Wyoming is Reducing Number of 2021 Antelope Tags

[Bluffgruff]

The total number of tags was the same even when one person can shoot 4 does and 2 bucks.
Antelope are highly productive when conditions are good, but decline quickly when conditions are poor.
Winter of 2010-2011 was catastrophic in some parts of WY, but things were much better by 2015. I like the decrease in pressure.

 

[Buffs35]

It's very nice to see a State actually manage the wildlife instead of just using it as a cash cow. If numbers are down tags should be cut.

Absolutely.

 

[CPAjeff]

Good move Wyoming!

 

[elkhnter]

Mixed feelings on this one. I’m happy that Wyoming takes a proactive approach to wildlife management.
Other hand, it stinks that the unit I applied for was cut drastically. With my points, I was pretty much guaranteed a tag.
We’ll see what happens.

 

[Khunter]

None of my choices were impacted, guess I got lucky.

Depends on how you define “impact”.....When guys pile on to you choices dodging the reduction areas you will be impacted.

 

[wytex]

Who would have thought allowing hunters to kill 4 does apiece to appease ranchers would hurt populations. It took what, over a decade of that to finally put the hurt on antelope. That is how robust the population used to be....

Humm, maybe you should get out and check on conditions before making those types of statements. Not all pronghorn are on private ranches, but maybe you didn't know that. The populations will be robust again when their range will support it and weather cooperates.

 

[Hyperlight66]

I've been planning my first DIY Antelope hunt since January. So, I've been following the Wyoming antelope tag cuts closely. My primary goal was to pick a unit with a moderate chance of drawing doe tags, while still having some room to hunt, that is a tough undertaking in its own right. Now with tag cuts, I fell like all the 2019 and 2020 draw odds are thrown out the window. The unit I had circled to apply for got drastically cut. I'm going to wait for the final quotas to be released before reviewing my notes from over the winter.

I've been reading on here over the last couple months. This site has been a wealth of knowledge and had given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone of hunting. Thank you everyone!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've been planning my first DIY Antelope hunt since January. So, I've been following the Wyoming antelope tag cuts closely. My primary goal was to pick a unit with a moderate chance of drawing doe tags, while still having some room to hunt, that is a tough undertaking in its own right. Now with tag cuts, I fell like all the 2019 and 2020 draw odds are thrown out the window. The unit I had circled to apply for got drastically cut. I'm going to wait for the final quotas to be released before reviewing my notes from over the winter.

I've been reading on here over the last couple months. This site has been a wealth of knowledge and had given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone of hunting. Thank you everyone!

There's some game theory to it...not impossible lots of folks bail from your unit app for "greener pastures", and your odds stay close to the same even with a reduced quota. Best of luck either way.

 

[BuzzH]

Humm, maybe you should get out and check on conditions before making those types of statements. Not all pronghorn are on private ranches, but maybe you didn't know that. The populations will be robust again when their range will support it and weather cooperates.

Its not all about habitat and weather conditions...by a long shot.

Was talking with @JM77 last night, one area he hunts had 1000 any pronghorn and 1000 doe tags issued in 1983...this year, 75 any and 0 doe tags.

That's not range and weather related...by a long shot.

I've witnessed the same in many areas since I moved here 20 years ago...in fact, a vast majority of areas are pretty similar. Way less pronghorn and over-hunting has been a contributing factor, no question.

Blaming the weather, range conditions, etc. while convenient...doesn't paint the whole picture.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I've been planning my first DIY Antelope hunt since January. So, I've been following the Wyoming antelope tag cuts closely. My primary goal was to pick a unit with a moderate chance of drawing doe tags, while still having some room to hunt, that is a tough undertaking in its own right. Now with tag cuts, I fell like all the 2019 and 2020 draw odds are thrown out the window. The unit I had circled to apply for got drastically cut. I'm going to wait for the final quotas to be released before reviewing my notes from over the winter.

I've been reading on here over the last couple months. This site has been a wealth of knowledge and had given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone of hunting. Thank you everyone!

