Yet another plea for help

[runamuk]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-12 AT 10:36AM (MST)[p]I have been putting in for Antelope in Wyoming for the past 4 years, I'm thinking i might have a chance at a tag this year with 4 points.

I'm hoping for a little insight on units 90-91-92-96 out of those 4 units what would be the best for first choice?

Are they even good units to put in for?

The reason I chose these units is there seems to be plenty of publc land in them and they would be some of the closest for me to drive to.

Thanks for any help offered.

 

[kilowatt]

Have never hunted any of these units but have driven thru all of them a number of times.
Here is a sign just out of Farson, Wy to the west on Hwy 28 where 90 & 96 are divided.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]

 

[300Shortmag]

PM Sent

 

[runamuk]

Damn how far ya got to lead one of them things at 55 mph. Thanks Kilo, I like that sign.

Thanks 300 got your pm and sent one back.

 

[beech18]

I was interested in 96 this year as well. I talked to the personal in Green River, he kinda talked me out of 96. He said the units to the north where better. For what its worth, thats what I was told.

 

[piper]

I have hunted all but one, so I will mention drawbacks. 90 has two sides, west has lots of gas well development, east has a little more private land, 91 has a lot of antelope but lots of tags, I saw one big antelope in 96 but that was a long long time ago.

 

[DESKPOP]

>LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-12
>AT 10:36?AM (MST)
>
>I have been putting in for
>Antelope in Wyoming for the
>past 4 years, I'm thinking
>i might have a chance
>at a tag this year
>with 4 points.
>
>I'm hoping for a little insight
>on units 90-91-92-96 out of
>those 4 units what would
>be the best for first
>choice?
>
>Are they even good units to
>put in for?
>
>The reason I chose these units
>is there seems to be
>plenty of publc land in
>them and they would be
>some of the closest for
>me to drive to.
>
>Thanks for any help offered.


I was looking at 96 as well until I learned they had a terrible winter kill last year. I decided on somewhere else based on what I heard from the people in that area....I think that whole general area got hammered last winter might take another year or two for things to get back where they were.

 

[mulecreek]

1st to last, 92, 91, 96, 90. I took my best buck out of 92. The only one I have not spent much time in 90, but it should a good unit. Winterkill last year wsa tough but that was the case all over the state. Still good populations. You will have fun in any of them. If you hunt 91, bring a fly rod and have fun on the Little Sandy. 90 and 96 give you good access to the Green. Nice way to break up the day.

 

[runamuk]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-12 AT 03:53PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-12 AT 03:52?PM (MST)

Many thanks to all for the replies, very helpful.

In 33 years of putting in I have drawn exactly one Antelope tag here in Idaho, I made a mistake and shot a small to average buck with his cutters all worn off, I would like another chance for atleast one nice looking 70" or so buck, plus, although i've only had the chance to eat just one it was mighty tasty and I'd like the chance to eat another one. Im damn sure not counting on getting another tag in Idaho any time soon!

But from what I'm gathering here and from other research I've done it sounds like last years winter kill was pretty bad, Im starting to think I would be better off just buying a point and taking my chances on next year, is it that bad? or would I still have a decent chance if i draw!! for a good buck if i spent a week in unit 90?
Thanks again.

 

[runamuk]

Thanks mulecreek, we must of been posting about the same time,
Looks like you answered my questions pretty good before I even had em posted , I'm a little more encouraged now than I was 5 minutes ago.
Appreciate the tip on the fishing, sounds pretty good.

 

[mulecreek]

I left Wyoming for a few years but recently returned. As it is I will still be a non-res when the season roles around so I will burn my points on 91. Plan on taking my boys with me, 4 and 6.

i have not had the same fondness for antelope meat. The first one I tried was a small buck my brother took in Idaho. It was pretty good. It was downhill from there for me. Makes good jerky and sausage but I will stick with elk for a steak.

 

[piper]

mule creek- Try and make a good clean shot first of all and second, skin the animal right after the kill and cool the meat down, I use a cooler with ice unless its cold outside, quartered up they fit just fine, third, cut the meat up right away,no need to age antelope. Antelope meat is excellent if you take care of it right.

