Wyoming Unit 43 Experience + Question

[Joe700]

Hello!

Recently finished a 3 day hunt in Unit 43 in Wyoming and thought that since so many were kind enough to share tips and their experience in the unit, I should also share my experience.

Long story short, we hunted on one of the large HMAs and camped nearby. Hunted hard for 3 days and no success. Weather was iffy with two days of very high winds. We saw a TON of antelope but almost all were very skittish and it was very difficult to get within 500 yards (usually they spooked before 500 yards). I am no expert but thought we saw a few bucks that were good sized. The landscape was great and worth the trip. Seems like a fantastic state.

As a out of stater, I was surprised at how many antelope we saw and how high of a percent were bucks. I was also surprised at the lack of cover and how difficult it was to get anywhere close to these animals.

We saw a few hunters but crowds were not bad. There was definitely evidence of other antelope that were taken earlier in the season on the property.

My questions-

1. We drew this unit on one point. Speaking generally, are antelope easier to get close to (less spooky) in harder to draw units because there are less hunters? Or is it that there is better chance of a trophy? Or perhaps more cover? I am asking cause I am wondering if it makes sense to save points for a different future experience.

2. In crowded public units like this, is going the opening weekend crucial to increasing success odds or are they always this spooky?

Thanks and good luck this fall to all!

 

[NEWHunter]

Glad you had an enjoyable experience. I’ve only hunted them once in a 0 point unit. I got mine opening day and scouted the two days prior. They appeared to get more skittish once the shooting started. In the 3 point unit next door there were certainly some decent looking antelope that looked to be very killable two weeks into the season. And by killable I mean it looked like you could get within 200 yards easy, given the topography.

Thanks for sharing. Give it another shot.

 

[wytex]

Once the season opens generally they are all skittish. You'll have to crawl a ways , use what terrain you have or put the low sun directly behind you and walk right at them. A fence post can help as well.
I just got through with a day of chasing phantom bucks around.
We have had to resort to splitting up and having one hunter show themselves to push the bucks towards another hunter.
Even low sage can provide the cover you need for a slow crawl into range.
Flagging them works as well.

 

[cahunter805]

Their eyesight is comparable to 8x binos and they have a very wide field of view.
Learn to use the tiny folds and draws to conceal your movements. Never skyline yourself.
Units that take more points tend to have less hunters/tags and many times more public land but then animals are still a wild animal and thus usually still skid dish.
Good luck and definitely apply again. Pronghorn are extremely fun to hunt.

 

[tteel]

Following here for some good advice.

 

[LCH]

I think that area is pretty well flat as a pancake. I like a little bit of topography.

 

[BuzzH]

I’d say if you had trouble out there you need to change your techniques, slow down and learn how pronghorn behave. Early mornings and late evenings pronghorn are always more calm. Really bad wind does seem to make them more edgy. Lots of ways to go about getting close to pronghorn.

 

[meadster02]

Hello!

Recently finished a 3 day hunt in Unit 43 in Wyoming and thought that since so many were kind enough to share tips and their experience in the unit, I should also share my experience.

Long story short, we hunted on one of the large HMAs and camped nearby. Hunted hard for 3 days and no success. Weather was iffy with two days of very high winds. We saw a TON of antelope but almost all were very skittish and it was very difficult to get within 500 yards (usually they spooked before 500 yards). I am no expert but thought we saw a few bucks that were good sized. The landscape was great and worth the trip. Seems like a fantastic state.

As a out of stater, I was surprised at how many antelope we saw and how high of a percent were bucks. I was also surprised at the lack of cover and how difficult it was to get anywhere close to these animals.

We saw a few hunters but crowds were not bad. There was definitely evidence of other antelope that were taken earlier in the season on the property.

My questions-

1. We drew this unit on one point. Speaking generally, are antelope easier to get close to (less spooky) in harder to draw units because there are less hunters? Or is it that there is better chance of a trophy? Or perhaps more cover? I am asking cause I am wondering if it makes sense to save points for a different future experience.

2. In crowded public units like this, is going the opening weekend crucial to increasing success odds or are they always this spooky?

