NW Colorado Antelope, public land?

[GJgo]

So a friend and I want to start putting in for antelope tags in NW Colorado. I figure we'll start with with doe tags so we can get some practice, get some meat in the freezer, and start getting some preference points for a pronghorn buck tag. I'd like to find some good public land areas where we can start drawing doe tags within the first or second year.

Does anyone have advice on good public land units up there? I've hunted Elk in the area a few times but haven't spent any time down low where the turbo goats roam. I've been looking at maps and the DOW preference point guide, and on paper, the two units that look good to me are 11 & 4. Unit 11 looks like it has more animals but 4 looks easier to get in to.

I've seen tons of pronghorn roaming the Bookcliffs in my neck of the woods along the CO / UT border, but it looks like they don't give out any tags for that unit...

Thanks in advance to all. Any experience / thoughts? Hopefully exbiologist can chime in.

 

[exbiologist]

11 might be an option, but 4 shouldn't be. Basically there is no public land with antelope on it there.

 

[GJgo]

Thanks for that, I saw a chunk of state land in the North secion of 4 but not having been there.. I know there are critters in 11, that public land thing is the kicker. (I tried filling an elk tag in unit 13 once and that was a disaster...)

Any other places I should be looking at? Wyoming?

 

[exbiologist]

I go to Wyoming every year, so yeah, screw Colorado antelope. I just rack up the points there for the buck tags and hunt Wyoming does for $48 (and I can have 4 of them)

 

[Cob]

There are some Public lands in the SE corner of CO, Comanche National Grasslands... I saw some pronghorn on it the last time i drove thru that area, as well as on private land that surounded it. I purchased a private landowner voucher tag last year, and hunted private land near that area successfully.

Check CO GMU's 130, 135, 136, 137, 143, 144, 145, Comanche NG are in those units... lots of Pronghorn Doe tags left over last year, and buck tags on private land.

 

[Coltdriver]

I have hunted for years in 97. I just go out and introduce myself and get permission to hunt. Mind your manners, have your hat in your hand and you will be surprised at how much space you can get permission to hunt.

 

[Cob]

If you want to hunt antelope in WY, deadline to apply for tag is fast approaching. (March 15th)... Would it be possible to hunt elk in CO, then pronghorn in WY on same trip, if you hunted S WY, N CO? I'm not sure of dates, but wanted to try 1st rifle CO Elk, Oct. 15-19.

 

[GJgo]

Thanks for the tips, guys. Does anyone have info on where there's public land antelope hunting in south / west Wyoming? Do they have over-the-counter tags?

 

[Cob]

There appears to be lots of BLM land available, but never been there. would like to hear what exbiologist's got to say... good info here...
http://www.biggamehunt.net/blogs/western-hunter/wyoming-antelope-hunting-overview

 

[exbiologist]

There's a ton of public land in Southwest and South Central Wyoming. Some really huge swaths of unbroken BLM lands, and about 200 miles by 100 miles of BLM checkerboard along I 80. Lots of antelope hunting to be had out there, no shortage of public land, plus some big Hunter Management Areas. The buck tags are hard to draw there, but the doe tags are pretty easy to get.

 

[Cob]

I saw where WY has antelope doe licences for $48.00 for non-resident, and you can have up to 4... I was unclear on the definition- Does that mean you can take 4 does on one tag, or you have to purchase 4 tags for 4 does?

 

[exbiologist]

Nope, 4 licenses. You can apply for two, then buy two more as leftovers. So the last two are actually $34 each.

 

[Cob]

Nope, 4 licenses. You can apply for two, then buy two more as leftovers. So the last two are actually $34 each.

I looked and could not find when season ends on WY website, only that it started Oct. 1. Any idea? , & If you miss the draw, can you purchase only leftover licences?

 

[exbiologist]

You have to look at the hunting regulations to see when last year's start and end dates were for each season. They can alter them yearly, but don't mess with the units I've hunted very often.
Link is here: http://gf.state.wy.us/admin/regulations/pdf/Ch5_04262010.pdf
And of course, as with any other state, if you miss the draw, then you can only choose from leftover licenses. There are no OTC tags in Wyoming or any other state for antelope.