Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
So after that nice post about dos and don'ts, how much do you charge for a trespass fee if a nice guy does everything right and asks to hunt your place?
Wyoming antelope Area 24?
- Thread starter ATH
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BAR BAR 2
Well-Known Member
Sometimes it is hard to infer tone and meaning over the internet, so I hope I didn't come across in the wrong manner. The whole point to my post was to help those guys who may be needing a little help in planning a hunt out here. If I came across the wrong way, I sincerely apologize.
Up to this past season, I was selling the trespass rights to an outfitter for $500 per first buck tag. The second tag for the management buck was $250. Most hunters opted to only take one buck since a tag for NR Antlered is $272 regardless of whether it was a management buck or not. The price was the same even back when our herd numbers were strong and we allowed the harvest of does and fawns. Due to our trying to build the herd numbers though, we really weren't too upset when a person only wanted to harvest the one buck. The herd is shaping up to be fairly healthy this year.
Due to getting a little lax at upholding his end of the bargain, we decided to dissolve our working relationship with the outfitter and I am back to guiding hunters again. The price for a guided hunt is $1500. This just covers the hunt and the hunter is responsible for securing his own lodging and meals.
To answer your question though, I have been contemplating raising the rates for trespass fees, but because I am back to guiding hunters again, I haven't decided for sure. I have some hunts booked for the first week of season and I like to be completely done with guided hunts and the 'do-it-yourselfers' by the end of the second full week. If people are paying to come and hunt, I want to give them as good of a chance at success as possible and having them hunt the first half of the month is one of the best ways to do that, atleast on this place. There are a couple who come and help out at branding time and throughout the year some and we try to give them enough time to have a successful hunt, so we try and reserve the second half of the season for those guys. I will most likely keep the trespass fees the same for atleast one more year, but to be honest, I haven't given it alot of thought lately.
Most ranchers have their set rates, but most can be negotiated with. The trespass fees are part of the yearly income on most ranches, so a person can probably do a little haggling, depending on how close it is to the end of season. Once a ranchers paying clients are gone, chances are he would be willing to do a little negotiating. This really seems to work for the guys who are already out here trying to do the public land type hunt. In order to get your name on the schedule at a certain ranch though, chances are you will be stuck paying full price on the trespass fee.
None of this is set in stone and the prices do vary. The places with the easier hunts and higher chances for success usually charge higher trespass fees. Don't be afraid to stop in someplace and ask. You may not be able to do anything this year, but you can get the information needed to plan next year's hunt.
I hope this comes across in the spirit it was intended. If I can help in any way, just let me know.
Tex
gillettehunter
Well-Known Member
Hi Tex. you came across just fine. All I saw was someone letting fellow hunters know what to expect. Nice rains the last 2 weeks that should really help the grass. Bruce
The info tex has provided is spot on. As a nonresident hunter the hard truth can be very helpful. Rates are well within reason and current for ranchers I know. I have seen ranchers try to sell 10-15 antelope buck hunts, knowing they maybe had 6-8 decent bucks on property. Well written detailed explanation by Tex, never discussing price until asked, should speak volumes to those possibly interested. I have no affiliation with ranch or Tex ' s operations.
Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
I also apologize if my post was taken in the wrong way, as it was made in a hurry before I had to leave the house and I saw nothing wrong with your post either. As was stated, sometimes it's hard to make a post and come across the way you intend, especially if you're in a hurry! I'm good friends with a couple ranchers out there and know what they face to keep their places running and in the family! It's a good, but very tough life to say the least! I hope anyone reading the thread that wants to get a decent antelope hunt in out in Wyoming can do so because it's a blast. I've drawn 3 tags in a good unit on the west side of the BigHorns over the last 12 years where I have hunted most years since 1994 for deer, elk, or antelope and all three were mid to upper 70s bucks. I also helped my best buddy from Sheridan take a B&C buck there last Fall that officially scored 84 4/8" (pictures attached). After taking my last one in 2012 I decided not to play the PP game any longer and just help others on their buck tags while buying a couple doe tags for the meat myself and I concentrate on deer for the most part. I was checking the weather on the WYDOT website yesterday where they have cameras on many roads throughout the state and it looked like just about everywhere in the state was getting some nice rain.
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ATH
Well-Known Member
I do appreciate the info and keeping this thread alive. We are now committed to hunting the first week of the season. We put in for a tag in Unit 7 and will hunt there first, then come to Unit 24 with a leftover tag or two. We will be in a day early and hopefully camp on a couple herds, shooting at legal light if possible.
We are doing what homework looking at maps from 1500 miles away allows -- we are all in busy careers with young families so that is about as complicated as it gets. But we hunt hard and thus far our 5 years of western hunting experience has left the group with no unfilled tags except elk -- we hunt hard, and even on the elk we filled >25% of our tags in areas where success is single digit overall. We are not afraid to get away from the roads and I've found a lot of antelope that road hunters miss.
The trespass fee info is interesting, thus far our experience with antelope has been in western MT and it is very different. There is decent walk-on access for deer, but even in places that will charge a fee for deer often they are happy to let you on for antelope for free. We once met up with a landowner while unintentionally trespassing -- the BLM map was WRONG -- and once we profusely apologized, showed them the map, and clarified that we were after goats and not deer....he circled 3000 acres for us on the map and gave us a free pass!
We are doing what homework looking at maps from 1500 miles away allows -- we are all in busy careers with young families so that is about as complicated as it gets. But we hunt hard and thus far our 5 years of western hunting experience has left the group with no unfilled tags except elk -- we hunt hard, and even on the elk we filled >25% of our tags in areas where success is single digit overall. We are not afraid to get away from the roads and I've found a lot of antelope that road hunters miss.
