Wyoming Deer Advice

Califelkslayer · Jan 11, 2007

When Wyoming went to PP last year, I told myself that I was gonna wait for what I felt was the best tag in the state but part of the "Best tag in the state" included accessibility. I planned on doing it solo even if it took 15 years. Now one of my elk hunting partners who also applied solo last year wants to team up. This is the question. Solo I wasn't planning on a pack trip with stock. With him along, and our 6 horses/mules, we can hunt anywhere except the wilderness areas.

With trophy quality being the foremost concern, what unit do you think is the best?

To me, using our stock opens up alot of areas I wasn't considering before.

Additionally, this draw is probably a once in a lifetime cause once its drawn and you start over again, you'll probably never draw again.

Gator · Jan 14, 2007

You can still hunt wilderness area's' you just got to invite a WYO resident. It didn't matter if he just the cook LOL

Califelkslayer · Jan 14, 2007

Gator, thats a great thought. Work with several people that have either parents or brothers still living in Wyoming. Thanks.

Teepee · Jan 15, 2007

Califelkslayer,
Be careful on the above advice. The Wyoming statues state that a guide (even a resident guide) must "accompany" the hunter(s). I'd check with Wyo G&F before assuming that the guide can just be in camp. I doubt that that would fly with them.
Teepee

Bob D. · Jan 15, 2007

I doubt the game wardens will be wasting their time going into the wilderness to make sure all guides are always with the hunter, holding his hand.

old_man_of_the_hills · Jan 15, 2007

Just because the game wardens aren't likely to be checking on something, doesn't suddenly make it legal...

---------------------------------------
This is my post

I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.

ktc · Jan 15, 2007

cali,

I would not wait a bunch of years. I waited for Utah elk, and it was worth it, but there are so many good places to go other than waiting for the best of the best in a magazine. With critters to ride, find a good area with some great potential and give it hell. You may even get to go a few times instead of waiting. For example you may hunt H 3-4 times in 15 years and have a better chance to score something great than one trip into the "best" unit. If anything I would save points for a mule deer turnaround in Wyoming.

Just a thought.....

Bob D. · Jan 15, 2007

>Just because the game wardens aren't
>likely to be checking on
>something, doesn't suddenly make it
>legal...

Hey, it all depends on their definition of "accompany." I think if a guy's buddy who is a resident of Wyoming wants to go into the wilderness and hunt with him, whether he stays in camp all the time or not, then the law is being followed. The law really is meant to provide welfare for the outfitters, but that's another subject that I don't think we want to get into right now.

Triple_BB · Jan 15, 2007

If a resident takes you in the wilderness, he needs to be with you at all times while hunting. I've never encountered a warden in the back country, but I've seen their trucks and trailers at the trail head plenty of times. I've also run into a number of forest service rangers in the wilderness. In 05 we were 12 miles from the trailhead and had a pair of rangers come and check us. First thing they asked for were our licenses. If you don't think you won't get checked in the back country, yer kidding yerselves...

Bob D. · Jan 15, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Jan-15-07 AT 08:28PM (MST)[p]Why is it safe for a non-resident to go grouse hunting in the Wyoming wilderness, but not deer hunting??? Or an even better question, why is a resident of Wyoming more capable than a resident of some other state of surviving in the wilderness while deer or elk hunting? Just curious.

Smokepole · Jan 16, 2007

As a former Wyoming resident and someone who still enjoys the Wyoming wilderness in the summer, I too can not hunt the wilderness on my own now. I would like to think that I know a few places in the Wyoming wilderness as well or better than many of the current residents. That being said, I usually did not hunt deer or elk in the wilderness anyway. The wilderness in Wyoming is public land for everyone to enjoy on their own, except for non-resident hunters.

Colorado has had better hunting right now anyway.

