Wyoming is a 24 to 26 inch buck the new trophy class

RoadlessHunter

Active Member
Messages
568
I'm all for shoot the size of buck you want, but I have noticed over the last 15 years the the size of a trophy buck has dropped from 30 inches down to 22 to 26 inches in the Wyoming high country. My observation this year was any buck out to his ears was hitting the dirt at first light.

15 years ago hunters tended to pass on the 26 inch and smaller bucks until later in the season. What has caused the shift to shoot anything that moves mentality?

A good example was day 2 of our hunt. We spotted a 20 inch 4x4 with nice long points and good potential. We spooked him around the hill and bag down he goes on the morning of day 2 to what appeared to be a happy hunter. This buck in a few years would have been a 200 inch typical frame type deer.
 
Was he a legal buck? Yes.

I sure wish you trophy hunters would mellow out a little bit on what other people hunt.

I certainly am not going to sacrifice my tag, money, effort and points just to make sure that you get the opportunity to pass on that buck when he's 180" in a couple of years because he "may" get to 200 someday.

You said so yourself that the hunter was happy.

I don't begrudge you for passing on bucks, so stop trying to dictate to other hunters what they should and shouldn't do.

Trophy hunting is totally fine. But keep your limitations for yourself please.
 
Kinda like around here I Guess!

Somebody Kills a 20" 4 Point & they Parade it around Town like it's BIG/A TROPHY!

Some Hunters are gonna Try & Take the Best The Area/Unit has to offer!

Others Will Just Shoot a Buck!

To Each His Own!

But the Days of letting them Go/Grow are Gone!

Sad Part is very Few Bucks Surpass that 24" to 26" Mark you Speak of!















[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
One more thing RoadLessHunter!

If He's Only 24"-26" & Has Mass like your Wyoming Buck I'm Shootin!:D:D:D








[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-14-16 AT 08:08AM (MST)[p]> Kinda like around here I
>Guess!
>
>Somebody Kills a 20" 4 Point
>& they Parade it around
>Town like it's BIG/A TROPHY!
>
>
>Some Hunters are gonna Try &
>Take the Best The Area/Unit
>has to offer!
>
>Others Will Just Shoot a Buck!
>
>
>To Each His Own!
>
>But the Days of letting them
>Go/Grow are Gone!
>
>Sad Part is very Few Bucks
>Surpass that 24" to 26"
>Mark you Speak of!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U.
>in My Future,Ya She's got
>a
>way with Words[/font]

SUCK IT BESS. My 4 point was 20 1/8. And I did puposefully go down spanish fork canyon rather than nephi, just so I could stop at the check station and have it "admired" And it was glorious!!.(Sad thing is I actually did)

Seriously though, DC has it right. It takes so long to draw a tag, that some are nearly once in a lifetime, the "tag soup" ain't gonna happen. That 26" buck you leave grandkids will die of old age before you draw again. Don't shoot it if its too small for you, but are you concerned about shooting smaller bucks, or trying to pound your chest and let the world know that your a true "trophy hunter"?

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"
 
I have lived in Wyoming for almost 17 years and hunted it for many years before that. In NW Wyoming the bucks just are not as big as what you see in G&H. I have hunted both areas extensively. I am not going to say that there are no big bucks in NW Wyoming, just that the average 3-5 year old bucks in this area are not like the bucks in G&H. Yesterday, I saw a picture of a 34" typical mule deer killed in NW Wyoming this year. The fronts were crab clawed but everything else was nice. I don't know what it would score. I killed a 185 inch typical in NW Wyoming a few years ago. It was just shy of 26 inches wide. If you are only looking for 30 inch bucks, you may be passing up some really mature bucks. I took a 29" typical buck a few years back in this part of Wyoming. I doubt he would of scored 150 B&C. He was the oldest buck I have ever shot.

What I look for when I mule deer hunt is maturity. To me that means a buck that is at least 4 years old or more. In this part of the country that usually equates to mass measurements in excess of 4 or 4 1/2 inches. Last year, I took a buck with one mass measurement that was pushing 6 inches. The buck was likely 6 years old but just 24 inches wide. This year, I took a 24 inch buck with decent mass. I think he was 4 or possibly 5 years old. On October 25th, while elk hunting I wandered on to a solo buck. He was at least 27-28 inches wide with great mass. His front forks were really crab clawed. His backs were decent and he had a single inline between one of the backs. I would guess he was at least 6 years old. Had I not filled my tag, I would have taken him. I doubt he would have scored 160 B&C.

In my opinion, wide doesn't always mean high scoring. just sayin...mh
 
As I stated above I don't care what people shoot. I was just wonder what caused the shift in harvest size early in the season.

My hunt next year will be a different story. I will now have a 12 year old son that can hunt. My guess is he will end up with a buck between 22 and 28 inches wide. My wife went empty this year, but has vowed not to pass the 26 inch 5x4 or the 28 inch 4x4 on opening morning.

On day 3 this year we help a guy and the two kids locate a 15 inch 3x4 that he happily shot. That was his first buck harvest in his life time and he was smiling from ear to ear.

