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Wintering in Wyoming can be hard to do

Wyoming, like much of the west, is experiencing a hard winter with lots of snow. We are a large state and as you would expect, the snow pack varies from area to area. Along with other states in our region, Wyoming has been experiencing a prolonged drought. Cattle ranchers have a saying; “It takes a hard winter to break a drought.” Because Wyoming receives minimal summer rains, we rely on the yearly snow fall to provide some deep soil moisture. Spring and summer rains just don’t provide enough precipitation to recharge our creeks and streams.



Wildlife populations have had to deal with hard winters for eons. The Pronghorn Antelope are the species most susceptible to deprivation in a hard winter. However, Mother Nature did provide this prairie speedster some help so that they can survive weather extremes. Antelope have hollow hair which provides remarkable insulation and protection from extreme cold. Their hair color makes them hard to see, particularly  when there is snow on the ground serving as excellent protection from predators. During years when we have had this much snow, there is always concern for how much feed Antelope can access without burning more calories than they are taking in. Sagebrush becomes a critical source of intake. Sage is much taller than the prairie grasses and pokes up through deep snow. It is highly palatable to Pronghorn and a great source of nutrients for them and their horn growth. 


 
There is one constant we have found to be true of hard winters like this one. It’s the young ones that tend to suffer and many of them will die. The year or two following a winter kill still provides plenty of mature bucks to hunt. It seems to be the third year after a winter die off when the landscape is short on mature bucks as we will be missing an age class of animals. 


Fortunately, Pronghorn Antelope can rebuild a population quickly. In the spring it is not uncommon to see several sets of twins and even triplets to be born.



We shall see what the rest of winter throws at us in regards to snow and temperatures. So far the herds are doing well and the animals still look in decent shape. Last fall SNS Outfitter guides commented that the bucks we took had lots of body fat so we are hopeful they were ready for a hard winter. We take reassurance that these snow storms are providing much needed moisture, but admittedly, we are just as ready for spring as the Antelope likely are!

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Trophy Antelope Buck Hunt, 3 for 3 with SNS

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As they say, if you know, you know! That crazy mix of adrenaline and joy; relief and pride as you pull the trigger and see the results unfold in front of you. Feeling exhausted and exhilarated all at once is a something that SNS Outfitter and Guides is no stranger to. For 46 seasons now, we have been lucky enough to host top quality hunting adventures in Wyoming & Montana. Time and time again, clients have expressed their appreciation and fond memories of a hunt well conducted. 
We take a lot of pride in providing 1st class hunts and wanted to share a few scenes from a trophy antelope hunt this past fall with professional hunting guides; Richard Fink & Mark Jarrett. They guided Tim, Lonnie & Chris who have known one another and hunted together for years. They joined us in September and went 3 for 3, each taking home a trophy antelope buck.



Day one kicked off with a hearty meal from camp cook Ms. Sylvia at our Red Butte Lodge. They geared up, checked their equipment and were off and running. The first day was all about glassing and “shopping” for the right buck. Anyone who has hunted antelope with SNS will tell you, its not about finding an antelope buck to harvest, but rather deciding which one is the right buck for you. The day concluded with a plan of which antelope these hunting buddies would like to pursue at first shooting light tomorrow.



Riding along with Tim and Mark on day two started out with a waiting game. The buck that Tim liked best from the day before was lingering in a draw that didn’t allow us to get a good sneak on him and he was darn content to stay right there. We waited and watched as he mingled with the does and leisurely grazed. It was game on however when he trotted across the meadow and over the rise. The hillside gave us enough cover to put a stalk on him and move into ethical shooting range. Tim’s pursuit ended with a finishing shot standing over the hood of the truck. One buck down!

Tim’s comments as he looked over his buck were all about what cool character he has, how the cutters fan outward and that fork on the left cutter really makes him a stand out trophy.

In the meantime, on a neighboring ranch, Richard and Lonnie were able to put a stalk on a really nice trophy buck. As Lonnie said, he was a “scrapper” with one of his cutters having broken off, likely while sparing during mating season. The two groups met up for lunch in the field and to tell some “tailgate tales” as we call it; swapping stories of a successful morning of hunting. 


