The countdown has begun to our 2019 fall hunts. We are sure you have spent the last few months preparing physically, mentally, and gathering all the necessary equipment for your western hunt. This is an exciting time and here at SNS want to make sure that packing the wrong equipment won’t stand in the way of that once in a lifetime hunt.

All of those in our outfit would agree that proper footwear is the number one necessity in clothing. This isn’t a one size fits all option though. When you are coming to Wyoming or Montana it is necessary that you plan for all different types of weather. If you are enjoying one of our September hunts there is a high likelihood that you could be hunting in 80 temperatures one day and the next morning have frost on the ground. This makes finding the right boot important. You must have a boot that keeps your feet warm in the morning and is breathable enough to wear throughout the day. That is why we recommend Cabela’s Men’s Iron Ridge Uninsulated hunting boots with GORE-TEX.  These boots are waterproof, but breathable when the day begins to heat up. This boot is a great choice for both our men and women hunters.  I personally have owned a pair of Cabela’s GORE-TEX boots for 15 years and they have always been the perfect fit for our Wyoming terrain and weather. 

It’s always a privilege to experience what we love with those who share the same passion. Every once in awhile it's a true honor. This past week, SNS had one such honorable adventure.                                                       

This is Emily Ferguson and her Dad, Chris. SNS was introduced to them through the Outdoor Dream Foundation, whose role is to grant outdoor adventures to youth who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life-threatening illnesses. Outfitter, Sy Gilliland, has always wanted to get involved with the Outdoor Dream Foundation’s programs. When the opportunity arose to host Emily, he jumped at it.                                                 

Over the last few years, as the concern surrounding the impact of Chronic Wasting Disease has increased, we as outfitters and hunters are left searching for answers on how to deal with the impacts of CWD. There is no known cure for the disease which makes it a grave threat to infected herds of deer and elk.

So, what can be done, and what is being done? In 2019 I was asked to be a part of a CWD working group made up of public members. This group held a series of five public meetings in hopes of using input from the working group and the public to generate ideas and recommendations. Those recommendations would, in turn, be submitted to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department in an effort to aid with a CWD Management Plan moving forward. I gained a wealth of knowledge from these meetings and feel like the ideas that were generated will be beneficial for the Wyoming Game & Fish as they attempt to tackle one of the biggest challenges they face.

It’s countdown time! That long awaited hunt is right around the corner. On top of getting your daily exercise so you are ready for the rigors of a western hunt, it is also time to make sure your gear is up to standard. Next, let’s not forget the importance of getting your rifle, scope, and ammo tuned up and ready. It’s vital to carve out some time to hit the rifle range and make time to practice with the rifle you plan on bringing with you. Unfortunately too many hunters put this off as a last minute item and do not make the time to get plenty of shooting practice. Time spent at the range will hopefully result in a clean ethical kill.

The first step is to check out your weapon. Be sure all screws are tight and your rifle is cleaned throughly. Pick out, and buy plenty of ammunition so you will have more than enough to shoot at the range. Your scope needs to be clear, and the scope mounts secure. It may be well worth the time and money to have a reputable gunsmith give your rifle a once over.

Hunting is seeing a huge resurgence in participation. This trend has excited the outfitter industry and we all find ourselves hoping it continues. With New Zealand, Africa, Europe and Canadian outfitters having to forgo their 2020 season, hunters looked to the west to satisfy their desire for adventure. Before the pandemic, many outfitters booked a year or two in advance. These days, with the increased stateside demand, traveling sportsmen are scrambling to secure their hunting opportunities in 2021, 2022 and beyond. SNS Outfitter & Guides phone calls and email volume has been at an unprecedented high volume this fall.

Mule deer hunts are, without a doubt, the hunt of which we have received the most inquiries. Wyoming mule deer hunting is a hot commodity. Wyoming is home to some of the wests finest mule deer hunting. SNS Outfitters offers mule deer hunting from the central Wyoming prairies to the 10,000 foot peaks in the Wyoming range in western Wyoming. Should a combination of mule deer and pronghorn antelope hunting be your interest, we suggest you plan ahead at least one year if not two years. Those of you investigating a Montana mule deer hunt, scheduling that a year ahead creates a window of opportunity to purchase a Montana preference point. Even just one Montana point will greatly increase your draw odds. Hunting Montana mule deer during their November rutting season is as good as it gets! 