Smokepole

kilbuc · Jan 16, 2007

FYI....Forest Service employees work for the federal government and have no enforcement authority over state game laws. They may ask for your license but you don't have to show it if you don't want to. They cannnot issue a citation unless you violate a Forest Service regulation. They could contact a State Warden though.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

Scratch · Jan 16, 2007

A non-resident can hunt the wilderness country, he/she has to have a friend (anyone for that matter) that is a resident of Wyoming. The resident has to obtain a guide license good for fourteen continous days for only five dollars.

Scratch

Ipkus · Jan 17, 2007

Huh...so now it's ok for a regular outfitter making x amount of dollars from a non-resident to not be by his hunters side 24/7 while hunting in the wilderness, but a Wyoming resident/guide must have his thumb in his buddy/cousin/father-in-laws butt the entire time they are inside the wilderness. Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

We were in the Wyoming wilderness elk hunting last fall with two resident/friend of the family/guides. The day that two of us non-residents hauled a bull to the trailhead (on horses) BY OURSELVES, and armed, the gamie stopped into camp. He checked everything out and wanted to know where me and my buddy were (your non-resident names are on their guide licenses). Our 'guide' informed him that we were packing a bull to the trailhead, with our guns for that 'just in case' chance. The warden finished checking everyone's paperwork, BS'd a little, wished everyone luck and left.

Are you honestly trying to say that 'real' outfitters are always within eyeshot of their clients in the wilderness and never leave them 'on stand' somewhere? Get real...

Bob D. · Jan 17, 2007

Ipkus, good post. My thoughts exactly. I didn't realize when a guy hires a Wyoming guide, he is also hiring a babysitter.

Califelkslayer · Jan 17, 2007

Ipkus, I was ignoring these posts cause that wasn't why I started the thread but I agree with you. Ever heard of 2 hunters to 1 guide? When the idea of a resident was posted, I imagined a resident to pack in with us, camp with us and also hunt on their own, definately not a babysitter.

I can pack into any high country lake in Wyoming and fish till the day before the big game season opens, even in grizz country and I don't need no stinkin guide but as soon as the season opens, I do. A subsidity to the outfitters but I'm not mad cause there is so much country in the western states to hunt, it's just something you work with.

ktc, I've hunted "G" 3 x's with pretty good success so I know what you're talking about. It's just that with 25+ apps going in every year, I plan on certain species, in certain states, as true trophy hunts and am willing to wait however long it takes. Maybe i'm wrong but I believe getting in on a state just going to points and being deligent and patient, you'll draw a primo tag in a few years whereas, getting into the game in a state that has had a point system for a few years, you'll never get the best of the best.

dwalton · Jan 18, 2007

Califelkslayer,

Getting in on the ground floor is the right thing to do, for sure. However, if you are applying for an area that has 2% or less draw odds, the points really won't make that much of a difference because there are a century's worth of points in play. Even with max points, you may never draw in a lifetime.

That said, 128 is a late, rut-hunt. Picked by both Eastman and Carter as one of the best. Draw odds are between 1 and 5%, depending upon what year and whether you choose regular or special.

Best of luck to you in your quest.

Ipkus · Jan 18, 2007

Califelkslayer,

I realized that, I was replying to the three other guys that chimed in and warned you that you had to hold hands and skip down the trail with your resident guide the whole time you're inside the wilderness boundary. As if the law isn't welfare enough...

Anyway, my advice would be to make that connection. The wilderness really does open several more quality options for good hunts, especially with what G has been turned into.

Good luck,

Triple_BB · Jan 18, 2007

>Califelkslayer,
>
>I realized that, I was replying
>to the three other guys
>that chimed in and warned
>you that you had to
>hold hands and skip down
>the trail with your resident
>guide the whole time you're
>inside the wilderness boundary.
>As if the law isn't
>welfare enough...
>

If yer talking about me, yer not reading the post. I said at all times while hunting. And yes, that it is the law. Hunting in my book does not include going for a nature walk, taking a crap, or walking up the hillside for a photo. It's a different story if yer carrying a firearm in the pursuit of an animal by yourself. If I saw yer azz up there hunting without a guide paid or not, I'd turn you in, in a heartbeat...