Then in two years from now I will have a 12 year old, 13 year old, and my wife.
 
I've noticed the same thing here in Utah where I hunt. My theory is the internet has caused it! 20 years ago it was pretty tough to get information about hunting areas unless you physically went there or talked to someone who had hunted it. Now you can find the best trophy areas in any state right from your computer. Wyoming G and H have a reputation for being good trophy areas because of what they've produced in the past. Now you have people coming from all over the west to hunt G and H that don't want to leave home empty handed. Also, I think a lot of hunters can't judge well in the field, get buck fever, and experience ground shrinkage.

Of course we will always have the meat hunters who don't really care about antlers. It just seems the group of semi-trophy hunters has grown much bigger lately. In Utah we have closed 1/2 of the state to general season hunting and created Limited Entry units. We've also reduced general season tags by 75%. As a result many of the meat hunters have lost interest and those getting the tags are mostly looking for a nice buck. We also are seeing more and more rut hunts here. People are hammering the 3-4 year old bucks because they are more active during daylight than the older bucks.
 
I've been hunting Wyoming for over 40 years. Yes, there are fewer big deer. But we are a state with lots of opportunity. I won't shoot anything less than a big buck any more. If we need meat, I'll always shoot a cow elk or two and make the world a better place. Or sometimes a whitetail doe, again to make the world a better place.

I like big mule deer too much to shoot the little ones. Doesn't matter to me what everyone else does. I only control what I do.

People should do what they want, but as a result of many factors, there are fewer big deer than we used to have. And I think the long-term trend is more of the same. Either that or once in a lifetime licenses.

But get out with family and friends and have fun chasing around. That's really what it is all about.
 
Dconcrete +100
If its legal, it makes no difference to anyone and everyone as long as shooter is happy. Every hunter has different goals, desires, abilities, experiences etc... Don't judge anothers trophy on your own standards...

I'd bet there are same amount of people shooting so called average bucks today as there was 20 years ago. Its just everything is more visible today with social media... back then no one said anything unless it was a monster, no everyone talks about every deer that is shot. Perception is all with new information that is now available.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
 
Width is the least important factor for me, I've got a 32" buck that is only 160 ish, and a 22" buck that's 185. Big forks are much cooler!


2a0fcsk.gif
 
>LAST EDITED ON Nov-14-16
>AT 08:08?AM (MST)

>
>> Kinda like around here I
>>Guess!
>>
>>Somebody Kills a 20" 4 Point
>>& they Parade it around
>>Town like it's BIG/A TROPHY!
>>
>>
>>Some Hunters are gonna Try &
>>Take the Best The Area/Unit
>>has to offer!
>>
>>Others Will Just Shoot a Buck!
>>
>>
>>To Each His Own!
>>
>>But the Days of letting them
>>Go/Grow are Gone!
>>
>>Sad Part is very Few Bucks
>>Surpass that 24" to 26"
>>Mark you Speak of!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U.
>>in My Future,Ya She's got
>>a
>>way with Words[/font]
>
>SUCK IT BESS. My 4
>point was 20 1/8.
>And I did puposefully go
>down spanish fork canyon rather
>than nephi, just so I
>could stop at the check
>station and have it "admired"
> And it was glorious!!.(Sad
>thing is I actually did)
>
>
>Seriously though, DC has it right.
> It takes so long
>to draw a tag, that
>some are nearly once in
>a lifetime, the "tag soup"
>ain't gonna happen. That
>26" buck you leave grandkids
>will die of old age
>before you draw again.
>Don't shoot it if its
>too small for you, but
>are you concerned about shooting
>smaller bucks, or trying to
>pound your chest and let
>the world know that your
>a true "trophy hunter"?
>
>"The only thing that stops a
>bad guy with a gun
>is a good guy with
>a gun"


20-1/8" Huh?

Did you Have Him Scored?

LMAO!!!

HELL SAKES!

I Thought it was a Local Kid Here Sportin that 20-1/8"ER!

You Wear a FLATTY,Right Hoss?:D













[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
Ha.......I have an 8.5 year old (officially aged) archery buck that sports a whopping 16.5" inside spread......23" outside spread. Funny things is though, he officially measured north of 200" P&Y. Guess I should have let him die of old age, as he wasn't wide enough. :)

BOHNTR )))---------->
 
So what I gather from the comments is the bucks are topping out around 26 inches wide and most hunters aren't seeing bucks in the 30 inch range. This may be true because I didn't see a single buck over 30 inches wide this year scouting or hunting. I would also agree there is a big difference between a good 26 inch buck and a crap horn.
 
