Riverton Area for Antelope

[Bniceley]

I am planning my first Goat hunt this year and looking at several options.
Being from MD., I am planning to fly out and rent a 4x4 Truck or SUV. I have (5) P/Pnts and been targeting putting in for the following Units: 74-74-and like the idea of 75. Having read a lot but (NOT) having made my debut on Antelope, I definitely would like this to go well!
Would appreciate input from experienced WY LRH hunters on the following:

1.) I have corresponded with an Outfitter that will set up a 6-Day Drop Camp for $800.00. Includes hunting area(s) and all Gear with the exception of food which you pickup on arriving in country. This is really appealing to me as I really enjoy camping but can't haul all my gear out when flying in. Also don't want to spend 5-6 days on the road from MD. I will be hunting Solo at 65 so would plan to buy a game cart once I am local.

2.) Several EHJ guys have suggested just getting a Rental SUV and sleep in it, or go with a hotel. In reading various posts, it seems there may be a shortage of places to stay and you also have to go back into Riverton or Casper every night. Not sure how far out in the field you are for the above Units to make that feasible?

3.) My biggest concern is getting out there and finding out my plans to hunt Public Land Units and still run into major access challenges?

Appreciate any insight you guys/gals may have so this is a Memorable hunt!

Thanks,

Bruce N.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I am planning my first Goat hunt this year and looking at several options.
Being from MD., I am planning to fly out and rent a 4x4 Truck or SUV. I have (5) P/Pnts and been targeting putting in for the following Units: 74-74-and like the idea of 75. Having read a lot but (NOT) having made my debut on Antelope, I definitely would like this to go well!
Would appreciate input from experienced WY LRH hunters on the following:

***My Comments!

1.) I have corresponded with an Outfitter that will set up a 6-Day Drop Camp for $800.00. Includes hunting area(s) and all Gear with the exception of food which you pickup on arriving in country. This is really appealing to me as I really enjoy camping but can't haul all my gear out when flying in. Also don't want to spend 5-6 days on the road from MD. I will be hunting Solo at 65 so would plan to buy a game cart once I am local.

***That's a lot of money just to do an antelope hunt if it doesn't cover food and you didn't say whether that's on BLM or a big proven ranch in the unit that won't be hunted hard. You also don't need a game cart for antelope. If you bone one out and even cape it with the head still attached, you aren't talking more than about 50#. That can be done with a simple backpack you could take with you or buy out there and take home in your luggage.

2.) Several EHJ guys have suggested just getting a Rental SUV and sleep in it, or go with a hotel. In reading various posts, it seems there may be a shortage of places to stay and you also have to go back into Riverton or Casper every night. Not sure how far out in the field you are for the above Units to make that feasible?

***You almost have to camp out to hunt either of those units because the only lodging would be in Riverton or Casper and that would be a lot of driving and wasted time/gas getting to/from either unit. I'd fly into Casper and have a rental unit set to go that I could stay in. Buy a couple disposable foam coolers for your cold food and to ice your goat down until you get back to town and stay out in the vehicle. You can take a few utensils (mess kit backpackers use )along with a couple collapsible plastic jugs for water, etc. and have a little camp setup right in the vehicle. September isn't that cold out there, but you'll want to have a decent sleeping bag or heavy blankets to be comfortable. It's either a full DIY or do the drop camp, as I sure wouldn't try to motel it out there back and forth to those units.

3.) My biggest concern is getting out there and finding out my plans to hunt Public Land Units and still run into major access challenges?

***Take a GPS with landowner chip as it's a must to insure you are legal. Unit 75 is where I would apply and hunt, as the western 2/3rds or more is all good huntable land with more than enough animals to have a good hunt on BLM. However, IMHO with the money you're talking to rent a vehicle and pay for that drop camp you might as well set up a full guided hunt with an outfitter like SnS in Casper. They will pick you up, take you to a good fully furnished camp and get you on decent antelope on a 3 day hunt for not a whole lot more than what the vehicle and drop camp would cost, as well as eliminating all the extras you would have to come up with if you DIY and don't know what you're doing. It would also save at least $300+dollars because you wouldn't need the GPS and chip on a guided hunt that you would need to buy. Call SY at SnS in Casper and see what they can do for you, as it looks like you may be talking a once in a lifetime type hunt and that would be the way to go and know you'll be safe, have a good hunt, and get a nice animal to take back with you.

Appreciate any insight you guys/gals may have so this is a Memorable hunt!

Thanks,

Bruce N.

