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BigFin - How about a "hunt pronghorn every year" video or post?

VikingsGuy

VikingsGuy

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Being new to western non-resident hunting is a bit of a maze. Big Fin has several helpful videos about a basic beginners strategy to hunt elk every year. I assume some of the basic advice applies, but I would love to have one the focuses on a multi-state non-resident antelope strategy. Where to buy preference/bonus points, what states to ignore if you want to hunt more than once a decade/lifetime, when to settle for doe tags, when to shoot for the moon, etc. If there already is one and I have failed to find it, my apologies and please pass along the link.
 
Step One: Research Wyoming pronghorn draw results for 2017.

Step Two: Decide if want to pay for premium pool to chase Choice #1 for unit where will be relying on the Random portion of the draw to get awarded a tag if is a great unit. Why not swing for the fences? You can build points while wait to draw a Choice #1. Or can pick a tag that had tags that were drawn as Choice #2 in 2017 and most likely will draw that unit in 2018. You will forfeit your pronghorn points, if any, when draw Choice #1. No guarantee you draw Choice #1 since even if was 100% draw in 2017, things change each year. Quotas change. Harvest rates change. Reputations change. Hunting magazines pimp certain units and can dramatically impact the demand. And, hunters decide they want to hunt pronghorn every year so apply for the first time to Wyoming.

Step Three: Select Choice #2 in case do not get Choice #1 so is a choice that awarded tags as a 2nd Choice in 2017. Choice #2 does not use points to decide who gets a tag and does not forfeit your accumulated points if you draw a 2nd Choice. You can only have a chance to draw Choice #2 if are tags left after all the applicants for Choice #1 obtained tags for your Choice #2 unit.

Step Four: Select Choice #3 in case do not get #1 nor #2. No points at play so just like Choice 2.

Step Five: Wait for draw results.

Step Six: If drew a buck tag, can pick up doe tag(s) for the same unit, perhaps. If did not draw, wait for Leftover Draw and apply.

Step Seven: Apply in other states if you are thinking about hunting for more than 20 years. NM, UT, CO, AZ, MT, NV and OR all give out several tags a year to non-residents. All the states listed, including WY, have good things about their system and bad things. Point systems, guide requirements, front tag cost, must buy a license, etc etc.

Step Eight: Post a story here about your hunting adventure, good bad or ugly.
 
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Learn to wait for the gravy tags. Put in for extra tags, hunt crap units, struggle for success and enjoy the epic hunts when you get them. I missed the first draw this year but I did enough research on the leftover units, pulled a tag and I think I may have a pretty good hunt lined up. And if you wanna hunt every year, pick up a bow and get good to about 80 yards with it. Just do lots of research and try to figure out whats available every year.
 
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Planning a diy public hunt next year. Currently looking at CO and WY. I bought a point in WY this year. Not sure it'll help or come into play next year but figured it couldn't hurt. I love the idea of a video. I'm going archery and am fine with a lesser unit as long as there is plenty of public and at least a few goats. Not afraid of a struggle or working for it.
 
TravisIN said:
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Planning a diy public hunt next year. Currently looking at CO and WY. I bought a point in WY this year. Not sure it'll help or come into play next year but figured it couldn't hurt. I love the idea of a video. I'm going archery and am fine with a lesser unit as long as there is plenty of public and at least a few goats. Not afraid of a struggle or working for it.
Click to expand...

Lots of units in WY you can hunt with a point or two. Step 1 look for units that most people ignore because of lots of private land. Step 2 look for pockets of public in those units. Step 3 get yourself a good GPS and Onx map. Step 4 Draw Tag. Step 5: Enjoy the hunt, all aspects of it.
 
TravisIN said:
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Planning a diy public hunt next year. Currently looking at CO and WY. I bought a point in WY this year. Not sure it'll help or come into play next year but figured it couldn't hurt. I love the idea of a video. I'm going archery and am fine with a lesser unit as long as there is plenty of public and at least a few goats. Not afraid of a struggle or working for it.
Click to expand...
IIRC, in Idaho archery pronghorn have to be applied for, but there are some units with unlimited tags. You could go after pronghorns with archery there every year without having to worry about points.
 
