Wyoming 102

S

skyline

Guest
I drew a 102 mule deer tag for Wyoming. With 400 tags, what should I expect? Should I archery hunt it? I have heard there are tons of roads and little to no back country. Can I find a place where I can get away from the crowds and and drop a 180+ deer?
 
You should expect to see a fair amount of other hunters, but also a bunch of deer. There are a lot of roads and getting to the out-of-the-way spots takes a bit of doing. You should hunt as much of the archery season as you can. Dropping a 180 buck is absolutely possible.
 
I also drew that same hunt. I applied for it because Huntin Fool said it was still the #1 pick in WY. THe more I hear about it, the more I realize that it has too many roads with too many hunters. It sounds like a place where bucks have a hard time getting old enough to reach their potential.
As far as I can see, it is a rifle hunt from the 15th to 31st of October, right? Is there also an archery option?
THanks
 
Doesn't sound like too much research has gone into that plan. If you go half-arsed about hunting the area you probably won't kill a big buck.
 
I am not planning on going about it "half arsed". That has never been my style and will not be now. I live in AZ and pulling a quality tag here is real tough. I am just saying that many of us apply out of state trying to build bonus/preference points in hopes of drawing a high quality hunt eventually. I was in the maximum bonus point pool in WY and went with Garth Carter's recommendation for picks in WY. I thought it was a safe move. Don't get me wrong, i was real excited 2 weeks ago when I saw that I drew my first choice. The more research I do, the more I am getting concerned. I will work hard and try to find areas away from hunters that may hold older age bucks.
Is there also an archery hunt in this unit?
 
Don't let anyone get you down for drawing that tag. It is a quality tag that I would like to have myself. I apply for all the best tags across the west every year without having ever stepped foot on my of them them. Getting the tag is the hardest part. You can always get up to speed once you have the tag. If I only applied for units that I have experience with, I would sit home most hunting seasons.
As for archery, read your WY proclamation because it explains archery. You have to buy an archery stamp or something and the season opens about 4 or 6 weeks before the rifle hunt. Good luck.
 
I appreciate the encouragement. Getting the tag seems to be the hardest part anymore. I am just hoping to get a crack at a 175 inch or better buck. I would like to go at it without hiring a guide too. Thanks.
 
Congrats in drawing a tough to get 102 tag.

It is a good unit with some issues but if you hunt smart you will do fine.



There are more than a few people who read something the
HUNTIN FOOL says and are all over it then they draw and are dumb founded on what to do next.

NOT SAYING THIS IS YOU, just saying I see it every year on the Forums Garth said or I read that or I saw this unit has lots of tags always available.....

Taking the Huntin Fools advie (usually good info)or anyones advice is fine but some general reasearch and calls to the bioligist and warden for the unit and state you are applying for is a good idea before applying as it gives you and idea of what you will be up against.

A perfect example is when people apply for an area that has little or no public access(LAND LOCKED BY PRIVATE) but lots of public land. Then they make there FIRST AND ONLY post on every hunting web site on the web looking for help and get all pissed off when no helps them.

THE LORD IS MY ROCK
COLORADO,USA
NRA LIFE MEMBER
HUNTING PASS IT ON
 
don't expect much unless you hunt it sun up til sun down!
lots of wide 3x3's.. Hunting Fool's mag is ruining this area because it puts out high expectations and region G does better from what I hear.... so all you folks that spend $600.00 on gas hunting it will shoot those dinkies instead of eating the tag!
I hunted a few times and now just waiting and waiting for Garth to change his tune..wish he just start a wash car to make a buck instead of printing what info that all you guy should be digging up on your own!
so just get out of your truck and walk...you'll see lots of deer just no monsters that are going to be shot next to the road!
the big ones are taken from locals and guides...mostly!
the older big bucks are not easy anywhere ..very very hard to push them up...this area is also poached a bit!!
winter kill was bad also..even the buck's had it hard..
their is no migration only hunting pressure to move them!
just my 2 cents...enjoy! you'll see moose, elk and antelope..
watch how far south you go because of state lines..last weekend would be better because those dink's have beeen shot at in 3 states..take a fishing pole too!
Garth's "Ride n Shine" car wash has a nice ring to it...
rackmaster
 
a 180" is very do able I do agree...if you scout it every day for a while or hunted it before... or hire a guide! or have 4 guys to help drive side of mountain..and scouted 4 days before!
plan on a 160" being avg good buck taken!
bow hunting would be a disaster with out scouting or using a guide!
rm
 
+1 to Rackmaster

Sometimes I wish these guys would find a new revenue instead of making the odds in these areas worse than they are by spouting off at the mouth. As for me I can't stand Garth, and Eastmans or anyone else that publish this information that a guy with some sense and will power could figure out on his own.
bm
 
I find the reseach provided by Hunt n Fool and Eastmans very beneficial. It cuts down on my computer time allowing for more time in the hills. Just about all the information you need on an easy to use website, sounds like a no brianer to me. It's some of the best money I spend each year.
 
