Wyoming Region G- How to get away from the horses?

[grenda89]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-08-16 AT 08:32AM (MST)[p]I'm planning to draw a Wyoming Region G tag this year and I am looking for insight into places I can get away from the horse traffic. I plan to hunt solo and pack everything in on my back. I've researched the unit quite a bit and there seems to be a lot of talk of using horses and plenty of outfitters around. To help reduce my odds of seeing less people and having a better chance of killing a great buck I would like to shy away from the horse trail areas and get into some harder to get to areas that horses can't necessarily go. Any info or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Also, does anyone have any advice on the archery season? I've heard there is much less pressure and it is a time to be us there before the bucks get pushed back into the timber...

How hard is it to find water up high?

Thank for the help!

 

[ForkWest]

Stay away from the established trails and easy ridge tops. I don't know what else to tell you. You've already got it figured out, you just need to put it in practice now. You're on the right track.

Certainly archery has less pressure, but it doesn't take much in those tight little basins to blow em out. Thus back to your original inquiry.

Most areas I've hunted in G or H require about a 1000ft drop, at most, to find water. If you're hunting the secondary ridges its even less.

 

[ss13]

I'll also be in region G for the first time this fall. I too plan on solo backpacking.

The advice I keep hearing is to find a place that horses cant go, which is straight up. I "think" I have identified a few places that will be hard to get into by horse. That being said, still anticipate backpack hunters in that area.

I'll be curious to hear peoples response on this topic.

 

[Founder]

I've been all over that country and I don't believe I have ever found a place up there that one couldn't get a horse within a 1/2 mile or so of. Obviously there are steep slopes, rock slide areas and such that a person wouldn't take their horse into, but as I said, one could get a horse close to all those places and do a short hike.....and that's what many will do.

As for water, that's the pain in the butt often whether you use horses or backpack. As ForkWest stated, you have to drop to the bottoms of the canyons to get water in most places. Sometimes you get lucky and don't have to, but that's the exception.

Plan on seeing other people on horses no matter where you go, and plan to either drop to the bottom for water or haul it up.

I don't mean to be a downer, I'm just telling you how it is from my experience.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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[boomer]

Top 10 pieces of advice from someone who never kills anything.
1. Enjoy the hunt. If there is a more beautiful place on Earth than region G I have never been there.
2. Don't overlook areas that aren't that far from the road. Many hunters hike or ride past good deer. I scouted a deer this year that a good friend ended up killing that was 3/4 of a mile from a good road.
3. Be in good shape. That country is BIG!
4. Scout, Scout, and then do some more Scouting.
5. Understand that most hunters that hunt that country are just like you. They are serious about killing a big deer and are willing to go anywhere whether they are hiking or riding a horse. There is a horse trail on each ridge and the deer that have gotten big know it. Hunt off the trail and down in the canyons.
6. Water is in the bottom for the most part. There are some places you may get lucky, but plan to go get it when you need it.
7. There are a lot of average bucks around. Don't get excited and shoot one of them.
8. Deer love jack pines that grow in the slide areas.
9. The deer tend to hang out in pockets and love the same places every year. If you can find a few of these "bucky" places they will have deer year after year.
10. If you find sheep, (the white domestic kind) leave. I hate sheep.
I have been hunting region G for the last 20 years or so. It has really changed. In my opinion it is mostly because guys are way more serious and dedicated that they use to be. It still offers a great hunt, but is highly used. There are people everywhere. Archery season will help with that, but it is hard to get close to deer in dried sheep cabbage and shale rock slides. Later in the rifle season the orange also thins out. If you are interested in some areas to begin your search, send me a pm.

 

[grenda89]

Wow guys thanks for all the great advice. I won't be able to scout this summer unfortunately. The only time I could go would be in April and I've heard that is pointless. I look forward to seeing the beautiful country and hiking my butt off. There has to be a giant or two left...

 

[Ruby1]

I agree with Boomer. If you do your scouting, you should find a buck to be excited about. Water is tough. Dropping down to find water seems to be the norm. I wish I had the points to hunt it this year.

 

[PointHunter]

Hunt the archery to get away for the crowds (horses). Also, so many people put an emphasis on remote. There are little canyons off main roads that hold some whoppers. These spots are often overlooked in an effort to get further away than anyone else. Just my $.02

 

[mmwb]

Boomer and Pointhunter give sound advice. I live in that area. There are small basins (think 2 to 10 acres) in some nasty steep areas that I've never seen a hunter in. If I were younger and my knees weren't a mess, I'd hunt them myself; Though I'm not sure how one would get one packed out. Some bucks are nocturnal, even over the summer. You'll have to hunt timber to find them. Think outside the box.

 

[bugleb]

I agree with all that has been said here so far. It's beautiful country, but a lot more crowded way back in than is used to be. With many years of hunting G, I have never seen a good buck during the hunt less than 2 miles from the nearest road, with one exception. That was the last year they left the general hunt open until the end of October, snow was belly deep on a tall horse and the deer were migrating hard toward the winter range in late October. I missed a 34" buck that was on the move and only about a mile from the nearest road on the last day of October.

We used to like hunting one steep rocky canyon in G where horses never went, but the last time I was there, some idiot rode a horse right into the very heart of it. Steep and rocky is the only place where you can get away from horses, and even then not very far away from them. There are few backpackers more than 3-4 miles from the trail head, but plenty of horses. They have the advantage.

There is lots of water, but obviously not right on the top or the ridges. Take a filter because you can seldom find a place where there is any water that the sheep haven't dumped in or near pretty recently. The mountain maggots are about the only thing that distract from the beauty of this area. Most areas have little grass and lots of weeds because of the maggots. Stay away from where sheep have been recently. When the sheep move in, the deer move out.

Most years, there are lots of medium sized bucks (20"-24"), but few big ones. 30" bucks are rare, and 35"+ bucks are nearly extinct there now. 20-30 years ago we would see one or more 35 incher every year, but not anymore.

The best thing is to be in a good spot at the crack of dawn opening morning. After that, the big ones are either dead, or really hard to find.

 

[huntjock]

How close to the road? 15 years (or so) ago, after we had just spent the morning up in the tops above 10,500' and were finishing lunch @ 8150', resting (except for my brother) for the evening hunt. We were 1000 yards off of the main Greys Road.

My motivated brother decided to do a solo push through some thick pines where we were resting. 10 minutes into his "drive" some hunters sitting in their camp 600 yards around the corner from us shot a nice 30"+ buck - that had busted out of the pines my brother was pushing. Had my brother not ventured in there, who knows if that buck would have ever presented itself during the season or during daylight.

Live and learn.

Love the Greys. We have done it on horses, drop camped from horses, daily hike in from base camp, ATV + hike. Our most successful hunts have been when horsing in to remote sites and camping for a week, and more specifically spot and stalk in the mid-morning, around 11am. Never had any issues finding water - but we've always planned according to our scouting.

Our overall success since the mid-90's is about 35%. We have taken a few "management" bucks.

Its been a juggling act to coordinate the draws of my kids and me over the past 20 years. I am holding onto my (6 or 7) WY deer points for another year to focus on the WY limited quota elk hunt 2 of them should draw this year.

Last thing - the buck that was taken right under our noses just off the main road was over 35" and had quite a bit of extras. Yes, it was special.

 

[llamapacker]

Others have said it well. Region G has really changed. To a certain degree, I blame it on the points system. It takes quite a few points to draw a tag (~5), and your "average" hunter usually won't wait that long, or when he does, he will be intimidated by the country.
Almost everyone who draws (NR) these days at least thinks they are a hard core hunter. Most aren't, but at least hunt harder than the average Joe. When you know you will only hunt this area every 5 years or so at best, people put in more effort, go harder, and hunt longer. Or go home with their tail between their legs.
It is beautiful country, but there aren't big deer everywhere. Never where. Of course some deer live to get old, and the rough country helps see to that. But with more people hunting it harder, the numbers of big deer just aren't like they used to be. The winter kill about 6 years ago also took a toll, and while overall deer numbers are up, you just don't replace the old age class that quickly.
If you set your sights properly, it can be a good hunt. A some lucky squirrel will find a nut right beside the road. But the vast majority of deer killed will be in the 20-24 inch class, and deer that size can be killed in lots of areas without the wait.
Bill

 

[Jeffpg]

I spent 4 weeks there this past fall camping & scouting and hunting mule deer and I fell in love with it!

I worked my tail off and got very lucky to stumble onto one of those very special places where a horse can't go and it was indeed full of bucks, and some very nice ones at that. I know it's the kind of place that will hold deer year after year. My only problem is getting another tag but I hope to find a hunter who is willing to share their points with me in return for my sharing the spot with them.

 

[Gator]

IT is never pointless to hike into a area that you will be hunting to get a idea on the lay of the land.
TAKE a hike in April.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[mmwb]

>TAKE a hike in April.


I agree, see the country--though you'll need snowshoes for most of that country in April. Mid June might give you a better look.

 

[Founder]

Might need a snowmobile for April. There'll be plenty of water then too!

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!

 

[Fatrack]

Region G of Wyoming is one of the most spectacular places that I"ve been able to hunt! The country is huge and there are lots of bucks, and big bucks definitely still live there. I had the tag last year. I spent 10 days scouting in July and August, over the course of three trips. Spent 8 days archery hunting it and then spent another 6 days rifle hunting it. I came home with my tag in my pocket and memories that will last a lifetime...it was definitely the best hunt of the year for me!

If you are going to hunt G in 2016, shoot me a message.

 

[gettingold]

>I spent 4 weeks there this
>past fall camping & scouting
>and hunting mule deer and
>I fell in love with
>it!
>
>I worked my tail off and
>got very lucky to stumble
>onto one of those very
>special places where a horse
>can't go and it was
>indeed full of bucks, and
>some very nice ones at
>that. I know it's the
>kind of place that will
>hold deer year after year.
>My only problem is getting
>another tag but I hope
>to find a hunter who
>is willing to share their
>points with me in return
>for my sharing the spot
>with them.