I saw 5-6 bucks 30+ wide this year between scouting and hunting.
Most bucks will never make it to 30" wide.
look at the record books. Many record book bucks are in the 20s.
 
oh BUCK, here I go again. First of all the wide gene that used to exist, is all but killed out. Now we are working on killing out the deep forked and heavy genes. Last summer I found 8 Big Bucks In WY,(I used to see more than that in 1 group) 16 In UT Mostly on the (Henrys) And 2 in ID. Big to me is usually over 200 inches and 30+ inches wide. (Not always) Nearly all of those bucks I saw are dead now. We are killing the cream of the crop every year. And then the WANT TO BE TROPHY HUNTERS take out the up and comers.(Ones that would be big in a few years) And the shoot anything that moves guys take out the baby bucks. Is there a problem Hell yes. I will never stop trying to get Hunters to conserve our Big bucks. (They will be gone if we don't) I have a hard time believing guys spending thousands of dollars on tags and hunting gear & equipment need Deer meat to fill there freezer. Letting them walk actually feels pretty good. I have killed 2 Deer in the last 11 years. Just so you know both were 7-8 years old and over 200 inches. I have passed on bigger Deer than a lot of you will ever see. P.S my boys first buck was big and mature. So kids can be taught to Hunt to. We can leave some survivors.
 
>oh BUCK, here I go again.
>First of all the wide
>gene that used to exist,
>is all but killed out.
>Now we are working on
>killing out the deep forked
>and heavy genes. Last summer
>I found 8 Big Bucks
>In WY,(I used to see
>more than that in 1
>group) 16 In UT Mostly
>on the (Henrys) And 2
>in ID. Big to me
>is usually over 200 inches
>and 30+ inches wide. (Not
>always) Nearly all of those
>bucks I saw are dead
>now. We are killing the
>cream of the crop every
>year. And then the WANT
>TO BE TROPHY HUNTERS take
>out the up and comers.(Ones
>that would be big in
>a few years) And the
>shoot anything that moves guys
>take out the baby bucks.
>Is there a problem Hell
>yes. I will never stop
>trying to get Hunters to
>conserve our Big bucks. (They
>will be gone if we
>don't) I have a hard
>time believing guys spending thousands
>of dollars on tags and
> hunting gear & equipment
>need Deer meat to fill
>there freezer. Letting them walk
>actually feels pretty good. I
>have killed 2 Deer in
>the last 11 years. Just
>so you know both were
>7-8 years old and over
>200 inches. I have passed
>on bigger Deer than a
>lot of you will ever
>see. P.S my boys first
>buck was big and mature.
>So kids can be taught
>to Hunt to. We can
>leave some survivors.

Not personal so don't take it that way, your an example. You saw those bucks, in 3 states. How many trail cams did you have? How many days in the field did you spend? How many deer did you kill this year. The honest to god truth is, its not the "wanna bes" that kill off the genetic line, its the trophy hunters. The big deer used to live because they weren' seen. Now, every tree in the forest is cammed up. Being nocturnal doesn't work, because you see them at night. You see them in the spring, you follow them all summer, and kill them in the fall. The biggest change in "trophy" hunting is the success on "trophies". The deer that came out of the "heyday" were hunted a few weeks a year, now they are pursued nearly 4 months, and harrassed the other 8. Sprinkle in the professionals that chase them year round. They are named, profiled, patterned. Many have computer files updating their location, age, size, etc. The reason there aren't "trophy" bucks like the old days, is in the old days they got left alone, missed, and often not seen. If you do the math, and figure the odds of a deer living long enough, and possessing the right genes, to become a 30" buck, there are very few that will make it, and if the hunters are more successful statistically than what the averages say can be produced, then you kill off the population. The biggest hit on "trophy hunting" is the trophy hunter himself, not the meat hunter, not the families out enjoying the fall, its the year round, pursuit. Its the technology, its the professionals. I know for many its a love. But simply put, your loving them to death.


"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"
 
I would wager that some of it is because of the marketing and promotion of hunting... We are getting a whole new generation of hunters (of all ages), and it's unlikely any of them have killed anything, let alone a 25" 4-point buck. They see that buck and it is definitely a big one (I agree). So, they lay the hammer down.

What's more, you are likely paying more attention to the hunters around you. I'm guessing that hunters near you have always killed 20" 4x4 deer, you just never paid any attention. And, you should be somewhat grateful as this means they are done hunting, and off the mountain, leaving you to find and kill that 220" dream buck of yours...

:) :) :)

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
I'm confused. Help me out with this.

We are not suppose to shoot the does because they are the source for all the replacement deer. We are not suppose to shoot the 2 and 3 point bucks because they easy to find and have not had a chance to grow into their future potential. We are not suppose to shoot the 20"-26" bucks because they only need a year or two to become 30" bucks and finally we are not suppose to shoot the 30" bucks because we are destroying the genetics. So what are we suppose to shoot? From this thread I think the only thing we are left with are spikes or 8 year old 3 points. Do I have this about right? I just want to make sure I am doing what is best for the deer, conform to what others think is correct and have as little fun as possible while doing it.
 
30-inch bucks have always been extremely rare, and still are. I looked at 590+ bucks in Wyoming this past summer and a few more during my hunt, and I saw one that I think would break 30 inches (pic below). I had seen another I thought would break 30, but a client killed him and he went 29-1/2.

I've hunted some real good places in Colorado for many years, and could count on one hand how many 30-inch bucks I've seen there.