The Hunting industry is currently booming. Many Americans are realizing that the finest organic meat in the world roams in the wild. In the year 2020 more than 3 million American’s who have never purchased a hunting license bought their very first one. This is incredible news for the hunting industry and our future generation of hunters. As a parent or grandparent you may be wondering how to build an interest in hunting within your own children and grandchildren. This is our journey to build kids who love the outdoors and will respect the sport like we do. 

 From the time our Krew was 11 months we would throw him in a backpack every chance we had to get him out breathing the fresh air and taking in all Wyoming had to offer. We took him on these little day trips until he was 3 and joined in on his first Antelope hunting trip. My dad made the day a special one by buying him his very first “knife” a wooden toy that made him feel like one of the guys. This trip is one Krew still remembers nearly 9 years later. I am a firm believer that positive experiences early in life can shape a child in ways that will impact them greatly in the future. 

Every year the SNS receives questions about the equipment used on horseback hunts with our outfit. It’s often a hunter’s first time participating on a horseback hunt and the speciality equipment used can be a little intimidating. We thought it would be helpful to share with you the unique equipment used on SNS horseback hunts.

When we first started offering horseback hunts over 35 years ago, we had to invest in used saddles. We quickly learned that client comfort was imperative to a quality hunt, and therefore made the decision to upgrade all four tack. We now have an outstanding collection of high quality and comfortable client saddles. Each saddle is fitted with over sized stir ups, easily large enough to accommodate any hunting boot.

The question is asked every year by new clients arriving at Camp Envy; "How did this camp get its name?" Let’s take a look back.

SNS Outfitter has been hunting the property that Camp Envy is located on for well over 25 years. The original camp consisted of wall tents set up on the ground. The landowner came to us and asked if we would like to move the camp to an oil well site that was recently abandoned. The new site had a graveled parking area and electricity which was the main reason to move camp.

The preference point application period has once again come around. While many of the hunts offered by SNS do not take years to draw, we highly recommend the purchase of points to help ensure successful draw results. 

Wyoming’s preference points are species specific rather than area specific. The application period to buy preference points in 2021 is July – November 1. Points must be purchased prior to the year you apply for a draw.

At times, western hunting styles have brought up a few questions.  Most hunters are very familiar with using blinds or shooting houses set up over travel corridors or more commonly over food plots. This type of hunting style is mostly a waiting game. When your quarry presents a good shot, the hunt is over. Out west, however, most hunts are conducted using a whole different hunting style. Its called, “Spot and Stalk”.

Hunting pronghorn antelope in Wyoming often requires covering vast amounts of terrain. Traversing across the prairie in a pick up truck on two track roads is something most hunters have never experienced. The key to hunting trophy antelope is to try and locate as many animals as you can in a long day. We spot herds of pronghorn off in the distance and “glass" them using binoculars and spotting scopes. Once a likely trophy buck is located, a stalk follows and this is when the fun really begins! 

As we enter 2022, we are all feeling the effects of inflation in our lives. These increases are noted at gas stations, grocery stores and most certainly have their impact on small businesses like SNS Outfitter & Guides.

Knowing how to deal with inflation as a small business owner is difficult to say the least. It is nearly impossible to predict the cost of items essential to run this business. What we do know, however, is that this current trend in inflation is affecting every aspect of our business. The prices that affect every one of our hunts are gasoline, groceries, camp supplies, employee wages, payroll taxes and ranch lease fees. Fixed overhead costs include; insurance, storage fees, postage, advertising, office equipment and rent. Camp repair and maintenance have seen considerable increases in building material costs. Horse lease fees, their feed, shoeing, trucking, tack, and equipment repair are all climbing as well. As you can see, the list is long and has a direct affect on our hunt prices. 

Interest in western hunting continues to be very high. Because of this interest, its very important do some long range planning for your future hunts. Wyoming Mule Deer and Pronghorn Antelope hunts continue to be highly sought after each year. When you start the planning process, it is key to learn about the different licensing systems each western state uses to issue non-resident hunting licenses.

The sale of preference points has become very popular with western states as a way of distributing hunting licenses. This includes both Montana and Wyoming. Because the demand and competition to draw western licenses has increased, preference points have become a method of insuring that a hunter will eventually draw a coveted tag. The key is to buy points consistently and not miss any years. Skipping years of purchasing preference points can result in forfeiting what you have accumulated. To ensure you don’t miss out, SNS Outfitter offers a service to buy points for our clients. That way when you’re ready to go hunting with us, you will have enough points to draw your licenses. We provide information about preference points in our brochure and on our website. If you prefer to talk to us to learn more about preference points, please do not hesitate to give us a call.