Bob D. · Jan 18, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-07 AT 11:05PM (MST)[p]It's all in how you interpret the law, and I doubt that many game wardens would interpret the law that strictly. As was already brought up, in a normal guided situation, there will be two hunters with one guide. Does the state of Wyoming have the expectation that those two hunters will never split up and hunt separately? No, I doubt it. If that was the expectation, then when they do separate, one hunter will be in violation of the law. And we all should know that no game warden would write somebody up just because he wasn't constantly holding his guide's hand. Do you really believe the state of Wyoming wants all NR hunters to stay within hand-holding distance at all times?

Califelkslayer · Jan 18, 2007

Bob, LMAO Your post had me laughing. Personally, I like to crap in private. Not cause I'm shy but I don't wish the thought of anyone else being within smell range when the urge hits me.

solitude · Jan 19, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Jan-19-07 AT 09:05AM (MST)[p]>If yer talking about me, yer
>not reading the post.
>I said at all times
>while hunting. And yes,
>that it is the law.
> Hunting in my book
>does not include going for
>a nature walk, taking a
>crap, or walking up the
>hillside for a photo.
>It's a different story if
>yer carrying a firearm in
>the pursuit of an animal
>by yourself. If I
>saw yer azz up there
>hunting without a guide paid
>or not, I'd turn you
>in, in a heartbeat...

.... and you would feel good about that? You would be turning someone in that has every MORAL and ETHICAL right to be there just as much as you do. We ALL own that federal land and have equal right to it. Just because a corrupt "law" exists, pushed through by corrupt and greedy self-centered and shallow people, does not make it right. It's obvious they can't handle the pressure of excellent hunters and woodsman having access to "their" turf. I have met guys that have been confronted by wardens that will not enforce the law because they know it is evil nonsense. They are doing what is right. I have also talked with outfitters with integrity and character that don't support it and are ashamed that it was ever passed into law. This law is not the pride of Wyoming and is a true embarrassement to its great people and the state as a whole. I'm just curious Triple BB, if Wyoming ever in the future passes a law for complete gun confiscation in the interest to make us "all safer", will you also strongly support that law and your neighbor when they turn you in for retaining your firearms?

Ipkus · Jan 19, 2007

>If yer talking about me, yer
>not reading the post.
>I said at all times
>while hunting. And yes,
>that it is the law.
> Hunting in my book
>does not include going for
>a nature walk, taking a
>crap, or walking up the
>hillside for a photo.
>It's a different story if
>yer carrying a firearm in
>the pursuit of an animal
>by yourself. If I
>saw yer azz up there
>hunting without a guide paid
>or not, I'd turn you
>in, in a heartbeat...

...Oh, I meant while hunting. I didn't think I had to type it again for people to understand that.

I can't wait to arrive in camp next year (if we draw) and tell my 'guide' that I can't be out of his site at any time during daylight hours while I'm in possession of a firearm. The look on his face will be priceless...

...and I've got news for ya. Where I hunt inside the wilderness there's way too many bears for me to go crap without my gun. I guess I could give you the GPS coordinates for the tree I pick, and you could come turn me in?

Coyote_chaser · Jun 28, 2007

I dont understand that law? i have never hunted in WY, but are you saying that if I draw an general elk tag, and want to hunt the wilderness area, I have to have a guide or a resident of WY with me? WHY? That sounds like a ridiculous law.

kilowatt · Jun 28, 2007

That's the law and people have tried to get it changed and never happens. Going to have to live with this law till someone can get it changed, which most likely won't happen soon.

Brian

Gator · Jul 1, 2007

Just got the "IN" for Wyoming back country. Nephew move over there he running 80 ton crane up by Gillette, but he will be a Wyoming Resident for next year. Hope he can cook LOL, I know he will be putting in for those hunts too.