I hope those comments may help a little in your decision as to what route to go!

 

[Bniceley]

Top Gun,
Thanks for the detailed feedback.
Number of good points in weighing the various options!

Thanks,

Bruce N.

 

[Scratch]

Bruce

Being a Outfitter in the Riverton area, there are better areas for a Antelope hunt. Unit 75 and most areas have cut back on tags. Are you looking for a decent trophy buck (75" and bigger) or just a good hunt? With five points there are better areas to apply for.
I respect the fact that you're trying to do DIY hunt and with that said I've never heard of a Outfitter that does drop camps for Antelope. Make sure that the Outfitter is Licensed and Bonded for your sake.
Drop me a PM and I'll help you out as much as possible if you want.

Scratch

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Bruce

Being a Outfitter in the Riverton area, there are better areas for a Antelope hunt. Unit 75 and most areas have cut back on tags. Are you looking for a decent trophy buck (75" and bigger) or just a good hunt? With five points there are better areas to apply for.
I respect the fact that you're trying to do DIY hunt and with that said I've never heard of a Outfitter that does drop camps for Antelope. Make sure that the Outfitter is Licensed and Bonded for your sake.
Drop me a PM and I'll help you out as much as possible if you want.

Scratch

That drop camp deal was a new one on me for antelope too, but since he said he had already contacted the guy I guess I assumed he had checked things out and probably shouldn't have assumed anything, LOL! I do agree that there are probably some better areas to use his 5PPs, but with his flying and not being able to set up a camp on his own it sort of ruled those out and why I mentioned he might want to go guided. That, however, could well be a waste of PPs too because an outfitter may have a ranch in an area that's easy to draw with few, if any, PPS.

 

[Scratch]

Topgun

I couldn't agree with you more, I hate to see a person waste 5 pp in a area that may only produce a 70" buck. However, it sounds to me he just maybe coming out for the experience and could careless about a trophy.

When are you coming out to Wyoming again? I think you know Wyoming better then most residents

Scratch

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Topgun

I couldn't agree with you more, I hate to see a person waste 5 pp in a area that may only produce a 70" buck. However, it sounds to me he just maybe coming out for the experience and could careless about a trophy.

When are you coming out to Wyoming again? I think you know Wyoming better then most residents

Scratch

I call Wyoming my second home and I never miss a Fall out thereI'll be out in the BigHorns the first 2 weeks of September helping a friend on his 45-9 archery elk hunt before going down on a high country horseback hunt near Afton in Region G later in the month to try for a big mulie. Then I'll be back up north all of October on the west slope of the BigHorns where we always hunt. I'll have a couple doe antelope tags and friends out there should have a bunch of deer and elk tags, along with a couple antelope tags that I'll help with on their hunts.

 

[Scratch]

Enjoy your fall trip to Wyoming, sounds like you'll be busy having fun!
Good luck to you and your friends up in the Bighorns, I hunted the same area for 17 years, killed a nice 7x6 360" Bull at seven yards a few years back. Killed a couple other 6x6 300" class Bulls.

 

[Elkhunter1983]

I wouldn't sell out any points for area 75. I had that tag last year and covered that unit from top to bottom. Didn't see any older bucks that were even sniffing the trophy mark. Finally killed a buck for meat that was in the 12.5" range that had cupped front teeth. The biologist came along to get samples out of him and said he had only checked 2 bucks that were any better, said the area still hasn't really recovered from the drought a few years ago. Used to be a good area and I know eastmans are in love with it because they found a good one in there last year. Not sure where, I'm guessing on private.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Eastmans didn't take the only good buck out of unit 75 last year, as some people just don't register good animals and try to keep the word down where they hunt. The unit was down for good quality bucks just like almost all units were last year and it took a lot time in most units to find the better ones in the high 70s on up. I know of at least one B&C buck out of 75 and heard of another that will book and both were supposedly on BLM in the west half of the unit. The unit I helped my buddy hunt is a yellow chip in the Eastman MRS and is not too far from 75 and it ended up netting an official 84+". It wasn't entered in any contests and won't be entered in the B&C Book even though he easily makes the all-time book requirements. I think with the good weather out there since last year the 2015 season will produce a higher percentage of good animals if things continue like they have been.

 

[Elkhunter1983]

You sound like a perfect candidate for the group hunt mike is looking at putting on. A group camp and in the region you are looking to go.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

You sound like a perfect candidate for the group hunt mike is looking at putting on. A group camp and in the region you are looking to go.

He wants to draw a good tag to shoot an antelope, not rocks!