Cody Region Meetings 2024

[mightyhunter]

I received an email from G&F concerning local meetings in Cody Region concerning hunt changes including boundaries, tag numbers and season dates. A local warden visited me at my home to discuss some of the proposed changes. In the email it states “ We want your thoughts”. I believe the major changes are season dates for the general deer in 105 and 106 CF herd. Also some changes in elk unit boundaries and perhaps tag numbers for elk.

The Powell meeting is at Northwest College at the Yellowstone Room at 6 pm. On March 21st. The Cody meeting is at the new regional office off the Belfry Highway at 6 pm on March 27th.

I am hoping the 2023 Harvest Reports for this region and the JCR for 2023 will be available online for deer and elk before the meeting. The info contained in those documents is crucial for an informed public providing input. I would encourage interested persons to attend. Although the proposed changes are known to G&F, you may wish to contact Tony Mong by telephone or email to find out the exact proposed changes. Waiting until the meetings for the information might be too late.

In the JCR in 2022, the G&F signaled they would be adding season dates for general deer hunt on the Clarks Fork Herd. A fact that the warden mentioned to me on the Clarks Fork Herd was an aerial deer survey was conducted for 5 days in late December of 2023. They actually counted 2,150 mule deer. I believe the fawn doe count was 63/100 and the buck doe count was 33/100.
I was told this was the first aerial count ever performed on this herd.

mh

 

[jm77]

@mightyhunter

Make sure to ask what their possible plans are now that separate specie tags for mule deer and whitetail look imminent. (it passed committee in the House yesterday) I plan to do that here in Casper at our meeting. This could be bad news for mule deer statewide if the proper steps aren't taken by wildlife managers.

 

[nfh]

@mightyhunter

Make sure to ask what their possible plans are now that separate specie tags for mule deer and whitetail look imminent. (it passed committee in the House yesterday) I plan to do that here in Casper at our meeting. This could be bad news for mule deer statewide if the proper steps aren't taken by wildlife managers.

The response will be we love wildlife just as much as you do and this is a step to fight cwd. Cwd bad blah blah blah. We care blah blah this is for the best blah blah.

Or the answer will be ummm let us talk to other offices and our butt buddies and leave your email and we will get right back with ya.

 

[mightyhunter]

I went to the Cody meeting last night. Attendance was good. For the most part the crowd was quiet.

A constant theme was CWD. This was discussed, graphed and statistically presented to the public. The talk was about the percentage of animals carrying the disease in various units. There was little talk about the numbers of deer actually dying from CWD.

A lot of the deer talk involved how whitetail deer are spreading into mule deer country. This is even into wilderness areas. There seems to be a reluctance on the part of G&F to have separate seasons for whitetail or mule deer. I think G&F may believe hunters can’t tell the difference in the field between the two.

Mention was made that bighorn sheep are on the decline in some areas. Unit 3 in trouble as is a herd that now has more rams than ewes and lambs. A special 3/4 curl or less hunt is proposed after the pneumonia outbreak. They want to keep the horny rams from going on the wander and spreading the disease.

Tony Mong made the proposals for elk in the Clark Fork and the Shoshone. They expanded the 51-1 unit and also the 54-1 unit. 53 is now gone despite the fact that G&F created 53 just 9 years ago. For years, 54-1 was a gathering spot for trophy elk hunters seeking a November migration hunt. A lot of NR draw hunters and locals wanting a stomper put in for the tag to have a late November chance. Not now. 80% of the late season tags were cut to a total of 10 with one NR tag. 54-3 is now for late season hunters. This will free up those with Commissioners Tags to have a trophy hunt in November in 54 without any competition from the common folk.

There was a woman who brought up the inherent unfairness of outfitters guiding Commissioner Tags in the Cody Area for late season elk hunts. The outfitters locate the big migratory bulls that move into late season areas. They call their Commissioner Tag “hunter” and tell them they have located their bull. The Commissioners Tag hunter declares his unit before he starts the “hunt” and bingo a stomper is down. Tony Mong just shrugged his shoulders when confronted with this scenario.