Same with Utah. Many, many years of hunting and very few 30 inchers.

I think sometimes hunters remember bucks being bigger than what they really were. Excitement plays tricks on the brain. I know that's fact for me. If it weren't for having photos and video of the bucks I see, I'm sure I'd go away thinking many of them were better than what they really were. I don't know how many times I've gotten home, looked at video and photos and the bucks have shrunk.

49111.jpg


Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
 
People forget bucks are not the only one to carry genetics, does contribute 50% of the genetics too. So for hunters to shoot out genetics is crazy. Unless every deer is captured and tested then removed (doe and buck) to remove a specific trait is impossible. Bucks simply need to time and few get it anymore due to the year round pressure/scouting/tracking.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
 
This is totally a result of the rise of trophy hunters and technology. Sorry but the lack of 30" bucks is not due to hunters shooting smaller bucks. It is due to the fact trail cameras, google earth, gps, long range shooting, and more serious trophy hunters exist.

Sorry but maybe you should try and concern yourself with taking a mature buck and not so much with score.

Sorry but there have always been and always be a ton of guys shooting the first legal buck, and other guys who want a 3 or better, or???? The only real difference today from back then is more technology.
 
>30-inch bucks have always been extremely
>rare, and still are. I
>looked at 590+ bucks in
>Wyoming this past summer and
>a few more during my
>hunt, and I saw one
>that I think would break
>30 inches (pic below). I
>had seen another I thought
>would break 30, but a
>client killed him and he
>went 29-1/2.
>
>I've hunted some real good places
>in Colorado for many years,
>and could count on one
>hand how many 30-inch bucks
>I've seen there.
>
>Same with Utah. Many, many years
>of hunting and very few
>30 inchers.
>
>I think sometimes hunters remember bucks
>being bigger than what they
>really were. Excitement plays tricks
>on the brain. I know
>that's fact for me. If
>it weren't for having photos
>and video of the bucks
>I see, I'm sure I'd
>go away thinking many of
>them were better than what
>they really were. I don't
>know how many times I've
>gotten home, looked at video
>and photos and the bucks
>have shrunk.
>
>
49111.jpg

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

Could it be that we never really realized what a true 30" buck looked like? Is it possible that many of the "30" bucks were in fact much smaller? I know in Colorado that in the 90s any buck at or past his ears was huge because almost everything was a basket 4 or smaller? Add inthe fact that in the past we only had our excited state memory to rely on for buck size and as a result we would overestimate. Now wth cameras, phone scopes, high end glass, trail cameras, etc. We get a real chance to sit and judge a buck...
 
Elk, I would disagree with shooting little bucks doesn't hurt. All big bucks must survive their younger years to reach maturity. That 20 inch 4x4 with 200 inch plus potential will never make it now he's dead. How many Popeye bucks have been hammered as 2.5 to 3.5 year old deer, thus never reaching their Popeye potential.

One thing no one has mentioned is 15 to 20 years ago the seasons in Wyoming ran longer. Maybe people held out knowing they had more time to search for a giant.

Personally I like to hunt and will hold out. I don't expect others to be like me.

I think what Founder said may be true. We overestimate the ones that get away. My dad's hunting buddy seems to overestimate by 6 inches or so everytime. He has never experienced ground growth.

Shoot the buck you want I'm fine with that.
 
There are a huge percentage of bucks from Wyoming in B&C that are 26ish inches wide.

I don't think that is the point of the th read but that is a fact. Width is a poor indicator of maturity.
 
I have not seen a true 30" buck in Wyoming this year, but I have seen a lot of 22-26" bucks. The best buck I have seen this year was about 28", maybe.

I have pics of him on my www.DillonHoyt.com blog under Rut part 2. I cannot post pics from my phone right now.

Dillon
 
It is sad that Wyoming is going the same direction as Utah. The attitude in Utah is to never let a legal buck walk because "if I don't shoot it, somebody else will".

30+ years ago in Wyoming, we used to always see at least one monster buck (34" or more wide and massive) every season. Usually they were too far away to shoot, but at least they existed. I haven't seen a monster buck like that in many years now. It is extremely hard to find any bucks over 28" anymore. There are a lot of reasons for this, but at least a part of the problem is so many hunters that are willing to dump all the small bucks. Most of the bucks that are killed are less than 20" wide and a 20 incher is starting to be a trophy to most Wyoming hunters, not a 24-26 inch buck.

To me, all the 2-points on the mountain are not worth as much as one real trophy buck.
 
>Elk, I would disagree with shooting
>little bucks doesn't hurt.
>All big bucks must survive
>their younger years to reach
>maturity. That 20 inch
>4x4 with 200 inch plus
>potential will never make it
>now he's dead. How
>many Popeye bucks have been
>hammered as 2.5 to 3.5
>year old deer, thus never
>reaching their Popeye potential.
>
>One thing no one has mentioned
>is 15 to 20 years
>ago the seasons in Wyoming
>ran longer. Maybe people
>held out knowing they had
>more time to search for
>a giant.
>
>Personally I like to hunt and
>will hold out. I
>don't expect others to be
>like me.
>
>I think what Founder said may
>be true. We overestimate the
>ones that get away.
>My dad's hunting buddy seems
>to overestimate by 6 inches
>or so everytime. He
>has never experienced ground growth.
>
>
>Shoot the buck you want I'm
>fine with that.

