Unit 1234 Advice... I Kid

[EastTNHunter]

I’m not asking about specific units, but more about general strategy.

My daughter and I will try to go on a WY public land antelope hunt next year (if points creep doesn’t forego this opportunity), and I had thought about being out there on opening day, but... I have heard that opening day can be a zoo. I want to be able to take our time and enjoy the experience. Putting SOME boot leather on the ground will not be an issue, as we want to hike a little and enjoy the whole experience anyway. We will be going out there without the benefit of laying eyes on the land before our trip, but I plan to e-scout and try to have multiple options before we go.

Soooo, should we just wait until the last week of the season, let the speed goats calm back down, and go out there after most people have filled their tags? We will only have 2 points, so we won’t be likely to draw a unit with a ton of public access, so this may or may not dictate some of your answers.

Or am I just overthinking this, and we should go out there because it’s really not that bad anyway?

 

[jtm307]

In my experience, antelope at the end of season are anything but calm. They are herded up and on high alert. A "zoo" by Wyoming standards is probably pretty sparse to a person coming from TN. I usually go on the second weekend of the season and never have a problem with crowding. Weather is a more important factor than hunter numbers. Late October could easily make you think it's January.

 

[NEWHunter]

Some of your question depends on the unit. I don’t think there is much advantage to going later if the unit has a two week season. Also, the later you go, you’re more likely to run in to cold and snow.

How many days are you going for? You can scout the two days before the opener and hunt the three days after. Lots of folks start showing up mid morning the day before the opener.

If you’ve hunted public land for the Wisconsin deer opener, opening day in WY is not that bad.

 

[Nick87]

How many days are you planning on going? Asking because if your taking a whole week do hunt as some to if there coming from that far, then I'd go first week for sure. If your only hunting 3 days or so maybe second weekend would be better. As stated above it also depends in the unit.

 

[bts09]

My experience has been that by week two, it calms down a ton. Look, with two points, a lot of the units you will be looking at won’t have ample road access. That’s good for you bc so many hunters just cruise the roads. I’ve gone second week two years now and while there are still plenty of road hunters, once I’ve gotten just a little ways off the beaten path, I was alone. All unit specific as they said, but I would target the second week the unit is open. Also mid week is less crowded than weekends.

 

[Pucky Freak]

We will only have 2 points, so we won’t be likely to draw a unit with a ton of public access,

Dang, you have all kinds of options. Check toprut for a free list of what you can easily draw with <2 points (to have a cushion), and even more options with special if you’re inclined to go that route.

I’m pleased with the amount of access I have in my 0 PP regular draw unit I’ll be hunting this fall. Planning to go after the first weekend and do some hiking.

 

[EastTNHunter]

It’s funny that everyone mentions the hunting pressure for TN whitetails, but I hunt public land almost exclusively and have experienced very minimal hunting pressure until the past 2-3 years. I access my small hunting areas via boat, and that extra effort of putting in the boat a little early on a foggy river kept the crowds at bay for a long time. The past 2-3 years have been very discouraging due to the major uptick in bass tournaments and subsequent wave of additional hunting pressure on the lakes near where I hunt. It has really made me long for the wide open spaces that I have experienced once out west. Most of my hunting areas range from 15-150 acres, with a few larger pockets here and there, so you can imagine that I have a hard time comprehending a western antelope hunt with thousands or tens of thousands of acres of public land.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I would echo the depending on the area opinion. If there is good access, then I vote later in the season. Fewer hunters to contend with. I would rather hunt skiddish antelope and not see other hunters. Also, I have hunted plenty of areas where the antelope aren't skiddish at the end of the season. If access is difficult, you might want to think about going earlier. I am basing that off my experience hunting the NE part of the state last year in the November and I think most of the antelope were grouped up on private. I don't think I saw a single antelope on public land.