New Prong Hunter

[Rogue Archer]

I'm looking for as much info as I can get. I just stumbled on the tv show and let me say I'm hooked. I have always wanted to hunt "on my own" but didn't know where to begin. The show has given me a place to start.

I live in IL and have only hunted white tails and water fowl. I do travel North to Wis for the gun deer season but in the last couple years the numbers I have seen much less shot at have been cut in half to say the least. I'm looking to go pronghorn hunting out west somewhere but have no idea where to start to research and plan. Also....what caliber rifle should I use. I have a .243 that I deerhunt with but I'm not sure if that is heavy enough. Buying a new rifle is fine since it gives me a reason anyway and will be easier to sell the idea to my wife I have read here that Wyoming seems like the easiest place to start since the non res draws have better odds. But I have no idea where to start looking in Wyoming.

Thanks for all the imput.

 

[WV Hunter]

Welcome to the site. I'm pretty new here too but I have asked the same question. Check out the info posted by Oak in this thread.

http://onyourownadventures.com/huntt...d.php?t=241018

 

[----]

And your .243 is more than enough for antelope unless you REALLY like to reach out there. They're significantly smaller than the whitetail you're used to hunting.

 

[Rogue Archer]

Welcome to the site. I'm pretty new here too but I have asked the same question. Check out the info posted by Oak in this thread.

http://onyourownadventures.com/huntt...d.php?t=241018

Thanks WV but the link you speak of comes up with an error message. "can't find the page your looking for"

 

[WV Hunter]

Here is the info that Oak posted:

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Welcome to the forum, critter.

The first thing I suggest that you do is buy a preference point for the WY draw. You have until the end of September to buy a point on the G&F website ($30). That will give you a better chance in next summer's draw.

Then it's time to pick a unit. The map at the following link has the antelope units overlayed on a land status map of the state. This will allow you to see how much public land is available in each unit. This map is also overlayed with the BLM map names that correspond with each area.

http://plicmapcenter.org/pdf/WY_BLM_Antelope_PLIA.pdf

Go to the Resources page on this website and look at Wyoming draw odds for non-residents with 1 point. These are the odds from last year, but will give you an idea of how tough or easy it is to draw each unit. When you are looking at the odds, if you don't select a specific unit, it will show you all the hunts in the state. This will allow you to quickly scan down the page and find all the hunts that take 1 or fewer points to draw.

Once you've decided on a unit to apply for, order some BLM maps using the following form.

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medial...t/wy9160-1.pdf

This is much cheaper than ordering the maps from plicmapcenter.com. I called the number on that form the other day and ordered 15 maps, rather than mailing the form. It only took about 3 minutes, the maps are only $4 apiece, and they charge no shipping. They will also send you lots of information about accessing, camping, hunting, etc on public lands in Wyoming as well. I got my maps in about 3-4 days. You want to order the Surface Management maps. They also have a large land status map of the entire state that is also very helpful (It looks just like the map at the first link I posted). It is $4 as well.

That should get you started. Good luck, and if you have any other general questions, I'm sure someone here can help. Probably won't give you their favorite units to hunt, but you understand.

 

[Rogue Archer]

Thanks for the input Randy11. I love the way my .243 shoots. Still might get a new rifle anyway. I have been looking at a 300 WSM or a .300 RCM I don't have a custom built rifle and have always wanted one. Someday my dream is to hunt elk somewhere out west and I know my .243 will not be up to the task. I already have a custom action but have not started the build. I have read alot of guys love the .300 mag but I'm not a fan of a long action rifle for my own personal reasons. My cousin has a .300 WSM and I love the way it shoots. But the new RCMs have caught my attention as well.

 

[Ridgerunner1CO]

Other possibilities!

The 243 will bring down an antelope but also the 25-06 (100 or 115 gr) or 270 (130 gr.). They are all flat shooting. One thing if you were to consider the 25-06 is the price of ammo which is a little higher than the 243 or 270 but still not out of reach. I would suggest pulling up the 243, the 25-06 and 270 on Google in reference to antelope hunting for more info.
I've used my 25-06 with much appreciation and success getting antelope ,sometimes at relatively long range,in both Wyoming and Colorado. It's also a great deer rifle!

