Sheridan, WY Region 10 advice?

[redneckdan]

Hi all yall!

I'm looking for a bit of advice on my first speed goat hunt. Looking at putting in for Region 10, east of sheridan. My wife will be working for the USFS out of sheridan this summer. I'll be out for 2 weeks near the holiday of 4th and again in October. Figure I might as well try hunting speed goat, I'm getting ready to apply for a doe/fawn drawing. I understand 10 is limited access but high likelihood of getting drawn. Just how difficult is the access? With limited land, I imagine it can get crowded, are there less people around during the week? I enjoy driving around exploring back roads and scouting. Even if I spent 2 weeks working at it and never getting a shot, I'd probably still be happy just having the opportunity to hunt in WY. Should I put in for 10 or keep looking? Proximity to Sheridan is important, need to be home at nights with the wife.

 

[wyosteve]

The area you're describing is primarily private land. Having said that, I would suggest getting the license if you can and when you're out there over the 4th, do some scouting, door knocking and stop at the Game and Fish Headquarters in Sheridan. They often know of landowners who might allow a doe/fawn hunter. Also, you might want to call Sheridan G&F before applying because they had a pretty tough winter in some of that area and tag numbers may be limited.

 

[wyowinchester]

When your killing does, The land managers have an easier time saying yes to allowing access. That being said. There is a walk in area, South near Buffalo in 10 that you might want to look at.

 

[ClearCreek]

The area north of Buffalo that is in Antelope Hunt Area 10 is not a walk-in area. It is a Hunter Management Area. You have to get permission slips and only so many are issued during the first part of the season; then later in the season they are unlimited.

All the rules are on the G&F website under Public Access, Access Yes, Hunter Mgt. Areas, DeSmet.

Hunt Area 10 has very, very little accessible public land. And, it is extremely difficult to get landowner permission to even kill a doe antelope.

If you are willing to walk some, Hunt Area 16 may be a better choice. There are a few places in 16 where public roads cross public lands; you can start at these areas and as long as you stay on public land you can hike back to where some antelope are. Staying on the public lands require the use of the popular hunting maps that can be downloaded to your phone or accessed with a GPS unit and the Wyoming chip.

Good luck.

ClearCreek

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Region 10 is not east of Sheridan. It is a small unit that is down south to the northeast of Buffalo. Put in for unit 15 that is a huge unit straight east of Sheridan. It is predominantly private land, but has several huge chunks of state land that state highway 14 and county road 161 hits in the southern part of the unit. The winter was worse than normal in that area. However, the antelope did fine and the G&F is still issuing 600 buck tags and 600 doe tags for the unit just like they did in 2016. Get a good county map of the roads and have a GPS with a landowner chip so you stay on the state lands and go have fun.

 

[redneckdan]

Yeah, I typed '10' but was thinking '15'. Noticed my mistake on saturday, work has been so crazy lately I hadnt had time to post back until tonight.

Thank you all so much for the information! I plan to apply 1st choice '15' and 2nd choice '16', which looks like it has a chunk of BLM on the south end. Plan to scout while I'm there in July, hope to get some long range P-dog practice in while I'm out there. Figure it is a good oportunities to get used to spotting/stalking, setting up and shooting in that environment.

 

[ClearCreek]

redneckdan:

There was no need for you to put down a second choice when applying for Hunt Area 15 as your first choice. You will draw Hunt Area 15. Only a few nonresidents apply for Hunt Area 15 so all those listing HA 15 as their choice will draw.

ClearCreek

 

[redneckdan]

Cool. Almost got my wife talked into applying as well. She thinks she can't shoot far enough. She is good to 200 yd with her .300 savage. We will have to work harder to get her close enough but I think we can do it.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Cool. Almost got my wife talked into applying as well. She thinks she can't shoot far enough. She is good to 200 yd with her .300 savage. We will have to work harder to get her close enough but I think we can do it.

That country is broken enough that you should be able to put on a good stalk and get her inside 200 yards.

 

[redneckdan]

Made it to Sheridan. Did some sneaking and peeking today. Saw a few antelope, even a couple that were on public land. The public land access issue here is pretty messed up, much worse than I had ascertained from forum reading. I think I will be able to pull off a hunt with some work and lots of hiking.

