After 25 years I'm finally in a position I can get out and pursue my hunting "Bucket List".
Does anyone have an idea of areas to start looking at for a DIY Antelope hunt in Nebraska or South Dakota. It's my understanding they have over the counter sales for non-residents archery. Hoping for a 2016 hunt.
Thank you for your thoughts and info!
Hi Chuck,
Nebraska does sell OTC archery antelope tags and the price is very reasonable, $155.50 non-resident. I have never hunted in NE, but considered it strongly. Last year, I contacted the NE Game and Parks Commission and requested information. For a nominal fee, they sent me a ton of information about hunting in northwest NE. The area I focused in on was the Oglala National Grasslands, which is just under 100,000 acres of public hunting. If you want to contact the game and parks commish about the Oglala grasslands, here is their info: Northwest District Office 308.763.2940, www.OutdoorNebraska.org (http://www.outdoornebraska.org) Make sure to ask for the map of the Nebraska National Forest, Oglala National Grasslands Pine Ridge Ranger District, map of the Motor Vehicle Use Map NE National Forest in the Pine Ridge Ranger District and the NE Public Access Atlas. These documents, along with the hunting regs, will get you started. As far as places to stay in NE, look at Fort Robinson State Park. As I understand, they rent cabins and have tent camping.
Sounds interesting longbow fanatic 1 my son lives 300 miles SE of Oglala, may have to start scouting
Frank,
I agree! I've often considered hunting in NE on the years that my application is rejected in WY. With the low cost of the antelope tag and OTC availability in NE, it seemed like a great option.
SD antelope is either hit or miss. The area between Buffalo and Belle Forche is usually your best bet for numbers and trophies. The further north you go the harder it is to find a place to stay or camp, but the more animals there are. You can access a walk-in map on the SD GF&P website. Good luck.
Interesting. I actually sent e-mails to agency personnel I know in both SD and NE on Tuesday asking the same thing. I'm also considering WY which I have hunted a few times before.
I believe Nebraska's pronghorn population is rebounding, but I don't think the numbers compare to South Dakota. For numbers of animals, I don't think anyone comes close to Wyoming.
I hunted northwest South Dakota a few years back. We stayed at a hotel in Buffalo. Although the locals told us the numbers were down considerably, we had multiple stalks each day. Two of the three of us took goats home.
I would seriously look into buying a preference point in Wyoming this year ($30), and research units that you can draw there in 2016.
The Nebraska grasslands are beautiful,but if you're driving all the way from Ohio, adding a couple hours to your drive could greatly boost your odds of success.
I hunted a ranch in Harrison NE for two years. Tags are cheap and there are a bunch of goats in the extreme NW corner of the state.
I think if you setup camp at the public campground on the cheap, and find a nice blind-over-water setup on government grazing land, a guy might do alright there on a budget.
As fun as it was, I will plan to go to Wyoming when I resume hunting pronghorns.
Thom
Maybe I should do some research, if the seasons (Wyoming & NE) overlap maybe I could hunt both states in one trip
A good base campground in Northwest NE corner is Ft. Robertson. Also you can check the LaCreek Wildlife Refuge in SD. Its just south of Martin, SD.
TTT
Something like 80 percent of North America's proghorn antelope live within 100 miles of Casper, Wyoming.....so I hunt em in Wyoming.....lol. I do know guys who hunt them successfully in Nebraska....do your homework and you should be able to score.
thanks , looking at Oglala area
Wyoming, from what I've been told and through a lot of reading, is the place for OTC DIY Antelope.
TTT