2024 Hunt Plans

[WyoDoug]

Well due to health and vehicle reasons, I was not able to hunt this year at all and barely got any fishing in. For 2024 I hope to change that. One thing that is important to me is to find a hunting and fishing partner who drinks light or not at all. Being a former alcoholic myself that's been sober since 2004, I do not want to even be around people that engage in power drinking or where booze is the primary activity. So hoping to find a regular fishing partner first, then hopefully hunting partner. My plans for 2024 are simple and I should be able to do them if I first replace my pickup that is falling apart now.

First goal is a new vehicle for fishing and hunting.

Fishing is my first goal and I plan on fishing mainly for browns, rainbows, and lake trout.

Antelope will likely be my first hunt in 2024 and some of yall know where I hunt. I plan to include extra type 8 doe licenses plus leftovers if they are available. My main goal is to restock the freezer with speedgoat.

Elk, area 6 not saying where but I got to talking about hunting with a fellow vet and he told me his family had a ranch that he could get me permission to hunt on so that is the plan for now. That will be a cow hunt as what they are wanting is get the cow herd numbers down a bit on the ranch.

And obviously, bird and small game. I managed to get me some doves and a few rabbits last year but want to do much more bird and small game.

 

[WyoDoug]

Well good news. Physical therapy was a success. Strengthened my back muscles and while I will always have osteoarthritis in the L4/L5 lower back region and can do a lot more now. Back to the fitness center and slowly increasing weight and able to push a sled with 100 pound weights on it along with substantial weights on leg exercises. I will probably never be able to handle steep inclines tho which leaves ridge walking out but I can handle hiking the rolling hills and flat lands fairly easy so modified hunting plans.

Antelope: Got a hunt planned with two buddies in my favorite hunt area. I should draw a type 1 tag fairly easy. Hope to draw a couple lady tags but odds not good. I need my antelope restocked.

Deer: For some reason hard to draw. Buying a OTC and going to try for a buck but I like the does better meat wise. Putting in but will do some back flips if I draw doe tags.

Elk: Snagged permission to hunt on a ranch and take a cow so gonna put in for cow tag.

Moose: Probably preference points only. Gonna try but do not expect to draw.

Then there is fishing and small game and bird hunting. Those will happen with less planning tho.

So ready after being laid up most of last year.

 

[Dfuller]

Awesome to read your plans. We are hoping to do some speed goats in eastern Wyoming this year. Daughters(12 & 13) first year toting gun if they draw, will also be putting in for for tags. No drinking fir me with kids around and would be happy to meet up for a hunt with a fellow hunt talker if we draw, for a meal or a morning or afternoon hunt if ya need young legs.

 

[WyoDoug]

Depends. And on the drinking part, I do not mind drinking after guns are put away and no one is driving least not the drunk ones AND no attempt is made to push alcohol to me (as an alcoholic who has been sober since 2004). I no longer consume ANY alcoholic beverages (liver issues make it inadvisable anyways).

I am hunting speedgoats with two longtime friends and plan on camping in my buddies camper in an RV parking lot in town. I expect to draw the type 1 any antelope tag but the lady tags I don't know.

Elk is a day hunt for me and my neighbor is doing the driving.

Bird and small game hunts have not been set yet and some are going to be impromptu hunts.

Fishing will be impromptu and I got tons of options close to me.

Doubt if I draw moose but if I do plans on that will be set when I see the successful draw on WGF website.

PM me with your plans on antelope and the area you put in for and I will let you know if I can be of any help. I know the two main east hunting areas off the back of my hand just about but still use OnX and other hunting apps to plan things.

 

[jpcoll01]

My year is off and running so far...
Mountain lion in Idaho in January (successful), then to Argentina for Red Stag(s) and Blackbuck (story to come). Excited about spring Turkey at home in KY and then west for spring bear in ID and MT. I also anticipate I will draw every tag I apply for so this fall will be bonkers and I will likely get fired from my job. In all seriousness I would really like an Oryx tag in NM, Deer and Antelope in WY and a Big Game Combo in MT (but I'm applying with zero pref. points again so rolling the dice). Also, I have a McCall elk tag in ID but hoping to turn that one in if I get a BGC in MT.

 

[bonedogg]

Great to hear you are getting life back on track WyoDoug. knowing your limits and defining your path should bring you a lot of clarity going forward. I watched my father in law be a drunk for 18 years and tell stories over and over again without knowing the fine details. 4 years sober and his memory is back 100% he can tell us every fine detail and who was there, it's freakin amazing!!

September -For me it will be over the counter big horn sheep with my 14 yr. old boy, hope to get him a ram or maybe a double.
October-helping out a few buddies with their antelope buck tags after a 12 year wait
November-Chasing Mule Deer with 6 buds, all with LE draw buck tags and of course WT mixed in there......

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

Depends. And on the drinking part, I do not mind drinking after guns are put away and no one is driving least not the drunk ones AND no attempt is made to push alcohol to me (as an alcoholic who has been sober since 2004). I no longer consume ANY alcoholic beverages (liver issues make it inadvisable anyways).

I am hunting speedgoats with two longtime friends and plan on camping in my buddies camper in an RV parking lot in town. I expect to draw the type 1 any antelope tag but the lady tags I don't know.

