Dry creek area near thePowder River, Wyoming

wisconsinmuley · Aug 14, 2006

I am planning a region C hunt on the walk in land in the Dry Creek/ Flying E creek near the Powder River in WY. Is any body familiar with the area? I'm curious which areas hold the bucks. I know the main creek drainages are pretty rugged, and I'm wondering if they are worth the effort or if I should stick to the ravines/ draws that are more easily accessable between the two. I hunted there in 2003 but the weather was in the 80's all week and I didn't see many deer I assume because of the heat. I pretty much stuck to the ravines between the Dry Creek and Flying E because they looked so rugged, and I was alone, and the heat was so bad. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm sort of a self taught hunter, thru books and trial and error.

rumproast · Aug 14, 2006

Methane boys are crawling all over that territory right now, cutting roads, digging wells, building holding tanks for the runoff, etc. Same goes for the south side of the interstate, though in there they may be a little closer to done. Could be quite the challenge to hunt in there with all the activity. I'd never rule out them really tough draws, though--some good hidey holes in there if its got cover. If I was going in there this fall I'd make plans for a long walk in that BLM first--try find some good sign--and just talk to the guys working there.

wisconsinmuley · Aug 17, 2006

Thanks for the info. Have you ever hunted that area? Are you talking about the BLM on the south side of the freeway, or between dry creek and flying e? I saw in 2003 right on a rise by dry creek a water tank, and so many antelope I lost count around 80. It looked rugged all the way around that big open flat, and I wish i'd found it sooner than my last day.

rumproast · Aug 17, 2006

Yup. And talking about both sides of I-90. On the south, the Schoonover road is a really busy traffic area--as of June, anyway, when I was last in there--all the way to the Buffalo cut-across and Napier road east of the river. A guy gets on to the Dry Creek road up on the west rim of the river valley he can drop in to the Dry Creek and the E from above and hit all the side-draws he wants without touching private property. Good spots to glass from up there. Truck and crew activity was thick down in the river bottom, though. Gotta go out that direction Sat. afternoon--might be able to stay for the evening and get a look around. Its tag-filler territory for us, but I guess its got potential. Seen some hooge bucks down in that valley, just never on accessible public land.

Mike

wisconsinmuley · Aug 19, 2006

Thanks for the info. I remember back in 2003 I spotted people working in the river bottom of dry creek. If you get out that way let me know how it looked. I talked to the game and fish biologist and he said there was some water and green vegetation in the creek bottoms last week, when he flew over it.

rumproast · Aug 20, 2006

Well, that's probably the best news you could get! Green is good! I did't get a chance to scout--took the boy to the air show earlier in the day and it set my schedule back a few hours, but he thought it was the coolest thing seeing those jets racing around. Who did you talk to? I know Dan Diehl is a heckuva guy but he's biologist for the Bighorns--I don't think he works in the Powder River Basin.

Mike

wisconsinmuley · Aug 20, 2006

Glad to hear the air show was a hit. I talked with Tim Thomas, he's the guy for this area. He pointed me to that area in 2003. I'm gonna try to get there on sept. 30th to look around before the shooting starts. I'd like to get there sooner but it's a 14 hour drive. That's why I try to do as much scouting on the computer as possible. Thanks for all your info. it's appreciated greatly. Good luck this season. put a posting up on how you do this year, and if your in that area this year look for a maroon Toyota Tundra with Wisconsin plates, that's mine.