But if you were to invest in another rifle I would recomend checking out the Jack O'Connor stories using the 270 Winchester in getting an antelope.In reading those stories you'll find out the 270 also is widely used here in the mountains for deer ,bighorn sheep. mtn. goats, and elk! This could be the excuse needed for your wife especially if you decide to hunt more species out West!
The tendancy today is that you need to go after game with a "Super" caliber gun and the ammo costing a considerable sum.
A well aimed shot in the right place is what is needed!
Best of luck in your new adventure hunting in the West! I hope this helps you in your decision on keeping the 243 or if it's feasible to consider, perhaps, a 270 which you can use for all western game.

 

[1_pointer]

Don't let us talk you out of getting a new rifle, but then again it's not neccessarily needed for pronghorn either. Heck a big buck would be lucky to have the body size of a big IL doe!

Don't be afraid to put in for units with lots of private land, IF, they have some Hunter Management Areas or Walk-in Areas. One thing that does chap me a little about WY is that the HMA booklet doesn't come out until AFTER the draw. But, you can get the info for the HMA's off their website for the previous year before then.

I've hunted thrice on HMA on private land and had a good experience. The one I hunted only allows a certain number of tags on for the first two weeks. Which was nice, but the sticker is that you have to be online getting your permission slip as soon as they go up for grabs.

 

[Khunter]

At the risk of ruining your marriage, suggest subscribing to the huntin' fool magazine in addition to picking the fine brains found on this site. You will be bombarded with stacks of detailed info on getting in to the myriad and complex lottery tag draws out west for every species and state you may want to hunt. Do not plan just for Wyoming but set yourself up for a string of hunts in several states over the years by starting to build points. Without a doubt, if in three years you finally decide this is the year you will come out west you will wish you had already started building preference points. WY, NM, AZ, UT hunt regs are out and application periods have started.

Just the other day my wife said "Tell me you aren't starting to plan and scout next year's hunts already" I lied and said 'yep'. The white lie was that I had never stopped dreaming and scheming the next hunt after the final 2009 hunt wrapped but was just keeping it on the down-low so I looked to the casual observer like a doting husband for a full weeks of the year Actually we are elk hunting tomorrow for the wife's elk so I guess I still have not reach the last hunt of 2009...It NEVER ends once IT gets its hooks into you. Beware.

FYI if you are a rogue archer, know that all the WY rifle lope tags allow you to buy and hunt an arcehry permit prior to gun season. You could hunt for 2 months on a WY lope tag!

 

[MN Public Hunter]

I'm looking at going to WY for my first ever out of state hunt, other than ND for deer years ago, for pronghorn and I'm a bit taken back by my draw odds other than in zones that have very little public land. I have zero pref point so all the zones like 90, 61, 64...with what seems to be allot of public are not going to happen for me. While I could put in for 72 and more than likely get drawn, but have very little public land and pray knocking on doors would get me some permission.

Any thoughts on what this non-res should do?

 

[mixedbag]

i pointer gave you the best imfo to get in the game this year.Go to the website and view all the HMAs from last year.Most of these are in places you WILL draw with zero points and 2nd choices.Being 2nd choice is important as you will gain a preference point for next year, as long as you buy one.You only lose your points for 1st choices in Wy..
I killed my buck on a HMA last year, and had a blast.Opening day of bow wasn't too crowded; nor the first week.I went back in rifle for the 2nd week and scored.Antelope were everywhere.It was nothing to see 50-100 antelope everyday.You will have to pay attention to what they are doing under pressure.I noticed they changed a bit by the 3rd day of bow season, and used that in my gun season plan.It took me less then 5 minutes to score in gun season, but I had a good plan.If I would have been 5 minutes later to my spot, who knows what would have happened.I also saw some GIANT bucks in archery on this property so the trophies are there.I'll probably be back again for archery as thats a BIG challenge this year.I had my shot last year, but misjudged the yardage
Do a little homework, and get out there this year.You will love it.Can't wait to take my son in 2 years, but he may get a taste next year tagging along