Winter range report

nontypical

nontypical

Long Time Member
Messages
4,298
This is my non-professional view of the Grey's River deer herd. I took a trip Monday to see if any more deer had arrived on the winter range since the last storm. I was glad to see that more deer have shown up and seem to be occupying the usual places. Just not very many. I was concerned that in certain areas, I was not seeing deer, and was somewhat concerned that perhaps a migration route was no longer being used, because the deer that used it in the past had all died. As we all know, deer learn where to go from mom. They follow mom their first year, and that's where they go for pretty much the rest of their lives (mostly). Many of the areas that were snowed in last winter were completely devoid of deer 3 weeks ago. Those places had literally unbelievable amounts of snow last winter. I don't see how any living creature could have lived through that. Well, apparently, some did!

More good news is that there are actually fawns! Even a few twins here and there. That's one helluva tough momma to not only survive the winter, but actually give birth to fawns! Even more good news is the leader growth on the sagebrush is fantastic! On top of that, we are having a mild winter so far, and the deer are in excellent body condition.

As a result of my latest trip, I have revised my estimate on last winter's mortality to around 65-70%, which is better than my previous 75-80% guess. My formula for determining that is just a guess (educated? You be the judge!). I think about how many deer I saw today, and would twice as many be what I normally would see? No, I should be seeing at least 3 times as many. So...that's my uneducated guess.

The bad news is the buck/doe ratios are at historic lows, according to G&F's latest herd classification counts done in December (19/100). So are the fawn/doe ratios (32/100). My unofficial observations pretty much coincide with the B/D ratios, but I never counted fawns, so I can't compare, but it seems about right from what I've seen. More bad news is there are literally no yearling bucks. I've only seen a couple. So...that age class will be missing, and that will rear it's ugly head in a few years. I personally have not seen a buck that I could confidently guess is a 4+ year old this winter. I know a few are running around, I'm just not seeing them, but others are. Very few and far between. It's going to be rough for some years ahead. At least 5 years before we regain what we had before last winter is my guess. In terms of a viable mature (5+ years old) buck population, it will be at least that long. With the improved range conditions and new underpasses, overall herd growth could happen at a faster pace than normal (I hope!). Of course, another bad winter could screw that up, too. I'm very curious to see how the underpasses work out! I almost forgot to add that G&F has committed $200k for coyote control for herds that were hard-hit by last winter. That should also help herd recovery.



Okay, I'm done rambling. Here's a few pics I've taken this winter. Not sure if any are 4-yr olds, but there could be.

IMG_5710 copy.jpg


IMG_5713 copy.jpg


IMG_5785 copy.jpg


IMG_5786 copy.jpg


IMG_0237 copy.jpg


IMG_5855 copy.jpg
 
Last edited:
What a contrast to what it looked like last year. Those pics look like end of May last year. A couple storms lined up now but snow levels are really for the west/sw. Only the mountains over 7k getting the real snow.
 
The buck to doe ratio is pretty concerning. If that is accurate, I would go back on what I stated previously in the recovery thread. Any lower than 10/100 could cause there to be unbred does. Guessing biologists are discussing that now. Wouldn't be surprised to see some tag limitations in G and H, if only temporarily to restore the ratio.
 
Last edited:
The G&F is talking lower buck/doe ratio with the onset of seasons to reduce or slow the spread of CWD. Now some are saying as low as 5-6/100 bucks/does is enough. Talk of keeping pressure on bucks in general areas even when those areas are below objective. Listen to the CWD presentation from the last Commission meeting.
 
jm77 said:
The G&F is talking lower buck/doe ratio with the onset of seasons to reduce or slow the spread of CWD. Now some are saying as low as 5-6/100 bucks/does is enough. Talk of keeping pressure on bucks in general areas even when those areas are below objective. Listen to the CWD presentation from the last Commission meeting.
Click to expand...
I remember some of that, especially when the discussions were going on regarding late seasons in the SE portion of the state. I think that is a bad idea but I know game agencies in other states are doing the same, for whitetail and mule deer. Populations are going to suffer more from this management style than from actual CWD imo. To my knowledge, the approach hasn't worked anywhere.
 
jm77 said:
The G&F is talking lower buck/doe ratio with the onset of seasons to reduce or slow the spread of CWD. Now some are saying as low as 5-6/100 bucks/does is enough. Talk of keeping pressure on bucks in general areas even when those areas are below objective. Listen to the CWD presentation from the last Commission meeting.
Click to expand...
I would definitely be concerned with 5 bucks per 100 does. Hopefully we see a few consecutive mild winters.
 
It sure is spooky hearing about CWD concerns.

Does Wyo seriously want to follow in Colorado's footsteps? It's evident that low buck:doe ratios do almost nothing to prevent the spread or prevalence of CWD. Doesn't it make a lot of sense that predators plus horrible winters would wipe out a high percentage of CWD sick deer? Decreasing older age class bucks with the top genetics in deer herds does as much damage as good by eliminating the best genetic material that could possibly be resistant to CWD.
 
Also, how long does the WG&F intend on keeping buck:doe ratios at 5/6 buck/100 does with late season dates? CWD prions will remain in the soil for years regardless of how many years late seasons dates and low buck/doe ratios are in existence.

Is the WG&F aware that CWD has been in Colorado and SE Wyo since the 1980's and there never has been a severe die-off. They tried to cull every deer in CWD hotspots when it first was discovered. CWD still exists in the hotspot area where it started and CWD still spread to just about every corner of Colo. I work and monitor deer in the middle of CWD country where CWD first existed in the 1980's and the deer are doing just fine!

Take a look at some of the totally awesome mature bucks that have been filmed on the Arsenal near Denver over the past 40 years. CWD has existed on the high fenced Arsenal since around 1984. There has never been a hunting season on the Arsenal and mature bucks and does are doing just fine!

Check out this Bruiser | Mule Deer

Just a video from Youtube with a GIANT buck..!! Anyone recognize him?
www.monstermuleys.info www.monstermuleys.info

CPW Magazine - Town Buck? | Colorado

Recent CPW mag had this picture. Is it a town buck? Does he have a name? :D :D
www.monstermuleys.info www.monstermuleys.info
 
Last edited:
Thanks Cliff. Good write up for someone with knowledge of the area and local herds. I'm sure you are pretty spot on.

Thanks for the photos also. Always look forward to your deer photos.
 
jm77 said:
The G&F is talking lower buck/doe ratio with the onset of seasons to reduce or slow the spread of CWD. Now some are saying as low as 5-6/100 bucks/does is enough. Talk of keeping pressure on bucks in general areas even when those areas are below objective. Listen to the CWD presentation from the last Commission meeting.
Click to expand...
I am not a biologist, but how could you even have a buck hunt with that few bucks?
Heck, once ratio is that low deer could not handle predators.
 
I took a cruise through a winter range in northern utah and did some glassing, not a lot of deer to be seen. Great winter for the ones that are there but I’d bet there is 1/4 of what we usually see at best
 
Anyone know the results of the winter range surveys by fish and game this year for the deer that summer in G/H. We all know they're down, hoping to see some data.
 
HornSeeker said:
Anyone know the results of the winter range surveys by fish and game this year for the deer that summer in G/H. We all know they're down, hoping to see some data.
Click to expand...
The numbers I posted in my original post were all obtained from the biologist that oversees the herd in G. Not sure about H, but I would guess it would be close to the same. That data was obtained from the G&F surveys.
 
I took a drive to a Winter Range area back on New Year's Eve. Saw more than a hundred deer, but not two hundred. It was a bit early for sure, and most of the deer we saw were not as low as they likely are now. Saw way more does and fawns than we usually do. No large groups of bucks like we are used to seeing. But there were lots of 2 year olds and some 3 year olds. A couple 4 year olds probably, but we didn't see any real mature looking bucks. Still a great day out and hopefully they are all thriving. This is the best pic I got of a decent buck.
20231230_215139.jpg
 
lostinOregon said:
This is absolute nuts. Let’s kill all the deer before they may die naturally. This has not worked and won’t work. Fight back.
Click to expand...
We did, with zero support from anyone. What we got was a brief delay in November mule deer rut hunts. The GF response was to do another survey to claim they have broad public support for rut hunting to control cwd.

Of course those that spoke up were immediately the a-holes for not being receptive to hammering bucks in November to lower buck to doe ratios and control cwd.

Honestly, at this point I think mule deer hunters better get used to the idea of significantly lower buck to doe ratios and hunting 1.5-3.5 year old bucks.

According to the cwd experts it's the only path forward. It isn't going to matter what anyone says until this experiment is done for 10 or more years.

Just the way it's going to be.
 
@BuzzH I think you're right about all this..sad but that's what's happening in many states..and no matter what killing all the big bucks off especially during the rut is not going eliminate cwd..imho
 
lostinOregon said:
Buzz, I know others who have have done what you have done with the same results. I just don’t understand the thought process. It didn’t work in Alberta.
Click to expand...
Ask the biologists that want this approach. They'll tell you over and over and over again it's the only way to control cwd. There flat isn't another way forward, just isn't.

The only thing that is going to satisfy them is dead buck mule deer, low buck to doe ratios, and lower total deer numbers.

A few years ago I felt it may be worth the effort to oppose this. It's not like I didn't read and research a chitload of cwd research from CO, WY, CA, NY, WI, etc.

All I can say is that as a biological scientist in my day job, there is no way I would feel comfortable moving forward with what's proposed with the inconclusive nature of the available research and management results.

They see it differently and at the end of the day, they state over and over, "well, we have to do SOMETHING".

I mean ask @jm77 about the doe hunts for the next 10 years around Casper. They want to kill 500 does because they concluded they had a 66% cwd prevalence rate, based on, get this a sample of 3 deer, 2 of which were positive.

This kind of chit doesn't give me much of a warm fuzzy in regard to how decisions are being made to future management with cwd in mind.

But, at my age, I think I'll just say screw it, apply for the late rut hunts and let the last of the good times roll. It's what they want.

They win, me and the mule deer lose. Is what it is.
 
I’ve mentioned it numerous times on this website that CWD started in Colo in the 1980’s. They found out clear back then that culling did absolutely nothing. 40 years later they have late season rifle rut hunts and increase tags. None of these have done anything to reduce cwd or the spread of cwd prions that lasts centuries in the soil.

Hopefully Wyo is smarter than the rest and allows natural selection and predators to take care of the sick and weak.

It’s pretty much a known fact that old age class bucks that survive elements, disease, etc carry the top genetic material that is resistant to these elements!
 
Last edited:
Deer are doing just fine in Colo where cwd prions have been building in soil for over 40 years. We are still waiting for the massive-die off that has never happened.

If they really want to do something figure out a strategy that protects deer and antelope where there are localized outbreaks of ehd and other disease that totally wipe out herds!
 
jims said:
Deer are doing just fine in Colo where cwd prions have been building in soil for over 40 years. We are still waiting for the massive-die off that has never happened.

If they really want to do something figure out a strategy that protects deer and antelope where there are localized outbreaks of ehd and other disease that totally wipe out herds!
Click to expand...
It's over Sebastian, time to move on.
 
What exactly is over? Why not use Colo's mistakes to Wyo's advantage?

Sounds like the WG&F is picking up momentum for additional hunts to thin even more deer than they already are?

I really think that the game and fish haven't really picked up the idea that resistant allele genes which is apparent in older age class bucks and does could be authentic and something to considered rather than slaughtering ailing deer populations.

In his research published in 2020, Texas A&M University researcher Dr. Christopher Seabury revealed CWD is in fact heritable. In other words, an individual deer’s susceptibility to the disease is inherited, through genetic material, from its parents. As a result, some individuals are more durable when presented with the prion proteins that cause CWD, and these are the animals nature will select for as disease prevalence increases. This suggests reacting to CWD by aggressively removing all animals from the landscape, or depopulating farmed herds, could cause more harm than good by indiscriminately killing individuals highly resistant to CWD.


vetmed.tamu.edu

CVM Researcher Develops Tool To Improve CWD Resistance Among White-Tailed Deer

CWD is a fatal syndrome found in white-tailed deer populations. (Photo by David Mark, Pixabay) Dr. Christopher Seabury, an associate professor of genomics
vetmed.tamu.edu

www.bowhuntingmag.com

Promising New Research on CWD - Petersen's Bowhunting

New findings show some deer are resistant to Chronic Wasting Disease.
www.bowhuntingmag.com www.bowhuntingmag.com
 
jims said:
What exactly is over? Why not use Colo's mistakes to Wyo's advantage?

Sounds like the WG&F is picking up momentum for additional hunts to thin even more deer than they already are?

I really think that the game and fish haven't really picked up the idea that resistant allele genes which is apparent in older age class bucks and does could be authentic and something to considered rather than slaughtering ailing deer populations.

In his research published in 2020, Texas A&M University researcher Dr. Christopher Seabury revealed CWD is in fact heritable. In other words, an individual deer’s susceptibility to the disease is inherited, through genetic material, from its parents. As a result, some individuals are more durable when presented with the prion proteins that cause CWD, and these are the animals nature will select for as disease prevalence increases. This suggests reacting to CWD by aggressively removing all animals from the landscape, or depopulating farmed herds, could cause more harm than good by indiscriminately killing individuals highly resistant to CWD.


vetmed.tamu.edu

CVM Researcher Develops Tool To Improve CWD Resistance Among White-Tailed Deer

CWD is a fatal syndrome found in white-tailed deer populations. (Photo by David Mark, Pixabay) Dr. Christopher Seabury, an associate professor of genomics
vetmed.tamu.edu

www.bowhuntingmag.com

Promising New Research on CWD - Petersen's Bowhunting

New findings show some deer are resistant to Chronic Wasting Disease.
www.bowhuntingmag.com www.bowhuntingmag.com
Click to expand...
Good luck convincing the GF...like I said, it's over.
 
I would think that if enough hunters complain and have sound data and information supporting their reasons that it’s not too late. There are a gob of publications that disprove their notion that late seasons and massive culling projects have any positive impacts.
 
Buzz is right on this one. Once they make up there mind you might have some isolated luck locally, but unfortunately the ship isn’t turning.
 
That was definitely the case in Colorado. My guess is that enough local hunters complain with logic and sound data and advice that local reps have enough pull to sway final decisions made in their particular area.

It’s either having a little faith and persistence or totally give up and allow deer to suffer major long-term devastation.
 
Last edited:
So I spend a pretty insane amount of time on the winter range every year and this year I spent about 1/3 of the time I normally do because it was so discouraging. The deer stayed way higher than normal til about mid January or so. I looked over a lot of country to find deer and counted the buck to doe ratio in each group and I was at around 25-35/100. One group in particular had 15 deer total with 4 bucks and there was a smaller group of 10 a little ways off from them with 3 bucks. Earlier in the winter I believed the low buck numbers but from what I found when the deer started showing up more was higher than I anticipated. I talked to the biologist before the winter got too bad last winter and he said it was 47/100 so it’s definitely down but from what I saw I think there are still plenty of bucks to breed the does that are there. I will add I figured 70-80% loss in total deer numbers from last year.
 
Buckarooman17 said:
So I spend a pretty insane amount of time on the winter range every year and this year I spent about 1/3 of the time I normally do because it was so discouraging. The deer stayed way higher than normal til about mid January or so. I looked over a lot of country to find deer and counted the buck to doe ratio in each group and I was at around 25-35/100. One group in particular had 15 deer total with 4 bucks and there was a smaller group of 10 a little ways off from them with 3 bucks. Earlier in the winter I believed the low buck numbers but from what I found when the deer started showing up more was higher than I anticipated. I talked to the biologist before the winter got too bad last winter and he said it was 47/100 so it’s definitely down but from what I saw I think there are still plenty of bucks to breed the does that are there. I will add I figured 70-80% loss in total deer numbers from last year.
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity@ buckarooman what was the percentage of mature bucks did you see
 
BuzzH said:
We did, with zero support from anyone. What we got was a brief delay in November mule deer rut hunts. The GF response was to do another survey to claim they have broad public support for rut hunting to control cwd.

Of course those that spoke up were immediately the a-holes for not being receptive to hammering bucks in November to lower buck to doe ratios and control cwd.

Honestly, at this point I think mule deer hunters better get used to the idea of significantly lower buck to doe ratios and hunting 1.5-3.5 year old bucks.

According to the cwd experts it's the only path forward. It isn't going to matter what anyone says until this experiment is done for 10 or more years.

Just the way it's going to be.
Click to expand...
Do you think the overall numbers of winter kill last year will help with CWD spreading as fast as it was. I would think that any deer that was compromised or sick would have passed.
Are they seeing the same amounts of diseased animals last year and this year as they were seeing before the die offs happened.
 
My guess is that yes winterkill and predators do an incredible job of killing the sick and weak!

If in fact, the strongest and healthiest survive these conditions it seems pretty dumb to kill the older age class bucks that carry the very best genetic material in the herd.

CWD prions last decades in the soil so a few years of culling, late rut season dates, etc is pretty much meaningless! How many years does the WG&F intend on doing this? Better be for a few centuries or it's a total waste of time!
 
Buckarooman17 said:
So I spend a pretty insane amount of time on the winter range every year and this year I spent about 1/3 of the time I normally do because it was so discouraging. The deer stayed way higher than normal til about mid January or so. I looked over a lot of country to find deer and counted the buck to doe ratio in each group and I was at around 25-35/100. 47/100

So you're saying there was 100 does here and there for the buck to doe ratio? That alone sounds like a miracle after reading about last year's winter in Wyo. Sad deal all over the West last year. Where I live they count the ratio in 10s because we don't have 100 does anywhere..................... 😞
Click to expand...
 
jims said:
My guess is that yes winterkill and predators do an incredible job of killing the sick and weak!

If in fact, the strongest and healthiest survive these conditions it seems pretty dumb to kill the older age class bucks that carry the very best genetic material in the herd.

CWD prions last decades in the soil so a few years of culling, late rut season dates, etc is pretty much meaningless! How many years does the WG&F intend on doing this? Better be for a few centuries or it's a total waste of time!
Click to expand...
10 years minimum.
 
Yea pretty sad and if the 24/100 buck to doe ratio is correct you can do the math not many bucks for the size of that mountain range and the biggest bucka are going to killed every year because there are probably as many or more hunters then bucks. Going to be a long time coming before it's ever close to the same
 
Bookhead said:
Yea pretty sad and if the 24/100 buck to doe ratio is correct you can do the math not many bucks for the size of that mountain range and the biggest bucka are going to killed every year because there are probably as many or more hunters then bucks. Going to be a long time coming before it's ever close to the same
Click to expand...

What is the answer? And I'm not being sarcastic, seriously?
 
I am seriously not sure why anyone is surprised by this. We all knew it. We were all talking about it as it was happening. Many of us here on the forums were talking about 60% mortality. Many of us were talking nearly 100% fawn mortality. Even I. Areas where it was less devastating we were seeing and hearing 40-50% mortality.

In all honesty if we can get a good few years the number can bounce back. Typically research shows herds will recover from bad winter kill in 3-6 years with the right conditions. This however was brutal and I would suspect it will take significantly longer. Any bets that in 3 years we will see the numbers doubled? If we have average or better winters?
 
I also vote shut it off for a few years and send everybody east to kill whiteys the next few years ……. Like all of them in the state ……. !
 
At what buck to doe ratio is a deer herd considered to be in good health?

I think mandatory harvest reporting would be a step in the right direction. Get an accurate account of how many hunters are actually hunting the area and how many bucks are being taken. I guarantee a lot less resident hunters hunted in that area this past season. That has been the result of other harsh winters. The voluntary survey data the Game and Fish Department already collects has shown this.

It's very sad the herd has been reduced this drastically but the does and fawns grow a herd.

I'm sure outfitters would love to see it go limited (they want trophy bucks and less competition) but look at the limited quota areas in Wyoming, they aren't exactly filled to the brim with mule deer.
Unless you are a proponent of the whole state going limited, I would be careful wishing for this area to be limited or closed. It's already limited for nonresidents but a few less still wouldn't hurt😁 j/k but it is true.
 
I’m against closing it and/or limited quota. Closing those areas down would push pressure elsewhere.

Restrictions can be put in place to maintain opportunity but restrict harvest. When I first was able to buy tags (1997ish) there were areas open from sept 15 to Oct 25. It hasn’t been like that for a long time. Align the season dates for 135 with the rest of the units would help. If I was king for a day I would move the season from the 15th opener to the 25th. Have the season end the 7th or 8th of Oct.

I’ve been preaching mandatory reporting for years. Kinda ludicrous they don’t do it. I’m sure if such was in place they would of saw a significant drop in resident pressure last fall.
 
SS! said:
I’m against closing it and/or limited quota. Closing those areas down would push pressure elsewhere.

Restrictions can be put in place to maintain opportunity but restrict harvest. When I first was able to buy tags (1997ish) there were areas open from sept 15 to Oct 25. It hasn’t been like that for a long time. Align the season dates for 135 with the rest of the units would help. If I was king for a day I would move the season from the 15th opener to the 25th. Have the season end the 7th or 8th of Oct.

I’ve been preaching mandatory reporting for years. Kinda ludicrous they don’t do it. I’m sure if such was in place they would of saw a significant drop in resident pressure last fall.
Click to expand...
A lot of deer would survive with those later opener dates which im all for. Leave it as archery until then, pretty damn hard to kill the big ones with a bow no matter. . From what i understood last year during the meetings, the reason mandatory reporting has not occurred, is due to the legal contract wgfd is in with the company who currently administers the reporting. But, they stated that was coming to a close, and they were already talking with U of Wyoming and the Montieth group on creating a mandatory reporting program. Not sure when we will see it, but it is what they want as well, so hopefully that happens sooner than later.

Everyone remember Founder on here last summer saying everyone is wrong, plenty of deer, right in time for selling his little scouting programs....BUT AS ALL OF US KNEW, HE WAS WRONG! Pretty sad to go from over 30k to barely above 10k in 1 year. And currently, Western WY has more snow than it has all year. Over 4ft has hit the mountains, and plenty in the valley. Hopefully this lets up soon and spring shows itself.
 
mntnguide said:
A lot of deer would survive with those later opener dates which im all for. Leave it as archery until then, pretty damn hard to kill the big ones with a bow no matter. . From what i understood last year during the meetings, the reason mandatory reporting has not occurred, is due to the legal contract wgfd is in with the company who currently administers the reporting. But, they stated that was coming to a close, and they were already talking with U of Wyoming and the Montieth group on creating a mandatory reporting program. Not sure when we will see it, but it is what they want as well, so hopefully that happens sooner than later.

Everyone remember Founder on here last summer saying everyone is wrong, plenty of deer, right in time for selling his little scouting programs....BUT AS ALL OF US KNEW, HE WAS WRONG! Pretty sad to go from over 30k to barely above 10k in 1 year. And currently, Western WY has more snow than it has all year. Over 4ft has hit the mountains, and plenty in the valley. Hopefully this lets up soon and spring shows itself.
Click to expand...
Exactly why I want later season dates. Get those bucks in the timber away from the long range bangers. Another option too would be to make a quota system similar to bears. Once so many bucks are killed hunt closes down.

To be fair @Founder later on said he spoke too soon.
 
SS! said:
Exactly why I want later season dates. Get those bucks in the timber away from the long range bangers. Another option too would be to make a quota system similar to bears. Once so many bucks are killed hunt closes down.

To be fair @Founder later on said he spoke too soon.
Click to expand...
They would have to create a computer system to check them in online to do that I would think. Which definitely isn't going to happen anytime soon. Checking bears and lions in works because it's a small number of animals but they wouldn't have the man power to check in all the deer that hit the ground in person
 
Mandatory checking is already going on for harvested deer in area 88 & 89 for 2023. There are no consequences if a hunter doesn't report and so not even half did.
 
Bookhead said:
They would have to create a computer system to check them in online to do that I would think. Which definitely isn't going to happen anytime soon. Checking bears and lions in works because it's a small number of animals but they wouldn't have the man power to check in all the deer that hit the ground in person
Click to expand...
You can make a phone number you call in conjunction with an app. If alaska can do it I’m sure WY can figure it out. It’s weak sauce to use something like that as an excuse. Report within 48 hours of killing would be reasonable.
 
SS! said:
You can make a phone number you call in conjunction with an app. If alaska can do it I’m sure WY can figure it out. It’s weak sauce to use something like that as an excuse. Report within 48 hours of killing would be reasonable.
Click to expand...
I agree it could be done but that's the first kinda bs they'll come up with
 
So far, mortality on adult deer is pretty low, but some fawns are beginning to die and probably will continue to do so through mid-April. Born light, late, and entered winter at 70-74 lbs. This news from the biologist.
 
nontypical said:
Let's have the legislature determine this! They are now experts in the field of wildlife management!

Sadly, it may be our last resort.
Click to expand...
Well numbers in all western states are trending down. I’m sure this won’t be popular but close every state down to hunting. Turn up the pressure on the predators during that time. I like to hunt as much as anyone. But it get more depressing every year with numbers and quality diving. I doubt so much most people would be willing to just look at bucks rather than hunt them. I for one would to see numbers and quality bounce back. Maybe it wouldn’t work, but I doubt it would do more damage. Something drastic needs to be done to turn it around or nobody will be hunting anything before long.
 
Giddyup said:
Well numbers in all western states are trending down. I’m sure this won’t be popular but close every state down to hunting. Turn up the pressure on the predators during that time. I like to hunt as much as anyone. But it get more depressing every year with numbers and quality diving. I doubt so much most people would be willing to just look at bucks rather than hunt them. I for one would to see numbers and quality bounce back. Maybe it wouldn’t work, but I doubt it would do more damage. Something drastic needs to be done to turn it around or nobody will be hunting anything before long.
Click to expand...
No need for that, IMO. Self-regulate and stick to your discipline. Don't take a last day dink! Leave the does alone for a while (forever). A hunt doesn't have to end with a kill to be successful!
 

Similar threads

woodruffhunter
Unit 100 Elk Hunt Report
Replies
52
Views
3k
Longun
Longun
L
Idaho unit 73
Replies
4
Views
649
headbones
headbones
S
Rifle deer elevation
Replies
8
Views
555
slamdunk
slamdunk

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

67B33956-F526-4F2E-A937-5449DFE449A5.jpeg
2875F234-6E7D-4C13-B2DE-12250A017A07.jpeg
9701C031-1456-435D-A023-83E2DA2CBBB6.jpeg
D8983532-15C9-4CDF-84A3-DAA338F750CA.jpeg
Nice Winter Range Buck
IMG_5628.jpeg
VideoCapture_20240704-184216.jpg
IMG_8086.jpeg
IMG_4167.JPG
1693610742267.png
IMG_4660.jpeg
Screenshot_20240902_231244_Instagram.jpg

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