Region J Help

madmike8659 · Jul 4, 2011

Long story short I thought I was a shoe-in for a Colorado Muley tag. 12 points and no tag. I have been researching the leftover tags for mule deer. Talked with the GW and two Biologists in Region J. All tell me they can help me with an area to hunt once I buy the tag. Can any residents give me boots on the ground info. They all tell me of huge muleys but what I am looking for is area close to a town, what type of crowds, and do the HMA's and walk-in areas hold nice representive 4x4's. I have been bested on 3 hunts by 3 super muley's. I think that's what makes it so exciting is matching wits with the older bucks. It's been 10 years since I have gone out west and I really would like to hunt it this year but I don't want to chase a buch of fork horns around. Any help would be appreciated.

TOPGUN · Jul 4, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jul-04-11 AT 10:46AM (MST)[p]I've never heard of ANY F&G employee telling anybody they had to buy a tag BEFORE they would help them and you're saying all three field employees told you that!!! I think not, but to answer your question, almost all areas will hold some decent deer. However, if you haven't even hunted them for 10 years and are now asking to go out near a town or into a walkin area and kill a mature, older buck like you're talking about without a lot of work or just plain luck, then you're dreaming. If that was your approach if/when you talked to any F&G employees, maybe that was why you got the answer you say you did! First, YOU need to do some research work with maps, narrow your search down somewhat, and then ask about certain areas if you want to get decent help. Guys on here are willing to help if you help yourself first! If you don't want to risk buying a tag, hunting hard out where you might find a good buck, and are not going to be happy "just chasing a bunch of forkhorns", you might be best to stay home---JMHO!

one_dryboot · Jul 4, 2011

If you want to have a good chance at a big buck forget a leftover wyoming tag and buy a LO tag in colorado. You dont have to spend a ton of money to hunt good bucks. Or just wait until you can draw a good tag. I have a feeling you would be very disapointed in a leftover tag.

TOPGUN · Jul 4, 2011

briant---Thanks for saying briefly and politely what I was trying to get across, LOL! Leftover tags after the draw aren't left over because they are even remotely in fantastic areas!

Whiterock · Jul 4, 2011

Thats usually what i have found out in the last few years.Leftovers are leftover for a reason.
Now if you just want to hunt and be happy with the chance at a lessor buck ,then by all means buy a leftover and go.

270Whatelse · Jul 4, 2011

You've seen 3 Super Muleys in 3 hunts? Thats pretty good!

270Whatelse · Jul 4, 2011

You've seen 3 super muleys in 3 hunts?

TOPGUN · Jul 4, 2011

270---We should probably ask him what his definiton of a "super muley" is!

ICMDEER · Jul 5, 2011

I live, hunt and outfit in J. Take the advice and go to Colorado. The public land hunting in J is poor. Unless you have access to a quality, well-managed private ranch, the odds of you getting a solid buck are very low. That's especially true if you want to hunt close to town and are not real experienced.

Let me put it this way. I live here and have lived here for 30 years. I don't hunt or guide on the public land in J and I go to Colorado to hunt deer. The deer quality and numbers on public lands in Wyoming are down. I'd recommend another choice.

Wiszard · Jul 5, 2011

We've hunted J twice only becuase we didnt get drawn for D. The public ground we hunted was poor at best. We hunted a couple of private areas and the hunting on those ranches were poor as well. We saw two nice bucks in the two years we've hunted J. And nice is considered 22-24" wide bucks. I would save your mney unless you are a meat hunter. One of the years my Dad shot a doe because we weren't seeing any bucks worth a poo!

Steve
Derkha derkha Muhammed jihad hakha sherpha sherpha abakhala- Gary of Team America World Police

madmike8659 · Jul 5, 2011

Maybe I don't know what a super muley buck is but I have dealt with enough jack leg Yankee's to know one when he spouts off.

TOPGUN · Jul 5, 2011

No need for that! To some a 170" is a big buck, while a lot of guys that are hunting good areas would call that a milksucker, LOL! Why don't you just tell us how big the three were and leave it at that?

tailchasers · Jul 5, 2011

Isn't region J just west of Wheatland?

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."

gknutson · Jul 5, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-11 AT 08:49PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-11 AT 08:46?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-11 AT 08:42?PM (MST)

Yeah. West and south of wheatland. Ive hunted some there. I dont think its a honey hole. But there are deer there. There might even be a couple of nice ones. But I think you have to get off the beaten path and have some luck to find one.

The buck I took was about 22". We saw a few like him and none that were much bigger. For a leftover hunt while your building PP it wouldnt be bad if your just wanting to sharpen your mule deer skills. Just my 2 cents.

On the plus side its really pretty country.

TOPGUN · Jul 5, 2011

Yes! J runs from the Colorado line between Laramie and Cheyenne on up between Wheatland and Medicine Bow and ends up north between Glenrock and Douglas.

tailchasers · Jul 5, 2011

Thanks for the help, that's what I thought. Couldn't get the map to open up for some reason. Anyway, been a while but I have hunted it a few times with a group. The buck in the picture was what we would have concidered on our hunts a pretty decent buck. Best we got was a 24" and this was also the biggest we saw on the public lands. Hunted around the Sugarloaf area west fo wheatland if that rings a bell to anyone. There was a fair number of hunters in the area but no worse than colorado. We did run across a few hunters that hiked up into Larimie Peak and they got 3 real decent bucks for the area scoring around 160 maybe a touch more. We took our time and glassed the cover and looked over quite a few forkies unit we found the ones we wanted. Its a fun hunt I would have done again had I not moved to Colorado. I say go hunt and enjoy yourself.

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."

ICMDEER · Jul 6, 2011

Remember that you can't hunt the big game winter range with a Region J license. That's a special area now and you'd get fined if you hunt there on a region J license.

TOPGUN · Jul 6, 2011

Are you speaking of the two wildlife management sections in one unit that is only open to archery? One is named after the husband/wife F&G team that died in a car wreck a few years ago. Other than that, I don't see any restrictions, or are you calling those areas winter range?