Wyoming Antelope 08'

[Limbhanger]

Oregonmuley (Frank) and I had such a great time hunting Antelope in Oregon last year that we decided to get another fix as soon as possible. In our minds this only left one option......Wyoming.

After a year of planning which Frank took the lead on we were finally on the road. 18 hours later we rolled in at 1:30am. Everything closes early so we moved our gear around and crashed in the rig. At daylight we checked into a motel, changed clothes, ate a quick breakfast and headed out to hunt. On the 20 mile, or so jaunt from the motel to the hunting area we saw over a hundred antelope....these were just the groups scattered around along the freeway. We stopped several times to glass the bucks and there were antelope scattered around basically as far as you wanted to glass. We noticed that the average buck was only about 12 to 13 inches tall. This sounds small after being spoiled by all the horn **** magazines, but it was a reality in the area of Wyoming we were hunting....when it was all said and done we probably saw over a thousand antelope and only ONE was close to 15 and he was on a private ranch getting obese on alfalfa....more on that ranch later.
Having the height thing figured out that left finding one with decent mass, cutters and nice hooked tops, but that didnt turn out to be all that easy.

We got to the area and immediately spotted a herd with 2 bucks, one being pretty decent. We had just gotten there and didnt want to be too hasty, plus we were still getting caught up on the length of horn issue so we passed him up and kept looking. We glassed several different groups but still didnt see anything that tripped our triggers and decided to press on. A couple hours later we ended up running into the same herd again, but this time the nicer buck really caught our attention.
He was better than anything we had seen along the freeway and glassing. He had the qualities we were looking for, so after a long discussion and picking him apart Frank decided to take him. After a well placed shot he was on the ground. He is a really nice mature buck with a long mane and big head. He must have been in a heck of a fight during the rut because he has a gash on the back of his neck and his front teeth are bashed out. This turned out to be the nicest buck we saw on public land and should make a great mount........


We got him taken care of and continued the quest. We hunted the rest of the day and saw a lot of antelope, but only one really warranted a stalk, but he gave us the slip like antelope do and day one was in the books.

The next morning the weather rolled in. Clouds, strong winds, rain and snow. We hunted around and looked at some lopes. We found a herd that had 2 bucks that were on the upper end of what we had been seeing and spent some time trying to decide which one was better. 99% of the bucks we saw were right on the edge of being what we considered decent. Except for Frank's, they were all missing something....either mass, or cutters, or decent hooked tops so it was really hard making decisions. We went ahead and chose the one that had the most mature attributes and I knocked him down. Not a great antelope by trophy standards, but he is the garden variety buck for that area and I was happy to have him.........


We also each had a doe tag that we filled that evening. We poked around for about 10 minutes before finding 2 big ones that didnt have yearlings and did the deed. I believe I mumbled something about a shooting gallery which had Frank cracking up. It was just almost silly to see so many antelope running around. We saw more antelope in Wyoming than we saw jack rabbits in Oregon.

The ranch I mentioned earlier was unbelievable. In ONE alfalfa field there were over 100 lopes, a big herd of whitetails complete with bucks. At the other end a herd of muley's with several bucks. One was a big 25" 4x4.
As we drove down through this valley we suffered whip lash and at one point we were just laughing because it seemed unreal. There were deer, antelope, and turkeys literally everywhere you looked. Buck whitetails and muley's out in the middle of the day just milling and feeding.
We saw more deer in 3 days of Wyoming than in the last 3 seasons combined here.

Here are a few random pictures.......
Elk herd in Montana


A big statue in Butte, Monana


A road hunters dream.......Drive through BEER window......


The typical look most of the folks wear that live in small town Wyoming......


We hunted public ground, so we probably could have seen better bucks paying a trespass fee. We might look into that next year, but this trip exceeded our expectations.

Ehunter and non Ifisher Barry were there too, but they stayed a couple days longer. They will post their story and pics when they get back.....

It was a great trip and we are already making plans for next year.

