Region W

fullthrottle · Oct 22, 2017

Curious how the hunting was in region W this year for muleys. Do you guys that hunted it think the implementation of 4 point or better helped save a bunch of bucks, I would imagine it did. Seems like most of the hunters shoot just about anything out there. Hopefully it helps bring up the mature buck numbers the next couple years.

elks96 · Oct 22, 2017

>Curious how the hunting was in
>region W this year for
>muleys. Do you guys that
>hunted it think the implementation
>of 4 point or better
>helped save a bunch of
>bucks, I would imagine it
>did. Seems like most of
>the hunters shoot just about
>anything out there. Hopefully it
>helps bring up the mature
>buck numbers the next couple
>years.

Everyone I know who hunted shot a buck. No different than any other year. Was up there today and saw lots of little bucks but no 4 point bucks at all...

wymuleyman · Oct 23, 2017

Was out there from the 30th of September until dark on the closer and from what I saw and what the local biologist reiterated was very significant decrease in harvest. Still lots of young small 4 points harvested, there were a few dandies taken out there, like always but not the overall numbers. Talking with biologist very possible to be seeing antler restriction again next year. Possible until the buck to doe ratio is where they want to see it. I'm not sure how I felt about it even several days since the unit closed. Best buck we saw was a very big 3 point with no eye guards which was an older deer but likely never made it to a 4 point as this is very common in the particular section of the unit we hunt. We hunted hard and saw 3 shooter bucks and overall good deer numbers. Myself and hunting partner decided to not harvest this year. Just nothing that really got me excited other than the illegal 3 point. I am a fan of the antler restriction normally and hope to see it in the future in short doses. I have seen the effects of years of antler restriction and seems counterproductive in the long run but in order to increase buck to doe rations I'm in favor of it. I live in the unit so seeing the effects in units like area 87 is very easy to see but liked what it did when they made it 3 point or better for a season or two a few years back. All in all we had the best hunts we've seen in years after the two seasons of point restriction.

elks96 · Oct 24, 2017

The 2 most mature bucks I found were a 2 point and a 3 point. Lots of little 4 points were killed like you said. I am not sure why they settled on the 4 point rule. I could live with the 3 point rule. I am hoping that they would drop the point rule for archery. Honestly there are not that many archery bucks killed in the region and when you have one legal buck surrounded by 3 illegal bucks, it makes the already nearly impossible task of a successful stalk that much harder.

In my case I ended up with 2 extremely similar bucks together one was a legal buck and the other was a clean 3 only difference was about 1.5 inches of width. It made the hunt way more stressful and almost a negative experience when we finally got close as both were bedded facing right at us.

I would not mind it lowering to a 3 point or better. I also would love to see the archery hunt go unrestricted allowing us to target some of those big mature bucks that are not 4 points.

Next year my daughter will be a youth and she already has decided that the big 3 or the big 2 have to die...

jm77 · Oct 24, 2017

>The 2 most mature bucks I
>found were a 2 point
>and a 3 point. Lots
>of little 4 points were
>killed like you said. I
>am not sure why they
>settled on the 4 point
>rule. I could live with
>the 3 point rule. I
>am hoping that they would
>drop the point rule for
>archery. Honestly there are not
>that many archery bucks killed
>in the region and when
>you have one legal buck
>surrounded by 3 illegal bucks,
>it makes the already nearly
>impossible task of a successful
>stalk that much harder.
>
>In my case I ended up
>with 2 extremely similar bucks
>together one was a legal
>buck and the other was
>a clean 3 only difference
>was about 1.5 inches of
>width. It made the hunt
>way more stressful and almost
>a negative experience when we
>finally got close as both
>were bedded facing right at
>us.
>
>I would not mind it lowering
>to a 3 point or
>better. I also would love
>to see the archery hunt
>go unrestricted allowing us to
>target some of those big
>mature bucks that are not
>4 points.
>
>Next year my daughter will be
>a youth and she already
>has decided that the big
>3 or the big 2
>have to die...
>
>
>

I doubt it would take much public comment to change the point restriction to 3-point.

