2023 Wyoming Antelope (rifle)

SomeHuntingGuy

Eight Pointer
Going to pull the trigger on applying. I have 9 points. Looks like I should have a decent shot, assuming the rest of the country isnt doing what I am and burning their tags...

Right now the plan is to go at it solo. Fly into DIA, rent, & drive up. Only oddity is I'm might be there for the opener bc depending on what unit I apply for, I would miss my son's birthday (thoughts on this, is it a bad thing?)

Anybody else doing a similar trip?
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Going to pull the trigger on applying. I have 9 points. Looks like I should have a decent shot, assuming the rest of the country isnt doing what I am and burning their tags...

Right now the plan is to go at it solo. Fly into DIA, rent, & drive up. Only oddity is I'm might be there for the opener bc depending on what unit I apply for, I would miss my son's birthday (thoughts on this, is it a bad thing?)

Anybody else doing a similar trip?
Opener can be busy but depends on the unit and # of tags

With 9 points you should draw a premium unit = few tags
 

Ceehawk37

Ten Pointer
I’m planning on burning my points in 2025. Should have 5 by then. With 9 you ought to be good to go.

My plan is going to be similar to yours. Go solo, use the antelope tag to be a logistical test run for elk and mule deer. Only difference is I’m planning on driving.

Definitely looking forward to getting out there and chasing something different. If you end up drawing and going, please post up a report.
 

SomeHuntingGuy

Eight Pointer
I’m planning on burning my points in 2025. Should have 5 by then. With 9 you ought to be good to go.

My plan is going to be similar to yours. Go solo, use the antelope tag to be a logistical test run for elk and mule deer. Only difference is I’m planning on driving.

Definitely looking forward to getting out there and chasing something different. If you end up drawing and going, please post up a report.
I was fortunate enough to do a NE mule deer hunt this year & these logistics worked out:

Direct Southwest to DIA. Who cares if the return is direct -go for the cheapest. You can check a 99lb cooler on the way back for $100 ($50 for the 3rd bag + $50 for oversized).

Antelope meat won't even be close to 75lbs ( + 20lbs for the cooler weight + 5lb dry ice). Vacation is expensive, which is the main reason why I am choosing flying.

Best of luck to you, too!
 

Cootmeurer

Six Pointer
I’ve got 10 but gonna split them in a party. Have a good friend coming over from Scotland to hunt. He has put me on some good deer over there and want to return the favor.

Brother lives right on the border of CO/WY (literally, his north fence is the border) so if we can we’ll live there. If not we will move farther north.
 

Ceehawk37

Ten Pointer
I was fortunate enough to do a NE mule deer hunt this year & these logistics worked out:

Direct Southwest to DIA. Who cares if the return is direct -go for the cheapest. You can check a 99lb cooler on the way back for $100 ($50 for the 3rd bag + $50 for oversized).

Antelope meat won't even be close to 75lbs ( + 20lbs for the cooler weight + 5lb dry ice). Vacation is expensive, which is the main reason why I am choosing flying.

Best of luck to you, too!

Thanks for the info on the flights/what you can fly back with. Main reason I was considering driving is the bringing back of the meat. I’m not a trophy hunter by any means. I really want to bring back the meat from what I kill out there. Didn’t know you could load a cooler down like that and fly with it (without seriously expensive fees). If it gets down to the last day or two, I’m not going to pass a legal animal.

My end game is going to be an elk hunt, but that’s probably 3 years or so after going out for antelope. Would like to have a solid set of antlers to go with the meat on that one. With the point creep that has been going on a good draw is only going to come around a couple of times before I get to old to do it right.
 

timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
Just a heads up you may want to call the biologist the area you are planning to hunt. Brutal winter in Wyoming. Lots of reports of dead deer,elk and pronghorn. Snow pack is something around 150% above normal in some areas.
 

SomeHuntingGuy

Eight Pointer
Thanks for the info on the flights/what you can fly back with. Main reason I was considering driving is the bringing back of the meat. I’m not a trophy hunter by any means. I really want to bring back the meat from what I kill out there. Didn’t know you could load a cooler down like that and fly with it (without seriously expensive fees). If it gets down to the last day or two, I’m not going to pass a legal animal.

One more thing to note: Southwest is the only one, to my knowledge, that allows basically unlimited checked bags (at a cost). They do have a little caveat that they can still refuse more than 2 bags. The biggest challenge I had when flying w a gun case, a gear bag, and a 99lb cooler, was that I only have 2 arms…
 

wl704

Ten Pointer
If you can get the meat frozen, you can do a carry on...E.g. Yeti, but I've even carried meat inside a contractor bag in my contractor with ice from the hotel's ice machine
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for the info on the flights/what you can fly back with. Main reason I was considering driving is the bringing back of the meat. I’m not a trophy hunter by any means. I really want to bring back the meat from what I kill out there. Didn’t know you could load a cooler down like that and fly with it (without seriously expensive fees). If it gets down to the last day or two, I’m not going to pass a legal animal.

