Wyo Antelope unit 56

[littlebighorn]

Can anyone tell me about how much public land is in antelope unit 56. I looked at a map that showed mostly checker board but I am not sure it is accurate? Public vs private is what I am curious about.

 

[ColoradoOak]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-11 AT 12:58PM (MST)[p]It's about 50% public and all checkerboard.

 

[littlebighorn]

Hey COak,
Thanks for the feedback. How is access in this unit?
Are most of the good antelope on private land?

 

[ColoradoOak]

I don't have any experience with the area. Access will depend on public roads running through public sections. For the most part, you won't have more than 1 square mile to hunt at a time. I would imagine that the sections with public access get hit hard, and that the animals get pushed onto private, and public land with no access. If you're going to try it, I'd suggest late in the season when pressure will be less.

Get yourself a Wyoming Gazetteer. They are pretty good for showing public roads.

 

[SouthernWyo]

There is very, very little public access in area 56. Around 99.9% of the area is on the Overland Trail Cattle Co. in the checkerboard. The last I heard trespass fees ran $300/day with a three day minimum, no scouting. I belive that last year they did not offer any trespass fee hunting but that may have been on only a portion of the ranch and may have not included 56.

Not to be a smart**s, but when the WGFD notes that access is poor, they're not BS'ing. Area 56 is a poor choice for the DIY hunter that does not want to fork out some serious cash.

 

[TOPGUN]

Amen to that last post SW!!! I wouldn't waste my time in any of those units that have all the checkboard land, unless a guy does what you're saying.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

$300 a day with a 3 day minimum? That ridiculous! . . . As the other posters have said, there is very little accessible public land in that area! And, probably some huge bucks!

 

[littlebighorn]

Thanks for the quick feedback guys

 

[jims]

From what I understand this is one of the areas south of Rawlins where the Overland is developing wind energy and it will be totally closed off to any hunting this year (even guided hunts) if this passes through. I hope the EIS doesn't pass because this area will likely be a beehive with windmills scattered all over it! As noted above the only public access is public land that hits BLM or state land and currently this is pretty much only around the parameter of the unit along the highways.

 

[SouthernWyo]

This is one of the wind farm proposals that I would anticipate to go foreward if I was a betting man. While much of the state has become off limits to wind energy development because of sage grouse core area issues, the area proposed for development in this case was left out of the core area.

 

[seedsman]

I talked a couple of hours ago to one of the two outfitters had guided hunts on 56 last year. There was no trespass hunts available last year. As JIMS said no hunts at all this year. For my 2 cents I would look for another option.

 

[hntnfool]

I spoke with a woman from the Overland Trail Cattle Co. a couple of weeks ago and asked about trespass or guided hunts on the area they manage. She stated that there is NO hunting on the ranch now or in the future.