As the sun stretched onward into afternoon, the antelope that Chris had his sights set on was right where we left him the evening before. With a plan in place, a quick stalk was put on him. With little cover, he spotted us and quickly stood up. No time to waste! Chris made a perfect shot to drop him right where he stood and the celebration was on! 
And there you have it! 3 for 3 trophy antelope bucks this past September with SNS Outfitter & Guides. If this looked like a great time and you have been holding back on using your Wyoming Preference points, rest assured. Although we did have quite the snowfall this past winter, we did not experience significant winter die off in Central Wyoming, the area that SNS conducts its antelope hunts. In fact, the Wyoming Game & Fish is maintaining the same level of Type 1 Antelope Buck tags as they issued in 2022. Making 2023 and 2024 a great time to cash in those points and join us for a Pronghorn Antelope hunt. 
To line up your hunting opportunity, give our office a call or email at 307-266-4229 or email, sns@huntwyo.com.






 
 

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It's not all bad news! Central Wyoming Antelope faired well

While you may have heard the news of what a hard winter some areas of Wyoming experienced this year, you likely have not heard, how well the antelope in central Wyoming faired. Bad news always travels more quickly after all, but we wanted to reassure our clients. The worst winter conditions occurred in southern and south western Wyoming, fortunately areas we do not hunt. Our trophy areas in central Wyoming have maintained the same antelope buck quotas we had in 2022 and we are looking at a great up coming season. So, if you haven’t finalized your plans for the 2023 hunting season and have Wyoming Antelope preference points, we have options for you!



Our primary antelope private land units open September 15 and run though most of October. We have a few camp openings and a good selection of dates for a town hunt option. It’s a great time to use those points and draw a license. Our trophy areas can be drawn using the special license option with a handful of points. In 2024 the cost of the special antelope license is going to double so why not beat the license fee increase and hunt in 2023?

With all of the moisture we received this winter, our rangeland conditions are going to be spectacular. Great range conditions will translate into healthy antelope and good horn growth. In fact, it’s stacking up to be the best conditions we have seen in possibly 10 years. 


Our price for a camp trophy antelope hunt is $3,395.00 for a 3-day hunt. The camp is a very nice two story fishing lodge that we lease for 3 weeks during the antelope season. Our full time cook, Miss Sylvia and her husband, Arnold will take care of making sure you’re fed well! Arnold has a special recipe for his famous Texas dry rub pork ribs and Miss Sylvia makes some of the finest authentic Mexican dishes and her homemade salsa is to die for.



If a town hunt is your preferred option we can arrange that as well. Those hunts are $3,195.00 for a 3-day hunt from the Ramkota in Casper, Wyoming. Our town manager is the ever popular, Benny Tillerson, Wyoming Outfitter & Guides Association’s Guide of the Year in 2021. Benny will make sure all the details for your hunt are taken care of. Our crew of experienced antelope guides are very well versed in judging antelope horns, a critical skill set.

Call today ( 1-307-266-4229 ) or email at sns@huntwyo.com  Sy, SNS’s Outfitter, and Ambrosia, our office manager, are ready to answer any questions you may have and get you booked for a Trophy Antelope Hunt with SNS Outfitter & Guides. 

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Count down to your Antelope hunt

It’s almost July and its time to start fine tuning your gear for your upcoming hunt. Getting your rifle ready for your Wyoming Antelope hunt needs to be at the very top of your list. Most hunters own multiple rifles so choosing the best firearm to hunt the flat, wide open spaces of Wyoming is important.

The terrain in antelope country is generally rolling prairie grasslands and sagebrush. Antelope stand about 3 feet tall at their shoulder and a mature buck will weigh 110-120 lbs. The rifle you bring should be flat shooting, topped with a very good scope. Our outfit has successfully guided almost 5,000 buck antelope hunts so you can say we have a great deal of experience. 