[Beamerfish]

Nice report limbhanger - way to go! Drove through WY a couple years ago and couldn't believe the antelope - they were everywhere. Looks like I'm going to have to make the trip.

[canes_venatici]

Did you take your Butt-Out tool?

[Reel Obsession]

Hey Limbhanger. Glad to hear that you and Frank had a good trip. That weather can be the great equalizer out there. I little bad weather and wet roads can shut it down to a hiway spectator sport in a hurry...

[Big Unit]

Awesome hunt guys! Great pics.

Well done on the bucks.

BU

[Rank Amateur]

Ok, how does the meat compare to Oregon goats?

[Nw dukn]

Great pics and nice bucks guys.

[SlipKnot]

Nice work Frank.

[oregoncritters12]

Nice work dudes...I need to get over there one of these days...Looks kinda chilly.....

[oregonmuley]

Originally Posted by Reel Obsession

Hey Limbhanger. Glad to hear that you and Frank had a good trip. That weather can be the great equalizer out there. I little bad weather and wet roads can shut it down to a hiway spectator sport in a hurry...

Thanks for posting the story and pics Chad - I always have a hard time putting stuff together so sure appreciate your posting our adventure.

I do want to make sure and thank Tim - aka Reel Obsession.

Without his help this trip would have never happened. Last year after getting my Oregon antelope and getting bitten by the antelope bug I put out a general post asking for info about hunting antelope in Wyoming and just asking for the basics of how it all works. Well, Tim was more than willing to share all he knew about the hunting and even giving me some places to go and units to check into. Throughout the summer he kept letting me know about how much fun we would have, and we did, like Limbhanger said, the trip was great and now we are already planning next years adventure.
I may have to change my name from Oregonmuley to Wyomingantelope because its the most fun hunt you can have.
My name is Frank and I am a antelope hunting addict

[Art Vandeley]

Very nice guys!

Mitch

[RainierRiverRat]

Looks like you guys had a fun hunt. Congrats.

[Santiam338]

I want to see the does...Post them up..

[beardbuster]

I was wondering where you went. Congrats!!

I'm jealous!!

[lentz]

Sweet!!! Sounds like you guys had a good trip and you must have gotten everything packed in time.

[scubaseth]

Congrats!!! Glad to hear you guys had a good trip.

Scuba

[sliverpicker]

Nicely done boyz!

[Rauly]

Sounds like it was a sweet hunt!!!

[KingSlew]

Sounds like you had fun!

[Silver Eagle]

Thanks guys for the post, were gearing up for next year want to let us in on where, we put in for Points this year because we had already drawn our buck tags here, I would really like to get as much info as possible before next year, the hunts sounds great and the amount of game is impressive, were heading for the Snake Sunday should see a few animals there but back to Wyoming, any info would be great was there a lot of people there hunting, did you buy your Doe tags across the counter or draw them, how did you transport your heads and meat, just questions I need to get out of the way. Thanks for any info Pm please. Ray

[Reel Obsession]

Best advice on "where" may be to look at the draw results and success rates. Some places have leftover tags, but can be very hard to find a place to hunt. Off season phone calling can help locate ranchers willing to allow access (some fee based, other for only the land-owner coupon/incentive provided by the state). I believe that Limbhanger and Oregonmuley spent a year doing their homeworkm and making calls and confirmations up to the last week. I certainly would want to show up in one of those locations without having done my homework and having a place to go. Some areas have much better public access, but lower tag draw resluts. Pick your poison.

When all is said and done, you have to contend with the weather. Places to hunt and best laid plans can wash away with the first srain or snow torm. Wyo dirt roads are infamous for becoming impassable once wet. And ranchers often post "no traveling when wet" signs, even if you thought you had permission. Common practice for ranchers once the roads get wet is to travel on ungraveled roads only when dry or frozen. This has been a factor for us 2 of the last 5 years.

