Tough hunting in Wy 2021

[Blkrflguy]

With the abnormal heat this summer causing a draught, the persistent higher temperatures, a very slow start to winter, hunting in Wy especially west of the divide has been nothing short of very tough! I've only lived in Wy for 3 years. However, I've come to know several people who hunt and some are really good at it. This year most people I know with the exception of two people, have killed nothing. One friend I was with harvested a small 1 ½ year old 2 point muley meat buck on the last day of buck season. The other friend that harvested got a cow elk. Another guy who is an excellent bow hunter and routinely puts in over70 miles in the back country did not get and elk or muley this year! Some of their people they know haven't punched a tag either this year.

The Wy G & F and/or biologists set the hunt dates to basically stop when the migration starts. You cannot hunt a mule deer during the rut in most if not all units. By the time the Muley's start coming down out of the mountains the hunting is over. It's one of the only states I've ever hunted where hunting the rut is not permitted, at least not with a general tag. You must be either part mountain goat or have horses to get to 10ft in most of the hunt areas west of the continental divide where these animals live until the snow starts to fly in mid Nov (sometimes).

I'm just frustrated after hunting hard for 2 years now and not filling a Mule or Elk tag. I'm not out of shape or overweight. I work out regularly. I've hiked over 50 miles this year alone, up and down mountains, drainages, and across ridge lines in search of a muley or elk to the point I now have a knee issue. Me and another friend have done a couple pushes through the timber and, nothing. I've glassed for hours. Even though I hunt hard, legally, and ethically it's brought no meat to the table. I feel the state is pulling a bit of a bait and switch when it comes to these two animals. But I've put in the work and hiked my *** off. I wish G & F would push the dates back at least by a couple weeks. Some will say, well if we pushed the dates back we'd kill off all the genetics. I disagree. There's other states that have rut hunting and they still have the genetics. It doesn't matter how many quality animals a state has, if you can't really get to them until after the legal dates. I guess there's always next year…

 

[Triple BB]

My opinion is completely different than yours. We averaged seeing 10 bucks a day in G. Not great, but better than a few years ago. We also saw decent numbers of elk in a general license area. Not to mention there are plenty of left over and second choice cow tags out there. We got into three different groups of elk last Sat on a second choice cow tag. I wouldn't change anything and I doubt anyone who's lived here for any length of time would either...

 

[Lapuatom]

Hunt around Jackson for the last 30+ years and never seen it as bad as it is now. Between the wolves and the grizzlies, game in typically good hunt areas , is now very scarce or non existent. There has been a marked downturn in seeing and harvesting deer and elk in this and surrounding areas. We hunted for 14 days and saw 1 cow elk and a handful of mules does. Disappointing, again!

 

[manitou]

Worst season I have ever experienced here in WY also. Have no doubt hiked over 300 miles... and am now wearing a knee brace too, lol.
Passed a few small muley bucks. Never saw a shooter on public between myself and my buddy.
Elk have been non-existent since bow season ended. Almost non-existent during archery in places they are normally.
Heck, even the antelope have all but vanished in the area we drew. Pitiful season. Hoping next year is better.
I usually fill multiple tags every year... with nearly 100% success. Not this year!
Now as far as other hunters and non-residents... they are on an upswing! Have never seen so many hunters... ever. Probably 500% increase from years past in these areas.

 

[MachV]

Thats why they call it hunting!
Hunting west of the devide for me brings the challenges you mention. Have not hunted it much and have had no luck filling deer or elk tags there.Drought this year didnt hurt the antelope numbers YET but finding a dandy didnt happen. I see more moose than anything else but cant draw a tag.
Carefull what you wish for, you may fill a tag one of the fiirst couple years but would be back to seeing nuthing after three years? There are not enough critters to fill the tag number of tags the G&F selling now.
General tags open up a lot of options=use them wisely.