So let me ask you this... IN the unit I hunted this year there were over 200 bucks I looked at that were little bucks. All 3 points 4 points etc. But how many really big bucks did I see? I mean after all there were ample supplies of little bucks. If I went into southern WY right now I could spend 2 days and see 200 small bucks and a handful really good bucks. All of which survived this years hunt. But how many will be 30" next year? Sorry but unless you can find data where there are more small bucks killed today than in the past, there is not much water to small bucks getting killed. My buddy killed a 7 year old deer this year. Was just a 3x2 but a good frame and had mass. I have killed 3 deer in the last decade in southern WY all over 5 years old. Only 1 was right at 30. the other was 22" and the other 28. We saw several more bucks this year, all mature bucks, in the 5-7 year old range in southern WY. 1 was close to 30 wide, but the great all maxed out at 26". Granted a few were close to 200.

My point is simple, the trophy hunters are the ones killing the big bucks. They are the ones killing out the gene pool. As those big bucks have proven to have the genes. On the flip side the little bucks have never proven anything other than they are small.
 
Why would width even matter. Does a 26" wide buck mean he's older than a 22" wide buck? Width means nothing at all to me. Some bucks will never reach the 26" mark no matter how long they live. It's called genetics. Are you going to pass a 22" wide 185+ buck because of width? If so please give me the GPS coordinates so I can kill him for you.
 
This was a great topic roadlesshunter. And you are right about the average width going down. Example this has happened over and over. Average meat hunter going up the road. two 2 points together same age one is wider than the other guess witch one gets bammed every time. Same thing 4 bucks together one is a 22 inch 4 point with 3 16 inch 4 points (all the same age) witch one gets it. ya this happening over and over again has an effect on the genetics. My last word a buck can't get big if you kill him before he gets big. And I KNOW WHAT A 30 INCH BUCK IS. I USUALLY GUESS A LITTLE LOW.
 
JUDAS!

If a Buck does get Big!

He's Got a Name!

Pics/Movie footage for later use!

And a GAWD-DAMNED Price Tag on His Head!

And Usually under Full Time Surveillance/Surroundage until they Bring the Shooter in!

It's all about:

GREED!

MONEY!

And gettin that Trophy on the Wall no matter what it Costs!

If hossblur would Quit Poppin them 20-1/8" Bucks Opening Morning things might be Different!

But He's Got BRAGGIN Rights now:

"I Got a 4 Point"!

"I Needed the Meat"!

:D:D:D!!!

(((RAZZIN Ya hossblur!:D)))

Then He Shows His Trophy to the DWR and They are on the Radio the 2nd Day of the Rifle Hunt Boasting what a Success the Rifle Hunt was just 2 Days in to the Hunt!

So Tell Us hossblur?

On your way Home with your Trophy Buck Strapped to the Top of the Cab where nobody could Miss seeing it?

Did you get more Waves/Thumbs Up?

Or More Birdies?









[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
Part of the problem is the upper age class is missing due to the bad winter of 08/09, 2011 killing a huge % of the fawn crop and deer of all ages. Deer need age and generics to make it. But most will never be 30" even in the good old days. Just like alot of bucks will never make it to 190. It takes a special buck.
SW Wyoming is full of 3-4 year old 22-26" bucks that you are talking about. There are some older and bigger but are fewer in numbers.
Let people hunt how they want. Who cares.
SW Wyoming may not be what it was 30 years ago, but it is still awesome!
Maybe Wyoming should consider a quota for resident hunters. I saw alot of dinks in the back of Wyoming trucks
 
I don't think you're ever going to control what type of buck people decide to shoot. It will always be a personal thing. I'd love to see more hunters letting younger age class bucks mature a little.

Until Wyoming starts restricting tags for both residents and non-residents I don't think you'll see much of a difference.
 
Im a Wyoming resident and couldnt agree more. I also think they should get rid of the non-resident regions and go to strictly choose your weapon and area. just my 2 cents...
 
Adopting the Utah plan of pick your season and pick your ridge will not help anything. I grew up in Utah with those options. Wyoming doesn't need to be an extension of Utah.

I never stated that anything needs to change or we need to limit what people can shoot.

The winter kill of 2010 into 2011 was 70% in the area we hunt. That is affecting the older class deer today in 2016.
 
First off, it's not just a "Utah" plan. CO, AZ, NM, NV aren't much different.

I'm not saying WY has or needs to do it, but every time I hear a WY guy bring up antler size or lack of, they're not will to give up hunting G/H every year. Opportunity and trophy hunting typically aren't compatible.
 
