Wyoming Antelope unit 16, what can ya tell me about it?

[wyowinchester]

There is no camping on STATE land anywhere here unless there is a campground.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

We actually bought our 16 tags as leftovers. We put in the draw for 27, 23, 113 and didn't get tags in the draw. I had been checking out 16 as well so when they were available in the leftovers it was an easy choice.

Now we just need to get the game plan finalized as to whether or not it will be week 2 or 3.

I doubt we will try for the opener as our whitetail archery opens Oct. 1 and I'd rather let the first week crowds go by the way. The only thing really pushing me to hunt earlier is the weather gamble. If we weren't camping, I wouldn't give it a thought..

Unless it's an abnormal year you shouldn't have any problem hunting that 16 unit any time in October as far as cold temperatures if you have a decent tent. The colder weather that time of the year is normally in the higher elevations out there around the mountain ranges. Since there really aren't any two tracks that you'll be on you also shouldn't need any chains for your vehicle like I would normally recommend that you have for most units where you might be driving a lot on roads that aren't paved or graveled.

 

[Dr. Vette]

No, I do all my own processing and I hunt over on the west side of the mountains Dr. Vette! I hunted 16 once a long time ago for deer, so I know that area and once a long time ago up in the northwest part of unit 23 for antelope and know that area pretty well. 16 leftovers went like hotcakes and I think it was because of a couple people talking about it on several popular websites. People really shoot themselves in the foot when they put a lot of stuff out on forums instead of by PM or emails. As I mentioned earlier, if a person has good maps of the legal roads along with a GPS/chip for landownership in 16, there is a lot more land to hunt than that * in the G&F would make a person believe. It's just that most all of it is on foot from the few access points where you have to park and then walk to hunt it. As far as I know, this was the first year that the G&F had separate tags for private land in 23 and because it's mostly private they issued a ton of them like they always do. The other tags for public land were minimal like they should be and they all went bye bye.

Thanks for the input. As noted, we did 16 back in 2014, so have hunted it once. It will be interesting to see if there are a lot more visible hunters given all of the talking about it on the forums. I've usually seen the leftovers in 16 sell out, but not until late September or early October. Selling out on the first day - for a lot of other units as well as 16 - was unreal! It shocked me when I finished buying ours and it said there were zero remaining.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Thanks for the input. As noted, we did 16 back in 2014, so have hunted it once. It will be interesting to see if there are a lot more visible hunters given all of the talking about it on the forums. I've usually seen the leftovers in 16 sell out, but not until late September or early October. Selling out on the first day - for a lot of other units as well as 16 - was unreal! It shocked me when I finished buying ours and it said there were zero remaining.

Have you looked at the deer and elk leftovers? They went the same way. I don't know whether guys are going because of the cheap gas right now or what, but the G&F has made a ton of money on tags this year, as well as by people buying PPs this year!

 

[Hookturnr]

We're pretty squared away for 4 season camping...we usually camp a few days in late November for black bear in Hickory Creek Wilderness in NW PA. As far as getting the vehicle around, I think we're good there as well...

Anyone have a particular sporting goods supplier that they recommend ( or avoid) around Gillette or Buffalo? It always seems that you find something you forgot when you're 1500 miles from the personal storehouse...

 

[Topgun 30-06]

We're pretty squared away for 4 season camping...we usually camp a few days in late November for black bear in Hickory Creek Wilderness in NW PA. As far as getting the vehicle around, I think we're good there as well...

Anyone have a particular sporting goods supplier that they recommend ( or avoid) around Gillette or Buffalo? It always seems that you find something you forgot when you're 1500 miles from the personal storehouse...

I'm not familiar with what is in Gillette, but if you have the time to run over to Buffalo don't miss going in the Sports Lure shop. It has anything a guy would need for hunting, camping, fishing, etc. It is not that big of a place, but is filled with good stuff. To get to it take the first exit for Buffalo when you're going west from Gillette. Take a left down at the stop sign and go all the way through the newer business district until it dead ends at the stoplight. Take a left and go through the next stoplight by the Courthouse and it's down a couple blocks on the right (west) side of the street with a dark green canvas awning.