Thanks for he help guys.
1_pointer, I'll definitely look into the Idaho tags. May buy another point in Wyoming next year also, try and build them up while I'm gaining experience. It'll be my first time going after antelope, so I'm not gonna be picky. Really just wanting the experience.
 
I'm gonna be paying attention to this post. I currently have 2 points and I'm planning on applying next year. Hopefully I can draw a tag with those two points.
 
NoWiser said:
I think it would be best for us all if he didn't do that ;-)
Click to expand...

Given how much hell I get for single-handedly ruining the hunting in Montana, I may as well ruin western pronghorn hunting, too. Just kidding. ;)

There really is no manner I know to guarantee that you will be antelope hunting every year if you are not a resident of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, or Colorado. In those states, you are pretty much guaranteed a tag as a resident, even if it has to be an archery tag. Since many here are not residents of those states, the advice I would give is pretty much what LopeHunter provided and what I have copied below.

I might add to LopeHunter's advice that there are some leftovers in Wyoming that are in units with difficult access and lower reputation for trophy quality. But, with some research and perseverance, you can usually get one of those every year and work your tail off to tag a pronghorn.

I am a pronghorn nut. If you made me give up elk hunting and told me I got to hunt pronghorn in multiple states every year, I would make that trade. As I get older I know health is always more questionable. As much as I love pronghorn hunting, I'm doing it as often as I can, even at the expense of some deer or elk hunts I might otherwise do.

I know that landowner vouchers are controversial. Yet, some states have decided to have vouchers as an option. Without getting into the politics of that debate, I put that out there as an option for those willing to pay the price to scratch their pronghorn itch. We end up doing it at times, if the voucher allows us to go self-guided and is valid for the public lands of that area.

Follow the advice below and you should be on the path to hunting pronghorn every year. If archery hunting is not an option for you, maybe you will hunt pronghorn every other year.

LopeHunter said:
Step One: Research Wyoming pronghorn draw results for 2017.

Step Two: Decide if want to pay for premium pool to chase Choice #1 for unit where will be relying on the Random portion of the draw to get awarded a tag if is a great unit. Why not swing for the fences? You can build points while wait to draw a Choice #1. Or can pick a tag that had tags that were drawn as Choice #2 in 2017 and most likely will draw that unit in 2018. You will forfeit your pronghorn points, if any, when draw Choice #1. No guarantee you draw Choice #1 since even if was 100% draw in 2017, things change each year. Quotas change. Harvest rates change. Reputations change. Hunting magazines pimp certain units and can dramatically impact the demand. And, hunters decide they want to hunt pronghorn every year so apply for the first time to Wyoming.

Step Three: Select Choice #2 in case do not get Choice #1 so is a choice that awarded tags as a 2nd Choice in 2017. Choice #2 does not use points to decide who gets a tag and does not forfeit your accumulated points if you draw a 2nd Choice. You can only have a chance to draw Choice #2 if are tags left after all the applicants for Choice #1 obtained tags for your Choice #2 unit.

Step Four: Select Choice #3 in case do not get #1 nor #2. No points at play so just like Choice 2.

Step Five: Wait for draw results.

Step Six: If drew a buck tag, can pick up doe tag(s) for the same unit, perhaps. If did not draw, wait for Leftover Draw and apply.

Step Seven: Apply in other states if you are thinking about hunting for more than 20 years. NM, UT, CO, AZ, MT, NV and OR all give out several tags a year to non-residents. All the states listed, including WY, have good things about their system and bad things. Point systems, guide requirements, front tag cost, must buy a license, etc etc.

Step Eight: Post a story here about your hunting adventure, good bad or ugly.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks to all, this is helpful.

Is it safe to say that if you are happy with just does (meat on the table), that your odds of pulling a tag in an area with a fair amount of assessable land are high? Or is that not the case either?
 
Doe tags I feel have pretty good odds and are random draw so you have the same chance as everyone else.
 
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