of past hunts there would help with the excitement level.

Lastly, I am average at best at judging trophy potential, so any advice, or information concerning trophy judging would also be appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

 

[jims]

Congrats on the tag! Up until last year that region in Wyo was hammered by drought and blue tongue. That's one reason tags have been severely cut in unit 62 the past few years. I hunted that general area in 2012 and it's the first time in my life I actually saw sage dying from the drought!

I can't remember if the walk in area was available in the SW corner of 62 in 2014 but if not....that entire corner is checkard-board so you need permission to hunt. About 85% of the 62-2 side of the unit is also checkard-board and that side of the unit is pretty much private access. I heard last year was pretty tough as far as quality bucks in all of 62. The severe drought in 2011 and earlier had a definite impact. On the bright side there was good moisture last year and this spring so hopefully that means better fawn crop and horn growth.

 

[KNOTFERSAIL]

Can't advise on unit 62..sorry.but as far as judging a lope,i use what my pops told me years ago bout judging ANY animal."holy sh!t that s.o.b. is big" is a shooter.iv'e killed a few decent heads useing this method.




"Sometime's i drink water to suprise my liver"

 

[ToddT]

KP, that is a good method. The problem is, when you don't see those, oh crap, that is big, animals, and you have to weed out the best of what you do have, so you want to make the best of what you have, even if the difference may only be a couple of inches. But again, I have always felt the same way. Meaning, when you see an abnormally big animal, there is no contemplating the situation, it is pretty much exactly as you say. Your grandpa, as most are, was wise.

 

[jims]

ToddT, Once you look over several hundred bucks you'll likely know when you see an "Oh my God buck" or buck that is larger than others in your unit. You may want to drive around for a day or 2 just to get acclimated to what bucks are available in your unit. You will find that it's pretty much impossible to field judge antelope without a quality spotting scope!

Similar to other horned game...MASS makes up a giant proportion of the score. In Wyo I always look for 7" bases and 2nd qtr, 4" at the 3rd quarter, 2 1/2" at 4th qtr, 6+" prongs, and 15 1/2" length. If you add those up it's pretty close to B&C mins. Some bucks have roundish horns while others are more "oval or spay-shaped". Take a tape measure and put 7" in circle and oval shapes and it will give you a feel for what you are looking for at the bases. You may want to go to a taxidermist shop and put a tape on antelope horns. If they don't have any in your area stop by a shop once you get to Wyo. If you take a look through the B&C books you can also get a feel from field photos what it takes to make B&C....especially bucks harvested in Wyo or where ever you'll be hunting.

 

[chipc]

Todd,
I hate to burst your bubble but if you "go and go and keep on going..." you better not forget your checkbook. Trespassing can get expensive and there is A LOT of private in 62 that isn't walk -in. The Stone ranch in the center of the unit, Pathfinder in the northeast, Miller in the east central and Peterson's in the south all own big chunks. The Stone and Pathfinder used to allow hunting with permission but Peterson's and Millers are outfitted. What was the large walk - in piece in the southwest part of the unit is owned by Peterson's and I beleive was removed from the program about 2 years ago. All that said, if you get some good maps, do some homework, and you're good with a GPS you'll be ok. I just thought you should have this info. Best wishes for a great hunt ! Post pictures of your Booner.

 

[ToddT]

Chip, thanks for pointing that out. I did seem wide open in my comment on walking with no concern. A better way to have said it would have been that instead of being reserved to one ranch that may have been three or four square miles, from the maps I have looked over, it appears that I will have access to considerably more than one small to medium size ranch. Plus the public sprawls across the entire unit, granted there is private within, but compared to unit 23, I can walk and walk and keep on walking. I think we understand each other.

I did speak with the warden today, a very nice guy, who talked about some of the sections of checkerboard not being accessible without permission.

With that said, how difficult is it to get permission in that unit? I actually never even considered the need for private access, but with recent information such as this, it may be helpful.

 

[chipc]

Todd - you have a PM. Another thing to remember when looking at those large chunks of public is that the only access to most of them is by ranch roads across private land. Those are not public and therefor you can't travel on them. Of course that renders the public land inaccessible. I deer hunted there a couple of years ago and I'm just trying to speed up your learning curve. Man, I sure feel like a wet blanket. Sorry.

 

[prong_hunter]

If this is your one and only chance, and if you're serious, hire a guide with BLM overlay on his GPS (or get one yourself), and hunt rifle. Late season B&C bucks pop out of the sagebrush, somehow - I can't explain it but it's true.

Can't afford it? Then trade time for money and spend weeks and weeks with archery, scouting & hunting. Should then have good chance at P&Y.