Anyone want to go deer hunting this year?

Founder

Founder

Founder Since 1999
Messages
11,689
If anyone is interested in hunting the high country of Wyoming this year, I'm game. I heard from my horse guy and I have access to a couple horses and the tack again this year, if we need to use them. I'm also good to put in 10-12 days of scouting to find us some bucks to get after. We can go archery or rifle hunting.

I'm point poor though at zero, so I'll need a little help there.

We all know the deer in western Wyoming were hit pretty hard this past winter, so there won't be as many bucks running around this Summer/Fall compared to last, but there'll still be quite a few. Enough I believe that I can find us some solid bucks to hunt. It'll be fun.

2018 with Scott
brianlatturner92618-12.jpg


2017 with Hank
DSCN1034.JPG


Fun in 2015 with Jason and Landon, despite my broken neck
DSCN2459.JPG


2007 with James
mb1.jpg
 
Well I have 16NR points and should have 17 if I didn't realize the system changed a few years ago. Was going to use them this year but now thinking I hold on since I should draw my Colorado tag.
 
You don’t need tag hub to figure it out. Look at last years draw odds and this years quota compared to last years quota and make a guess. That’s what tag hub does. They don’t know any more than anyone else. It’s crazy some guys pay for someone else to make guesses for them.
 
ridgerunner said:
Anyone have a link to that story? As I recall it was one long hunt.
Click to expand...
ridgerunner
I looked back and found the link

WY Region G Buck | Mule Deer

Finally getting around to writing about my Region G hunt from last fall. For nearly 15 years I had been trying to draw a limited late season migration hunt. I was able to get in on the preference point system the first year and had hoped that with max points I would eventually be able to...
www.monstermuleys.info www.monstermuleys.info
 
Founder said:
If anyone is interested in hunting the high country of Wyoming this year, I'm game. I heard from my horse guy and I have access to a couple horses and the tack again this year, if we need to use them. I'm also good to put in 10-12 days of scouting to find us some bucks to get after. We can go archery or rifle hunting.

I'm point poor though at zero, so I'll need a little help there.

We all know the deer in western Wyoming were hit pretty hard this past winter, so there won't be as many bucks running around this Summer/Fall compared to last, but there'll still be quite a few. Enough I believe that I can find us some solid bucks to hunt. It'll be fun.

2018 with Scott
View attachment 109616

2017 with Hank
View attachment 109617

Fun in 2015 with Jason and Landon, despite my broken neck
View attachment 109618

2007 with James
View attachment 109619
Click to expand...
Do you need a tag in your pocket to enjoy it?
You've certainly taken a pile of big bucks. Maybe make a friend or two and share the experience with them without pulling the trigger yourself?
 
appaloosa said:
Do you need a tag in your pocket to enjoy it?
You've certainly taken a pile of big bucks. Maybe make a friend or two and share the experience with them without pulling the trigger yourself?
Click to expand...
I’d guess that even if a tag doesn’t come my way, I’ll get up there looking for a few days and maybe tag along with someone if they’ll have me. It’ll just depend.
 
Founder said:
Could be, but your buck seems to come more horizontal out of his head. Did you go back looking after this photo?
Click to expand...
He was in winter transition near the big river straight below where he was shot. I never looked for him again, since he was in transition. But got me wondering when I saw the bucks harvest location. That picture was taken the same year that SD's buck was shot.
 
dvolmer said:
He didn’t ask for people that didn’t want to hunt with him. He asked for those that do.
Click to expand...
This is true. There’s a long list of people who don’t want or need to go with me to enjoy a high country hunt. But there might be a few who might want to go hunting with me and who could use some assistance getting into and hunting the rugged backcountry. If no one ends up having interest, that’s ok.
 
The only drawback to this is not knowing how the herd/large bucks fared through this winter. But for some who constantly pulls big bucks out of there would know.
 
LIK2HNT said:
The only drawback to this is not knowing how the herd/large bucks fared through this winter. But for some who constantly pulls big bucks out of there would know.
Click to expand...
We know the winter was rough. No doubt there will be less bucks this year. I was up there yesterday with the biologist and he didn’t have any high confidence number on percentage of bucks lost.
I definitely thought we’d see more dead deer than we did, but I can only compare to previous years of hiking around looking for antlers and seeing the winterkill. They lost a lot, it could be 40-50%. That’s the numbers I’ve heard thrown around.

