Wy antelope

[jwv]

Hi all,
New to this forum and just curious how many people have hunted ant unit 27, we were successful this year in a27 and also a gen b deer and doing a DIY hunt. This will be our first time ever out west just wanted to here some first hand experiences and what to expect.

 

[kraigwy]

I don't hunt there (I hunt area 7, just north of it) but I do know the area, there are tons of antelope in that area, and deer.

It's got a lot of public land, plenty to hunt on, the problems is its interlaced with private land it its going to be hard to tell which is which.

I would highly recommend getting a chip for the Garmin that shows public and private land so you know where you're at.

That could make or brake your hunt.

With the chips help you'll have a successful hunt in that area. It's not too far from right which has limited hotels.

Personally I'd rather camp on the prairie.

You're gonna do good.

 

[Canvsbk]

I scouted that unit last fall for a couple days after my hunt in 23. The GPS map chip is a must to hunt out there, it will eliminate any grief you may have other than maybe those little flat cactus...
My hope was too draw that unit this year..... but no it was not to be. If you can get in a day or 2 of scouting before the season starts you can learn a ton. Either way you will have a blast if you've never done it before.
A range finder is a big help and binocs will tell you a lot too. Don't shoot the first buck you see. You'll know when to shoot, the better bucks definitely stand out. Give 'em the single shot they deserve.
Good luck.

 

[kraigwy]

A range finder is a big help

Careful there, the mid priced range finders don't work as well as they are suppose to. Something like the Terrapin would work but there about 2 grand.

Not a lot to lock on on the prairie, I've found mil dots to be more accurate.

Just have to learn the size of the antelope, they are about 14.5 on the average from top of their back to the bottom of their stomach.

An example if on Mil Dot covers the critter, its about 415 yards, 1 1/2 mils its about 278, 2 mils its 208.

What I like to do is find my Max Point Blank Zero. Meaning the vital area on an antelope is about 8.5 inches. So I find a zero that I'm never more then 4 inches high or 4 inches low, so I don't have to worry about hold overs. That's about 275 yards for my rifle, I'm good to 350 yards with my PBZ. That's 1.2 mils.

Watch the wind.

People tend to over estimate the range of antelope. Reason being they are small, plus they'll be in tall grass.

As I said, unless you have a high quality LRF they don't work. Nothing to hit on as you can see from the below picture.

 

[Canvsbk]

The wind never stops out there.
I have a Leupold Rx1,000. Bought it on sale at Cabellas for $250, it will range a soft target @ 500 yards every time in an instant. The buck I finally shot I initially ranged a rock near where they were laying. 1300 yards. Closed the distance to 242 and sealed the deal. I wouldn't go out there without it.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I have no idea why the comment was made about deer by kraigwy because that whole area of the state sucks for mule deer other than a few ranches here and there. All the units are bucks only and unit 10 where your antelope area is (27) has been so bad that the locals finally convinced the G&F to go to just a 7 day season (10/1-10/7) with at least 3 points on one antler. There are no doe permits being issued anywhere in Region B, even on private land because the deer numbers are so low. I hunted that entire area hard for over a week back in 2010 and saw 5 deer and 4 of those were two does with fawns in one bunch! One rancher I talked to said I could hunt his ranch for free, but I'd be wasting my time because he hardly ever sees a deer on the place. After that hunt and hearing the same thing from others on the net that have been there the last few years you couldn't pay me to go there again. IMHO if I were you I'd hunt real hard and long for a good goat and pray you even see a deer to shoot.

 

[kraigwy]

Mr Topgun, I don't know where you get your information.

Deer Area 10, (which covers Antelope Area 27) does have deer, lots of them.

But its more of a white tail area then Mule deer. Mule deer is limited to a one week buck only, w/the 3 pt rule.

However, as I said, this area is a white tail area. The white tail season goes from Oct 1 to Nov 30. This includes any limited draw any deer and doe/fawn.

Take a trip from Newcastle to Wright on Hwy 450 in the evening and tell me there are no mule deer in Wyoming. Try to play golf in Newcastle and tell me there are no mule deer.

I don't normally hunt does (except when teaching my grand kids to hunt) but this year in addition to my gen tag, I got doe tags for the sole purpose of shooting does eating my hay in my front yard. Its not just private land, I live in the Black Hills bordering National Forest.

Also I'm 10 miles from town, I challenge you to make the trip from my house to Newcastle without finding dead deer on the road. Try not to get them yourself.

Oh and I live in Area 9, which is part of region B, and this is where I got my doe tags.