That said, the special archery regulations were just changed to restrict archers to Section 2 limitations. Doubt that will change anytime soon and frankly it shouldn't. There is absolutely no reason to give archers "special" limitations over regular season hunters. I would think a 30 day archery season would more than suffice.

fullthrottle · Oct 24, 2017

I don't get the 4 point or better deal either, seems like It would be in there best interest to do a 3 point or better restriction. Most 2 year old muleys are going to be a small 3 or a small 4. Why kill the deer that is genetically better? I'm sure they have a valid reason.

wymuleyman · Oct 28, 2017

Well as far as from what the local biologist and wardens are saying expect to see the antler restriction next year and also shortened elk seasons as far as antlerless elk and reduced price licenses are concerned. Yes it is hard when the only legal buck you have stalked is not legal but that's what makes hunting hunting and not killing. I could be wrong but I believe the antler restriction is a moot point if your daughter will be applying for a youth permit as I believe that is any antlered deer? Since I don't have a youth I don't pay it a lot of attention. The point of the antler restriction as described to me is to allow the deer to age to a breeding age and to help with the buck:doe ratio as told to me by biologist. So if that was their intention I would say harvest was dramatically lower and goal achieved. I for one like it for sure as I don't have to fill my permit every year. How knows what next year will bring but I am already excited for the prospects.

elks96 · Oct 29, 2017

>Well as far as from what
>the local biologist and wardens
>are saying expect to see
>the antler restriction next year
>and also shortened elk seasons
>as far as antlerless elk
>and reduced price licenses are
>concerned. Yes it is
>hard when the only legal
>buck you have stalked is
>not legal but that's what
>makes hunting hunting and not
>killing. I could be
>wrong but I believe the
>antler restriction is a moot
>point if your daughter will
>be applying for a youth
>permit as I believe that
>is any antlered deer? Since
>I don't have a youth
>I don't pay it a
>lot of attention. The
>point of the antler restriction
>as described to me is
>to allow the deer to
>age to a breeding age
>and to help with the
>buck:doe ratio as told to
>me by biologist. So if
>that was their intention I
>would say harvest was dramatically
>lower and goal achieved.
>I for one like it
>for sure as I don't
>have to fill my permit
>every year. How knows
>what next year will bring
>but I am already excited
>for the prospects.

No one can explain to me how exactly
You are going to produce more big mature bucks when the only thing hunters can kill are the big mature bucks.

I know for a fact the big 2 point has been the dominate buck in the one area now for 3 years... I sure hope hope the doe genetics can outplay his genetics.

Sadly I feel they are just trying to prove that the area could be a great limited trophy area and in a few years they will likely cut hunting to a point where most quit going. Just like they have done with 58 antelop

El Gringo · Oct 30, 2017

All this sounds to me like Wyoming is chasing her own tail, doing everything imaginable to keep from going to a draw for Resident deer, just like most every other state. If Wyoming would just buckle down and really manage the Deer they could return to some form of their former greatness.

It's not Rocket-surgery..... The resource is limited, and there are only so many bucks that should be killed (am I the only one that hates the term "harvest"?). If numbers were more closely managed, the point restriction would be a moot point, and people with a tag in their pocket could enjoy a quality hunt.

fullthrottle · Oct 30, 2017

I think we are a looooonnnnggg ways from residents being limited. It would be nice if they had to pick a region, but even that's a stretch.

JakeSwensen · Oct 30, 2017

A mass killing of coyotes is what Wyoming's mule deer need.[font face="verdana" color="green"]
Jake Swensen

El Gringo · Oct 30, 2017

>A mass killing of coyotes is
>what Wyoming's mule deer need.[font
>face="verdana" color="green"]
> Jake Swensen

That's fact... across the entire West

jims · Oct 30, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Oct-30-17 AT 08:45PM (MST)[p]Bet you will be seeing more and more mature 3x's and fewer mature 4x's with the new antler restrictions. Bummer they are continuing this nonsense!

littlebighorn · Nov 5, 2017

Utah's Book Cliffs area was a 4 pt or better unit for several years until the DWR found that the point restriction actually had a negative effect on the herd. Lots of smaller bucks were killed and left to lay because they were short a point and young inferior bucks were left to do the breeding. It was not until the unit became a limited entry hunt that things got better. It's still not great, but better than it was.