If someone’s primary expectation out of a Wyoming hunt is to see the absolute most buck’s possible, then there’s a high likelihood there’ll be a better year down the road.

If someone’s primary expectation is to hunt bucks when they have their very best antler growth, again, another year in the future “could” be better. That’s a big “could”, because while the bucks might be coming out of the winter in worse shape than in other years, the high country vegetation is likely to grow longer into the summer because of the snowpack and allow them to grow antlers better in August than typical. The archery buck I killed in 2011 after that winterkill, grew 4-5 inches in August! There was so much snow I was rolling around in it in early September!

If someone’s primary goal is to go on a backcountry type hunt with the expectation to be hunting where a 180 buck or two live, and still see good buck numbers compared to other places in the West, this year might be a good one. The high country will still be as awesome as ever, I personally feel quite confident I can find some really good bucks for us to hunt, and there’s a great chance there’ll be far fewer hunters this year, as the winter will have some resident hunters staying away from that area.

I guess it all depends on someone’s expectations.
 
There are never any guarantees when hunting anything. I just like to hunt, buying points is not hunting. Honestly I should have cashed in several years ago. You have to go without expectations and enjoy the great outdoors.
 
My oldest son has max deer points and we would be putting in together for G however our family already has two elk permits for AZ and NM the last half of Sept and the first half of Oct .

In my opinion this year or next will be better than the next few years down the road:
- the winter kill takes the young first and causes does to abort so there will be two years of mature age class bucks missing in coming years
- the winter kills the old/weak second so those bucks are likely to be past their prime anyway.
- the deer that have been through 2-3 winters previously know how to survive the best and they will likely still be around and those bucks will be at their prime age this year (maybe not their prime condition after winter though)

Again, the above is just my "opinion" but we will be taking this year's winter into consideration in the coming years before burning my son's max points.
 
SDBugler said:
My oldest son has max deer points and we would be putting in together for G however our family already has two elk permits for AZ and NM the last half of Sept and the first half of Oct .

In my opinion this year or next will be better than the next few years down the road:
- the winter kill takes the young first and causes does to abort so there will be two years of mature age class bucks missing in coming years
- the winter kills the old/weak second so those bucks are likely to be past their prime anyway.
- the deer that have been through 2-3 winters previously know how to survive the best and they will likely still be around and those bucks will be at their prime age this year (maybe not their prime condition after winter though)

Again, the above is just my "opinion" but we will be taking this year's winter into consideration in the coming years before burning my son's max points.
Click to expand...
The amount of snow was more than anything I've seen and I've lived here since 1977. Things are different this year.

67% of adult collared does have perished. 56% of adult collared bucks have died, and 99% of the fawns have died. This info was given to me by the area biologist a couple weeks ago. He also sent me a pic of a dead 5-6 year old buck that had died within the previous 24 hrs. 2 weeks ago and they're still dying from winter.
 
nontypical said:
The amount of snow was more than anything I've seen and I've lived here since 1977. Things are different this year.

67% of adult collared does have perished. 56% of adult collared bucks have died, and 99% of the fawns have died. This info was given to me by the area biologist a couple weeks ago. He also sent me a pic of a dead 5-6 year old buck that had died within the previous 24 hrs. 2 weeks ago and they're still dying from winter.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree that this year was bad. But we are both saying the same thing - ALL of the fawns and unborn are gone as well as all of the very old & weak. The magnitude of it is that also half of the healthy mature deer that are best suited to survive are also gone. I was just making a point that after this year's mature survivors are gone, we will missing two complete age classes of deer in future years. In 5 -7 years, here wont be ANY 5-7 year old bucks that would be in their prime.
 
nontypical said:
The amount of snow was more than anything I've seen and I've lived here since 1977. Things are different this year.