To the OP, if you want mule deer on your license, just step across the line from area 10 to are 7-8-9, the license is good for any Buck or any white tail doe. (unless you have some sort of limited license). Season is Oct 1-15 just like your Antelope.

If someone can't find deer in this part of the state, its because they haven't gotten out of the truck.

Reg B consist of the Thunder Basin Grass Land, a lot of public land with private land interlaced. As mentioned it's well worth having the Land Owner chip in your GPS. I've found they are quite accurate.

Also for the OP, as a side note, The Weston County Sportsman's Club (Newcastle) has sight in days the last two days of Sept. for hunters to confirm their zeros. I'll be working the range both days. If you decide to sight in your rifle look me up, I'll point you to some deer in your hunting area.

 

[kraigwy]

Additional Information:

If you want some camp meat, as of 9:40 MST tonight there are 361 left over whitetail doe/fawn tags available to buy online.

On the first day, shoot one a small white tail, cool it over night and if you stay the full two weeks you should have it eaten before you head home.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Most people getting a deer tag that are nonresidents aren't going to Wyoming to hunt whitetails! You admitted the area we're talking about is mostly whitetails and I'm talking mule deer. I'll also call BS when you intimate that I didn't get out of the truck and that's why I didn't see deer! I hunted hard like I have for all 60 years I've hunted because that's the only way I hunt and that's all the mulies I saw. Nobody else that's talking about the area on any of the hunting websites is seeing many because the area is just like I said, mediocre to poor at best. There were no doe mule deer licenses issued ANYWHERE in Region B, and if that is the case it means the deer are not there in numbers to allow it. You can't even take a mulie doe on the expensive type one tag because it's for a buck mulie only and in unit 10 it has to have at least 3 points on one side. That was requested by the locals themselves because they could see what has been happening over the last 10 years or so in their area. Yea, the whitetails over where you're talking are there in good numbers, but I wasn't talking whitetails. Geez, if you talk to the biologists and Game Wardens over in that area every single one of them will tell you to go somewhere else for a decent mule deer hunt! I'll stay over on the west side of the BigHorns where I hunt every year and have a good hunt on public land and you can have your Region B for mulies!!!

 

[kraigwy]

Region B, consist of deer areas 7-14, and 21.

Area 7, 8, 9,11,12, 13,14 and 21 is Any Antlered Mule Deer, or any white tail.

and the season is Oct 1-15.

Area 10 is the only area that has the one week season Oct 1-7 for mule deer in Region B. that has the 3 pt. limit on mule deer.

I have drawn for a doe tag in are 9, but the doe season for this area is Nov 1- 20th. (East of Hwy 85).

There are mule deer bucks in these areas, Ask any coal miner who has to drive 450 every day.

To be honest I haven't hunted area 10. The Thunder Basin Coal mind is in that area, I do my deer hunting closer to the house. (Beings I live in area 9)

So if one is talking about Region B, you have 8 other areas to hunt mulies if you don't want to fool with area 10.

A hint for anyone wanting a mule deer in Region B. Just west of where Hwy 116 joins Hwy 450 on the north side of the road is a dirt road call Cellar's Loop. That that road and stay north until you pass over the hill in whats called the Community Pasture. (Its all public land). After you drop over the hill out of the CP, find a place to glass during the evening and mornings. After the sun gets high work along the several breaks in the area, you'll kick up muley bucks.

If you have your GPS handy punch in N 43844.179' w 104*51.679'. That will put you in the middle of Public Land, and the breaks I mentioned. This is Reg B, area 21. Just north of and a tad east of Antelope area 27.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

***Below are my comments in regards to statements in your post so my responses will be easy to follow. Sorry to get into this debate, but I love Wyoming and would love to call it my home state. This year I'll be hunting deer, elk, and antelope for 6 weeks from the middle of September until the end of October when we head for New Mexico for a mule deer hunt. I'll close and end this by telling the gentleman to call the Biologists and Game Wardens that work Region B and see what they have to say about the mule deer situation there if you don't believe me, especially up in antelope unit 27 on public land. In fact, they may even want to send a PM to SBRUCE on this webesite. His ranch is right on the Cheyenne River Road up in the general area we're talking about and I'm sure he could give you a great overview of the deer situation up there.
.

Region B, consist of deer areas 7-14, and 21.

Area 7, 8, 9,11,12, 13,14 and 21 is Any Antlered Mule Deer, or any white tail.

and the season is Oct 1-15.

Area 10 is the only area that has the one week season Oct 1-7 for mule deer in Region B. that has the 3 pt. limit on mule deer.


***I can read the G&F Regulations and what you just posted is exactly what I stated to the letter!


I have drawn for a doe tag in area 9, but the doe season for this area is Nov 1- 20th. (East of Hwy 85).

