I'm trying to put together a do-it-yourself antelope/mule deer hunt this fall. Has anyone done a trip down south? I'm looking for some info on areas where I would have a good chance of being drawn and there vare some good populations. Would like to get a speed goat ,but mulies a bonus would be great. Which state offers the best chance? Any good websites I could check out? Appreciate any info.
Montana/Wyoming Antelope and/or Mulies
- Thread starter Big Game
- Start date
John Spartan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Just a little more to the right...
Try 24 Hour Campfire as well as the Montana and Wyoming Fish and Game websites for licensing information. You should get this information as soon as possible to find out what your options are. This may include having to put in for a mulie draw.
Five of us went down to Forsythe Montana back in 91. We had a great time. We only managed 3 antelope (2 bucks and a doe), but we saw a lot and screwed up a few stalks. One of the guys who didn't get one that trip, has been back twice and been successful both times. At the time, Montana was one of the few states that didn't require you to have a guide. I don't know if that is still the case. We did see a lot of deer on the trip.
Unfortunately, I was not involved in sending off applications for the draw other than providing the correct info and dollars to the person doing it. Our friends who went back for antelope, did so as a side trip while down pheasant hunting. They went on walk in hunts instead of driving around a big ranch like we had done earlier. In 91 we had permission for a ranch of about 16 square miles, but we were not the only ones hunting it.
John Spartan is correct, contact the Montana and Wyoming Fish and Game departments for information. They were very helpful. We contacted one of the offices while we were in Montana and they gave us information for different areas to hunt. At the time the draw cost about $125 , most of which was refundable if you were not drawn, and included your licence and tag fee.
Good luck and have fun
Unfortunately, I was not involved in sending off applications for the draw other than providing the correct info and dollars to the person doing it. Our friends who went back for antelope, did so as a side trip while down pheasant hunting. They went on walk in hunts instead of driving around a big ranch like we had done earlier. In 91 we had permission for a ranch of about 16 square miles, but we were not the only ones hunting it.
John Spartan is correct, contact the Montana and Wyoming Fish and Game departments for information. They were very helpful. We contacted one of the offices while we were in Montana and they gave us information for different areas to hunt. At the time the draw cost about $125 , most of which was refundable if you were not drawn, and included your licence and tag fee.
Good luck and have fun
You'll want to get cracking on this as application deadlines are fast approaching. (in Wyoming at least) Be forewarned that WY started a points system about 3 years ago. It is possible to draw without points, but you've got some research ahead of you. The F&G Dept is very helpful if you pick up the phone and give them a call.
http://gf.state.wy.us/
http://gf.state.wy.us/
None of the states in the lower 48 require a guide for any big game hunting that I'm aware of. It's a do it yourselfer's paradise other than getting access to private property. As Duk said, it takes a lot of research to figure where and how to draw but there are some great opportunities for those that do the research.
Both Montana and Wyoming require a guide/outfitter, or possibly a Resident companion, for non-residents hunting 'big game' or 'trophy game' in National Forest Wilderness Areas.
Alaska requires Canadians to use a guide/outfitter for all big game hunting. American (non-Alaskan) residents only need the guide for Grizzly, sheep and goats.
You could be right but my understanding was that there were some outfitter sponsored permits that if you decided to apply for that then yes, you'd need a guide but the point I was making is that you can hunt big game in all of the states in the lower 48 without the services of a guide or resident. There are likely some local exceptions but in every state in the lower 48 there are non-resident unguided big game opportunities.
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But it takes a minimum 5-6 years to draw a permit and you must hunt and apply with an Alberta resident or, you could purchase a tag from a licenced outfitter and hunt with him forgoing the draw process.
I'm not familiar with MT, but I do know that if F&G is half as helpful as F&G in Wyoming they will be a great help. If you call the specific area you are interested in and speak with an area biologist or officer they should be able to help you out. I find as long as you've done a bit of leg work and have a list of questions available they'll give you a hand. Good luck, let us know how you make out.
You can hunt big game in any of the Lower 48 without a guide, but if you want to hunt big game within any of the large tracts of National Forest in Montana or Wyoming, then non-residents are required to have a guide.
State parks, private lands, BLM lands, etc do not have this requirement.
Of course this has nothing to do with hunting antelope near Casper or Gillette, or deer in the Midwest, etc...
From the Wyoming Game & Fish Department website;
ARTICLE 4 - GUIDES AND OUTFITTERS
23-2-401.Guides required; exceptions; issuance of resident guide license.
(a) No nonresident shall hunt big or trophy game animals on any designated wilderness area, as defined by federal or state law, in this state unless accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide. There shall be at least one (1) licensed professional guide or resident guide accompanying each two (2) nonresident hunters. The commission may also specify other areas of the state, or specific big or trophy game species, for which a licensed professional or resident guide is required for nonresidents, for purposes of proper game management, protection of hunter welfare and safety, or better enforcement of game and fish laws. The commission may allow licensed guides to accompany more than two (2) hunters but no more than six (6) hunters in specific areas.
ARTICLE 4 - GUIDES AND OUTFITTERS
23-2-401.Guides required; exceptions; issuance of resident guide license.
(a) No nonresident shall hunt big or trophy game animals on any designated wilderness area, as defined by federal or state law, in this state unless accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide. There shall be at least one (1) licensed professional guide or resident guide accompanying each two (2) nonresident hunters. The commission may also specify other areas of the state, or specific big or trophy game species, for which a licensed professional or resident guide is required for nonresidents, for purposes of proper game management, protection of hunter welfare and safety, or better enforcement of game and fish laws. The commission may allow licensed guides to accompany more than two (2) hunters but no more than six (6) hunters in specific areas.
Oh, I thought you said National Forests not Wilderness Areas. Thanks for the info. What about Montana.
Last time I was around the Powder River you could trip over goats-on the way to New Mexico rodeoing this year we saw some real good antelope with 50-60 miles of Craig, Colorado. The Cowboy and GunFighter Museum there is awesome too. I'm heading down to Riverton, Wyoming next month going down the west side of the Bighorns then coming up thjrough Casper and Sheridan-I'll snopp around for where the best goats are.
