Where to ?

[Nimrod]

I found out I get to take my Grandson on his first out of state hunt next year. He has always admired my pronghorn trophies and when I asked him how he would like to go hunt pronghorns in Wyoming, the smile on his face was all the answer I needed. I'm looking for good draw odds (I burned my points last fall) with decent public access. I have been hunting the low 70's units the last few years and the population has gone down the tubes. Not looking for giant bucks just a first buck. I am going to try to rake up the money for the special draw but it may not be in the budget.

If anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate hearing them!

Thanks in advance!

Bob

 

[solohunter]

I found out I get to take my Grandson on his first out of state hunt next year. He has always admired my pronghorn trophies and when I asked him how he would like to go hunt pronghorns in Wyoming, the smile on his face was all the answer I needed. I'm looking for good draw odds (I burned my points last fall) with decent public access. I have been hunting the low 70's units the last few years and the population has gone down the tubes. Not looking for giant bucks just a first buck. I am going to try to rake up the money for the special draw but it may not be in the budget.

If anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate hearing them!

Thanks in advance!

Bob

avoid 23, very little access, 7 was so-so for access, alot of hunters,,, few goats 2 yrs ago,

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I guess I would have to argue with skipping 23. If you do your homework, there is enough public land and a WIHA or two that you can kill a few goats on. I do agree with what was said about unit 7 though. That area lost a lot of animals a coupoe years ago due to the weather and too many tags being issued. Every person I've sent out to 23 has done well, but you do have to put your boots to work! If I were you though, I'd pay a rancher for access the second week of the season and you won't spend that much more more to do that than buying a tag in the Special Draw. The 23 tags can be bought all the way through the season itself because they never sell out. Many of the ranchers will even let you shoot does for free and if you mention you are taking a kid on his first hunt that sometimes will open up doors to an area. Call the G&F Office in Gillette and they will send you a list of ranchers and start making your calls ASAP. Skip the first week and you'll have a ball with the boy!

 

[solohunter]

I hunted 23 this fall opening day, spent sunday touring north and east side school trust and BLM land, never saw a goat on huntable land, saw alot of other hunters, in fact there was not one spot I checked that I didnt see another hunter goin in or leaving, Opening morning I shot a smaller buck by 8am, my legs/ankle are pretty messed up so long hikes are out of my relm now i am building ponrs for a southern unit in 2-3 years.

 

[Canvsbk]

I also hunted 23 last fall. It's not something I would choose to do again but before I paid the "special" price I guess I would. If you don't get drawn somewhere with better access pm me, I can help.

 

[solohunter]

I might enlighten them to the spot I was in and the water hole to the s/e also
, setting up two day early helped me also from that you saw...

 

[kraigwy]

Not sure I can understand what people say about Area 7, I live and hunt that area, there are plenty of goats, lots of public land and private walk in areas.

OH Well

 

[solohunter]

the low goat number two years ago was the only draw back, I hunted week 2 and it was scarce for goats, 6 mile, butcher rd and howard road wia,s , all good access, plenty of parking in pizza barn lot,

 

[kraigwy]

6 mile basin is where I hunt. The problem with it is, people don't know what is public vs. private land.

It you look east across the basin you seen a fence line on the far ridge. Parino keeps his horses there (he has the lease) and people think its private. Its BLM, for about 1/2 mile east of that.

If you been to that area you notice the land east of the fence is broken, more so then that of the basin. When the critters get spooked, the head for the broken land east of 6 mile basin.

That area goes north and south pretty much the whole length of 6 mile basin. At night you'll see hundreds of goats in the alfalfa fields just SE of the Airport. The area I'm talking about is used by antelope for traveling to and from the alfalfa fields.

Two years ago, I left the house (I live 10 miles east of Newcastle) at 7:30, and was back with my goat at 915. This year it took a bit longer, I didn't get home with my goat until 2 PM.

The thing is most people hunt from the roads. You can see the critters from the road in broken country. Stop, climb a ridge, do some glassing you'll see them. Plenty of goats even when people say there isn't, you just cant see them from the road.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

That's exactly why all the hunting we do is on foot in a nonmotorized area and about 1 1/2 miles or more from the road. We see and take plenty of game when others are saying there is nothing left out there.

 

[solohunter]

Top gun,,, this is part of what 09 did to my future hiking,,,,

misc_110 - The Michigan Sportsman Photo Gallery

I can get a ways off the roads but limited by terrain now,, still trying to hunt....gun)

"That area goes north and south pretty much the whole length of 6 mile basin. At night you'll see hundreds of goats in the alfalfa fields just SE of the Airport. The area I'm talking about is used by antelope for traveling to and from the alfalfa fields."

I saw goats in there alfalfa fields the first afternoon, stopped to glass them and as soon as the wheels stopped the goats ran,,, 3-4pm week 2, no buck in group,, I even sized up the little guy on state land south edge of the airport,,, I hunted the walk in north of there behind the water hole,,, never saw a goat in four hours sitting on the hill side, west of the "knob"

 

[Topgun 30-06]

So what's the story on that nasty looking injury?

 

[solohunter]

Gravity sucks,, 16 feet up w/chain saw, ladder slid off tree,,, I landed in driveway about 10 feet from safety harness I had been wearing for two days,,, last limb in last tree,,,, destroyed my L> heel and taurus bone above it, & R leg Tib/Fib in 5 peices and knee torn up, crawled up driveway to wave down help,, was in rural alcona county, ended up in Alpena Hosp, 2 month in nursing home in alpena, A rod, 3 butterfly plates 14 screws, 38cc of cadaver paste, and 8 months later I returned to work,, still hurts, still limp, found out the knee they pounded the rod thru into my leg was messed up also, rehab helped but it balances out the pain from my L ankle I have taken two nice 8 points with bow since then, one bear, one antelope, I also have a HSS vest now, to late but cant take another fall, fear of heights now also ??? ( sorry you asked eh?? ) I used to camp 1 1/4 in off the road every fall on opening of small game.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Holy chit batman!!!