Considering the amount of 180"+ bucks I saw this summer and fall. .I could care less if 30" width is your idea of a "big" buck. To me a big buck has deep forks, and good mass and his width is just air, so I don't give a damn what that measurement is if he will go over 180. If your willing to put in the effort to get away from people in G, there is ample good hunting for great deer still. You couldn't pay me to pass on the 26"wide buck I shot that taped out to 185..the harder it is for Non residents to draw that area the less likely they will pass up younger bucks, because they don't want to go home empty handed knowing they won't hunt there again for many years.
 
Yeah, I wouldn't trade the privilege of hunting every year for more bone on a deer's head. I don't begrudge trophy hunters and respect their dedication, but decreasing hunting opportunity isn't likely to help recruitment or retention. Wyoming is one of the few places you can enjoy elk, deer, antelope, lion and bear hunting from year to year. I don't see any other states doing better.

There are some nice deer in G and there are areas you won't run into other hunters. People get stuck in what and how they do things. My area does tend toward taller, narrower bucks, though I saw one last year that was well past 30". We surprised each other and he was much faster.
 
Anyone who needs to take a 30" buck to consider it a trophy has way more time or money on their hands than I do .

My trophies are in the memories, hunting with friends and family.

One day I'll take a great deer , but regardless of the unit or state it probably won't be a 30"er .
 
I care very much about the mule deer quality in Wyoming. I know from experience that there are some great bucks in G&H. Those two areas have been hyped to death. I have deer hunted in both of them. I likely will never hunt them again. That is a personal choice. The country is beautiful and the bucks are of the highest quality. I can't stand the crowds and the B.S. that comes from the methods and actions of many of the hunters. You start to wonder about how many people are hunting the same buck you are. You run into large camps set up right in the middle of the habitat. You may be in the middle of a stalk on a nice buck, and have some nimrod with a long range rifle shoot the buck right over the top of you. A friend told me of finding carcasses this year in G where the only thing removed was the cape and horns. That disgusts me. You have too many "trophy hunters" focused on score and not the experience. The memories are always where it is at for me. Hunting should not be a d*** measuring contest.

I now hunt a couple of areas with a general tag that are close to home. I get the same mountain hunting experience without all the distractions. The bucks are far fewer in number, but if you work real hard you can take a nice mature buck. I don't waste two seconds wondering if the buck will make "book". I know them when I see them. I let the young bucks walk. Late in the season if I haven't taken what I am after, I will often shoot a 3 year old management type meat buck. In past years, this has been a wide 4x2, numerous 4x3's and even a wide 2x3. The memories of each buck taken are what I remember.

Enjoy the experience. That is what is important.

just sayin...mh
 
>WHO CARES! Every HUNTER should care.
>Looks like a whole bunch
>of my fellow hunters better
>pull their heads out and
>clear their eyes so you
>can see what's going on.
>I see why Utah had
>to do what they did.
>They had to protect what
>game was left from you
>guys. Times have changed a
>lot. and some of you
>need to change your ways.
>Region G & H are
>trophy areas and need to
>be respected and protected as
>such.

How so? Region G and H are just areas. Why does it matter what I choose to shoot when I am there as long as I have a legal buck.
 
Let's take a look and a different area in the state Region K public areas. This area was moved to 3 point or better and may we ask why? Almost every buck was shot during the season leave very few buck behind. North of Rock Springs 4 point or better not sure why on that one. Just imagine if we let those yearling grow a little and self regulated what we shoot. Then we wouldn't have to make these units 3 point or better.
 
If you really want to restrict killing bucks, then the best way to do it would be to limit hunting to "Only from the road"... No hiking, no horses, no ORV or OHV... If you see a buck from the road, you can get out and shoot it... But don't leave the road to pursue it. There would be tons of 30" bucks around - of course, most of them don't wander near roads... So... If a 36" buck walks through the woods, but nobody sees it, does it really exist..??

Please, don't think I"m serious... Sarcasm is lost on so many people these days...

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Just looking at the top two racks, they don't have the genetics to grow into that 30" monster. Why would a hunter pass on either of those bucks on the hope that they would damage their antlers and make them grow wide? The bottom rack is 28" wide with the broken cheater. Had he not broke from the fall after the shot, he would have hit the 30 inch mark. However, I consider his rack to be nothing special. Just an old deer digressing in rack size with a crab claw. He was a public land buck living in a heavily hunted area. How he survived to get that old, I will never know. But had I passed on him to "let him get a little bigger" I certainly would have been disappointed the following year. But in my hunting world, hunting public land, I appreciate the life I take regardless of antler size. The experience means more than size, points, color, or anything else. All those things are bonus's. Just happy to be healthy enough to experience the hunts in some of the nastiest country known to man.
96473img0010.jpg
 
The reason big bucks are getting more scarce is our ability to pop them at distances greater than 300 yards with pinpoint accuracy. Just look st our forum posts about people bragging bout there 14 year olds first buck st 475 yards and such. We are better killers. Only way to fix it is to harshly regulate gun hunting forcing people to stalk into them with the muzzy and or bow. Won't happen but that is he real reason for the demise of our older class generation of high country deer.
 
