RuRu12

wyote - Thanks for the info. I'll be hunting deer on BLM and the Forest over between Tensleep and Basin. Have you heard anything about conditions over there?

HuntElk4Fun - You are definitely right about the quality of animals in those units, and if that is what he is looking for that might be the ticket. I was just trying to point out that other alternatives are out there to waiting to draw a long odds area. I have mixed feelings about WY going to a preference point system. In the past I've been fairly lucky drawing tags (except elk) and I hate the idea of only being able to get a tag every third or fourth year.Add in the cost of points at $40 per point per species annually and if it takes three years to draw, they have just increased the cost of thattag by an additional $120! That means a Region G Special Deer Tag would now cost $613.00 - based on a three year wait - if the wait is longer the cost would be evenhigher. I don't know about you, but I think that is absolutely ridiculous for a General Tag thataResident can buy over the counter for $31.00.

wyote

I was over there most of last week fishing Renner Lake and shooting chucks above Ten Sleep. Lots of grass and more snow up highthan usually for this time of year. Saw lot a deer (as usual) No good bucks but I wasn't in the areas where the bucks hang out at this time of the year.

HuntElk4Fun

RuRu- I've never seen it so green in SW Wyo. Feed everywhere! Not sure on the Bighorns, but it looks like wyo replied to that. I'm with you on the Preference Points. I'm a Wyo.native, but nowlive in Utah. I go back all I can to SW Wyo. to hunt everything I can draw, etc. $40 is a JOKE to buy a point, plus 75%of the tags will be set aside to those with points! They took publicinput on this through June 18th and everyone I know mailed in letter after letter. Theyhave a hearing on July 18th'ish to discuss this. Even if they shot high, so they can make it $20, Istill think it's pathetic. Did you see Moose/Sheeppoint cost?? Went from $7 to $75!!!!!

Oldgrunt- PM me, I'd be happy to help

RuRu12

HuntElk4Fun - Yeah, I sent several letters too. I don't think it matters much though, it is a money thing. WY Game and Fish is blinded by dollar signs, so much for "The Equality State". Yeah I think the moose/sheep increase is lousy too. In a few years I was going to start buying points for my kids, as soon as they each turn 12. Hoping that someday they could hunt, but at $150/yr for each kid just to buy points in a pool that contains thousands of otherpoint holders I doubt I'll even bother. Right now it could cost thousands of dollars to accumulate enough points to even stand any chance of drawing. I have six points after this year for each. If I don't draw within the next few years, and a ton of people don't dropout of the point pool, I'll probably quit applying. It is a shame when public land hunting has become so costly. I can understand the motivation behind some of the recent lawsuits. It is hard to stomach spending 20 times or more what a "resident" pays to hunt federal public land that belongs to all of us. Then throw in WY's restriction on hiring a guide to hunt a wilderness areaand it becomes simply ridiculous. Did you become suddenly incompetent to hunt in the wilderness when you moved across the state line into Utah? Again another money thing.

HuntElk4Fun

RuRu- I totally agree and yes, I'm now incompetent to hunt the wilderness areas, just ask them! What irritates me is how proud I was of them for so many years keeping it simple and fairly inexpensive. The past few years with the raising of tags and now this pathetic point system, I can't help but duck in shame of my home state. My son will be 12 next year and I won't be doing Moose/Sheep for him. I will buy him other points @ $10 for youth, but still probably not all 3. With me in the mix and other states involved, just too expensive.

Glad to hear you sent in letters too. We were worried that just the "locals" that have moved or just the surrounding states' non-residentswould send letters.

RuRu12

HuntElk4Fun - Yeah it seemed out of charachter to me too. I've always thought of Wyomingites as being independent, shunning government intrusions, and as generally being for equality as to the availability of the state's resources. Maybe having their fill of the rich folk that have taken over Jackson has changed their collective minds?

I lived in Wyoming for a few years as a kid. My dad was stationed at Francis E. Warren AFB.Even though that was a long time ago I've always felt an attachment for the state. Sadly it seems that as each year goes by we come closer and closer to the way hunting has become in Europe. If we continue on this path one day only the elites will be able to hunt.

SCOTT78

How much should someone expect to pay for a trespass fee just to shoot a typical antelope

RuRu12

SCOTT78 - Somwhere between $100 to $500. For $500 I'd expect lots of goats and very low hunting pressure. The last place I hunted on a trespass fee was 10,000 acres andthe rancher allowed 10 hunters per season and charged $300. We hunted the last week of the season and had the whole place to ourselves.

Judyboi

Well, the green monster of jealousy has officially bit me! I had a buck tag for 93 last year, it was awesome! My dad and I both had the tags. Here are our before-noon-opener bucks. Any questions, send me a pm or e-mail.

Sorry about the size of the pic,but it lets you see the horns better. My dad's is a 15.5" and is 16.25" wide. Mine is 15" even with 7" prongs. His scores around 80" and mine 82"

ShatoDavis

the units around gillette 23 & 24are generally 100% draw. There are some nice bucks taken early in the season. But in general you can expect to take a 14" buck. There isn't a lot of public land to hunt on but there is quite a few ranchers who take tresspass fees to hunt. Generally speaking $100- 150 for 3 days of hunting is the normal fee. There are a lot of antelope in the areas. Its perfect for taking a youngster.