I'm trying to plan a Pronghorn hunt in Wyoming, maybe around Thermopolis but am open to any suggestions or types. Thanks in advance.

Its all drawing based, you can opt to purchase a point if you are unsuccessful and those points give you a better chance in the future draws. Most units require alot of points to draw. Areas composed of primarily private ground will give you the best draw odds, if you can secure property to hunt.

I'm pretty sure the draw application period is done for all but antlerless, I did our applications back in February.

Me and my wife did 5 years of NR buck pronghorn hunting but stopped about 12 years ago when the raised the prices. Ever since its gotten harder and harder to draw. We put in last year without success and again this year. I think with the amount of bonus points we have we could draw this or next year for sure.

My boy drew a NR youth tag last year, 1 of 3 tags available. Unbelievable lucky!

I dont know about Thermopolis, but I do know Lander is quite popular which is near by. One thing about Wyoming, they have alot of pronghorn... there are literally more speedgoats there than people.

I can try to help if I can. Do you have WY pronghorn bonus points?

-DallanC

I stand corrected, you have until May 31 to apply for tags.


-DallanC

Good luck Slim...only five days to apply mate.

Why is it so hard to get a tag Dallan, especially when there are so many critters? Is it because they get thousands of applications, or is all in the name of "resource management"?

I have no points built up yet. Yes, more pronghorn than WY residents but also non-resident hunters out-number locals by about 50%. Last year was not so lopsided - 23,047 resident to 25,806 non-resident hunters. Just going to take my luck with the draw and see how it goes. At least I'll be building up some points at a minimum. I'm going to call and talk with the local taxidermy shops today.

Points are a thing in the west people really need to get used to... it can take a friggen TON to draw more coveted tags.

My wife drew Utah Mt Goat with 17 points last year. I have 19 points for Utah Moose and did not draw. My wife drew Utah limited entry deer with 9 points (but I accidentally put her in for the wrong side of that mountain range so we will probably turn that tag back in... doh!).

Top deer and elk units in Utah are taking around 22 to 24 points to draw. Seriously, over 2 decades of points.

Non residents to Utah can put in for all "once in a lifetime" species and build points for all of those at the same time where residents can only apply for 1.

You can buy points for states you dont immediately plan to hunt... and use them later when you do apply. If you have the money for this, its a good idea to open options down the road.


-DallanC

It's like saving, never too late to start.

For WY you need to specify the bonus point option to gain a point. There is also a "special" tag that costs $200 more I think that gives you a little better odds (just due to the nature of it being more expensive).

The "reduced price" stuff is the antlerless and leftover tags. WY has terribly confusing terminology in their apps... Type 1, Type 6, Type 7... ugh.


-DallanC

Thanks, Dallan. Still sorting it all out.

Damn I'm glad deer are considered feral in our State and as such it is open slather any time of the year regardless of the critter...assuming you can gain access to private properties. It is actually illegal to hunt on a property without the written permission of the property owner, and public land in Queensland is not available for hunting...yet.

Having said that, the Australian Deer Association are trying very hard to bring in hunting seasons for deer in our State (some States already have seasons), but there is opposition amongst enough to stop it from happening. As it is they already charge their members "trophy fees" and "meat animal fees" as well as access fees to properties they have managed to secure hunting rights over, and like the US, you go into a ballot within the Assoc to gain access.

Personally, I don't like the ADA or the way they operate. They are trying to set themselves up as the authority on deer hunting in Australia and take control of all deer hunting. If they manage to do this, the only way you will be able to hunt deer will be if you join their Assoc and pay their fees.

So slim, did you draw? Results are out:

wgfd.wyo.gov/DrawResul...earch.aspx

Me and my boy got skunked across the board, not even a doe tag. My wife however drew both Buck and Doe tags. Sheesh...!


-DallanC

the .243 will be out and fill ya freezer AGAIN

DallanC wrote:

So slim, did you draw?

I struck-out, too. I'm a bit confused. They have had 25 tags in the area I applied for the last 5 years. This year it looks like there were only 4 tags and 40-50 applicants. Still trying to assess the situation so I can be better prepared for next year.

The Bossman Dallan wrote:

...Me and my boy got skunked across the board, not even a doe tag. My wife however drew both Buck and Doe tags. Sheesh...!

This one might take some "living down" mate, what with SWMBO filling the freezer for the family.

slimjim wrote:

I struck-out, too. I'm a bit confused. They have had 25 tags in the area I applied for the last 5 years. This year it looks like there were only 4 tags and 40-50 applicants. Still trying to assess the situation so I can be better prepared for next year.

Tag numbers get set once they get a good tally of how well the herd made it through the winter etc etc. Alot of units were reduced this year. The DWRs usually post the numbers on their websites when they make the final decisions. I normally dont care enough to follow non resident tag #'s... I just put in and I get a tag or not.

Anywho sorry you didnt draw. Lets chat next year about options, there are a few other places to consider. If you ever start trying to build Utah points, I know a bunch of areas to aim for.

Vince wrote:

This one might take some "living down" mate, what with SWMBO filling the freezer for the family.

My wife also drew a rare coveted utah deer tag. Sadly I goofed up the application and she drew the wrong side of the unit. We will be turning that back in and get her points back, and she should draw the correct side next year.

As it stands for tags, I drew my normal deer tag as did my boy. My wife drew Limited Entry deer in Utah, Buck and Doe antelope in WY. We'll also get a cow elk tag (depredation) this fall for some family ground... I usually let my boy shoot the elk.

So plenty of chances to fill the old freezer(s).

*Edit: Forgot we still havent done the UT antlerless draw yet... my boy put in for a youth doe antelope tag.


-DallanC