Transporting meat... I think Tracker used ice and kill bags earlier this year. Coolers might work, all depends on the year. If it cools off to teens at night, and stays realtively cool during the day, coolers might be fine. Our last day there this year it was around 40 at night, 70 during the day, and mid-eighties on the way home, and full 30 degrees cooler that the first day. We usually have the animals hung and then do a mad dash home, and cut/wrap as soon as we get home. Some years it has started out cold enough to keep meat at camp, but then turned warm making us run to the meat locker. Most there seem to have their meat processed, frozen, and then problem solved. Heads/capes once salted are usually good for the time we are there if kept in a cool spot, and in a cloth bag. Plastic will make the hide "sweat" and the hair to slip.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Congrats guys

With Oregon's continued decline in big game numbers and ODFW's lack of predator control, it is no wonder more and more guys are going to states that are hunter friendly

[oregonmuley]

Originally Posted by Silver Eagle

Thanks guys for the post, were gearing up for next year want to let us in on where, we put in for Points this year because we had already drawn our buck tags here, I would really like to get as much info as possible before next year, the hunts sounds great and the amount of game is impressive, were heading for the Snake Sunday should see a few animals there but back to Wyoming, any info would be great was there a lot of people there hunting, did you buy your Doe tags across the counter or draw them, how did you transport your heads and meat, just questions I need to get out of the way. Thanks for any info Pm please. Ray

Listen to what Reel Obsession tells you - he his one of the local Wyoming antelope gurus

Couple others do the run to Wyoming every year. I have one under my belt and will learn from it for next years trip - tags are the easy part, finding areas to hunt though can be tough - unless you pay a trespass fee which can be pretty cheap but does cost most times if you want a buck. Me and Limbhanger toughed it out on the BLM this year, but for next year will take a real hard look at the private for maybe a better chance it bigger bucks. Make the trip - its worth it but you will be spoiled from ever hunting in this state again so be warned.

[Santiam338]

So no one took pics of the does?? Are they not worthy??

[Limbhanger]

We didnt take any doe pics...........so sorry

[No Luck]

Wow great story and pics!!! Looks like you had a great time congratulations.

[Reel Obsession]

Originally Posted by Santiam338

So no one took pics of the does?? Are they not worthy??

Ok Satiam, what's with the doe fettish???

I didn't take pictures of does this year, and usually don't, I guess it's not an equal opportunity sport. However, I think I have a couple from last year's hunt with my daughter and the does she took.

Back in a bit......

[tracker]

Since that is all we shot I have lots of pictures of does being shot! Happen to have a video also. I am not emmarrassed by our does! They all shoot the same. And the horns dont eat too well.


http://justkeephunting.com/Wyo2008.html

[Reel Obsession]

Hey Limbhanger and Oregonmuley, hope I'm not hyjacking your post. This was all about your hunt afterall! Just wanted to share a couple photos....

Originally Posted by Santiam338

So no one took pics of the does?? Are they not worthy??

I figured Dave would step up sooner or later.....

Well, I dug some up too. Mostly of my daughter in 2005 and 2006 when she was 12 and 13.

Here you go, first foru pics are from 2005.

Julie on the hunt;


Her first buck;


Her first doe;


Back at camp skinning a few does;




Here are a couple more from 2006.
Julie's second buck;

One of her 2006 does;

[oregonmuley]

Nice pictures Tim - your daughter looks like she has a great time and sure has it dialed in on them antelopes. I like those back of the truck meat poles - those would be handy. Need to put that in the list for next year

[Limbhanger]

Great pics, that is one of the things Oregonmuley I said every day......Man, this would be a great way to introduce a kid to hunting!!

The does are just extra meat to us, but for a kid it could be non stop shooting until you ran out of tags.........or ammo !!

[Reel Obsession]

Originally Posted by oregonmuley

Nice pictures Tim - your daughter looks like she has a great time and sure has it dialed in on them antelopes. I like those back of the truck meat poles - those would be handy. Need to put that in the list for next year

Hey Frank. Yeah, she wasn't able to make it the last two years, but had 5 under her belt at age 13. He's giving me grief this year about
putting us all to shame with the buck she gets next year", I hope she does.

