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Unit 16 Wyoming

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Mmilne

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Jun 4, 2016
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Anyone do any good in unit 16? I have a buddy that has had luck there but from what I can tell from the maps it looks like you may have to walk a bit to address the limited access. By the way the forum and the folks on here are are super!
 
It's a steep, cut up SOB, several rigs at every access point, and a cpl mile hike to get to them. I saw less than 50 total and 4 on huntable ground. Others did well but were in a cpl miles. The two ranchers I talked to said they had a disease problem that killed a bunch prior to last season and both were rather vocal at the number of tags.
 
I did ok in unit 16 and will be back again this year, I drove 133 miles around the roads in that unit before season and was on maybe 15 miles at most of public ground that touched the road. We got 5 antelope in 3 days, all over 1.5 miles from the truck. Its do able but you'll need to get off the road and work for them. I enjoy leaving the truck and walking a long ways so I found it quite enjoyable. The scenery was what made the whole hunt worth while, I wish you best of luck.

Goat
 
My friend and I hunted unit 16 last year at the end of the first week. We hiked our tails off and barely saw any antelope on public ground. We put a stalk on 3 very small bucks and a doe the first evening. Got to within 150 yards and watched them for about an hour. We passed them up figuring we would have more opportunities. Those opportunities didn't come. I would go a couple days before season and hunt opening day if I were to hunt that unit again. After that they get pressured and move onto private.

That being said, this was also our first time ever hunting out west let alone hunting pronghorn. But we did talk to a few other hunters that had been hunting antelope for 30 years and they said they have never hunted that hard for antelope in their lives...
 
I connected on a buck, and I went second week. Like everyone said, you will WORK for a shot opportunity! I saw a LOT of orange hats, and all the locals were commenting on the huge number of hunters. I spoke with every hunter I came across, and didn't encounter a single successful hunter in the several days I was there. I walked endless miles and shot the only buck I ever saw.

You will really need to get far away from the roads, and maybe even camp in the unit (I did). You will absolutely need a GPS with a chip, and BRING GOOD BOOTS!!!
 
Hunted it last year second week and ended up taking a small buck on public. Same as others have said, plenty of antelope, but on private land or on public that wasn't accessible. I have a friend that ranches there and had never seen so many people opening weekend. They have a section of public on the road to their place and opening day had 4-5 vehicles on it. If I were to do it again I would hunt the same time frame and skip the opening weekend craziness and expect to walk. Also, I wouldn't be picky on a buck, if you get a good opportunity take it. I was kinda hoping to get on my buddy's place but their family leases it out to outfitters. He did mention that they have let people on their land after the buck season if they just have doe tags. So I think that would be an option for people just looking for a doe, go after the buck season and there will be much less pressure and you might be able to get on private land.
 
Thanks for the input guys! Like I said before a wealth of knowledge on this forum. I'm bringing the wifey with me and love to hear her complain so we'll probably hoof it quite a bit. Maybe I can convince her to camp out! Only problem is I know she's gonna make me carry the meat. At least it won't be her purse, I hope 😉
 
My wife and I hunted 16 for the first time last year. Saw plenty of antelope, but most were on private land. I had a buck and two doe licenses and she had one of each. She filled both of hers including a small buck. I only filled one doe tag. I did have a chance at a small buck that was with hers, but passes and did not see another buck on public. The closest we filled a tag was a mile from the road. The others were over twice that. We hunted the second weekend and into the week and still saw numerous hunters during the weekdays. Even with all the antelope we saw on private I never did see a large buck. I did see a neat crooked horn one that was within a hundred yards of public , but he knew he was safe. We watched a herd almost sit on a boundary without a fence for half a day. I used my GPS to find the line and spotted the survey markers through the binoculars. They would move all over but never across the line.
 
Well at least she couldn't complain about it being boring😉 I'd say that hunt was pretty successful especially if you liked the way they tasted. Those buggers can really toe a line, right? Of Coarse I'd be where it's safe too if someone was trying to take a poke at me!

Thanks for the stories.
 
My dad and I hunted 16 during the second week this past fall. It was our first time to Wyoming and first time antelope hunting. But, we were both able to get bucks in there. Probably a bit of luck, but we each got them on small pockets of public land using gps/onxmaps. We saw quite a few hunters and didn't hear of much success. I think we just got lucky, but I'll take it. We camped in the unit and had a great time! Agree with OP that the forum and folks on here are fantastic! Advice received through this forum allowed me to plan and succeed in taking the trip I've always wanted with my dad.
 
Sounds like it was a success to begin with to me. But doubling up on those buggers makes it that much sweeter. Did you guys camp there long? Did you bring much water with you?
 
Why 16, if you haven't applied yet ? And do you have any PP? Better areas with good access with the 3 PP it took to draw 16, unless you're looking at the special draw.
 
Got it. Just wish you all could get tags in areas with better access.
 
I've hunted 16 twice with last year the most recent and I will most likely go back this year. I went later in the season for doe only (my buck tag was in another unit) and I still saw a fair amount of road hunters. My first time there was the first week of the season a couple years ago and it was a true goat rodeo, no pun intended. As everyone has said, you will walk a lot to get to into them. I averaged 7 to 12 miles a day but got into lopes every day once I figured it out. I never did see anyone else on foot. The wife went with me last year and was not a fan of the walking. We camped at the KOA in Buffalo as the first time I stayed there they were very hunter friendly. It had changed hands and they were not so hunter friendly this time. its still a good option for a shower and water.
 
They better realize hunters visit Wyoming year round, have money, and are picky about how they spend it.
 
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