The Wyoming Wildlife Task Force [WWTF] has been busy working on wildlife and licensing issues for the last year. SNS outfitter Sy is the outfitter representative on the task force. Several subjects have been discussed and either rejected or approved and moved on to the legislature or commission or continue to take public comment. 

One topic that has drawn a lot of attention is an outfitter draw. The task force is currently working on gathering comment on this subject. The outfitter draw is expected to be voted on at the August 8th & 9th meeting.

It’s been over a year now that the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force has been meeting to discuss wildlife and licensing issues that affect all Wyoming hunters. It’s coming down to a couple very important issues that will affect your ability to hunt as a non resident in Wyoming. 

A major reason for the formation of the task force was to study and come up with solutions in how Wyoming issues licenses to non residents. This issue has been boiled down to two paths that are being considered.

There are antelope hunts. And then there’s a trophy antelope hunt on some of Wyoming’s most incredible big game habitat where the action never seems to stop. There’s nothing quite like the experience of a free-range, spot-and-stalk antelope hunt in an area with high game density and excellent trophy quality.

That’s exactly what we offer here at SNS Outfitter and Guides. We love hunting North America’s fastest land animal and our expert guides will be your tutor in the field, as you learn everything from pronghorn behavior and defense mechanisms, to judging trophy quality and planning the perfect stalk.

Back in our comfortable camps, you can spend the evenings enjoying the camaraderie and laughter of hunting camp life. Or many of our hunts give you the option of staying at a hotel in Casper, allowing you to save on the cost of your hunt and have the freedom to arrange your own meals. Either way, rest well. Because at first light you’ll be up for another day of antelope hunting on the high plains!

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If staying at one of our hunting camps, hunters will arrive the day before their hunt begins. This gives you time to check your rifle, settle in and enjoy the scenery around camp. The next morning, we’ll serve a hot breakfast before you and your guide head out to begin glassing for antelope. If you are staying in town, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and you’ll be off to the ranch.

We lease well over a half a million acres of some of Wyoming’s most impressive big game habitat for antelope and deer hunting. These sprawling ranches allow our hunters to experience giant swaths of beautiful Wyoming country without public hunting pressure. These ranches are home to hundreds of antelope. And because antelope bed at night and are active throughout the day, you can expect action all day long.

All of our guided hunts, whether you’re hunting from camp or from town, include a lunch in the field. In the evenings, camp hunters will return to camp for a home-cooked dinner. Each of our camps has a dedicated cook to make sure you have everything you need. Those hunting from town will head back to Casper to explore the town and find dinner on their own.

Here at SNS Outfitter and Guides, we offer rifle antelope hunts. Or archery enthusiasts may choose the challenge of hunting antelope with a bow. Tags are easy to draw even if you don’t have any preference points. But you must book before the application deadline in March!

To learn more about our Wyoming antelope hunting opportunities, check out our website or you can request a free brochure. If you’d like to check availability for the 2017 season, please call us now at 307-266-4229.

This week we’d like to feature one of our specific hunting camps and provide a virtual tour around this beautiful location in northeast Wyoming. Sometimes known as “Camp Envy” for its amenities, it’s also known as Hunt #2 if you refer to our website or the printed brochure. Most importantly, this camp serves as the home base for an outstanding Wyoming combo hunt.

The landscape in north central and northeast Wyoming is a patchwork of sage hills, plateaus studded with ponderosa pines, grassy plains, and shallow canyons lined with junipers. It’s perfect habitat for trophy quality antelope and mule deer bucks.

Our hunting camp sits atop a hill with views overlooking long creeks lined with cottonwoods, vast expanses of sagebrush, and an escarpment of pine-covered hills. The camp itself contains several buildings that include guest quarters, guide rooms, a 24 by 32-foot dining room, a shower building, permanent outhouses and a meat cooler.

The guest rooms are comfortable, sleeping two to four hunters each. Bunk beads are furnished with covered mattresses. Baseboard heat keeps things cozy, no matter what the weather decides to do. A hot shower is a perfect way to start or end each day. And the dining room provides the perfect place to gather for a hot breakfast each morning, and then a home-cooked dinner each night.

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An antelope and mule deer combo hunt is a classic, spot-and-stalk experience. After a hot breakfast, you and your guide will leave camp before daylight. These ranches offer good 4x4 access and the hunt typically begins by glassing these large expanses of open country for a mature buck. In some cases you will be glassing from the vehicle but in other situations, your guide might park and hunt on foot.