 

[kilowatt]

Like Piper said, get it skinned and CLEAN...no hair, dirt or blood on meat and COOL down the Lope carcus. When I got this Lope it was my first and I followed instructions a number of guys here on MM told me and it turned out great. After I skinned it out, I wiped it down with water to get rid of any trace of blood, dirt and hair. Then I let it "air dry" from the west wind and bagged it in a game bag. Even the meat Locker where I had it processed said "thanks" for bringing in a good clean animal.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]

 

[mulecreek]

Piper

A good clean shot? You are asking an awful lot from me.
The first antelope I shot was actually the first big game animal I ever shot or saw shot. It was a one shot kill and he dropped in his tracks. So the first big game animal I ever cleaned I did with the aid of a flashlight. When I was done I was not sure which one had more blood on him, me or the goat. That one I scrath up to me not knowing what I was doing. All the others after that have been one shot kills, but have run a short distance after the shot. I live very close to the units I hunt so I have the goat back to the house, skinned, deboned and cooling down in a fridge I keep in the garage within a few hours. I have tried leaving them in chunks and letting it age in the fridge, I tried cutting and wrapping imediately but either way I just dont seem to get a steak I enjoy. I do my own processing so I only have myself to blame. To me it's the flavor. I have not tried skinning imediatley in the field, I have been doing that when I get home to try to keep things cleaner. I think I will give that a shot this year. Even though its only an hour or two at the most maybe that's the key.

 

[mmwb]

I really love all the wild meat we eat, but have a preference for an antelope steak. Each animal (antelope, deer, elk, moose, etc.) do have their own flavor, so maybe antelope is a bit different for you. To me it is one of the milder, finer grained wild meats and with the least amount of gaminess with the exception perhaps of elk, which also has a very mild flavor. Its hard to beat a deer steak and I love the beasts slow grilled or sauteed, but to many the flavor is stronger then some of other game.

Our antelope is field dressed immediately after the shot, taken to camp, and is usually skinned and on ice in less than an hour. As soon as we get it home it is processed and in the freezer. If you age antelope, the texture tends to get a bit softer or mildly mushy.

 

[nontypical]

Keep the back straps and jerk the rest of the animal.Antelope have a distinctive flavor,and like you,I have never really developed a taste for it.And I've killed literally dozens.However,antelope makes the best jerky of any game animal,IMO.As for the back straps,I marinate them in those little packets you can buy at the grocery store-McCormick's "Grill Mates",and actually cook them on the grill.They turn out very good.Most of the flavors they have in those packets call for some vinegar.I think the vinegar makes the meat lose some of it's gaminess.It also makes it more tender.Try it-you might be surprised.I know I was.They make several different flavors,and they're all good.IMO,Montreal Steak and Spice& Herb are the best.I guess I kinda sound like a commercial,LOL!All those units you are talking about should be a good hunt for you.90,91,92 will probably produce better quality than 96 if that's what you're looking for.But then,you could find a big boy anywhere in sw Wy.You just never know.

 

[whopperstopper]

Don't gut em just skin em out then 1/4 up and put on ice asap. Have yet to have a bad one with this method Buck or Doe I can't tell the difference.If it's a Doe and she's milkin cut way around the #####. if you happen to cut and milk runs out rinse it immediately with water.

 

[brdhuntr]

If you like Mule deer in full rut, you'll love Antelope, i'll stick to Moose, Whitetail,and Elk.

 

[TOPGUN]

I had been boning the backstraps and grinding all the rest. Last Fall I took the backstraps and chunked al the rest of the meat and took it in to a processor for salami sticks. I got 13 back for $50, is fantastic, and the way I will do all of them from now on.

 

[runamuk]

Thank you all for the replies, my huntin' buddy says thanks also.

Ended up putting in for 90-2 first choice, just hope we can draw, sure haven't had much luck for em in the past.

Appreciate the tips on the care of Antelope once its down, the one i got a few years ago was ten minutes from my house, I gutted him immediately then had him quartered and in the frige within an hour, then I cut wrapped and had him in the freezer by noon the next day, was excellant table fare, was pretty bummed when I ran out, the very next year I started putting in for Wyo. hoping to get another.
Sure gonna try to get a doe or two also.

Good luck this year folks.

 

[Califelkslayer]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-29-12 AT 10:47PM (MST)[p]My first antelope eating experience was a August Nevada buck that scored great BUT tasted terrible. Probably the conditions I was in. So almost 20 years later, I take my wife and step son antelope hunting in Wyoming. Actually I was elk hunting in Colorado and met them there. We shot several bucks and does. Everyone i went back, got the truck, and gutless quartered them on the tailgate and raced to the meat locker.

We got home and started eating elk. After about 4 months, my wife was having a barbaque at work so she thawed out and marinated some antelope steaks. She got home and told me how good they were. We finished the antelope before the elk that year.

During the summer I usually put on a horseshoe tournament each month and i usually supply the meat. One tournament I made shish ka bobs with both elk and antelope. At least 40 people tried it and every single one liked the antelope better. Some were hunters and some didn't even want to try wild game.

IMO you need to try it again.