24_7!
Okay, first thing about Region C Mule Deer is this:
All the areas West of I-25 (mountains, mostly) start for rifle on Oct. 15, all those East (plains) start on Oct. 1.
Oct. 15 openers coincide with most of the Elk rifle openers for the same bunch of country (Bighorns, East of the Bighorn Divide). Things get pretty busy up there in places. Takes a hard worker to pull a biggun' out of there during these times. Can be done, though. Kaycee as a jumping-off point is not a bad choice.
Come down to the rest of the Region, Oct. 1 areas, you've got a lot of hunters hitting the accessible public, which does exist in quantity and somewhat in quality, but it is spread out, and you've got to get in EARLY. Otherwise one's chances at a 4-pt.-plus diminish by the day. Those big guys know where to go when the shooting starts.
If the budget is there, go for the rancher. That is my ever-so-humble opinion.
If it ain't, coming in blind, closer you get to, or on, the Bighorn plateau, the more fun you'll have. Just don't run low on gas when the hunt dictates you've got many miles to go for the next set-up, or the weather turns.
Rumproast