My buddy Jack (in the foreground of the camp picture with his wife Michelle) is thinking about having his son work up a new meat pole in HS shop out of aluminum and in two pieces for next year. That one belongs to my CO buddy that usually comes up for the hunt and makes short work of skinning. But it's HEAVY and pretty long. But sure makes it easier than skinning on the tailgate. Of course after a hundred or so goats, we can git'r done just about anywhere.

[Reel Obsession]

Originally Posted by Limbhanger

Great pics, that is one of the things Oregonmuley I said every day......Man, this would be a great way to introduce a kid to hunting!!

The does are just extra meat to us, but for a kid it could be non stop shooting until you ran out of tags.........or ammo !!

You're right about that Chad. My wife and daughter both love it. Interestingly, they hunt completly opposite of each other. My wife will find a spot in the sage, and wait for the antegoats to find her, which the always seem to sooner or later. My daughter and I can't stay put that long, and love to spot and stalk. If we blow one stalk, or don't find the animal we want in one herd, it's off to another, all day long. The other upside of hunting with a youth, is that the tags are half price. I think two years ago, her buck tag was around $100 and her doe tags were $19. In 2005 and 2006, I only bought 1 does tag for myself, and my wife and daughter took another 4 or 5 animals between them.

[tracker]

My daughter is already asking about shooting one herself! Hunters Safety this year, but I think Wyoming is 12 years old for antelope? A few years for her to wait! Thinking hard about taking her to one of those ranches down south where she can shoot from a blind. Dont think there is an age limit there.

[Reel Obsession]

Originally Posted by tracker

My daughter is already asking about shooting one herself! Hunters Safety this year, but I think Wyoming is 12 years old for antelope? A few years for her to wait! Thinking hard about taking her to one of those ranches down south where she can shoot from a blind. Dont think there is an age limit there.

Hey Dave. Yes, unless it's changed, the Wyo application reads;

"To be eligible for a youth license an applicant must be at least 11 years of age at the time of application, have not reached their 18th birthday, and be at least 12 years of age while in the field hunting."

Seems to me that the regs say something about having to have the hunter certificate at the time the youth hunter is in the field, although I don't specifically remember when or if we presented Julie's hunter education certificate to anyone. She did spot and stalk with me for 3 years or so before she was 12, and hunted several months after turning 12. I had her practice with a pellet gun on antegoat photos at prown, sitting and standing for a year before the hunt, and for 6 months before putting her in front of the .243. Thousands of shots later, she had her shooting technique nailed well before having to worry about recoil. Then a softened .243 round was a piece of cake for her when we hit the range. Added a tripod to her Savage special youth package that made her deadly off the gound, haven't had her shooting off hand yet.

[tracker]

Great fun having her want to go with me. Other two daughters liked the fishing end but not the hunting end.

[Fatdad]

Wow you guys great posts and pics. Do any of you folks bow hunt them?

[Klamanite]

Originally Posted by Limbhanger

Oregonmuley (Frank) and I had such a great time hunting Antelope in Oregon last year that we decided to get another fix as soon as possible. In our minds this only left one option......Wyoming.

After a year of planning which Frank took the lead on we were finally on the road. 18 hours later we rolled in at 1:30am. Everything closes early so we moved our gear around and crashed in the rig. At daylight we checked into a motel, changed clothes, ate a quick breakfast and headed out to hunt. On the 20 mile, or so jaunt from the motel to the hunting area we saw over a hundred antelope....these were just the groups scattered around along the freeway. We stopped several times to glass the bucks and there were antelope scattered around basically as far as you wanted to glass. We noticed that the average buck was only about 12 to 13 inches tall. This sounds small after being spoiled by all the horn **** magazines, but it was a reality in the area of Wyoming we were hunting....when it was all said and done we probably saw over a thousand antelope and only ONE was close to 15 and he was on a private ranch getting obese on alfalfa....more on that ranch later.
Having the height thing figured out that left finding one with decent mass, cutters and nice hooked tops, but that didnt turn out to be all that easy.