***That's a whitetail doe tag, not a mulie! There are no legal areas to shoot doe mule deer in Region B even on the type 1 General tag they have!

There are mule deer bucks in these areas, Ask any coal miner who has to drive 450 every day.

***They're not hunting with a vehicle on a main highway and I don't doubt the miners see deer if they travel the area daily at prime morning and evening times like they do throughout the year! I also didn't say the country is completely devoid of mulies, just that they're sparse! They will be there for a short hunting trip and aren't familiar with the area like locals are.

To be honest I haven't hunted area 10. The Thunder Basin Coal mind is in that area, I do my deer hunting closer to the house. (Beings I live in area 9)

***Ah, very interesting! Then why keep arguing about what I stated if you don't even hunt over there and I was all over the ground in that unit and a couple others?

So if one is talking about Region B, you have 8 other areas to hunt mulies if you don't want to fool with area 10.

***I believe he's talking about doing a combo hunt for both antelope and mule deer at the same time within antelope area 27 and that's why I made my comments. Most of the other areas would be a decent distance away where his antelope tag is no good and then they would probably have to have access to a ranch with irrigated fields to have a real good shot at a mule deer buck.

A hint for anyone wanting a mule deer in Region B. Just west of where Hwy 116 joins Hwy 450 on the north side of the road is a dirt road call Cellar's Loop. That that road and stay north until you pass over the hill in whats called the Community Pasture. (Its all public land). After you drop over the hill out of the CP, find a place to glass during the evening and mornings. After the sun gets high work along the several breaks in the area, you'll kick up muley bucks.

If you have your GPS handy punch in N 43844.179' w 104*51.679'. That will put you in the middle of Public Land, and the breaks I mentioned. This is Reg B, area 21. Just north of and a tad east of Antelope area 27.

***That's a very nice tip and if they read it I'm sure they will thank you for it!

 

[kraigwy]

It was my understanding that the OP already got drawn for antelope Area 27 and Deer for Region B.

And he was asking about a DIY hunt in this areas. I live here and in the sprit of the Long Range Hunting Forum, I provided advise in hunting this area.

Instead of telling him to toss his tags I gave my best advice where to hunt. Antelope are no problem, I don't believe deer are either, and I believe he will be successful if he goes to the area I pointed out, that being beyond the community pasture off Cellar's Loop.

Deer area 10 is just one of the 9 deer hunting areas in Region B. The problem with area 10 is it is contains the Black Thunder Coal Mine, the biggest coal mine in North America.

I mean no offence to anyone. By all means call the Fish and Game, and also call the Hwy Dept. Ask them where the most deer are along Hwy 450 between Newcastle and Wright.

I have no real interest in this other then offering advice. I'm not a guide, or outfitter, I'll receive nothing whether one hunts here or not, except maybe some day some one will provide me with advice in return if I get tags in a state and area I know nothing about.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I also didn't say for them to toss their tags, so please don't intimate that I did! I said to really concentrate on taking a good antelope before worrying about getting a deer. Unit 27 should do them well for their antelope hunt and if I can give some advice to them I would tell them to start out down in the southeast part of the unit in the Red Hills not too far south of Antelope Creek. It's great spot/stalk country and I saw some good bucks down there in our 2010 hunt. The guy I was with missed two bucks opening morning that were probably in the high 70s class or better. They just need to know that there aren't that many mule deer around where they'll be. That's all I'm trying to say so they will know what they're facing before they get there and not be upset if they all don't fill their tags or see deer running all over the place. East of there where you live there are plenty of whitetails and that's why the tags they have are good for any they come across and why there are so many extra whitetail tags. In fact, some people feel that whitetails are one of the big problems that mule deer face out in some areas because the whitetails tend to be aggressive and people claim they push mulies out. I know they are really taking over the lower drainages all over the state, including the lower areas on the west slope of the BigHorns where I hunt every year and have since 1994, except for that excursion in Region B in 2010 that I won't repeat.

 

[jwv]

Thanks all for the reply, I am glad to hear leupold rf works well as that's the one I was looking at, also as for a GPS I have already purchased a Garmin and GPS hunting maps chip to go with it as well as the google earth version for some at home scouting, but still wanted to hear from people that have been there hard to judge what to expect looking on a computer. Someone mentioned red hills I don't recall seeing them I will look for that area for sure thanks. I only recall seeing a Rochelle hills. Also to settle down the debate of deer numbers haha, our goal is an antelope mainly but purchased deer tag because for $325 I would rather have the tag in my pocket than not if I happened to get lucky.