 

[Lapuatom]

I worked for an outfitter for 8 years in the later 90's and have seen the change personally. Have friends in Pinedale,Jackson, areas and hunted said area every year since and am very disappointed at G&F's management of the resources. The only thing that will change it is to manage predators accordingly. Only revenue shortcomings will be able to turn things around. Money is the ONLY thing that makes a real difference. Sadly, just another government agency that has no real connection with what actually feeds them.

 

[Recon$$]

Weeks, try months in NM when it comes to deer.

 

[26Reload]

I wasn't in Wyoming.....but saw many very young bucks this season...and guys were shooting anything with antlers.....i logged about 50 miles on local hunt...and up to about 12 miles on my next general tag area.....

destroy the crop...wont be much for seed.....

 

[doug2080]

There's a reason Wyoming is known for big mule deer and the way they set their season dates is a big reason for that. As much as I love hunting the rut I really wish Montana would do something similar or at least implement some kind of point system to let them grow up to reach maturity. Drouth years are always tough hunting and with the added hunting pressure due to the overwhelming number of new hunters moving into the western states I wouldnt expect it to get any easier.

 

[Allen Kitts]

There's a reason Wyoming is known for big mule deer and the way they set their season dates is a big reason for that. As much as I love hunting the rut I really wish Montana would do something similar or at least implement some kind of point system to let them grow up to reach maturity. Drouth years are always tough hunting and with the added hunting pressure due to the overwhelming number of new hunters moving into the western states I wouldnt expect it to get any easier.

I couldn't agree more. I just spent a few days in the Missouri river Breaks looking for a decent buck to harvest and the good ones are non-existant. I saw lots of small bucks chasing does which leads me to believe that the bigger bucks are just to far and few between. We did see lots of Does, and more people than you could shake a stick at, but with no good bucks breeding them the outlook for any decent bucks in the future are pretty slim, at least for the area I was in. Montana is also completely driven by money. They wont change it until out of state people stop coming becuase they are not harvesting animals, when the money dries up the outlook might change. Very Sad!

 

[memtb]

I've lived in Wyoming since 1985, and as a very general statement.....our Mule Deer numbers are quite low across most of the state. I believe there are numerous factors in play causing this! memtb

 

[SmokinCrow]

You're also forgetting the fact there was a very bad winter a few years ago that had very high mortality rates for fawns. I believe it was up into the 90%. It takes time to recover, and drought situations shortly after bad winters don't really help with any of that. I don't like a lot of how Wyoming Game and Fish manages, but much of the issues you are seeing at the moment is because of the bad winters. I have a friend that saw over 40 4 points this season up in the high country. They all weren't what he was looking for, but they were there. Since you've lived in Wyoming for three hunting seasons, you would have come to the state within a year or two of the winter which caused a high mortality rate. Can't blame the Game and FIsh for Mother Nature.

 

[2Ldude]

Have hunted deer and elk south of Afton WY since 2011. Plentiful deer/elk up until the last 2 years. Yes, very hard winter there a few years ago but in my opinion predators are taking way to much of a toll and/or changing all migration patterns. A few years ago you could go to any hayfield a week after deer season closed and literally see thousands of deer, last 2 years you would maybe see a hundred between all the fields. Elk the same way. Agree that WGFD is selling way more tags than they should for the area but I truly think it's more about the wolves than the hard winter changing migration routes to get away from them. Can't even go in the mountains without seeing their tracks everywhere.

 

[skipglo]

I worked for an outfitter for 8 years in the later 90's and have seen the change personally. Have friends in Pinedale,Jackson, areas and hunted said area every year since and am very disappointed at G&F's management of the resources. The only thing that will change it is to manage predators accordingly. Only revenue shortcomings will be able to turn things around. Money is the ONLY thing that makes a real difference. Sadly, just another government agency that has no real connection with what actually feeds them.

Biggest change in Alberta over the past 50 years is the hunting pressure has made our game virtually Nocturnal. Still plentiful game though...thank goodness.