After harvesting your mule deer or antelope, your guide will field dress your trophy. Back in camp, it can chill in our meat cooler. Processing and taxidermy is your responsibility. But if you choose to have your meat processed locally, our local meat processor can pick your animal up from camp. This is an easy and hassle-free way to have your meat processed before your departure. We also have a couple of outstanding local taxidermists that we recommend.

With good numbers of antelope and mule deer, the hunting here is action-packed. From this camp, we are fortunate to hunt on private ranches that encompass more than 62,000 acres of big game habitat. We have been carefully managing these ranches for over two decades and the trophy quality is excellent. An antelope and mule deer combo hunt is a classic-spot and stalk experience. This is everything you’d want and expect in a western hunting adventure.

For more information, you can check out Hunt #2 on our website. Or you can request a free copy of our brochure. For details or availability, give us a call at 307-266-4229.

On August 15th, new pricing for our 2018 hunts will go into effect. So if you’re thinking of booking a hunt for next year, this is your chance to lock in your spot at the current rate! But you must book before August 15th. 
Our 2018 season still has plenty of openings. Our Wyoming antelope hunts, spring and fall black bear hunts, the Wyoming and Montana mule deer hunts, and our Wyoming elk hunts have some great spots still available. But many of our most popular hunts fill up by the holidays. Locking in your spot now guarantees you the best dates, plus the best possible price. 


And if you’re thinking of a hunt next year, this is also perfect timing to grab a preference point while they are still on sale. Wyoming preference points are available for elk, deer and antelope. Purchasing a point now will help ensure you draw the best possible tag next year. 
Our preference point program makes the whole process easy. We handle licenses, points and applications for you. Best of all, we deduct the cost of your preference points from the cost of your hunt. So when it’s all said and done, your points don’t cost a thing. 
Wyoming preference points are only on sale for a limited time. And you must book before August 15th if you want to lock in a hunt at our current rates! For more information on booking or purchasing points, call us now at 307-266-4229. Or you can contact us on our website. 

Fall hunting — in both Wyoming and Montana — can mean variable weather and hunting conditions. With dynamic weather in mind, here are a few packing recommendations for those October and November hunts. First and foremost, you should pack layers. Layers are a critical element to hunting in the West. We typically experience cold mornings and warm afternoons, so having the ability to add (or shed) layers is key. In times of movement —  either when you’re hiking or on horseback — you'll want to shed a layer because your body will generate heat. While sitting and stalking though, you'll want to layer your gear to mitigate cooling down.

Secondly, pack to be prepared. Whether you’re hunting during one of our beautiful summer like days, or the weather dramatically shifts and begins to snow, having the proper gear is crucial. Suggested gear to pack: long johns, down jackets, rain gear, gloves, beanies, hats, extra ear warmers, second layer gloves, and be sure to have waterproof boots that are warm and practical. For that matter, having the correct footwear can be a game-changer. You want to be able to trek all day, without issue. Prior to heading to camp, make sure you’ve broken in your shoes and they’re ready for use.



Upon arrival, have your binoculars ready as well as your gun sighted in. Your guide will do a quick overview to make sure he or she feels confident with your shooting abilities. Your guide will also ensure that your gun is adequately set up for your hunt. If you have any specific "game day fuel," we recommend that you pack that along as well.

That said, our camps will feed you two delicious and satisfying meals. We also have an assortment of lunch offerings to pack for your day of hunting. So long as you follow the above recommendations, you'll be prepared for a great day in Wyoming! As a reminder, the weather here can be fairly unpredictable this time of year, so come prepared with your layers. Cheers, friends! Happy hunting.



If you have any questions about western hunting with SNS Outfitter and Guides you can contact us by clicking here or calling us at: 307.266.4229. You can also request a free brochure by clicking here.

Admittedly, selecting
the right hunting outfitter is not an easy process. With hundreds of thousands
of outfitters around the world, there are numerous aspects to take into
consideration. First, what species are you interested in hunting? Once you have
that figured out, which state do you want to hunt in? Are you looking for an
area where tags are easy to draw? Furthermore, are you looking for a trophy or
simply want to fill your freezer? You’ll also want to consider the length of
the hunt and whether or not you prefer a horseback hunt. As you can see, there
are a plethora of factors to take into consideration.

Once you
narrow down your preferences — or at least have a fairly solid idea of your
likings — you take to the Internet. Between interactive websites, great trophy
photos, and testimonials that make you feel like you were on the hunt yourself,
it’s difficult to choose. So, here is what we suggest: