WY Area 79(Platte River Wilderness)

[WyomingMan]

Can anyone give me any information on hunting the Platte River Wilderness in the Snowy Range Mountains for deer. I didn't draw a deer tag this year and was thinking about this area as a general area. Probably would be hunting from the Six Mile Gap Campground area. I have heard some people talking in Saratoga that there are some good deer in there. Any information on the area including quality, number of deer(and hunters) would be appreciated.

 

[ICMDEER]

We take a few hunters into that country every year. It's a zoo for the first few days of the season. Hunters everywhere. There are lots of people that go in by that campground. They even wade the river and hike up on the west side.

There are a few good deer in there, but they go underground before the season due to all of the people that show up a few days early to "scout."

I'd recommend coming not earlier than the 6th or so and the end of the seaosn might be better, and walk in to areas where there are no roads. One of the good things is that the Forest Service does not allow any vehicles more than 300 feet from existing designated roads, and they patrol and enforce the rules. So you can walk in to many areas and get away from the chaos.

Good hunting.

 

[searcher]

WyomingMan:

I second what ICMDEER has said although he has much more experience in the area than I do. I saw a lot of hunters close to the roads but not many any distance from them so you should be able to walk into an area and get away from the crowds. Good luck

Searchin' for a 4 X 4

 

[neverbeenonanATV]

I hunted right where you are talking about two years ago. Nonresidents can do anything they want in the wilderness area except hunt without a guide. I don't know what sound wildlife biology that decision was based on but thats another topic. I hiked in and got in a good position to glass two hours before it got light. Thirty minutes before it got light you have never seen so many horses, ATV's, and trucks. Thirteen people walked by me on both sides as day was breaking. The first few I blinked a flashlight at, but they kept coming. One guy walked within ten yards of me talking loud on a two way radio. When it got light enough where I felt like I wouldn't get shot I left. There were six people sitting within 200 yds. of me. If they enforce the ATV law they just started doing it. Everywhere we went that week there were people on ATV's and most were off trails. If you walked a mile it looked like you just got to another road. That is by far the worst hunt I've been on. To top it all off the hotel we stayed in Saratoga wouldn't honor the rate they gave us over the phone and tacked on another $15.00.

 

[saminwy]

if they are enforceing atv laws, they're doing it very quietly. they've ruined the snowies. the only way to get away from them when they do whatever they want is a natural terrain barrier, and the snowies just dont have very many. i wish they'd start enforcing, and close a whole bunch of roads-the snowies could be very good. its just not gonna be worth a damn the way it is right now.

 

[Triple_BB]

I hunted moose in the Snowies last year. Spent a day at the edge of the wilderness on top and walked down. Also went over to Pelton Ck one day and walked down 1 1/2 miles. I don't think I ever saw a buck deer.

Too many hunters and too many atv's have ruined that entire mountain. You people that aren't happy about the situation need to voice your opinions at the G & F public meetings and on their survey cards. A Laramie biologist said they keep it general in part because they don't want to lose the opportunity to recruit young hunters versus if it was limited quota. I can agree with that to some degree. I asked him, what about us guys who are hanging up our rifles because we're sick of the zoo like mentality. He said that's what hunters tell them they want over there. I gave up deer and elk hunting down there 12 years ago when the atv chaos was starting to gain momentum...

 

[WyomingMan]

Thanks for all the comments. I agree that the ATV use is getting crazy. I live in Rawlins, near both the Snowy Range and Sierra Madre and I can see the land being abused and torn up by ATV's. Last year while we were hunting elk in the Sierra Madre, I shot a 5x5 about 2 miles from the nearest road. We worked for an entire day to get my elk out. The next day as I was packing out the last of the meat, I noticed 4 wheeler tracks, 2 miles from the nearest road. Come to find out, another hunter shot a cow elk the day before and went in with his 4 wheeler to get it out. There were two sets of tracks, so it must have been two 4 wheelers. I found where they had gutted the cow and saw drag marks where they dragged it out behind there 4 wheelers. All two miles from the nearest road. About two years ago, I was hunting the Huston Park Wilderness and came accross ATV tracks in the wilderness area.

As for the deer hunt, sounds like I better find another place to hunt other than around six mile. Use to hunt 82 south of Rawlins, talk about a "war zone" never seen so may hunters. I am going to stay away from that area from now on.

 

[searcher]

Wyomingman

You ever hunt around Jack Creek? I was in there two years ago hunting for a mulie but didn't see one big enough to shoot. It did look pretty promising to me. PM me if you want to.

Tim

Searchin' for a 4 X 4

 

[WyomingMan]

Been in that country many times, mostly hunting elk though. There are some nice deer in that area, just not very many. You will see a number of deer and small bucks, but you need to hunt the nastiest stuff you can find in that area, because thats where the older bucks are going to be when the shootin starts. I don't hunt that area for rifle anymore, just bowhunting, way to many rifle hunters.