Tough hunting in Wy 2021

[Wyfox]

The deer numbers here in Wyoming are the worst I've ever seen. It's not the WGF fault either, bad winters coupled with rampant CWD has taken a toll on the deer. I personally would like to see every deer unit become a limited entry unit for the next 5 years and get rid of the general units, it hurts to say that but right now the deer numbers are not sustainable.

@Blkrflguy if you want to hunt Mule deer during the rut here put in for a limited entry tag that has a November season then, there are a few. Running general units during the rut here would be herd suicide and horrible management practice.

Hunting 3 years here isn't much time, you've probably barely scratched the surface of country available in that time. I always tell people it takes a minimum of 5 years to get to know new country/units to where a hunter can be consistently successful every year on mature animals.

 

[wyodeer]

If you are hunting western WY and can't find elk you need to change your hunting program
I didn't even buy a tag and was out with friends or looking for a bear and saw hundreds between about 3 trips.

 

[wyodeer]

And also with 3 years of "knowledge" you aint got much to complain about

 

[SSgt G Cody]

I have a friend who works for the National Wildlife Commission in Wyoming and Montana. They do scientific assessment of wildlife populations, and study the factors involved in their growth and decline. He told me recently that the wolf predation of antelope, deer, and elk populations has far exceeded expected results in decimating herd size. Wolf populations have swelled from less than 1000 in the US northwest 10 years ago to over 25000 adult breeding pairs today. Many thousands of game animals and cattle are killed by them every year. They are no longer a protected species, and are now considered pests, much as the coyote is! They are an enemy to us hunters! If we don't do something soon, most hunting will be gone!

 

[codyadams]

The only reason hunting the Wyoming range was hard for our group this year was a series of circumstantial events unrelated to the actual hunting, and that was only the few days of elk season.

Had to relocate our elk hunt as the abnormally large amount of snow the day before and of elk opener pushed them down in the timber temporarily, so we went to another spot and got into elk. Got two down, my buddy and my cousin's, and while we were packing them out my wife saw a herd of 70+ from the truck. Went to yet another spot, and I got mine down out of a group of 20+ with a couple small bulls, and the next day my cousin's wife got one down from another group of 10-15 in the same area with a 320+ bull in it.

Deer season was easy. My cousin and his wife went in and saw several 150-160 bucks, and a couple 170+ bucks they could have got if she wanted to hike a little higher, but they held off, then the next week I went up to the mountain and met up with them after working a Graveyard, hiked in, and me and my cousin's wife each shot a mature buck, could have got a third but we decided to hold off. My cousin went in with a co-worker of ours the last week of season for a 3 day hike in and hunt, saw 10+ shooter bucks including one that would have gone 190+ that they saw at last light out of range. Our buddy took a shot and missed a 170's buck. Another coworker of mine shot a buck in the same general area that sounds like is gonna end up in Eastman's magazine. Did a one day ride in, spot, ride back, stalk, shoot, pack up and ride out hunt for my wife's deer.

The seasons are fine, sounds more like you need the change how/where your hunting. It would be a slaughter if season's were moved to the rut.....a couple days ago I could have shot a couple bucks that were 160 or better.....from my truck. With a bow. I will say we saw more bigger deer last year, and the elk were still out in the open in the higher country, but we were still able to be pretty successful this year, and we weren't really trying hard and we did very little scouting. Then again, I have hunted big game in Wyoming for almost 20 seasons, so I know where to find deer and elk. Also, the farthest hike I did was probably 5ish miles. Did an 8 mile round trip horseback ride for my wife's deer, on foot would have been 6ish miles because we could have got closer to the trail head, but ya. Keep at it, look for better areas to find deer, not harder terrain.

 

[Blkrflguy]

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.

A friend I hunt with who always seems to have the low down on what's going on told me last month that, there were over 30k more licenses provided to non-residents. That's 30k more people hunting the state!

 

[manitou]

A friend I hunt with who always seems to have the low down on what's going on told me last month that, there were over 30k more licenses provided to non-residents. That's 30k more people hunting the state!

Ha! I think they were all in my hunt areas.

 

[Blkrflguy]

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.

I wonder If I know the outfitter you're talking about, lol. He had a camp just below the sawtooths for a long time. I also hunt one of the areas you referenced. We routinely have 4x's and 5x's (muley) walk right by our cabin. But it's mid to late Nov by the time they start showing up at the house.

 

[Lapuatom]

Hunted upper hoback/Bondurant area and south of Pocatello, Id

 

[Wyfox]

A friend I hunt with who always seems to have the low down on what's going on told me last month that, there were over 30k more licenses provided to non-residents. That's 30k more people hunting the state!

I'm not so sure on 30k more licenses for non residents. For example if you take region G, H, K, and W general deer tags which encompasses the whole south west portion of the state(12,000 square miles) there are a total of 1,904 non resident general licenses issued for 2021.
Compared to 2012 the same exact regions 2,973 general licenses were issued to non-residents.
The WGF obviously have cut numbers of deer tags to non-residents.

 

[codyadams]

I'm not so sure on 30k more licenses for non residents. For example if you take region G, H, K, and W general deer tags which encompasses the whole south west portion of the state(12,000 square miles) there are a total of 1,904 non resident general licenses issued for 2021.
Compared to 2012 the same exact regions 2,973 general licenses were issued to non-residents.
The WGF obviously have cut numbers of deer tags to non-residents.

This is more reflective to what I have seen, especially with draw odds of my non resident friends.

 

[Blkrflguy]

I'm not so sure on 30k more licenses for non residents. For example if you take region G, H, K, and W general deer tags which encompasses the whole south west portion of the state(12,000 square miles) there are a total of 1,904 non resident general licenses issued for 2021.
Compared to 2012 the same exact regions 2,973 general licenses were issued to non-residents.
The WGF obviously have cut numbers of deer tags to non-residents.

I may be wrong on what I had said as he (my friend) may have been talking about total number of hunters as in non res, new hunters, etc. Honestly I don't remember, so I probably shouldn't have said that.