As always, my pet peeve is the “management” of the Clark Fork deer herd. In particular, the general hunts in 105 and 106. I have a booklet put out by GF in 1991 that states the following “the herd numbers 4,700 deer. Because of the rough terrain, the deer herd is not readily available to the average hunter until wintry weather moves them”. Season dates in 106 were October 15-November 10 for many years. Biologists for GF changed the dates to October 1 to October 31 in 2008 for 106. Commencing with the hunts in 2018, they changed the season yet again to October 1-24th. They claimed this was temporary. Fast forward 7 hunting seasons to 2024. Temporary my butt. You get a a three day increase through October 27 with the new proposal. Take 17 days and give back 3 in the migratory hunt for Clark Fork mule deer. The mountain areas just South have had a mere 3 day cut over the years. WARNING for the unwary hunting 106 in 2024. This is for residents and non-residents hunting 106 in the time from October 1-15 that was given in 2008. Now you may hunt mule deer October 1-15 in the wilderness areas only. This eliminated all the accessible areas with a wilderness boundary that is mostly unmarked. This will concentrate NR hunters for deer hunting in 106 from October 15-27. I predict more citations for the unwary as well.

My pet peeve in 106 is also simple. Despite all the season date changes, the population has been under objective for around 15 years. The buck/doe ratio has been the same forever. The count was up 700 deer in 2023 which I believe was the result of aerial counting for the first time. The biologist says he is hopeful. That is not a strategy but keep on keeping on.

A final note for all those NR hunters that complain. I believe in Unit 11 for moose (Sunlight Crandall) the population is up with increasing trophy quality. In 2023 there were 5 tags all to residents. In 2024 the proposal is 5 tags with one going to a non resident. Always remember palaces, pickups, paychecks and pensions will be a factor.

If I screwed up anything in this report, remember I am 69, slightly deaf and losing my eyesight. Just sayin…mh

 

[jm77]

A lot of the deer talk involved how whitetail deer are spreading into mule deer country. This is even into wilderness areas. There seems to be a reluctance on the part of G&F to have separate seasons for whitetail or mule deer. I think G&F may believe hunters can’t tell the difference in the field between the two.

Dave, what do you mean by separate seasons? A lot of us have been fighting separate mule/whitetail tags because of the consequences to mule deer bucks. G&F can manage either species now however they want.

 

[mightyhunter]

Dave, what do you mean by separate seasons? A lot of us have been fighting separate mule/whitetail tags because of the consequences to mule deer bucks. G&F can manage either species now however they want.

What I meant in my feeble way was extended whitetail seasons after mule deer seasons have closed. I believe their confidence in the hunters knowledge of the difference between the two is the concern. In my home in 105, the place was crawling with whitetails. I remember before 2010, I used to see 14 or so whitetail bucks walk through my backyard every morning and just before dark. Years ago they just disappeared. I assume from disease. Dave

 

[mightyhunter]

The response will be we love wildlife just as much as you do and this is a step to fight cwd. Cwd bad blah blah blah. We care blah blah this is for the best blah blah.

Or the answer will be ummm let us talk to other offices and our butt buddies and leave your email and we will get right back with ya.

Micheal, that would sum up much of last night in Cody. Before the meeting, most GF people mingled with each other and the select swells they hang with. The exception was the new Sunlight warden who went out of his way to mingle with the crowd and shake hands. I trust him. He has good intentions and is a listener and not just another GF employee who believes their opinion is the only one that counts. Mh

 

[nfh]

Thanks for the update @mightyhunter
They discuss the late season 56 tag to where you can hunt 55 now? I brought this up last year due to the fact that on a warm winter it is brutal hunt and those bulls hang back in 55. IF we would be allowed to jump into area 55 we are technically hunting the same bulls. with such limited tags there is no effect on the herd.

I put in 14.5 miles yesterday. Bulls were still packing. snow was 3 to 4 feet deep in the timber. open meadows even had 2 to 3 feet of snow. some ridges where the snow blows away was eaten down pretty good. Ran into game and fish first thing. They were hunting down a small female mnt. lion that is causing issues. Immediately into the hike i ended up cutting the tracks to that cat

Also i couldnt believe the amount of mule deer down low. Herds of 5 to even 60 plus does were in every field. Was good to see that many.