The trespass fee info is interesting, thus far our experience with antelope has been in western MT and it is very different. There is decent walk-on access for deer, but even in places that will charge a fee for deer often they are happy to let you on for antelope for free. We once met up with a landowner while unintentionally trespassing -- the BLM map was WRONG -- and once we profusely apologized, showed them the map, and clarified that we were after goats and not deer....he circled 3000 acres for us on the map and gave us a free pass!
BAR BAR 2
Well-Known Member
I have seen some ranchers get greedy and do some pretty lowdown stuff and it always aggravated me. Just like the hunters have a few bad apples, the ranchers have some too. Each year I will take stock of what our antelope herd looks like and try to figure what we will have come October and that is how I base the number of hunts I sell.
We are not a big outfit, so I don't usually sell up into the double digits. Most years, if the herd healthy, I will sell eight hunts. Sometimes though, I have to drop that number down, because my first priority is to maintain a healthy herd. My second priority is to make sure that everyone who pays for a hunt is successful. Doing things this way, I can honestly say that we have had an amazing success rate.
The main reason why I dissolved the working relationship with the outfitter was because he decided to sell more hunts than what I had said I wanted to sell. Due to drought, our antelope herds were pretty small lastyear and I had to adjust the number of hunts down by half. We normally sell eight, but lastyear I was only comfortable selling four. Remember, healthy herds and hunter success. Well, the outfitter decided we had enough antelope to go ahead and sell two more hunts without asking or consulting with me. He will never set foot on this ranch again.
ATH, I'm glad you started this thread. I am really enjoying it. Most people sorta shake their head when I tell them I have never hunted or harvested an antelope for my own use. I have taken alot of others out and helped them though. It is one of my favorite things to do each year. Having the opportunity to take people from other parts of the country and show them what we do here on the ranch is always a highlight.
Just a reminder, June 1 is the deadline to get in on the draw for antelope. Area 24 always has plenty of tags leftover after the draw though, soif you do miss it, don't sweat it. To get in on the easier spots in Area 24, now is the time to be making those arrangements. It is a fairly good size area, but there are some really easy spots to hunt as well as some places that are not so easy.
If I can answer any questions for you guys, all you have to do is ask. Maybe I can met some of you this fall.
Tex
ATH
Well-Known Member
We will be up to the challenge of public land. Even if I wanted to I know some in our small group would not find the trespass fee for private land in their budget. I grew up farming so I don't have anything wrong with people making a few extra bucks off their land, it's just not in the equation for us.
Perhaps if we're camping nearby you can join us for a little post-hunt refreshment.
jlw1974
Active Member
We will be up to the challenge of public land. Even if I wanted to I know some in our small group would not find the trespass fee for private land in their budget. I grew up farming so I don't have anything wrong with people making a few extra bucks off their land, it's just not in the equation for us.
Perhaps if we're camping nearby you can join us for a little post-hunt refreshment.
After my buddy and I tagged out in Area 23 we bought leftover tags for Area 19. There are lopes there but the area is difficult to hunt on public land (everyone and their grandmother goes hunting on opening day/weekend) but on the positive side that Area would give you a GREAT opportunity to shoot long range.
Area 24 was tagged out but we drove around the area to see where the lopes were and the best suggestion is to get maps with landowner information and call the owners up and ask to hunt their place (with a trespass fee).
Its amazing how the Antelopes figure out which side is huntable and which side isn't. They keep to the safer sides and herd up when the pressure mounts.
Secure Permission Early. Paying a little trespass fee could make a difference between a successful hunt and an irate desperate hunter. Keep in mind that most of the times the Game Warden will side with the rancher...food for thought...
ATH
Well-Known Member
Perhaps your morals are fungible if you don't tag out opening day. Mine are not. I stated very clearly we were hunting public land, so I don't appreciate the insinuations in your post. I've eaten tags before because animals were on the wrong side of an imaginary line, I'm far from new to this rodeo.
As I said I don't begrudge people charging the market rate for a trespass fee, but $500 a goat or whatever it is is not "a little" fee, at least not to most people. That's more than the non-resident tag, and nearly the price of a decent donor rifle for a build. A speed goat is not an elk.
jlw1974
Active Member
I didn't consider a $50 trespass fee expensive when we hunted last year. Never hurts to call a rancher to see what they may charge for a trespass fee (sometimes even waived if they have too many lopes), but to each their own i guess.
And to another point, I was only stating my experience from when I hunted in that region. I didn't think people would get all worked up over it.
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Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
I have no idea why he made that post because you didn't say a thing IMHO to cause him to post a nasty retort like that towards you!
chucknbach
Well-Known Member
You choose good. Area 7 has a decent amount of public land. I hunted it about 5 years ago and choose it because of the amount of public land and hunter success. Turns out that year I went wasn't so good and I had to work the first 3 days of the season. By the time I got to hunt, you couldn't get close to them., at 1000yrds they'd be running. It took me 4 days but I got my 3. The closest shot was 300yds a lone buck that thought he was on private land, hehe. It was on one of those postage stamps surrounded by private. Spotted him on my way to the larger hunt area. The longest shot was 550yds and I had to low crawl to get that close.
Opening day is no troubles getting 100 yrd shots, if you have a bunch of tags you can probably tag out in 5 mins at first light. They are stupid that way. The herd will circle around sometimes, waiting for the one you shot to get up and come along. Anyhow good luck.