 

[Hookturnr]

I'll make a note of that Top and will check it out given the chance.
Thanks again for all the input guys

 

[wyosteve]

Gillette has a Rocky Mountain Sports which is very good. About 2 miles south of I-90 on Hwy. 59.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Gillette has a Rocky Mountain Sports which is very good. About 2 miles south of I-90 on Hwy. 59.

That would be a good one if they want a big store, as I've been in the one in Sheridan and thought it was very nice. I'll probably hit that store when I get out to Sheridan the end of next month, as my buddy that lives there that I hunt with likes it.

 

[Hookturnr]

Well gents, the trip was a success! Not a smashing success, but a success none the less.

We got into Buffalo Sunday the 9th late and got a hotel for the night after scouting a couple campsites. Figured starting fresh in the morning was a better option than setting up camp in the dark. Monday morning we left town and headed for Powder River Rd. and found a spot, set up camp,70 and sunny, got it together and did a little hunting that afternoon to no avail.

Tuesday, it started getting colder and got windier through the day, we didn't see any antelope on public ground until the last hour of light..I got a shot at a decent buck, 287 yds. wind 20mph...******* behind the rifle.....I missed! I still haven't figured that one out, but it burns! Tuesday night it dropped to 20 degrees, 40mph winds gusting into the 50's and snowed 2 inches!!!!!

Wednesday, snow squalls made it very difficult to glass and the few goats we saw were on private ground bedded out of the wind.

Thursday, warmed back up to 50ish. Mid day we glassed up a herd on BLM about 1.5miles way, made a play on 'em and got my buddy his buck. He kinda blew the end of the stalk and spooked the herd before I could get anywhere to shoot but he got his first antelope on his first western hunt!

Friday, lots of goats, none on public ground, buck tags only good til friday...good thing we got doe tags too to be able to keep hunting!

Saturday, more of the same...

Sunday, we're going to pack up camp in a couple hours, I decide to take one more ride down the river road and look around....hot **** there's a herd we had seen all week on private ground grazing on BLM! About 20 min, of skirting them in the next drainage and I got my doe at 180yds on the button!

For our first Antelope trip, I call it a success with a buck and doe in the coolers.
Hardest problem wasn't finding goats..saw a few hundred a day. Just couldn't find any on BLM...The weather was dry and I had my truck so we saw miles an miles of 2 tracks, just no goats on public ground. You'd swear somebody bought them a map in some places, 50-100 yds onto private ground and stay there all day long...
We hunted pretty much sunup to sundown every day and that was the story every day.

All in all, we had a blast and will be doing it again in a year or two. Thanks to you guys that offered some insight into the area...Sports Lure was a big help as my buddy brought his tags but forgot his conservation stamp so we hit them up Mon. morning to get a replacement. Rocky Mtn sports got to sell me a new pair of boots after my lite boots sole delaminated on Tues. We had weather from 75 - 20 with snow and wind and back to 60's by the end of the week, gear failure, tough hunting and a **** good time!

 

[WildRose]

Congrats. The lessons learned on this trip will certainly be remembered in the future.

 

[wyosteve]

Glad you had a chance to experience our typical Wyoming weather!!

 

[Rick Richard]

Love Wyoming!!!

 

[Dr. Vette]

For our first Antelope trip, I call it a success with a buck and doe in the coolers.
Hardest problem wasn't finding goats..saw a few hundred a day. Just couldn't find any on BLM...The weather was dry and I had my truck so we saw miles an miles of 2 tracks, just no goats on public ground. You'd swear somebody bought them a map in some places, 50-100 yds onto private ground and stay there all day long...
We hunted pretty much sunup to sundown every day and that was the story every day.

You did well to bring home two.

We were there at the same time (hunted 9-13) and our experience was similar. We easily saw 2000 antelope during the five days. During that time we saw 8 antelope on public land, and one of them went home with us. As we only had doe tags, only 5 of the 8 we saw were even eligible. I think that all the antelope now carry the OnX GPS maps with them, as their ability to know where the private land ended was uncanny.