Bummed for my boys - No WY Lope tags

[bbright]

Researched the heck out of GO HUNT and narrowed down to GMU 29 for antelope with 2 points for my boys. They did not draw. Very bummed for them - particularly my soon to be 8th grader that will be hot and heavy into football after this year during hunting season. Very disappointed and interested to see if the issue was reduction in tags or sharp jump in interest in the unit or possibly bad information. I have 2 great hunts lined up for me this year. Wish I could give them up and get the boys on this hunt. Dang it.

 

[jtm307]

Have you considered applying for leftover doe tags?

 

[ida homer]

Sucks. Controlled unlimited bow tags for antelope buck tags in Idaho. You might be able to pick up something leftover in WY. Just be prepared to work harder and navigate around private.

 

[bbright]

Doe Tags

Have you considered applying for leftover doe tags?

I am considering. Wasn't after a trophy (inches) but did hope to chase both bucks and does. Evaluating land owner tag options as well. Looking at the points for 2017, looks like a bunch of 2 pf point folks jumped into the unit draw and that sunk us.

Not bow hunters yet and I'll only have 2.5 days to hunt with travel from TX, school and other commitments. Probably needs to be a rifle with those limitations. Doe tags will probably still fit the bill for the family time I was angling for. May look at CO or NM cow elk tags later in the year too. Kicking myself for not doing the special tag to guarantee the draw.

Thanks for the helpful input. I'll study up on the leftover doe tag option. Was really looking forward to the antelope steaks too after all the talk about how tasty the meet can be. Must work on plan B.

 

[WapitiBob]

Leftovers

 

[EBOLAVIRS]

There are left over buck tags in unit 109. If you get some PM me and I will tell you where you can go on public to get some bucks. It wont be the Wyoming experience you hope for, they wont be big, but you will get bucks and at least enjoy a trip with your boys.

 

[50bowhunter]

Sorry man. My dad and I got tags for 29 in the special draw. I think 29 had the same amount of tags as last year, just more applicants. I had debated on applying for 27 and glad I didn't, point creep exploded in that area.

 

[3855WIN]

If money isn't right, get the NM landowner tag list and call until you find tags. We did that with the boys before they got big and had a great hunt.

 

[Millsworks]

I sent a pm.
Have you thought of a Wy cow elk hunt? The reduced price tags aren't much more than a buck antelope and some parts of Wy has lots of cows near National Forest on state lands.
The leftover tag list is on G+F site. Lots of antelope tags available still.

 

[duckhunt]

Hope you get something lined up.

 

[Millsworks]

Time away with the family will be worth an extra day or two of missed work or school.
Most of the travel expenses are in time and fuel getting to and from your destination.
Plan ahead for time. Antelope might be a couple day possibility, but cow elk could take longer to find.
Especially on BLM surrounded by private land.

Success could take a little longer than we might hope.

Wishing you best of luck.

 

[Muskeez]

From a Dad whose kids just grew up and are off to college and jobs; Don't worry about football/school/sports/or kids jobs. Those are only small slivers of time in their lives. When they are 20 or 50 or 80, they won't remember if they missed a game or how many tackles they got or if their coach was mad at them and benched them for half a game, but they will remember the antelope or elk hunt they got to take with their dad and how Dad did what it took to make sure they had fun. Filled tags are only part of the fun. Take time to stop along the road and be a tourist too. Hope you can get them out somewhere, best wishes!!!

 

[1_pointer]

From a Dad whose kids just grew up and are off to college and jobs; Don't worry about football/school/sports/or kids jobs. Those are only small slivers of time in their lives. When they are 20 or 50 or 80, they won't remember if they missed a game or how many tackles they got or if their coach was mad at them and benched them for half a game, but they will remember the antelope or elk hunt they got to take with their dad and how Dad did what it took to make sure they had fun. Filled tags are only part of the fun. Take time to stop along the road and be a tourist too. Hope you can get them out somewhere, best wishes!!!

I hear you!! That said, it's very hard for me to put that into action. Very hard. I did do so this year and Big Brother missed a weekend of basketball to make it to the gun season opener. Shot his first buck! Guessing I know which he'll remember. That said, I have a hard time not keeping them to their (our) commitments. I grew up in a household where that wasn't allowed. Interesting point was made to me over the weekend by my wife's cousin. She stated the importance of summer break fun/memories was made greater to her when someone pointed out that they only get 18 of them. Made me realize it's even less for hunting seasons...