>My observation this
>year was any buck out
>to his ears was hitting
>the dirt at first light.
>
>
>15 years ago hunters tended to
>pass on the 26 inch
>and smaller bucks until later
>in the season. What
>has caused the shift to
>shoot anything that moves mentality?

Keep in mind that this is only a LE unit for non-residents. It's just a typical general hunt for residents. Many residents just want to get out, have fun, and shoot a buck. Why hold out every year? Sometimes a guy just wants to fill the freezer, or bring a buck home to show the kids. There's no problem with that.

On the other hand, the Utah guys are waiting 4-5 years to draw, and they expect to see 200" bucks with 30" spread running all over the place. It's a GENERAL unit! Yes, some of the best genes in the world come from G&H, but those bucks have been hunted hard, and they aren't stupid. There might be a 30" buck in a basin that nobody has seen. Some of those bucks just go nocturnal.

I would say the difference now from 15 years ago is because of population drops, trophy hunting, pressure, feed, and technology. If you want to get a good picture of what's going to be in region G & H, hit the winter range. Tell us how many bucks over 200" & 30" spread you see. I can tell you now that there are only a handful out of 1000+ bucks on the range that exceed those expectations.
 
+1 HJB. The harsh winter of 2010-11 killed 65-70% of the fawns. Those fawns would have been our mature bucks this season.

Fact is most bucks will never reach 30". It's just not in their genetics. MATH 101: There used to be a lot more 30"ers, but there used to be a lot more DEER. There's half as many deer as there were in the late 80's-early 90's, so there were TWICE as many 30"ers.

People shoot what they want. They don't care what you or I think. The ONLY way to control how many older age class bucks there are is to control hunter numbers. Don't look for that to happen in Wyoming anytime soon...

Longun-That is EXACTLY what this post is about. Although a great trophy by any standards, that jackalope is narrow, narrow, narrow. He would probably never be wide...:)
 
Sorry roadless, I'm guilty of killing a 25'er this year :p



Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...
 
I agree the technology (long range rifles and spotting scopes) are contributors to the biggest bucks being shot each year. They can no longer stay across the canyon from the hunter and be safe. If they come out of their hiding spots and are seen, they will likely be killed.

I am hoping to draw a non resident deer tag in Wyoming sometime in the future and have 13 points now. A trophy deer to me is about the memory and the friendships made, but score is personal goal. My best buck is 175" and I hope to beat that score each year and fulfilling my ultimate goal of 200", but it's looking grim. I haven't killed a deer in several years.But, you gotta keep trying.
 
I don't know if bucks are getting more narrow over time, but older bucks are definitely more rare now than they were years ago, at least in areas with hunting pressure. Obviously so few deer get killed on the Henry's and Antelope Island that many, many grow old and a few grow big antlers.

I agree with technology being the big thing that has made the chances of success so much greater, and because of that, it's hard for bucks to grow old. Google Earth, rangefinders, spotting scopes, long range rifles, etc. has made it far easier to harvest bucks.

At some point, sportsmen are going to have to make a decision, either we're going to make hunts more challenging to achieve success for ourselves OR give up tags to maintain the current quality. What will it be? It's looking to me like less tags is the way it is going.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
 
I wouldn't be surprised if eventually they put restrictions on long range hunting equipment just to mitigate this very thing. I mean the biologists decided a while ago in several states to move hunt dates to reduce the impact on the herds, so someone seems to care about reducing harvest numbers? I imagine eventually someone will get wise to the toll long range rifles are taking on the mature deer and they will restrict rifle magnification.
 
So is the general consensus here that in order to allow big bucks to survive we need to limit the equipment people can use to pursue big bucks? Maybe if we only used open sighted 30-30's and paper towel tube spotting scopes a few more big bucks might make it through the season. Give me a break.
 
It Ain't just Long Range Rifles!

Try A Combination of Technology!

How Bout Utah with Continuous & Over-Lapped Hunts that Start Mid-August & They Pound Cow Elk in to February!

Oh!

Add the Shed-Heads in there!

Oh!

Add the Pre-Scouters!

Oh!

How bout the Trail-Cammers?

Drones anyone?

F'N Feather-Flippers trying 100+ Yard Shots!

MuzzleLoaders....these are Rifles!

Optics with TARDS Glassing 2-3+ miles away!

GOOD-GAWD!!!

There is NO Relaxation for the Deer Herd!

The Sshhiittt List is BIG!

And Keeps getting Bigger!











[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
>Elkass your just pissed your Tasco
>8x32 are outdated!
>
>
>
>
> Just razzin
>ya.
>
hornkiller.jpg



Hey Hornkiller!