I do question this ladys comment. I am sure it happens. I know most tag holders go when the storm comes in. Trying to sit on a stomper bull and wait for the hunter to arrive my first thought is ummmm when we hunted it the bulls dont stay still in one area but can be 10 miles away in one day.


i hope this new game warden stays true. As long as a couple public members doesnt get in his head i think it will go good. I wont mention the names online but you know who i mean

 

[jm77]

What I meant in my feeble way was extended whitetail seasons after mule deer seasons have closed. I believe their confidence in the hunters knowledge of the difference between the two is the concern. In my home in 105, the place was crawling with whitetails. I remember before 2010, I used to see 14 or so whitetail bucks walk through my backyard every morning and just before dark. Years ago they just disappeared. I assume from disease. Dave

I'd like to hear what Michael @nfh thinks about the whitetail situation. Around Casper, G&F has no issue issuing type 3 whitetail tags with November seasons and type 8 doe whitetail into December. Not sure why Cody G&F would think identification of species is a problem.

 

[mightyhunter]

Thanks for the update @mightyhunter
They discuss the late season 56 tag to where you can hunt 55 now? I brought this up last year due to the fact that on a warm winter it is brutal hunt and those bulls hang back in 55. IF we would be allowed to jump into area 55 we are technically hunting the same bulls. with such limited tags there is no effect on the herd.

I put in 14.5 miles yesterday. Bulls were still packing. snow was 3 to 4 feet deep in the timber. open meadows even had 2 to 3 feet of snow. some ridges where the snow blows away was eaten down pretty good. Ran into game and fish first thing. They were hunting down a small female mnt. lion that is causing issues. Immediately into the hike i ended up cutting the tracks to that cat

Also i couldnt believe the amount of mule deer down low. Herds of 5 to even 60 plus does where in every field. Was good to see that many.

I do question this ladys comment. I am sure it happens. I know most tag holders go when the storm comes in. Trying to sit on a stomper bull and wait for the hunter to arrive my first thought is ummmm when we hunted it the bulls dont stay still in one area but can be 10 miles away in one day.


i hope this new game warden stays true. As long as a couple public members doesnt get in his head i think it will go good. I wont mention the names online but you know who i mean

Yes, Tony Mong brought up the change with the 55 and 56 tags. I apologize for not listening closer and reporting.

 

[Bob D.]

They have lots of type 3 and type 8 whitetail tags in the Cody region.

 

[mightyhunter]

I'd like to hear what Michael @nfh thinks about the whitetail situation. Around Casper, G&F has no issue issuing type 3 whitetail tags with November seasons and type 8 doe whitetail into December. Not sure why Cody G&F would think identification of species is a problem.

Who knows. That opinion has been expressed to me by Wyoming GF on many occasions. Many years ago when I lived in North Idaho that was a concern amongst fish and game when they allowed whitetail doe harvest but not mule deer doe harvest.

 

[nfh]

I'd like to hear what Michael @nfh thinks about the whitetail situation. Around Casper, G&F has no issue issuing type 3 whitetail tags with November seasons and type 8 doe whitetail into December. Not sure why Cody G&F would think identification of species is a problem.

Well I am on the same page with you. I was fully against that recent proposal. That recent proposal would of been very harsh on the already struggling mule deer herd. What i would like to see for the mule deer herd here is APR and NO MULE DEER DOE HUNTING AT ALL!!!! For 2023 it was my boys first year to hunt. No general tag was filled. Passed on the dinks. With the current proposal a dink would of been dead

As far as the whitetail issue i have some concerns. The whitetails are struggling bad in some areas. EHD came in a year ago. I would like to see some type 3 tags get cut. But my concern kinda goes away cause whitetails can adapt and survive better and they will rebound which has been proven many times.

For type 8 doe tags in my area we apply and dont use them. hopefully that sums up my feelers. We prefer the type 6 tags. I can access some better quality herds and thin them out and help out the landowner.