Wy unit 57 or 67?

J

jaeger63

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My name is Tony and Im a Colorado resident. I'm applying with 10 points for 2021. Ive been trying to research both 57 and 67 as much as I can. Both seem to be good units but I need help making up my mind on which one to apply for. I should have a decent chance of drawing either of the units with 10 points. Id like to hear from anyone who has hunted the units and what you thought of the quality of goats you saw. I can be reached at 719 930-1098 if you would rather chat privately. Thanks much
 
I took an 82 2/8 net billy out of 57 in 2016. but he was the only one I saw over 80 the whole time and I looked at A LOT.

I know there was a die off that winter but as many goats as there were I'm sure it's still loaded. I went the end of the season so I could avoid the mass of hunters and it worked I had it to myself. but I didn't see many quality animals.

Lots of public land, lots of access and lots of goats. it would be really hard not to have a good time in 57.

I haven't looked at the demand index but I didn't think 10 points was enough.
 
if you do I can give you a few pointers. not that you really need it I think there were goats just about everywhere .
 
Myself and a buddy hunted 57 last year, being from AZ I seen more antelope bucks in 1/2 a day than I've seen in my life in AZ. Went about 7 days after the opener and didn't see another hunter, in fact the only other person we ran into was a gas field worker and he was cool as heck. You can PM me if you would like and I can give you what little info I have. elks96 provided me with a ton of useful information and was extremely helpful.
 
Thanks much to everyone who posted. I'll make a decision on which unit to put in for. I think either unit would be a fun hunt. At the end of the day thats what it needs to be about anyways instead of inches of bone. Thanks again
 
The older I get the more I think you're right. I've worried about score way too long it's getting tiresome.

If you draw 57 you'll have a good time with that attitude for sure.
 
If you don’t care about inches and bone and it’s all about the experience why not hunt areas where you can draw more often and have lots of experiences? Could of hunted pronghorn a few times in those 10 years.
 
slightlysober,
I would not so I don't care about score and inches of bone. At 57 years old now I will say that its starting to mean less and less to me and the experience with friends and family is becoming more important. I think as I cash out my points in several states in the coming years my focus want be as much on trophy caliber as it will be in enjoying the hunt with a good friend.
 
I’ve hunted both units & my vote goes to 57 because of much more area to hunt after 1 st 3-4 days & great genetics too. But OMG it’s a long tough hunt & no guarantee of finding that super buck. Plus you must camp ⛺️, as opposed to 67 you can stay in Riverton. You likely need more than 10 points in either one unless you go Special. 57 is a magic place in a good year ! I love the Red Desert ! The solitude & excitement is amazing ?. Best of Luck &
Have a fun hunt ! Jerry Gold in Windsor, Co
???
 
I stayed in Rawlins. but I killed my goat a few miles from Baggs so you can stay there too if you book a room about now probably.
 
57 kicked my arse this year. To be fair I passed on hundreds of opportunities every weekend. I know 57 really well and have done alot of hunting for coyotes out there over the years. The access and the shear number of antelope is unreal. I passed on a few I should not have and in the end I took a buck that scored 78 on the very last day at the very last light. In hind sight I am certain I passed on a few that would have broke 80. But honestly I had no real experience judging lopes simply because all my other tags were archery meat tags. I spent a ton of days scouting and a bunch of days hunting. I got so tired of looking at lopes that it almost started to suck. On the last day of the season I looked at over 100 bucks easy. Most weekends I could spot and look at 200-300 bucks in the unit. I used a ton of fuel and covered a ton of ground. While there are lopes all over the unit, there are areas where the numbers are astronomically higher than others. One high spot you could easily see 35-40 bucks off then other areas you could see 2.

I would take a 57 tag any time I can get one.

I live in Lander and last year the winter kill up here was pretty bad. Probably as bad as 07/08 was in the southern part of the state. That would shy me away from 67 for now. We lost several animals last winter. But so far this winter has been really mild. I feel over all numbers are better in 57 right now.
 