I'm going back with Bigger Glass next time for the Count!:D











[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-16 AT 09:58PM (MST)[p]I'm someone who is more concerned about score than width. First time I hunted G, we found a 31 - 32" 4x4 that was probably in the low 170's. My goal was 180 or better and I passed on him. Another hunter shot him later on and they verified the width. The next year I shot a 32.5" buck that was with a wider buck. My buck scored better, so that was the one I went with. Last year we found a mid 180's buck, but I was after a 190 class buck. We sat and watched him for quite awhile when we noticed a large 3x4 directly behind us. We both agreed he was in the 29 - 30" range. Never gave him a second look after seeing 3 on the one side. This year we saw two 30" plus bucks in the same morning. The first was a heavy 3x3 with a few small cheaters and brows that we watched bed down, so we decided to go take a better look and see what else might come by. On the way back to the horses, we spotted the buck I ended up with. There was no doubt he was over 30", but the criteria was 180 plus. When we taped him, we spot on. Its definitely cool to shoot a 30" buck, but I'll let them pass if they don't score well...
 
Nice article Lion it gives an interesting perspective to the original question of trophy size bucks getting smaller.

All you guys shooting 180 inch 26 inchers are not shooting the bucks I'm talking about. Lots of 120 inch bucks hitting the dirt 5 minutes after shooting light.

My family trophy room is about half 30 inch plus and half under 30 inch.


27 inches, nets 180, Wyoming Deer
9465320161119184745.jpg


Buck on the right.
30 inches, not scored, Wyoming deer, shot by my brother
5875120161119184836.jpg



26 inches wide, not scored, Utah LE, Shot by my dad
7877620161119184923.jpg



33 inches wide, 208 gross,
2387820161119185048.jpg



1485620161119185137.jpg
 
I'm thinking that this might be a Wyoming thing we're talking about. I used to deer hunt regularly with my cousins. Shooting a 25" buck would have been amazing for any season for us here in Utah.

Those same cousins now live in WY. Last year, one of my cousins shot a 23" 4x4 that I scored for her at 159 4/8". It was symmetrical and very attractive. It is the biggest deer she ever killed, yet, she seemed rather unimpressed with it, saying several times that "its just a little one around here". While they had definitely seen and photographed much larger bucks during scouting- they didn't kill one of the bigger ones. I think she came around after a while because she did a Euro for her house. But for me, a good-looking buck is a good-looking buck.

I can appreciate your higher standard RoadlessHunter... And your trophy room is unbelievable.

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Does anyone have any proof at all that hunters are shooting smaller bucks in larger numbers today than in the past? I have a hard time believing that more people are shooting smaller bucks than in the past! Almost everyone I know from the 90s would shoot the first medium sized buck they saw and most had a Tuesday 2 point rule!

It still has a lot more to do with technology than anything else! Road hunter have always been happy to shoot dinks, youth always happy to shoot drinks, wives, older guys, etc. In the past it seemed a lot more people would shoot a buck to shoot a buck! Today it seems way more are after the bigger deer! With technology, social media, game cameras, long range shooting, improved ML, improved bows, range finders, glass, etc. Are all leading to more hunters going in further and killing more bucks!

I do know that the biologist I speak with in WY even say that atvs have lead to more bucks getting killed!

Simply put we are better at killing and as a result fewer bucks make it.

It is sure numbers issue, only way to get bigger bucks is to have fewer hunters!
 
I know a lot of people will disagree,, but we have been shooting the big buck Genetics out of the herd for 80 years or better.
 
elks96, don't put older guys automatically in that category. I am 67 and I have shot enough run-of-the-mill bucks for a lifetime. I won't shoot anything anymore that is not a great buck, and most older hunters are the same way. Small bucks don't have antlers worth saving, and they don't really have much meat on their bones either.
 
>I'm confused. Help me out
>with this.
>
>We are not suppose to shoot
>the does because they are
>the source for all the
>replacement deer. We are
>not suppose to shoot the
>2 and 3 point bucks
>because they easy to find
>and have not had a
>chance to grow into their
>future potential. We are
>not suppose to shoot the
>20"-26" bucks because they only
>need a year or two
>to become 30" bucks and
>finally we are not suppose
>to shoot the 30" bucks
>because we are destroying the
>genetics. So what are
>we suppose to shoot?
>From this thread I think
>the only thing we are
>left with are spikes or
>8 year old 3 points.
> Do I have this
>about right? I just
>want to make sure I
>am doing what is best
>for the deer, conform to
>what others think is correct
>and have as little fun
>as possible while doing it.
>

+1


"Go hunt for meat at Walmart."
 
>elks96, don't put older guys automatically
>in that category. I
>am 67 and I have
>shot enough run-of-the-mill bucks for
>a lifetime. I won't
>shoot anything anymore that is
>not a great buck, and
>most older hunters are the
>same way. Small bucks
>don't have antlers worth saving,
>and they don't really have
>much meat on their bones
>either.

I know it was just generalization and i am sure exceptions, but I also know many guys who are very happy with the first 3 year old buck they see.

My point over all is simple. Unlesswe can show that more little bucks are being shot now than in the past, we can not blame it simply on people being happy shooting smaller deer. For many years in the 90s all we ever saw were 2 and 3 pointers, of course we also had unlimited tags and the ability to hunt any area etc.

I also can not put all women hunters in that group. My wife refuses to shoot anything less than a solid 4x4. But on the flip side I know many who shoot the first legal buck.
 

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