Unit 32 Wyoming Hunt

DonnaCam

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
77
Location
Tempe, AZ
Last year, my daughter and I harvested our first antelopes on unit 32 in Wyoming. This year, looking for a repeat, I got tags for myself, my husband, and both my daughters. My hubby and I were able to go up for opening day. I saw about 50% less antelope this year as compared to last. We were able to fill our two tags in about two hours with two shots. Mine at about 350 yds, my husband at about 250 yds. It was my husband's first big game hunt. I made it look too easy - and now he is spoiled! We were back home within 24 hours. I took my daughters up this weekend, and caught the lousiest weather. Got there Friday night in a blizzard, parked the camper on BLM land and piled on the blankets. Our water jugs inside our trailer froze overnight! I had drained the plumbing systems before our trip because I knew the weather was going to be really cold. Once again, we saw a very small number of antelope, and observed many hunters driving the antelope back and forth between BLM roads and pressuring them in the adjacent unit. We were sad to see how these 'lopes were being pushed and were not able to get to water, to feed, or to bed down. They were literally trapped in a no man's land. We spotted a small herd quite some distance from the road (about a mile and a half or so) and made a decision to hike in and try to stalk them, thinking we would have a chance because there were no roads into this sanctuary area. Well, my little 12 year old daughter on her first big game hunt hung in there valiantly, as we trudged through snow for miles trying to get to the antelope. When we parked and started our stalk, we saw a doe and her fawn disappear over a hill probably 500 yds ahead of us. When we crept up to the ridge and peered over, she was nowhere in sight. We kept on going because we knew where the lopes would go based on our experience there last year, and after several miles and multiple hills, we gave up. After glassing from a hill for a long time, we finally spotted two animals about 2000 yds away. That is as close as we could get to the antelopes. We ate our snacks and rehydrated. My 12 yr old made snowballs and a snow sculpture. We took lots of pictures. And made our long trek back to our car. My little daughter was circumspect about the whole hunt. She said things happen for a reason and that things would be better next year. My oldest daughter was disappointed because she so wanted her little sis to get an antelope. Her mission was to help her little sis succeed even if it meant she would not tag out herself. I was shocked at how the animal population had declined so much in one year because of the drought. Hopefully, next year will be better! Now, on to Colorado elk hunting this coming weekend with my 16 yr old daughter!
 
We also have just returned from out there. We bought left over tags and were determined to get it done somehow regardless of extreme limited access. We had a blast, the 3 days of scouting helped a bunch and went 3 for 4 on opening day. I turned down 4 different smallish bucks and had a great standing broadside chance on a good one at 425 yards but just couldn't get my heart rate and breathing down to where it needed to be. A great hunt, lots of fun, but I won't buy left over tags again. I'm not complaining as we knew going in it would be tough sledding and I'm headed back through there in another week anyway so I'll give it another go for a couple days. Next year we'll have it together better in March, I can't wait!!
 
If you can free up another day or two I would be glad to help your daughters fill thier tags or at least give it a heckofatry. The numbers are down but the weather and presure has them tucked away in the draws......Ya just gotts know where to look.
 
I can vouch for MachV, he found a buddy and I when we were stranded a quite a ways out into the middle of nowhere.. He is a stand up guy.
 
Forgot the pictures!
Hubby's first speed goat on opening day and girls on top of a hill where we were hunting on Oct. 6.
Both our rifles are .270's, and we shoot Barnes TTSX 130 gr factory loads.
 

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Sent a pm to MachV. We were hunting draws, basins, and secluded areas on HMA land. But last year, if we spooked them, they would go to the next draw and stop. This year, they just vanished and kept right on running to the next county, I think. If anyone has specifics, I will share where we were and what we were doing and try to figure it out. Like I said, I was successful in filling my tags pretty quickly last year, and this year it has been a different game. Hubby and I filled tags, but 12 days later, I could not put my little girls on them. I am not sure I can get back up there as I am elk hunting this weekend with oldest daughter here in Colorado, but would like to learn as much as I can about 32/47 as I have spent two seasons up there. Thanks so much, fellas.
 
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MachV is a class-act. I just returned from a unit 32 hunt and my group was able to fill all 3 of our tags (with two bucks and a doe) in 2.5 days of hunting. The first day we ended up hunting in areas that didnt hold many antelope, but finally figured it out with advise from MachV and the local game warden. WY is a special place!
 
Being an expatriate Texan living in Colorado, it warms my heart to always meet so many friendly folks in Wyoming. They remind me of the friendly folks of Texas. I sure appreciate the hospitality and patience all the Wyomingites show us out of state hunters. I did learn to carry an extra 5 gallons of gas when hunting out there in no mans land!
 
Nice pictures and glad you had some success. Numbers were way down low in units 70 and 72. I only saw one buck worth shooting and everybody and their brother were after him.
 
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