Where would be a great place for one to start research for a future do it yourself pronghorn hunt

Forums just like this but dedicated to western hunting.

Monstermuleys. com

Forums that have antelope specific sections.

Bowsite, (lots of info even if gun hunting)

i'd look to wyoming. pops and i are 6/8 for diy public land out there in 4 trips.

thanks for the info guys

check out randy newberg on youtube as well as the hunttalk forum it's mostly DIY stuff and there is a pronghorn specific section on the forum

i've been trying to talk the wife into heading west for vacation with a few hikes that I take my rifle but so far no go

Start with the Wyoming site and look through the drawing odds for the different units in the past couple of years. Asking general questions on some of the mentioned sites often draws harsh comments from certain "experts" if you have not done your homework.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/hunting

I would start accumulating preference points if this is for a hunt later than the 2017 season. There are many units that you can draw with no points but there is usually a good reason for that. Some units have very difficult public access issues. Buying a point (ONE PER YEAR) only costs $30 and is easy to do.

If you want a DIY hunt, the units with good access to state lands or BLM lands and good size pronghorns require a pile of preference points. It is a fun hunt.

thanks again everyone i am thinking 2- 3 years down the line.

WOW, that long off things will surely change a bunch from what it's like now.

Hey, Coop: I was going to suggest you join up with the guy and make a party of it. Give the old man some company for once! Ha!
How you doing?

Other's have beat me to it, I was going to suggest you contact: Wyoming Wildlife. Just type it in the search line and you should have it then. Subscribe to their magazine by the same name is a good source of info, it's only about $12-15 a year.

Don't know where the Coopers hunt up there. But, when I was trucking all over the state. I saw many more goats along the W side of I-25 just south of Cody than anywhere else. For kicks one spring I walked to the ridge about half mile W. and saw what had to be many hundreds of does with their young pups ALL over the huge valley. As true a nursery as I've ever seen.

Funny thing, on the way back to the truck, wife was watching me. I almost stepped on a young one, had to be about a week or two old no faster than it was. Nice down slope of smooth grassland pasture. For the hell of it I took after it hard as I could run. Steps 10-15 feet apart running down the hill. Chased it at least 100yds and was closing in on it every step. Proof it wasn't very old. I got within about 20 feet when it made a sharp turn n doubled back. Which I couldn't turn, had quite a time even getting stopped. One of the highlights of my life: "actually out running an antelope".

Get some good long range practice shooting before you go. Sometimes we can get shots within a couple hundred yards, but, at times double that are the best we can do. Figure a 6" circle or LESS for a target.

Good luck, hope to hear you made the trip.
George

yes its a long way off but by then at least i will know where i want to hunt. i always plan way in advance.

Its really quite easy. go to the wyoming website Look for where they are giving out tags. look if there's any assessable land make your choice go hunt. done it a couple of times. Loads of fun.

WY is the state for antelope. I would start this year and next by getting preference points. That why hopefully you'll draw a tag in a good unit.

quote:

Originally posted by Tanoose:
thanks again everyone i am thinking 2- 3 years down the line.

2 or 3 points might put you in a position to draw a tag.

You can sometimes buy landowner tags in Utah, New Mexico and Colorado for $750-1500.

You can buy guided hunts with a land owner tag for about $3000-7500 depending on the state and unit in NM, CO, UT, CA, TX and maybe NV.

Everyone has already told you that Wyoming is the "Go To" state. As mentioned earlier, the country west of I-25 holds large numbers of antelope. If you call the Casper and Sheridan offices of Wyoming Game and Fish, they will send you a list of land owners who allow hunting. Expect to pay a reasonable trespass fee of a few hundred dollars and you can enjoy hunting on private land with good game numbers. My son and I have hunted that area four or five times and shot pronghorns, whitetails and mule deer on each hunt.

If I wanted a real trophy I would look to Arizona, Southern NM..

But I would suggest that you wait until about a year ahead of time, because hunting is a changing atmosphere, whats good this year probably won't be so good next year as they shot off all the old boys. It usually takes awhile to let the up and coming bucks grow up.

Right now for next year I have a hunt that has awesome bucks available in So. Colorado, I saw some 17 to 18 inch bucks while hunting elk this season and one that might be in the 20s..but Im not sure what they harvested this year.