The ol' four two will be back in a couple years, don't worry

 

[wytex]

Its not all about habitat and weather conditions...by a long shot.

Was talking with @JM77 last night, one area he hunts had 1000 any pronghorn and 1000 doe tags issued in 1983...this year, 75 any and 0 doe tags.

That's not range and weather related...by a long shot.

I've witnessed the same in many areas since I moved here 20 years ago...in fact, a vast majority of areas are pretty similar. Way less pronghorn and over-hunting has been a contributing factor, no question.

Blaming the weather, range conditions, etc. while convenient...doesn't paint the whole picture.

I agree. But, you can not fight mother nature. Do you know what happened those years, massive severe drought maybe, ranchers with the commission's ears, etc. Just looking at numbers doesn't tell the whole story.
I know range we see very frequently is not the same as it was 30 years ago, and I'm not talking private land. Something has to give .
Over hunting absolutely has contributed, I am not disagreeing with that.
Interesting conversation in light of the 90/10 debates.
Sounds like now is the time for residents to really push commissioners to keep our leftover pronghorn licenses in the resident side of the draw and not roll them over to the NR side, but that's another thread.

 

[antelopedundee]

They must be running out of antelope.

 

[BuzzH]

They must be running out of antelope.

Todays commission meeting proved they are running out of pronghorn.

There were over 70K pronghorn tags issued in 1990...30 years later, we're down to 49,710 per the commission meeting today.

Wyoming better get on the stick with Pronghorn and lay off the tag printing press.

I can hardly wait for the high pitched whining and crying when the draw results are posted.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Yeah, but many areas aren't coming back even with severely reduced quotas for many years. Areas that used to look like the Serengeti even with lots of tags back in the day aren't supporting those kind of numbers anymore even with super low tag numbers. I agree, some pretty disappointed folks this year come the draw...

 

[rwc101]

That video was taken during our big snowstorm a few weeks ago which definitely killed some pronghorn.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Todays commission meeting proved they are running out of pronghorn.

There were over 70K pronghorn tags issued in 1990...30 years later, we're down to 49,710 per the commission meeting today.

Wyoming better get on the stick with Pronghorn and lay off the tag printing press.

I can hardly wait for the high pitched whining and crying when the draw results are posted.

I saw the days of plenty 35+ years ago. Ranchers practically begged hunters to shoot antelope. Those days are long gone. IMO over hunting was the root cause of the drastic decline in numbers.

 

[clayPA]

Looking to head out there on my first hunt this year. Still have confidence in the opportunity to shoot one, but will wait until quotas are finalized to apply.

 

[BuzzH]

Looking to head out there on my first hunt this year. Still have confidence in the opportunity to shoot one, but will wait until quotas are finalized to apply.

Department recommended quotas were finalized and rubber stamped today by the commission.

 

[Fremont15]

I agree. But, you can not fight mother nature. Do you know what happened those years, massive severe drought maybe, ranchers with the commission's ears, etc. Just looking at numbers doesn't tell the whole story.
I know range we see very frequently is not the same as it was 30 years ago, and I'm not talking private land. Something has to give .
Over hunting absolutely has contributed, I am not disagreeing with that.
Interesting conversation in light of the 90/10 debates.
Sounds like now is the time for residents to really push commissioners to keep our leftover pronghorn licenses in the resident side of the draw and not roll them over to the NR side, but that's another thread.

I completely agree on that leftover strategy, and now is the time for a 90/10 split. It’s time we vote out legislators who constantly cater to outfitters and vote for those with the resident hunter in mind.

 

[JM77]

I had a very interesting conversation last night with a biologist with G&F. He is well educated on pronghorn and we had an interesting back and forth on how fertile doe antelope are. He was shocked that my local area is down to 75 tags from 1000/1000. He told me many don't take this downturn of pronghorn numbers seriously enough. I got his meaning. He also said he sees similarities with antelope and the decline of our mule deer herd.

Scary stuff...