So my wife, Dad, brother and I all drew doe tags for Unit 34 in Wyoming. This was my third year going up there and first year hunting that unit. Despite three days of hard hunting, none of us even got a shot on one! We tried chugwater, Nimmo HMA, and every sliver and stretch of public land we could find. We saw a number of coyotes and a few nice deer, but very very few antelope. I don't get it. The last couple of years we'd see dozens before noon any day we went out. Was there a bad winter kill in the southeast part of the state or something? The whole thing was very disappointing, especially since I was using this hunt to introduce my wife to big game hunting (which she's now decided is horribly boring). Anyone have a similar experience this year?
Skunked in Wyoming!
- Thread starter Stk
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Just my .02 without knowing when you hunted previously. But by this time of the season antelope are moving/migrating into larger herds for the winter so it's possible they left the area you were in for their wintering grounds. I know west of Cheyenne where I live, the herd numbers have doubled or tripled in the past couple weeks.
Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
That's probably the reason wyosteve and with all of that unit being private ranches they are all probably in private irrigated fields now stocking up on food to get them through the winter.
I went out for a couple days in September, and then went back out this past weekend. I'm in Colorado Springs so it's only about three hours to get up there. Definitely saw some larger herds this time, but they were very few and all on private land.
I hunt just north of Wheatland up the road from Chugwater. I took two new hunters because I always tag out. There were four of us hunting hard. We saw very few antelope and only had two shot opportunities. It was the worst I have ever seen. Saw plenty of deer, but no antelope, even on irrigated fields.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
We killed 13 goats over here in south west Wyoming this year, none toik more than 30 minutes, they were still everywhere, didn't notice a chamge in numbers....but then again I am hunting exclusively private land. Have you tried to ask permission? All the farmers around here are more than willing to let you kill some goats
wbyfireman
Well-Known Member
Do you have any info regarding unit 43?? Thanks much
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Nothing for 43, I hunt the other corner of the state. 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, and 100 are areas close to me where I hunt
I put in for 43 this year. I've never hunted it but have hunted in one of the units around it. Looks like two large HMAs on 43 that should give pretty good access. Not sure if one is any better than the other.