As mentioned in earlier post 57 has great genetics and most years lots of bucks. It also has lots of public land. With that said, the top 1 or 2 historic B&C antelope units in Wyo can stink in a year after winterkill or severe drought.

As Elks96 mentioned last winter was one of the worse winters since 2008 along the I80 corridor and a strip further north. 57 was smack dab in the middle of where snow was deep last winter and it was super cold and didn't melt for months. From what I saw around Rawlins and the Red Desert a lot of the older age class bucks in the 4+ year old range didn't make it through the winter. It usually takes 3+ years for Wyo bucks to reach B&C.

With that said, I saw more mass on young bucks than I have ever seen in my life. I saw several 2 1/2 year old bucks that made my jaw drop....with MASS! There was awesome growth on the numerous 2 1/2 year old bucks that made it through last winter. Those 2 1/2 year old bucks should be amazing in a couple years. As mentioned above, this winter has been pretty decent so far...knock on wood.

If you've spent any time in Wyo during the late fall through the winter you are aware that antelope tend to wander in large herds. If they happen to get pinned into areas with deep snow they can suffer significant losses....especially older age class bucks, older does, and fawns.

I spent an incredible amount of time scouting quite a few scattered antelope units in Wyo this past summer and fall. I saw more B&C bucks in several off the grid units than any of the historic premier units. There were a lot more older age class bucks in those units.

What I would keep in mind if I have a lot of pts and want the best chance for B&C is not to get tied up with draw odds. Just because a unit requires a gob of pts in any given year doesn't mean it will have many B&C bucks in the year you may draw. The key is to keep tabs on past years conditions. If you want a great hunt and score isn't a big deal it really doesn't matter what year you draw a quality unit. There will likely be fewer hunters and you'll have fun looking over a lot of bucks until you find the one that really excites you!
 
Where does everyone stay when they hunt unit 57? Hotel, Tailer, Tent? My dad is a baby so he is hoping for a hotel.
 
Most likely Baggs. Rawlins or Rock Springs is doable, just makes for a long day of driving and which of the 3 should probably be dictated by where you plan on hunting in the unit. The good thing about antelope is you can hunt them all day long and it is not necessary to be on your glassing knob at daybreak.
 
I think I’d rather spend the night in the scenic hills! Just remember if you do that the wind often howls. My preference is inside my truck topper. There’s a decent Hampton inn in Rawlins.
 
This is where i stay in 57 make sure your tent is sturdy

IMG_0365.jpg
 
It does depend on where you want to hunt. Baggs is the SE corner of unit. Rawlins for the NE. Rock Springs for the NW corner. I like and have spent several nights at the drifters in Baggs...
 
Buckbrush said:
What about 58?
Click to expand...
Both 57 & 58 have B&C buck potential. One small advantage is 58 receives less overall hunt pressure as there are no General license deer or elk hunting. Area 57 I would avoid that first week of October as it can become a bit of a zoo as deer hunters hammer it and recently it’s gotten hit pretty hard for deer which are also hurting and down quite a bit due to bad winters and long term drought. You will have a great hunt in either unit. I never apply as a resident to those units as the odds are just unrealistically low for us but I spend a bit of time in those units and hunt nearby units easier to draw.
 
highfastflyer,
Thanks for your reply. Hows the winter shaping up right now for those units? I hope this recent big snow did not cost those units any winter kill. Hopefully the weather warms up faster enough to prevent that.
 
Winter has been mild in those units. The big Snowcalypse occurred well East of there and Cheyenne was the epicentre. If we get a few rainstorms in the Spring the herds will fare quite well.
 
Most of 57 is having a normal winter. I don't think this storm even put 2" across the unit.
67 has had almost no snow all winter and they didn't get that much out of this last one as the unit is concerned. The rim got snow, but the antelope don't usually stick on the rim during the winter.
py
 
Thanks, ya- he's 16, not heavy enough for book but he sure is pretty. From a distance, I thought he was longer, but wasn't disappointed...
 
LOL- move those prongs an inch up and near identical! I hunted that unit as a kid when I lived in Wyoming. I sure loved going back and doing it again with my son.
 

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