My end game is going to be an elk hunt, but that’s probably 3 years or so after going out for antelope. Would like to have a solid set of antlers to go with the meat on that one. With the point creep that has been going on a good draw is only going to come around a couple of times before I get to old to do it right.
Been on 2 DIY antelope hunts…

No problem bringing back the meat of a doe and buck back each trip on the plane. Target weight is 50# for the cooler or they rape you on pricing
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
If you can get the meat frozen, you can do a carry on...E.g. Yeti, but I've even carried meat inside a contractor bag in my contractor with ice from the hotel's ice machine
We’ve carried turkey breasts back in carry on several times… just expect some weird questions from TSA 😂
 

Randy

Ten Pointer
I would wait until after the 2023 draft tag quotas are proposed by the Wyo G&F in April to decide on where you will apply. the application deadline is not until May 31. Winter and drought conditions can significantly affect how many tags are available in some units from year to year. With 9 points you should have a choice of hunting most parts of the state.

As far as missing opening day, the effect of that can vary from unit to unit depending on the number of tags and location with respect to any sizable towns. I have had good hunts both on opening day and 2+ weeks into the season.

I have not tried to fly out to Wyo. to hunt. I looked at it for my hunt last year but the rental car costs were too high to make it viable. I flew to Neb for a turkey a hunt a few years ago and found that I really didn't save any time because with the flight schedule and distance of my hunting area from any airport I had to spend extra nights going and coming anyway. Plus humping all my gear through the airport at each end was a major pain and I didn't really feel any more rested than when I drove.
 

Duckman53

Button Buck
Going to pull the trigger on applying. I have 9 points. Looks like I should have a decent shot, assuming the rest of the country isnt doing what I am and burning their tags...

Right now the plan is to go at it solo. Fly into DIA, rent, & drive up. Only oddity is I'm might be there for the opener bc depending on what unit I apply for, I would miss my son's birthday (thoughts on this, is it a bad thing?)

Anybody else doing a similar trip?
Ok, I’ll be the “goat”, how old is your son? Regarding missing his bday.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I put in my tag application today with 3 points. Assuming I draw it looks like I’ll probably fly RDU to Laramie and then rent a car to get to where I need to go, that’s the cheapest route I’ve seen so far.

Lived in California for a year with the marine corps and visited a few different places out there but this will be my first time hunting out west.
 
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timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
I drive - screw an airline

All else everyone covered especially the part about waiting until the quotas come out
I prefer driving if it’s feasible. Alaska is the only place I have flown to for a hunting trip. Alaska airlines doesn’t bat an eye at guns, meat cooler, antlers or anything hunting related.

But for anything lower 48 I’m driving. 30+ hours in a car is rough. But I’ve seen some real interesting things driving across the country.
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
I put in my tag application today. Assuming I draw it looks like I’ll probably fly RDU to Laramie and then rent a car to get to where I need to go, that’s the cheapest route I’ve seen so far.

Lived in California for a year with the marine corps and visited a few different places out there but this will be my first time hunting out west.
It will spoil you… lots of fun!
 

ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
Waiting to decide on whether we apply for antelope or not until right before the deadline. Whether or not I hit the lottery with an Arizona tag in the random side of things or in NM or we decide to put in for Kansas muzzleloader will be the deciding factor. You’ll have a blast and should be sitting pretty with 9 pts. I saw some great bucks while out mule deer hunting outside Thermopolis the other year and that unit was a 7-9 point unit if I remember correctly. And that would have been later in the season after I would think the better bucks would have been targeted and probably taken.
 

Blackwater

Twelve Pointer
Last time out I drove, got a decent buck and a doe, went down to Denver and put the meat in my wife's uncle's garage refrigerator for a week, deboned and vacuum packed both and put the meat and bagged heads into my 150 quart Igloo and drove back home.
I know that isn't an option for everyone but you can quarter and ice down two goats easily fitted in a cooler that size, and I'd always recommend driving if you have the time. I enjoy seeing my country from the road and seeing how it has changed over the years. I first drove across the country when 18 years old in 1962 from Lumberton to Southern California via Denver, got hooked on it, and have repeated that every few years ever since, using every major East/West US highway from the gulf coast to the Dakotas, kinda like the old country song.
 

SomeHuntingGuy

Eight Pointer
Awesome, thanks @Randy

Looks like they reduced the tags for a bunch of units, and only added tags to 5 units. This will help me narrow everything down more. I'm halfway wondering if '25 would be better because are going up for Special draw. Guess I'll take a shot either way.
 
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