Best state for Public Land DIY Antelope hunt

[Stuart C.]

Hi,
Please chime in on what you'd consider the best state for enjoyable public land hunt. WY, MT, SD, CO or other.   

We were out west last year and the confusion surrounding where private land ends and what public areas were even accessible was unbelievable, but I hear similar things about neighboring states too.  We know we're ultimately responsible for the due diligence and the fact finding, but what has been your experience?

What do you think or where have you found the areas both available and accessible?
Thanks!

[Ranch13]

Here in the last few years the federal and state lands in Wyoming are pretty well marked. There are some checker boarded area's that the private land is owned/controlled by out of state non ag producers (read that folks gaming Wyo's landowner license system) that can be a bit confusing. The private lands enrolled in the "walkin areas" are very well marked, altho a person needs to pay close attention to the "walkin area" map booklet as some of those are only open for certain species for certain periods of time and may have limitations on what sex of a species can be harvested.
Purchasing a GPS capable of running the map programs that show you exactly whether or not you are on public or private land, and who owns the private land, is fairly cheap insurance against having a trip ruined by a trespass ticket and posting the 750$ bond, when hunting in one of those area's where the ownership is checkerboarded, and not particularly well marked.

[james]

I've hunted National Forest land in CO, for 20 years but since they passed their anti gun laws, I will not be going back.
I'll antelope hunt on public land in WY and elk and deer hunt on private land in MT.
I've had no problem finding the boundaries using BLM maps in WY.

[Anduril]

Get one of those handheld GPS units with a map chip and use it along with the standard BLM paper maps to keep out of trouble.
If you haven't applied for a non-resident license by now you may be out of luck for this season unless you can pick up an over the counter or surplus doe tag.
Wyoming may be your best bet, the antelope population numbers are presently kind of low in Montana.
..
 

[freddogs]

I've used the map chip and GPS along with BLM maps in Wyoming and had no problems. Sometimes you can find a landowner who will let you hunt for a reasonable fee.

[dukkillr]

Wyoming is the best state for DIY antelope hunting.  It really is the only choice if you want to get a tag regularly and have a chance to rifle hunt on public land.
 
New Mexico and Arizona have big public land units and tremendous animals but you won't draw the tag.  Colorado and Montana have smaller goats and more boundary issues.  They also will be harder to draw than Wyoming.  Actually, after Wyoming you would probably do well to try some more eastern states like Nebraska and South Dakota, even Oklahoma.

[mauser98us]

Am 57 years old,and have only drawn one pronghorn tag here in Az. Put in every year since I was sixteen. One tag in 40 years. As they say in NY forgetaboutit!

[Couger]

Wyoming is the best state for DIY antelope hunting.  It really is the only choice if you want to get a tag regularly and have a chance to rifle hunt on public land.
 
New Mexico and Arizona have big public land units and tremendous animals but you won't draw the tag.  Colorado and Montana have smaller goats and more boundary issues.  They also will be harder to draw than Wyoming.  Actually, after Wyoming you would probably do well to try some more eastern states like Nebraska and South Dakota, even Oklahoma.

Haven't hunted pronghorns in Wyoming, but I have in Utah just outside of WY.
 
My pops was from WY, and THAT state still believes in hunting, outdoor recreation and tourist dollars, guns and the 2nd Amendment, and boasts the biggest pronghorn herds even in a bad year!
 
Hands down, Wyoming is the best state to hunt pronghorns unless a hunter has a guide somewhere else [after scouting] with a record class buck waiting to be tagged.