antelope hunting

[shooter]

How's the antelope hunting around the Cody,Wy area ?
My partner and i are still looking to book a hunt rifle hunt (2008) but the amount of outfitters makes choosing one midboggeling to say the least.There are a couple like Table Mountain that have great reputations but why should i pay $1800-2000 when others are charging closer to $1400.That difference could be my airfare from NY or the cost of the taxidermist.Both of us are used to hunting the dense forests of upstate NY and Michigan.I've got another buddy that owns a quarry where i could practice at 100-300 yrds but my partner in Mich. has no such place.Also,we are both archers but not sure if we want to try hunting antelope with a bow.Why don't outfitters let hunters sit in a blind near a water hole and shoot one with a rifle ? is that considered too easy or unsporting out west ? Just wondering,my ave shot on a whitetail is 40 to 60 yrds and i'd rather see them upclose and observe their behavior vs shooting 300 yrds.Any thoughts ?
Shooter

[NONYA]

Once rifle season starts they may not stand around a waterhole in broad daylight,if you are looking for an easy gauranteed kill antelope may not be your best bet.Once the shooting starts you had best be prepared to take that 300 yard shot,lopes wise up real quick.I watched a archery lope huntin WY on Outdoor net yesterday,guy sat in his blind for 6 days before getting a shot.Id spend the extra money and increase your odds of taking a buck,I dont know about WY but you would have to draw a tag here in MT.

[freddogs]

 :)I've never hunted antelope around Cody but most of Wyoming has excellent hunting on private land (which is where a guided hunt often takes place).
You don't always have a long shot for antelope. I've shot most of mine at less than 200 yards. They do get spooky when rifle season starts. I've never hired a guide ,it's easy enough to have a good hunt without one.
TIPS
If you hire a guide call references.
Antelope are not as far away as they look so don't aim over their backs.
Guides should be able to tell you a big one from an average one.
Zero your gun for 200 yards.
Shooting practice always helps.
Good luck

[shooter]

Thanks guys,
             guess i was sleeping.Should have figured that once the guns start going off things change quickly-same as bowhunting here in NY,you have a much better chance in the early season until their patterns here change due to gun hunters etc.
Shooter

[GANDER]

 I have hunted antelope in WY for several years. I can't think of any that I have shot over 150 yards. These guys are right! I would try to book it within the first two or three days of the season. I personally would not spend the money on an outfitter as there is a TON of BLM ground in that country to do a freelance hunt.  A buck tag is 253 and doe tags are 41 for non resident. We generally put in for bucks but always draw a couple doe tags a piece.
A better tactic then a water hole in to lay on your belly on top of a higher knoll or hill side and wait for them to come past you. Antelope are wanderers so if given time they will wander by you. They are also animals of sight but they tend to look around them and not up. Often they will walk stright up to the foot of the hill before they notice you.
One piece of advice I can give for public land. Is when it gets 9 oclock or later and you are thinking about packing it up. Trust me STAY! Every other antelope hunter out there is thinking the same thing. As soon as the trucks start to drive around for lack of a better word "road hunting". You are in the best spot of anyone!!I have had antelope run past me so close. I have had sit up because they were on a path to run over us. 14 of us shot 29 antelope in 3 days while up there last year. When it's good... its REAL good!

[BeanMan]

Shooter,

I really liked Gander's reply.  I've hunted Antelope in my home state of Colorado quite a few times.  I was wondering why you think you need an outfitter?  Antelope are not that hard to find or to hunt.  You would be able to do that on your own.  Just get a BLM land use map from a BLM office and it will show which is public and what is private.  You can save a pile of money that way.  The only time I would consider using a guide is if you can only 'settle' for a huge trophy AND the guide can give you a reasonable gurantee at one.  There are lot of bucks out there on public land and some of them will be decent.  I repeat: Antelope just aren't that hard to find or shoot.  Like Gander said use ridges.  If you can get close to a long fence that has a ridge to sit on and maybe a path to a waterhole you will be set.  Antelope will follow fences many times since they rarely jump them.

Good Luck,

beanman