 

[redneckdan]

Been burnin' gas and boot leather the past few days. SWAG looking at the map and what I have seen in person, about half of the public land listed is actually accessible. Pretty much everything I have found in the western half of 15 is state land and non road accessible unless you have access through a private road. Looking like lots of hiking in October. I found some areas with water holes and I think I will concentrate my efforts in those areas. Not necessarily sit on them like a bow hunter but get up on a ridge of a draw leading to the water and glass the area.

Going up into the Big Horns tomorrow for a camping trip with my brother. I found a spot and intend to stretch the legs on the big rifle in the morning. Hopefully the wind cooperates, er...un-cooperates, looking to get some practice. Then off to Durango, CO for swiftwater rescue training Sat-Mon. Back to Sheridan again on the 4th for a few days and I intend to scout the eastern half of the Unit.

As far as shootin' irons. I think I am going to tool up my ruger #3 in 30/40 for a walking rifle. Has a 24" Shilen on it. I had tried 125gr Ballistic Tips at 3100fps (308 data) and they did well accuracy wise. Running the numbers it looks pretty good out to 500yds. Probably find a 6x SWFA to put on it. Hopefully I can get it to work off sticks. If I have to shoot much more that 400 I will setup to use the big gun.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

The main public land that is accessible is probably the chunks of state land down to the south and southwest that you already found. There is very little public land over on the east side of 15. My best buddy that I hunt with a couple months out there every year lives a little ways up Decker Road past the KOA campground. I keep my 19' trailer at his place so I don't have to drag it 3000 miles back and forth to MI every fall.

 

[redneckdan]

Also, had two run ins with ranchers/F&G over access to state lands. Fortunately I brought my Geo7x with me.

First was a large block of state land with about 75' of frontage on a county road. I adjusted off the nearest bench mark then staked both ends of the frontage before walking in to check out the area. I made it a couple hundred yards in when a rancher came screaming up in a RZR, stopped me and said I was trespassing on his land and he would call F&G if I didn't leave immediately. I was pretty confident in my work so I offered my phone and when he declined I called and said I would wait for the officer to arrive. When the officer arrived I showed her my work and while she agreed there was probably a legal means of access she was not in agreement about where it was, citing 'I've dealt with hunters GPS before, they can be off miles...' I said lets go find the bench mark right along the road about a half mile up from here. I plugged the data in and off we went. I was off by a foot and half.

We drove back to the rancher and she told him to lay off, this guys knows his stuff. When she went to leave I asked about filing a complaint of hunter harassment. She said it probably wouldn't hold up because I was not 'actively attempting to take game' but said to call F&G if I have problems this fall. At this point the rancher left, as he was leaving the officer signaled me to hold up.

After he was gone she filled me in on his background. He owns land all over the Unit and works actively to prevent hunters form using public resources that ajoin his lands whilst turning around and selling hunting leases to outfitters. He drives the public away to increase the odds of successfully paying outfitters/hunters. She gave me her card and reiterated that if I have problems again during hunting season she really wanted me to call her to file a formal complaint.

Today I was scouting in a similar situation again; different location, different rancher, different LEO. I called F&G, after giving the situation and confirming the rancher was standing next to me the officer asked to be put on speaker phone. He told the rancher "we had contact with this guy previously, his equipment is more accurate than anything we have, he has done his home work, leave him the hell alone...."


So anyway, yeah access is kinda complicated here. But its not as bad as I was thinking on Friday. Do your home work. You don't have to have an $8k GPS. Most of the +20 sites I've scouted so far were blatantly marked as STATE TRUST LAND. I'm looking for lower pressure land and I hate bullies. Nothin better than popping one in the nose, even if its only with the threat of a misdemeanor ticket....

 

[redneckdan]

The main public land that is accessible is probably the chunks of state land down to the south and southwest that you already found. There is very little public land over on the east side of 15. My best buddy that I hunt with a couple months out there every year lives a little ways up Decker Road past the KOA campground. I keep my 19' trailer at his place so I don't have to drag it 3000 miles back and forth to MI every fall.

Yeah its a haul, even from Minnesota.

I got a few places to go eye ball. Always up for a drive. Had the top and doors off the jeep today, AR15 loaded in the back rack, 85F and sunny. Dogs loved it. Kinda liking Wyoming.

I grew up in the Port Huron, MI area. Don't much miss it. Northern Minnesota is just okay. Looking to keep moving west.

I'll be out here last two weeks of October and first week of November. I'm game to catch up some time, I burn a mean steak. Shoot a holler if you need help hauling something dead out of the woods, always up for an adventure.