Antelope 108 or 102?
 

My son and I are thinking of putting in for Antelope trophy this coming season
We both have pt16 so drawing should not be an issue!
Trying to find out some information on the Wmu down south and I am intrigued with the low number of tags allocated for 108.
Was hoping you guys could shed some light on advantages or disadvantages of both Wmu’s
Thanks!

With only 10 tags being issued for 108 and your a p16 it’s a no brainer to pick this zone
102/118 is a total rodeo
185 guys that have waited 10 year plus for a tag
I had the draw there before
Seen 4 groups of hunters chasing the same 2 antelope
I would never do that one again

Completely agree. Antelope is definitely a hunt you want the option of patience for. If theirs guys driving everywhere and it’s a rodeo you are going to feel pressured to shoot any decent buck. But if there’s only 10 guys hunting the zone you can feel confident in waiting for a buck you would be completely happy with.
Even with only 10 guys I would still get far away from the roads because the older bucks sometimes are way back away from the roads. My brother shot a really nice buck with crazy mass that we spotted from at least a km away. Scored (79 inches I think.)We were definitely the only guys going after it because we hiked in a ways. We were quite lucky to spot it in the first place because it was hilly country and we only got a brief glance anyway.

You need to know what you are doing in 108. There is a reason that zone has 10 tags.

102

I’d go with the zone that has 9 other hunters and not 184 every time
I enjoy the wainwright rodeo
But the guys chasing antelope are next level

Not sure what the problem could be, other than lack of access
It’s antelope hunting
Drive around and glass and glass and glass

antelope numbers down here are certainly not what they were.......having said that, with only 10 tags available, you certainly should be able to find a buck in 108

Depends on what you are looking for.
Big goats in 160s 150s and all the way from Brooks to Hat.

Hanna, Youngstown. No that much competition especially if you walk.


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Probably 106 to be honest. If you don't get lucky in the fields you can blast the one standing out front of the post office.

I have seen 108 lose a ton of goats to early storms. The whole zone packed up and headed east. I’m not saying you can’t find antelope, but they aren’t easy. Also keep in mind the largest private land holdings in Alberta are in that zone. None of which allow hunting.

sorry pathfinder, but i think you are sorely misinformed about the permission thing. there are certainly some who won't let you on, but MANY who will. (of course it certainly helps to be local)

Helps to know all the Hutterite colonies too. :)

He's right about a lot of pronghorns migrating east tho. I wouldn't even bother with west of hwy 2.

I did not say anything about difficulty getting permission.

With a P16 wmu 144 and company would be a great choice.

well, enlighten me.....what did you mean by 'none of which allow hunting'?

I said. There are some of the largest private land holding in Alberta in 108. None of which will allow you to hunt antelope on them.

mmmmm...ok

It’s right there in black and white. And they include the -K2, the McIntyre, and the Knight ranches.

well, you are right on those three, but in fairness, the mac is not really antelope heaven anyway. lots of other places to hunt in a big zone. plus, without going back to the regs to check, other zones are included when you draw 108. ( i should have double checked on that one, before i get corrected)

i was wrong!....impossible!

you only get 108 when you draw 108. sorry

by the way, i'm not trying to talk anyone into drawing 108. i'm the first one to admit that there are not as many goats down here as there have been in the past. it's kind of come and go, and right now most have got up and gone.

Those three ranches are a continuous block of over 200,000 acres. They matter. The hunting is tough in 108 for Antelope. That is why they only give out 10 tags.

I've lived in both zones and spent a lot of time in each. I likely wouldn't draw either if it was my tag right now, but out of the two I'd probably hunt 102 unless I had a really specific reason why I wanted to hunt 108. There is some value in hunting the low tag numbers, but need to understand that there are also some drawbacks and challenges as well.

I've seen some great bucks in 108, but obviously seen a lot more and some true giants in 102.

Honestly I wouldn’t go to either of these zones

108 is a super tough hunt like said due to the main portion of the zone being off limits due to the big two church ranches smack dab in the middle. I'd rather be anywhere else that offers antelope in this province.

Agreed. For $1,500 go to Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, or anywhere you can enjoy a hunt. Being in a rat race in Alberta just to see how poorly another game animal is managed is pretty sad.

I pulled my tag in 2020 in 104/106/112 (I think those are the zones, going by memory). See my thread about my mount just a few down on the page. Lots of Antelope and a whole pile of hunters. I never saw anyone more than about 100 yards from a truck though. Like usual, if you are willing to walk a bit you can find Antelope without a pile of people around. The issue is walking and not having the Antelope see you in that flat country.

In 2017 they gave 52 tags. Im not sure what posessed them to give that many. Then following year they were down to 10. Must have known where there was a whole pile that I didnt think were there.
Starting to see a few small herds showing backup in areas I always remember seeing them as a kid.
Definitely not an easy area for sure.

To the OP, If you area new antelopes hunter Id suggest taking your first best opportunity presented to you in any WMU, but do as your heart desires. As the season pushes on, people get a little sideways trying to fill that license.

x2. Forget about the inch or two that makes a difference between an average buck and a bragging buck, and focus on having an iconic, high quality hunt that's unique in Alberta, and the envy of 99.9% of North American hunters.

Find some wild, native country where you can walk all day without constantly climbing over fences, do a classic spot & stalk, and bring home a mature buck and some very unique tasting venison. Take your time and savour every part of the experience - from the planning, to wiping the napkin at the end of your 'antelope' steaks! It's an experience that comes less than once a decade to an Alberta hunter - enjoy it. WMU 102 is great country to explore.

That right there is an accurate description of 102 and great advice for a memorable hunt.

How is it managed poorly? Alberta has marginal habitat and quadruple the population of MT or WY. Those two factor in hugely and nothing can be done to mitigate that.

I've hunted antelope in WY and AB. Apples and oranges. When you draw a tag in AB you have a very good chance of filling it..........you just have to wait for it. I can't recommend any changes to make it better.