DIY Eastern Colorado Antelope hunt.

[blacksheep]

I'm wanting to plan an eastern Colorado antelope hunt this year or next. I want public land and I'm not looking for a trophy, just a good representation of a mature antelope buck. I have everything that I would need for a hunt, just need a place to go. I'm not asking anyone for their honey holes, just where I can access public land that holds antelope. My western hunting dreams started with wanting to hunt antelope and now I have the time to do so. I harvested my first bull elk on my 2nd try in October of 2021 in north central Colorado and it was a blast. I have always dreamt of hunting antelope and mule deer and I hope i can make those dreams come true one at a time.

Thanks,

blacksheep

 

[JohnCushman]

How many points do you have?

 

[Dsnow9]

Why Colorado?

 

[2rocky]

Your question is easily answered with some research on your part. There's a lot of us who did ours and we don't appreciate when someone asks to copy our work. I hope you understand that perspective.

I'd look at other states as well.....

 

[Bluffgruff]

I hesitate to do this, but if you really have no where to start, here's a gift.

CPW Atlas

ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu

Play around on this. Then cross reference with the draw stats from last year.

A honey hole is defined as a place where there are publicly available animals, regardless of how many points it takes to draw. You can find your own with this map and a few days of driving around before the season.

Welcome [back] to hunttalk!

 

[BoulderBulls]

I'd look elsewhere unless you have a stash of points.

 

[chilidog61]

Agreed with BoulderBulls. For now I would build points in Colorado and focus maybe in Wyoming if you really want to antelope. You use to have a chance at pulling an antelope in tag in Wyoming with zero points but that has gotten more difficult. Wyoming still has more opportunities then Colorado with zero or low points. Unfortunately, building points is something you will have to get use to to hunt some big game in Colorado. Congrats on the Elk though! Not an easy task so maybe you'll be the odds with an antelope too.

 

[mrklean]

The other issues is Eastern CO has very little public land

 

[TOGIE]

diy public land antelope hunt east of I25 on public land that holds pronghorn?

 

[mrklean]

Maybe I'm just a bit salty because its -25 today in MN but between here, Facebook and other forums i am seeing 10+ posts a day asking the exact same thing as above and most have 0 points asking where to hunt. I am glad ppl are wanting to hunt but come on ppl do some research first then maybe ask more specific questions. Sorry rant over

 

[CountingCoo]

I've been hunting Eastern CO for antelope for years on private land. I've lost count of the number of times I have watched out of state hunters (and in state) shooting from roads on to private property. They show up with no idea where they are going to hunt and just drive around road hunting. They even drive across private land for miles. We once had some idiot shoot at a doe multiple times and send a bullet tumbling right past our camper (parked in plain view) while we were sitting in it. No public land for 20 miles. Game warden handled that one while the "hunter's" young son watched.

I've been big game hunting for 45 years and I'm starting to feel like I cant deal with the nonsense anymore. Every idiot out there is shooting at 500 plus yards, congratulating themselves for their fine shooting after 4 shots and 1 in the guts. Hardly a season passes that I don't find dead animals in the field. If they have to walk more than 100 yards they hop in the UTV. No sense, no manners, no consideration for other hunters.

The sooner the comet comes the better.

To blacksheep:

An Eastern Co antelope hunt can be done on walk in access areas. Don't hunt opening week. Don't hunt on the weekends. Having said that, there are much better hunts available in other states. The antelope in Eastern CO tend to have smaller horns than just about anywhere in WY or Montana. Droughts hit them hard every few years and numbers yo-yo up and down. I'd suggest you put in for antelope doe tags in an area that you can draw later for bucks in WY or MT. Use the doe tags as an opportunity to learn how to properly hunt antelope while you build points. Get off the roads, on foot and stalk them. Knee pads are standard equipment for serious pronghorn hunters. Antelope don't need to be shot from 400 yards. I've killed around 35 and have shot only 1 over 300 yards and that was a mistake. My average shot distance is about 150 and this includes antelope in WY, MT, ID and CO, on public or private. We have killed many at under 50 yards. Good luck and please do not become another one "those guys".

 

[SDW]

I'd look elsewhere unless you have a stash of p

I'd look elsewhere unless you have a stash of points.

I draw a muzzle loader tag first try with no points am hunting GMU 119

 

[Ponderado]

I've been hunting Eastern CO for antelope for years on private land. I've lost count of the number of times I have watched out of state hunters (and in state) shooting from roads on to private property. They show up with no idea where they are going to hunt and just drive around road hunting. They even drive across private land for miles. We once had some idiot shoot at a doe multiple times and send a bullet tumbling right past our camper (parked in plain view) while we were sitting in it. No public land for 20 miles. Game warden handled that one while the "hunter's" young son watched.

I've been big game hunting for 45 years and I'm starting to feel like I cant deal with the nonsense anymore. Every idiot out there is shooting at 500 plus yards, congratulating themselves for their fine shooting after 4 shots and 1 in the guts. Hardly a season passes that I don't find dead animals in the field. If they have to walk more than 100 yards they hop in the UTV. No sense, no manners, no consideration for other hunters.

The sooner the comet comes the better.

To blacksheep:

An Eastern Co antelope hunt can be done on walk in access areas. Don't hunt opening week. Don't hunt on the weekends. Having said that, there are much better hunts available in other states. The antelope in Eastern CO tend to have smaller horns than just about anywhere in WY or Montana. Droughts hit them hard every few years and numbers yo-yo up and down. I'd suggest you put in for antelope doe tags in an area that you can draw later for bucks in WY or MT. Use the doe tags as an opportunity to learn how to properly hunt antelope while you build points. Get off the roads, on foot and stalk them. Knee pads are standard equipment for serious pronghorn hunters. Antelope don't need to be shot from 400 yards. I've killed around 35 and have shot only 1 over 300 yards and that was a mistake. My average shot distance is about 150 and this includes antelope in WY, MT, ID and CO, on public or private. We have killed many at under 50 yards. Good luck and please do not become another one "those guys".

Can I ask which GMU? I pulled a private land doe tag this fall and am looking for a landowner willing to give me access. I'm happy to mend fences or shovel horse stalls! Also very happy to walk a ways, get my belly in the dirt, and not be one of 'those guys.'

 

[elkduds]

Can I ask which GMU? I pulled a private land doe tag this fall and am looking for a landowner willing to give me access. I'm happy to mend fences or shovel horse stalls! Also very happy to walk a ways, get my belly in the dirt, and not be one of 'those guys.'

Welcome to HT. Years ago I talked w several CPW DWMs (wardens). They suggested some landowners in southeast CO. I contacted them, one was amenable to me hunting his land, he helped me kill my 1st pronghorn. I'll never forget him or that hunt.

 

[Ponderado]

Welcome to HT. Years ago I talked w several CPW DWMs (wardens). They suggested some landowners in southeast CO. I contacted them, one was amenable to me hunting his land, he helped me kill my 1st pronghorn. I'll never forget him or that hunt.

Thanks for the welcome! My first step was to call the local CPW office and ask if there were any landowners in the unit who were open to folks hunting their property. I was told CPW doesn't give out any kind of personal information like that. A friend also suggested Infinite Outdoors, but there's no listings for my GMU. I'm too new to send personal messages, but if you still have the contact info for those wardens, I sure would be grateful if you'd be willing to share it.

 

[elkduds]

Thanks for the welcome! My first step was to call the local CPW office and ask if there were any landowners in the unit who were open to folks hunting their property. I was told CPW doesn't give out any kind of personal information like that. A friend also suggested Infinite Outdoors, but there's no listings for my GMU. I'm too new to send personal messages, but if you still have the contact info for those wardens, I sure would be grateful if you'd be willing to share it.

This was 20 years ago, all concerned are retired or dead. However, you can call the nearest CPW field office to your selected units, ask for the name and phone # of the DWM for your unit, have a phone conversation about how to find sympathetic landowners. Good luck.