Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
I get a TON of PM's from people asking advice on where to apply for here in WY. I spend a lot of time researching different units, draw odd etc and there are a couple for you non residents that would work out really well. I dont mind sharing this info because the resident draw system and the non resident are totally seperate here. everyone in the world outside of wyoming could apply for a unit I want and it wouldnt affect my drawing odds at all. so it makes it convenient to help some of my fellow long range hunters out there without shooting myself in the foot.
There are some sleeper units out there that are hard to draw for a resident (for good reason) that a NR can draw pretty easily with special draw and/or minimal points. The one I have seen some good bucks come out of is deer unit 157. there is a good deal of private which scares people away but what they dont realize is the land owners around there are usually willing to give permission for free or for a very nominal fee. So I was looking at this area and see it is butted up against the reservation which means there is very little pressure over there so the deer sleep up there then come down into the fields and feed. I have seen some HUGE bucks right in there on my weekly drive through. when I go down and deliver pumps.
The other thing I get ask a LOT is where can I combine a deer and antelope hunt? that is a hard thing to find where you have a good chance at good animals in both units.. well unit 97 antelope is the same exact area as 157 deer. and there are some pretty dang good bucks in there.. not a lot of monsters but 15"+ is common. Again its a sleeper area and the private land seems to discourage a lot of NR hunters.
Another area that eludes a lot of hunters is 118 deer. easy to draw on a special draw or with minimal points
and antelope area 82 is equally as easy to draw. the areas are right across the road from one another and the seasons dont overlap but you can hunt the end of antelope and and when it ends 118 deer opens on the 15 of october. so if planned right that would be a good combo hunt.
118 deer has some good hunter management and some good BLM above grazing pastures so you can catch them moving to and from bedding areas. I have hunted both of these areas with success.
Hope this little bit of info helps as some of you are trying to decide where to apply next year.
There are some sleeper units out there that are hard to draw for a resident (for good reason) that a NR can draw pretty easily with special draw and/or minimal points. The one I have seen some good bucks come out of is deer unit 157. there is a good deal of private which scares people away but what they dont realize is the land owners around there are usually willing to give permission for free or for a very nominal fee. So I was looking at this area and see it is butted up against the reservation which means there is very little pressure over there so the deer sleep up there then come down into the fields and feed. I have seen some HUGE bucks right in there on my weekly drive through. when I go down and deliver pumps.
The other thing I get ask a LOT is where can I combine a deer and antelope hunt? that is a hard thing to find where you have a good chance at good animals in both units.. well unit 97 antelope is the same exact area as 157 deer. and there are some pretty dang good bucks in there.. not a lot of monsters but 15"+ is common. Again its a sleeper area and the private land seems to discourage a lot of NR hunters.
Another area that eludes a lot of hunters is 118 deer. easy to draw on a special draw or with minimal points
and antelope area 82 is equally as easy to draw. the areas are right across the road from one another and the seasons dont overlap but you can hunt the end of antelope and and when it ends 118 deer opens on the 15 of october. so if planned right that would be a good combo hunt.
118 deer has some good hunter management and some good BLM above grazing pastures so you can catch them moving to and from bedding areas. I have hunted both of these areas with success.
Hope this little bit of info helps as some of you are trying to decide where to apply next year.
