unit 8 advice

[bb1379]

im building points for a harder to draw unit but am considering unit 8 as a second choice unit this fall. i've really not found much about it thus far other than the expected limited access to public and the WI areas. anyone familiar with it?

 

[LopeHunter]

Which state?

 

[bb1379]

Wyoming

 

[redwoood]

http://www.mytopo.com/products/hunt-area-unit.cfm?state=WY&species=ANTELOPE&gmu=8

I have never hunted unit 8 but I bet there are plenty of antelope if its anything like unit 6. Public seems to have some access and there are several second and third choice applicants so it must be doable. Definitely looks like you could draw it second choice.

 

[hunt1up]

I've hunted unit 8 a few times. In 2010 we did great there. Filled every tag between 4 guys and I killed a pretty nice buck. Saw a good amount of antelope. This past fall was much different. I went with intentions of being somewhat picky on the buck I would shoot. Instead, I shot the first buck I could find on the 4th day, a dinky 8-9" buck. I've hunted antelope in WY the past 4 years and killed 4 bucks and a doe. I've had 2-3 friends along on every trip and they've also been very successful. We've always hunted 100% draw units and I feel like I have a decent grasp on how to hunt antelope(not trophy judge them!). Unit 8 this past hunt was by far the hardest.

We also hunted two adjoining units on this trip. One was much better, one was about the same a 8. I few things made the hunt harder. Weather first and foremost. We were there the week following the nasty blizzard. Initially travel was tough due to snow, then mud. Then it got windy. Also, it seemed like there was more pressure. We usually hunt the second week for that reason, but there was far more pressure while we were there, perhaps the storm was the reason. There isn't large pieces of public and it seemed like every access point had a truck in it.

We did see a fair amount of antelope on private land, which is typical of the area. When 90% of the land is private that's just the way it goes. I'm sure you could find some antelope to chase but there are better easy draw units at the moment. If you do go there there's pretty much 3 main roads to access the bulk of the public and walk-in, you'll notice them on the maps.

Feel free to PM me.

 

[roadhunter]

I've hunted unit 8 a few times. In 2010 we did great there. Filled every tag between 4 guys and I killed a pretty nice buck. Saw a good amount of antelope. This past fall was much different. I went with intentions of being somewhat picky on the buck I would shoot. Instead, I shot the first buck I could find on the 4th day, a dinky 8-9" buck. I've hunted antelope in WY the past 4 years and killed 4 bucks and a doe. I've had 2-3 friends along on every trip and they've also been very successful. We've always hunted 100% draw units and I feel like I have a decent grasp on how to hunt antelope(not trophy judge them!). Unit 8 this past hunt was by far the hardest.

We also hunted two adjoining units on this trip. One was much better, one was about the same a 8. I few things made the hunt harder. Weather first and foremost. We were there the week following the nasty blizzard. Initially travel was tough due to snow, then mud. Then it got windy. Also, it seemed like there was more pressure. We usually hunt the second week for that reason, but there was far more pressure while we were there, perhaps the storm was the reason. There isn't large pieces of public and it seemed like every access point had a truck in it.

We did see a fair amount of antelope on private land, which is typical of the area. When 90% of the land is private that's just the way it goes. I'm sure you could find some antelope to chase but there are better easy draw units at the moment. If you do go there there's pretty much 3 main roads to access the bulk of the public and walk-in, you'll notice them on the maps.

Feel free to PM me.

+1. 8 was terrible last year. for the first time I did not fill a Wyoming antelope tag. Turned down a couple of yearling bucks but never saw a shooter buck on public land. Most of the public was heavily used, specifically the walk in areas. Roads were terrible because of the huge snow storm that hit the area. I doubt I will go back to that unit. I hunted another non desirable unit the previous year, 26. I had a much better hunt there.