Well, I'm looking to fill some time in October for an Antelope Hunt. Wyoming I hear is the place to be - any suggestions for an outfitter here?

PS: doesn't have to by Wyoming btw. I'm in SoCal and closer to home isn't a bad thing... I'm looking for a decent trophy and a couple doe's wouldn't be bad for sausage and meat.

I would look at New Mexico too. Both of the goats I show in my posts, including a record book animal, come from there and they have terrific trophy potential. Wyoming is good too, has tons of goats, but not as likely to produce a banger goat for the average guy. Wyoming is the best bang for the buck. New Mexico is more expensive, but you just might slay a whopper there.

Ok, New Mexico is on the list now as well! Thanks for the pointer Kroil.

Well this is the goat deal in much of the west.

I have hunted them in 3 states; Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

All 3 have public land, all 3 have quite a few liscenses. Wyoming and Montana goats are harder to judge, but the capability for a 82 goat is there. They tend to be shorter and heavier. Goats in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas are thinner.

All 3 are an application, New Mexico also offers land owner tags. Land owner tags are about $800. Application tags are about $300 for all 3 states.

They also exhist in good numbers in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. Most western states have lots of public land it's just a matter of drawing a tag and driving around on public land until you shoot a buck. I don't beleive that opening day is the best time to go, I like to let them relax a bit and get settled down.

The BLM has land management maps that show private versus public land.

There are only about 350,000 antelope in Wyoming. You have that many deer in California.

Shooting 2 or 3 does is 1 or 2 too many. Take one and leave some for everyone else. Never shoot anything under than a dry doe, antelope don't live very long those does with fawns need as good a chance for survival as they can get.

A 7 year old antelope is ancient. A 6 year old buck is a grandfather. They have a very fast burning wick.

Antelope fawns are predated on by coyotes and golden eagles. They need their mother.

The best part about dry does is that a lot of them have horns.

A look through Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico's game and fish books should give you an idea of how things work.

Simple as that.

Check with Bill Gauger at Flying B Outfitters in Casper, WY. Did a speed goat and mule deer hunt with him with my 2 sons in October of 2004. Had a great time and took 2 nice goats. $$ were very reasonable...nothing fancy at all, but lots of fun.

Gary
DRSSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Wyoming has the most goats but severe winters kill off a lot of them.

Don't discount a 82 buck in Wyoming, Wyoming will produce as many book goats as 3 or 4 other states combined in any year.

We have been running 100% on Antelope in WY. We offer a 3 day hunt, fully guided for $1,750. I have taken 25 in WY over the years and it remains one of my favorite US hunts. The meat is outstanding. Email me and I'll give you a call. You have until March 15th to apply. License is $286 or there abouts.
Good hunting,
David

There was a buck antelope that used to hang out by the Casper Events Center that was probably a 91. Freaking huge!

Wyoming has the most antelope, and god willing if the oil companies and farmers don't screw it up they will continue to have the most antelope.

Farmers till under sage, and oil companies till under sage to make roads and poach.

For Wyoming I'd recommend these guys: www.wyoming-antelope-hunts.com

I did a hunt with them a couple years back. Price was very reasonable, accomodations were nice (nothing fancy though, just wall tents), and I saw some monster antelope taken (I saw a 16 incher taken on the day I was leaving). A friend of mine did an elk hunt with them and he was very pleased and I know another member that posts here shot an antelope with them and he also had a great time.

Here's a photo of my antelope, just for the heck of it. He is 14 inches.

rnovi


P.M. Sent...

Thanks

Steve

FYI, parts of Wyoming are having a severe winter, The SW is VERY bad and the winter kill should be significant, here around where I live in the NE it is also bad, 8-10 of ice covered snow,along with cold temps.

Search some older posts.
Antelope is the perfect DIY hunt.Plentiful critters,tags,and free public access.
My brother and I went out to WY cold after a little internet and phone work, and hunted this past September.

My TOTAL cost was $910 dollars, including tags,airfare, rental truck, food,etc

If you ain't afraid of doing for yourself, this is the way top go.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
Well, I'm looking to fill some time in October for an Antelope Hunt.

Wyoming is a good hunt, once you get a tag. Patience and observation count for a lot. You will probably not meet any cranky people there.

I drove from here, met a friend who drove from Tampa/St Petersburg area. We were done shooting in four days (all one-shot kills under 150 yards, no tracking necessary), and took off to see Devil's Tower and South Pass City while the meat-cutter did his part of the deal. There was a fellow in town selling Utah peaches that were just outstanding, jeez they were good. My kind of trip...

Hey Guys, thanks for the input. I've been down with the flu last couple weeks so I'm only now returning calls.

Thanks for the pointers!

Table Mountain Outfitters, Cheyenne Wyoming. Outstanding outfit.