Thanks and good luck this fall to all!

We are leaving sunday and plan to hunt that unit next week. We also will be hunting the HMA which one were you in?

 

[3855WIN]

Son and I went late two years ago so we could go on his fall break. They were skittish for sure. We had to wait for them to get in a stalkable position. Both shots were about 200 yards. We also experienced high winds. I think there’s been high winds most every day I’ve spent in Wyoming.

 

[wytex]

Wondering to which HMA ? Strouss Hill has good terrain but some flat areas. Laramie River may need to use some hay bales if they're still in the pastures.
Lots of water on the Strouss Hill from the Interstate.

 

[bts09]

This was similar to my first experience. I was actually shocked how skiddish the animals were, because a lot of what I had read on here about antelope hunting made it seem like you just walked up to within a couple hundred yards and took a shot. That was not my experience at all.

One thing I might suggest for next year, if the stalking isn't working for you, is to find a good spot where you think antelope are likely to traverse, and conceal yourself and wait. We got one of ours last year doing that as opposed to spotting and stalking.

On the stalk, you've gotta crawl, sometimes a very long way.

 

[meadster02]

Wondering to which HMA ? Strouss Hill has good terrain but some flat areas. Laramie River may need to use some hay bales if they're still in the pastures.
Lots of water on the Strouss Hill from the Interstate.

Do you know anything about the diamond lake hma?

thanks

 

[thusby]

Honestly, I like to go later in the season. If you can hunt the last week of a 3 week season, then they have generally calmed back down.

Like the others said though, you can always knee crawl behind some waist high sage to get into range. If you can keep one sagebrush between you and their vision line, you can generally get into range. It also helps to key in to smaller sized herds. I would much rather put a stalk on a herd of 8, than a herd of 30.

 

[bowhuntmontana]

Is there a fall day in Wyoming when the wind doesn't blow hard?

 

[wytex]

Sorry meant to say Diamond Lake not Strouss Hill. pm sent

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Hello!

Recently finished a 3 day hunt in Unit 43 in Wyoming and thought that since so many were kind enough to share tips and their experience in the unit, I should also share my experience.

Long story short, we hunted on one of the large HMAs and camped nearby. Hunted hard for 3 days and no success. Weather was iffy with two days of very high winds. We saw a TON of antelope but almost all were very skittish and it was very difficult to get within 500 yards (usually they spooked before 500 yards). I am no expert but thought we saw a few bucks that were good sized. The landscape was great and worth the trip. Seems like a fantastic state.

As a out of stater, I was surprised at how many antelope we saw and how high of a percent were bucks. I was also surprised at the lack of cover and how difficult it was to get anywhere close to these animals.

We saw a few hunters but crowds were not bad. There was definitely evidence of other antelope that were taken earlier in the season on the property.

My questions-

1. We drew this unit on one point. Speaking generally, are antelope easier to get close to (less spooky) in harder to draw units because there are less hunters? Or is it that there is better chance of a trophy? Or perhaps more cover? I am asking cause I am wondering if it makes sense to save points for a different future experience.

2. In crowded public units like this, is going the opening weekend crucial to increasing success odds or are they always this spooky?

Thanks and good luck this fall to all!

We had 4 tags in 43 this year, filled 3 of them on public land but we wont be back to that unit. Too difficult access unless you have an HMA, not as many antelope as we have found on other areas, and its like hunting on the surface of the moon. That combined with no processor anymore in Laramie, so you have to butcher your own animal or drive 45 mins to Cheyenne. We have hunted goats around Laramie for years, but this was our first trip to 43. Just not worth it, won't be back to that unit.

 

[jtm307]

Well, boys and girls, the odds of drawing 43 just went up.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Is there a fall day in Wyoming when the wind doesn't blow hard?

No

 

[BuzzH]

43 is a tough unit to hunt, no doubt. Between the lack of topography, wind, and boatloads of hunters killing everything in sight, its shocking it takes a point to draw. Wasn't that long ago there were leftover tags for both bucks and does.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Do you know anything about the diamond lake hma?

thanks

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