Too much of a good thing?

[VikingsGuy]

Two other guys and I are going WY 'lope hunting for the first time in Oct (unit 9). We have whitetail experience so while western hunting will be new, hunting in general will not.

The way we applied for tags was as an applicant group with the goal of each of us getting 1 buck tag or if we didn't pull buck, then maybe we would pull 2 doe tags as a consolation. But since the buck and doe draws are independent of one another we could have gotten none or both. The hunting gods were with us in June and we ended up pulling both buck and 2 does for the party tag. -- 8 'lopes in all (one of the guys screwed up his app and only put in for 1 doe).

We are going to have 5 days to hunt (Having Sunday to scout and hunting Monday opener through Friday, leaving first light Saturday AM) and would prefer to do so together and not split up. We have plenty of room in the coolers, but 8 lopes found, stalked, shot, dressed and packed on ice in 5 days is starting to feel a bit much. Does this seem like too much, or does 'lope hunting for meat (and not trophy) lend itself to this volume? It wouldn't be the end of the world to skip a doe tag or two at the end, but just getting a sense of what we should expect from those who have been there before.

 

[El Jason]

It’s certainly doable.

 

[deer_shooter]

Yes, that is doable, though splitting up may make it a little easier.

 

[wytex]

2 antelope each at day is very doable for each of you. Look for a nice buck and take those doe as they present themselves.

 

[JohnCushman]

Hold off on shooting a buck until you've seen your hunting area and buck population. Shoot your does and scope the bucks for a couple of days.

 

[cgarner]

Last year a buddy and I got 7 in 2 days. It is very doable if you find a lot of antelope and don't miss too many opportunities. Set up a second shooter as sometimes a group of Antelope will not run far after the first shot.

 

[jtm307]

If the warm dry weather persists, antelope will concentrate where there's water and greener grass. If you all can coordinate well, you could kill 3 antelope in a matter of seconds. After you shoot, don't stand up right away and high-five each other. Stay still and see what the herd does. I've seen them run in a circle in confusion, only to essentially end up where they were when I shot. 8 antelope in 5 days is doable. Once you find places with higher concentrations of animals, killing three or more in a day is very doable.

 

[El Jason]

^This.

I shot a buck once from about 100 yards. The rest of the herd ran around in a couple of circles then gathered up to watch their now deceased buddy. It would have been quite easy to shoot 1 or 2 more.

 

[Muskeez]

great advice:
And as far as the bucks go, stop and look at every buck you see from the road on the way out west your first day, before season starts, even if they are outside of your hunt area. After 10-20 you will learn what is a small, med., Large, XL buck in your eyes. As long as inches and record books don't matter then that's all you really need to know. Then set your goals as you see fit for yourself. I have one friend that plans to shoot the first buck he sees, and another friend that wants to look for a pretty good one first. Each person is different and neither is wrong, enjoy the hunt and the travels!