The archery hunting pressure will most likely continue to increase every year. I didn't make it up for any archery hunting this year cause I'm a big baby old guy with horrible pain and can't suck it up a go anyway (lol), but I've seen how things have changed everywhere I hunt over the past 30+ years and it's almost a guarantee that those places will continue to become more and more popular amongst archery hunter's.....and rifle.
It appears to me that Star Valley is growing like crazy too, which is going to increase resident hunting pressure. And as long as those areas are some of the best in Wyoming, residents from across the state will travel to hunt there too.
My guess is, it won't be too long before resident tags are limited. I just don't think you can continue to increase hunter days afield up there, increase summer scouting pressure and continue to use improved technology, without a decrease in mature buck numbers. Somethings got to give, and I think they'll limit resident hunter's before letting the top end bucks get cleaned out completely.
With there being very few non-resident tags and a good number of outfitting camps who are all invested pretty heavily, I don't see them hacking away at non-resident tags too much more, if any. Or even season length.
So, absolutely no surprise here that you saw more archery hunter's than ever before. You'll probably see more rifle hunter's than ever before too. I hate to be a downer, but just keeping it real. You just have to go out hunt the other hunter's and hope to have more luck that most to kill the best buck in your spot.
Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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