We got to the area and immediately spotted a herd with 2 bucks, one being pretty decent. We had just gotten there and didnt want to be too hasty, plus we were still getting caught up on the length of horn issue so we passed him up and kept looking. We glassed several different groups but still didnt see anything that tripped our triggers and decided to press on. A couple hours later we ended up running into the same herd again, but this time the nicer buck really caught our attention.
He was better than anything we had seen along the freeway and glassing. He had the qualities we were looking for, so after a long discussion and picking him apart Frank decided to take him. After a well placed shot he was on the ground. He is a really nice mature buck with a long mane and big head. He must have been in a heck of a fight during the rut because he has a gash on the back of his neck and his front teeth are bashed out. This turned out to be the nicest buck we saw on public land and should make a great mount........


We got him taken care of and continued the quest. We hunted the rest of the day and saw a lot of antelope, but only one really warranted a stalk, but he gave us the slip like antelope do and day one was in the books.

The next morning the weather rolled in. Clouds, strong winds, rain and snow. We hunted around and looked at some lopes. We found a herd that had 2 bucks that were on the upper end of what we had been seeing and spent some time trying to decide which one was better. 99% of the bucks we saw were right on the edge of being what we considered decent. Except for Frank's, they were all missing something....either mass, or cutters, or decent hooked tops so it was really hard making decisions. We went ahead and chose the one that had the most mature attributes and I knocked him down. Not a great antelope by trophy standards, but he is the garden variety buck for that area and I was happy to have him.........


We also each had a doe tag that we filled that evening. We poked around for about 10 minutes before finding 2 big ones that didnt have yearlings and did the deed. I believe I mumbled something about a shooting gallery which had Frank cracking up. It was just almost silly to see so many antelope running around. We saw more antelope in Wyoming than we saw jack rabbits in Oregon.

The ranch I mentioned earlier was unbelievable. In ONE alfalfa field there were over 100 lopes, a big herd of whitetails complete with bucks. At the other end a herd of muley's with several bucks. One was a big 25" 4x4.
As we drove down through this valley we suffered whip lash and at one point we were just laughing because it seemed unreal. There were deer, antelope, and turkeys literally everywhere you looked. Buck whitetails and muley's out in the middle of the day just milling and feeding.
We saw more deer in 3 days of Wyoming than in the last 3 seasons combined here.

Here are a few random pictures.......
Elk herd in Montana


A big statue in Butte, Monana


A road hunters dream.......Drive through BEER window......


The typical look most of the folks wear that live in small town Wyoming......


We hunted public ground, so we probably could have seen better bucks paying a trespass fee. We might look into that next year, but this trip exceeded our expectations.

Ehunter and non Ifisher Barry were there too, but they stayed a couple days longer. They will post their story and pics when they get back.....

It was a great trip and we are already making plans for next year.

Looks like an awesome trip/hunt. A friend from work just got back and had as great hunt as well. Maybe I'll look that direction for my next one. It's not as far, distance and pricewise as one might think. Congrats on a great hunt.

[Santiam338]

Whats wrong with taking pics of does??

Chad knows I was just fun'en,but still,the does were a big part of the hunt...I remember him telling me that for 18 dollars more you can shoot a doe..

I would have rather seen a doe that a drive up beer window..

Very nice pics of the daughter and her antelope...The smile is worth more than 15 inch horns...Congrats...

[Reel Obsession]

Originally Posted by Santiam338

Very nice pics of the daughter and her antelope...The smile is worth more than 15 inch horns...Congrats...

Thanks Santiam, and yes, I agree, the fun she has always makes it worth the trip. Then again, as she tenatiosly holds top salmon bragging rights on our boat, and is always competitive with others in camp, her smile would have been bigger if she had a 15" buck. Last trip, we chased horns for three days because everytime she set up to shoot, she would ask me "is that one bigger than mom's buck?". When I said no, she's always say, "come on dad, we can do better" and we'd move on. Have to love that.

[DominantPrey]

Looks like you had a really fun trip there Chad! Congrat's to you and Frank on a couple of nice bucks.
18 hours makes Whitehorse seem like a walk in the park