Elk is a day hunt for me and my neighbor is doing the driving.

Bird and small game hunts have not been set yet and some are going to be impromptu hunts.

Fishing will be impromptu and I got tons of options close to me.

Doubt if I draw moose but if I do plans on that will be set when I see the successful draw on WGF website.

PM me with your plans on antelope and the area you put in for and I will let you know if I can be of any help. I know the two main east hunting areas off the back of my hand just about but still use OnX and other hunting apps to plan things.

Awesome that you're able to get back in the field. For me I'll be visiting the cowboy state in October for region Y general deer. I've never been to the area and it will be a solo trip but I have the points to draw and the vacation time so I figure I'll go and see if I can turn up a deer.

 

[Sask hunter]

Spring bears to start. Not sure to what extent this year tho as we are looking at buying a house. I usually run three baits. Might only do the one bait this year. Can’t forget spring beaver trapping when the ice goes off. In the fall will be geese and WT. depending on how the draws go with affect if or how much I hunt elk, moose and Mulies

 

[Bambistew]

I'm going to get out more this year than last, work got in the way a lot last fall. I have a few trips lined out so far.
Spring bear hunt with the wife. Should be fun, I have a spot picked out the last time we went there we saw 22 bears in 4 days.
Bear hunt with the kids sometime in June.
Lotsa fishing this year with the family and the annual dip-netting trip with the wife
Sheep hunting per usual, hopefully the ram we chased last year made the winter
Moose hunt with a buddy
Maybe a trip south to hunt deer either in SE AK with the fam.

 

[MaddH]

Glad to hear that things are looking up Doug. So far I’ve had a trip to Nebraska competing with my Lab Koda in some bird dog events. Next up Nationals in Kansas for the dog, wife is going along so it should be a fun trip. July brings my cow bison hunt on the Crow reservation m which I’m totally stoked about. Hoping to draw a good tag or two in my home state of Nevada too. If not more bird hunting in South Dakota. Possibly go to Colorado for deer and elk to help my 86 yr old uncle out, no hunting for me just enjoying time with him. Maybe some Montana fly fishing in store too

 

[WyoDoug]

Glad to hear that things are looking up Doug. So far I’ve had a trip to Nebraska competing with my Lab Koda in some bird dog events. Next up Nationals in Kansas for the dog, wife is going along so it should be a fun trip. July brings my cow bison hunt on the Crow reservation m which I’m totally stoked about. Hoping to draw a good tag or two in my home state of Nevada too. If not more bird hunting in South Dakota. Possibly go to Colorado for deer and elk to help my 86 yr old uncle out, no hunting for me just enjoying time with him. Maybe some Montana fly fishing in store too

If you go Colorado, I recommend looking at GMU 106/107 and look at plains deer. They are wheat and corn fed and can't get no better tasting meat and some massive trophies in both mulies and whites. You would want to spend a week or two before hunt scouting and getting permissions. You generally will have no trouble especially if you asked with a case of beer in yer hands or offerred them a fifty spot trespass fee. I got my permissions due to family in the area and helping them thru the year repairing fences.

 

[MaddH]

If you go Colorado, I recommend looking at GMU 106/107 and look at plains deer. They are wheat and corn fed and can't get no better tasting meat and some massive trophies in both mulies and whites. You would want to spend a week or two before hunt scouting and getting permissions. You generally will have no trouble especially if you asked with a case of beer in yer hands or offerred them a fifty spot trespass fee. I got my permissions due to family in the area and helping them thru the year repairing fences.

Appreciate the info. My uncle has his own property with some pretty decent hunting. When I was younger he basically taught me how to deer hunt. I’m hoping he is able to hunt this year as his age is catching up to him. I just want to go be a pack mule for him and enjoy the time with him again

 

[WyoDoug]

Appreciate the info. My uncle has his own property with some pretty decent hunting. When I was younger he basically taught me how to deer hunt. I’m hoping he is able to hunt this year as his age is catching up to him. I just want to go be a pack mule for him and enjoy the time with him again

I am from and grew up in Colorado. I would love to hunt that State again but can't see paying the NR rates when I am after the meat primarily and I can find the same game here in Wyoming.

 

[WyoDoug]

Got a few things going this year and can't wait for it to happen:

• Antelope - I plan to go out preseason during archery with my crossbow mainly to do scouting and especially if I draw doe tags (which I do not expect to happen but you never know if you win the lottery or not). Then I will be going out with two long time buddies. I landed permission to park an RV on private land right smack in the middle of hunting area so that saves a bit on gas plus I can skin speed goats and leave the viscera and scraps for the coyotes to find (lots of those in the area).
• Deer - I will have a general deer plus putting in for doe tags which are hard to draw in Wyoming.
• Pheasant - I expect to draw, these are pretty easy
• Sharpies - got to watch for prairie chickens because they are in the area but biologist says quite rare and illegal to hunt if I see them. Going to have someone with me to help identify them because I just don't have a lot of experience with them.
• Doves and small game, might take out some of those banded doves (considered an invasive spieces in Wyoming with no limits nor restrictions to the methods of taking them).

And lots of fishing.

Not a full hunting schedule but it's what I am able to do with the health issues I am dealing with and keep it on a budget this year.