67% of adult collared does have perished. 56% of adult collared bucks have died, and 99% of the fawns have died. This info was given to me by the area biologist a couple weeks ago. He also sent me a pic of a dead 5-6 year old buck that had died within the previous 24 hrs. 2 weeks ago and they're still dying from winter.
Click to expand...
What area was the biologist referring to when this info was given to you? Thank you.
 
Founder, I would team up with you. I have 19 points in Utah, but as a Wyo resident, we won't likely ever share any time. If there's some way to use my Utah points to do something with you, I'd do that. Or if you don't find something in WY, I'd be game for some interaction.

I will head over a couple of times this summer to look around. As you and Nontypical say, I will probably go a couple of weeks later than I normally might, just due to the snow.

I'm less concerned about the deer numbers than I am hunter numbers. Last year was too much of a zoo for me. Maybe it'll be better this year. More than likely I will find another spot where the hunting pressure is less, and there are even fewer deer. I'm thankful I live in Wyoming where I have those options available.
 
What are the guesses as to nonresident points needed this year for G & H? Tags have cut. But with the winterkill, it of high points nonresidents may hold back. I'm guessing 1 less point than last year.
 
ICMDEER said:
Founder, I would team up with you. I have 19 points in Utah, but as a Wyo resident, we won't likely ever share any time. If there's some way to use my Utah points to do something with you, I'd do that. Or if you don't find something in WY, I'd be game for some interaction.

I will head over a couple of times this summer to look around. As you and Nontypical say, I will probably go a couple of weeks later than I normally might, just due to the snow.

I'm less concerned about the deer numbers than I am hunter numbers. Last year was too much of a zoo for me. Maybe it'll be better this year. More than likely I will find another spot where the hunting pressure is less, and there are even fewer deer. I'm thankful I live in Wyoming where I have those options available.
Click to expand...
Thanks man!
I think there’ll be fewer hunters this year, so maybe not so much of a zoo.
 
ElmerFudd said:
What are the guesses as to nonresident points needed this year for G & H? Tags have cut. But with the winterkill, it of high points nonresidents may hold back. I'm guessing 1 less point than last year.
Click to expand...
I think it will take more this year than last. Everything I know and hear says people are burning points before the price increase on the special licenses. People may see it like Founder and me. Fewer bucks but perhaps fewer hunters too.

It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
 
I know I’m loosing hair and sleep over pulling a tag this fall. It’s a legit health factor! I’d put it right up there with stressing over not being able to make a house payment ??? Wish I had another 10 point applicant to throw into the mix! Probably just time to nut up and move across the state line.
 
liecabucks said:
I know I’m loosing hair and sleep over pulling a tag this fall. It’s a legit health factor! I’d put it right up there with stressing over not being able to make a house payment ??? Wish I had another 10 point applicant to throw into the mix! Probably just time to nut up and move across the state line.
Click to expand...
Was that an offer for someone w/ 10 points? ???
 

Similar threads

M
Where to go, where to look, what to do? For a big muley.
Replies
64
Views
3k
antlerradar
antlerradar
S
Rifle deer elevation
Replies
8
Views
549
slamdunk
slamdunk
elkassassin
SO??? HOW'D THE 2024 SMOKEPOLE DEER HUNT GO FOR YOU ALL???
Replies
10
Views
886
elkassassin
elkassassin

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

4FF6B074-F63F-47FF-BB01-963E1715E69A.jpeg
tempImageSEglmZ.png
8BA69625-8FEE-4122-B6CC-878B5A046208.jpeg
IMG_20230919_155249_822.jpg
FAC0DF8C-C9B6-48C6-B1FA-5A2450A51270.jpeg
20200924_223351.jpg
IMG_7729.jpeg
IMG_0556.JPG
All 3 .jpg
20181005_123517.jpg
elk9.jpg
C03595E5-06E5-442C-B933-DB49FB50377B.jpeg

Wyoming Hunting Guides & Outfitters

Badger Creek Outfitters

Offering elk, deer and pronghorn hunts on several privately owned ranches.

Urge 2 Hunt

We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.

J & J Outfitters

Offering quality fair-chase hunts for trophy mule deer, elk, and moose in Wyoming.


Yellowstone Horse Rentals - Western Wyoming Horses
Back
Top Bottom