First up is the .270 this is without a doubt the best firearm for a pronghorn antelope hunt followed by the .25-06 and the .243. We have started seeing plenty of the 6.5 family showing up and these calibers have proven to be very good on antelope. The heavier 30 caliber rifles can be used as well and work great, but they are designed for heavier animals.

Bullet design has come a long ways the last 30 years. Today’s sportsmen have a wide array of quality bullets to choose from and factory out of the box ammunition is very accurate. A quality bonded bullet is your best choose for hunting antelope. Bonded bullets will hold together, driving completely through the animal resulting in a clean, ethical kill.



Sight your rifle in so its dead on at 200 yards. Most of the shots that will be taken will run from 150-300 yards. Farther shots may be required, but generally with a little effort you and your guide can close the gap for a closer shot. Practice, practice and practice some more! The amount of time you spend at the rifle range shooting will pay big dividends on your hunt. The vast majority of the shots will be from the sitting position using shooting sticks, prone shots using an available rock or backpack are also common shots. 
It’s exciting getting ready for a long anticipated hunt. In addition to making sure your ready to execute the shot for a clean ethical kill, check out the suggested gear list we have prepared and sent to our currently booked clients. Make sure you’re getting plenty of exercise so your legs and lungs are ready. Finalize your travel plans and return the travel sheet to our office along with the client expectation form. If you have any questions that aren’t answered in the information we have sent, then by all means, email or call with those questions. Thank you for choosing SNS Outfitters for your Wyoming antelope hunt and we shall see you this fall.

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Mastering Wyoming Preference Points

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Welcome to SNS Outfitter & Guides classroom. Today, our topic at hand is Wyoming Preference Points. This subject ranks high on our list of Frequently Asked Questions so we wanted to provide you with some “cliff notes” and help answer your most burning questions.

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“A Family Reunion at Hunting Camp” Tailgate Tales #2: featuring Kevin Pollock

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With hunting clients coming back for more year after year, SNS Outfitter and the team of professional hunting guides, wranglers, camp jacks & cooks, must be doing something right! SNS Client, Kevin Pollock, tell us why. He has been hunting from Camp Envy for eleven consecutive years. Each season filling out his combination hunt for both antelope and deer. There is only one tag that Kevin was unable to fill on his very first visit in 2013. A blizzard moved into the area and made for very challenging hunting conditions and limited travel. He still managed to fill his antelope tag that year, however, with the help of hunting guide, Jim Barton. Kevin said, “These guys did everything they could to get me on game, even in the worst conditions possible. If that is what they are willing to do for me when it’s this snowed in and wet, I can’t wait to see what it’s like in bluebird conditions. I am coming back!” 

Kevin says he keeps returning to SNS for his yearly antelope and mule deer hunts for multiple reasons; the experienced staff, great animals, “It’s an honest, hard working group. SNS handles all the paperwork. I know when arrive to camp, my tag will be there. It’s a quality outfit from top to bottom with great leadership from Sy,” SNS Outfitter. Over time Kevin has noticed the camp evolve while maintaining its quality. “I like this camp so well because it is remote enough for great hunting, but comfortable with warm rooms, nice beds, great food and hot, hot water showers and now, I can call home right from the cook house.” In addition to enjoying this SNS camp all these years, Kevin has been able to get to know all of the crew and become quite close with them. “It’s like old going home week; a family reunion at hunting camp each year.” And if there is one member of the team that Kevin has really hit it off with, that would have to be, Troy Gilmore, SNS camp manager and hunting guide. Matter of fact, they are more like family at this point. With their families enjoy spending time together, Kevin and his wife have become like a bonus set of grandparents for Troy and his wife’s two daughters. When asked about Kevin, Troy will tell you, “Kevin and I just clicked right from the start. He’s a joy to take hunting. He’s one that it doesn’t matter if it’s rain, snow or shine. He just loves the whole experience; the whole hunt from start to finish. He buddies up with everyone at camp, never gets worked up and is easy going. He’s like a dream client!”

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