Skyline,

No reference to you by my comments at least not purposefully! I don't blame you for using the information that is provided over the world wide web and other such resources like magazines. I would do the same thing if I was planning an out of state hunt. It is the big mouths in the magazine that I wish would shut up. To me doing the research is half the battle and makes it that much more successful to me. But if the informatin is there I guess you might as well use it, I just wish it wasn't there in the first place. Ecspically in a state like Wyoming where residents don't get to build preference points in the limited quota areas, and each year these guys talk more and more about the few remaining limited quota areas. It is kinda funny to look back through my books, magazines, and dvds and see the history of it all. Seems that every year it cycles from one limited quota to the next and then in a few years all over again. I don't think there is any real research to what these guys advertise. These units are only high demand because they are talking about them and so they become more and more sought after tags, not because the animals in them. Hell this past year the Eastmans wrote about Unit 101 deer and we drew one of the tags and I can tell you they were full of ship! A guy could have done better, in fact me and another buddy did in a general area.

MyDeer07.jpg




bm
 
You should definitely still be excited to draw the tag, despite what you have heard. You just beat around 8.5% odds for the chance to hunt an area that produces some great deer. There are a lot of deer in the area and it is a fun hunt. If you are looking for a 175" buck, then that is a realistic goal. If your looking for that booner, then you'll be looking for that needle in a haystack. The fun part is knowing that they are there! No hard feelings! You can PM if you'd like some info. If you do a search you'll find that I was in the same boat last year!
 
If you guys are so upset about getting this tag. Why don't you give me the tag. I would be more than happy to shoot a little 102 dink! Do your homework and you will be ok.
 
Bigmuley-please don't tell me you drew 101 and then hunted a general area.That's what I gathered from your post.If I'm wrong,my bad.That's just what it sounded like.I live in Rock Springs,and am a part-time guide for a good friend(Vic Dana of Red Desert Outfitters).Over the last 3 years,our biggest bucks have been taken from the truck.We weren't really road-hunting,just happened to see them going from point A to point B.Our general techique is to cover lots of ground and glass from various locations.There are many roads,so your chances of coming across a road while hiking are excellent,thus kind of ruining the hike.The bucks here are used to the roads,and have learned to work around vehicles.They will stay in cover,then run across the roads until they reach cover on the other side.There are some real good bucks in there.Last year a guy from Utah killed a 199+ having never been there before.It was one of those"That looks like a good place" stories.I won't recommend any specific areas out of respect for Vic.However,our camps are a lot of fun with excellent food,and not very expensive(relatively).Go to the website(www.reddesertoutfitters.com).If nothing else,you'll see some nice bucks there.Good luck.
 
There are some good bucks in the unti still dont let anyone get ya down some scouting and a littel luck you will do fine.
 
Yeah, there are probably a FEW good bucks, just like any general season unit in Utah. Cool area, but it is not half the unit it used to be. Anytime you go from 200 tags to 400 tags on a unit of this size, quality is going to be compromised. Combine that with most tag holders being "trophy" hunters after they have read what Garth et. al. has said, it puts more pressure on the top end bucks. It will be a fun hunt, but is far over-rated in its current state. Maybe if it went back to 200 tags it would be something impressive. I can't help but think there are better units in Wyoming after the tags went up 2 years ago. Have fun on your hunt and hunt hard--hope you luck into a 175+
 
I agree with bonepiler.

The guy that killed that 199" buck just had a pile of luck dropped on him that day! Not to discourage you but a 170's is more realistic. Good luck on the hunt!
 
Non-typical,

NO man I am not a fool!!! These two areas of the state 101-102 are great hunts if for no other reason than less hunters. However I too love the terrain, the amount of deer one sees, the elk we saw, and the lack of other hunters. There was a party of three of us that all put in for 101, only after doing some Prarie Dog hunting for the past few years down in this country. I am from Rawlins and currently living in Jackson so it is half way. Anyways of three of us only one drew, and it wasn't me. So I hunted a general unit and my other buddy did in fact hunt 101 however with things that happened prior hunting season to him he was unable to devote much time to the tag but took a respectable buck none the less.
bm
 
NO, dont turn the tag in, my brother in law killed a GIANT in 102 3 years ago. About a 200 inch typical I believe. Its a good hunt, go enjoy it. Dont listen to the haters on here. They just wish they had the tag!! HA
 
Keep the tag!
G isnt what it used to be either. You can find a great buck in either unit with a little hard work. Get outta the truck and wear out a little shoe leather, and you'll find a good buck in 102. Yes there are a lot of hunters, but most of 'em dont get off the roads. Most of the Big bucks you are seeing coming out of G are high altitude bucks...not roadkill. Its a lot harder to get that 102 tag than a G tag. You can hunt G next year, or 2010.
------------------------------------------------------
By the way,
I live in UT.
There are a lot of UTARDS that live here.
I have also seen quite a few WYOMORONS, NEVADUHNS, COLORADORKS, ID-IOTS and AIRHEADZONANS in my travels.
 
I had a 101 license in 2002. I'll never go back. The Wyo G&F issues WAY TOO MANY licenses in both 101 and 102 from what I see. That said, it is great country and is fun to hunt. Saw all kinds of critters. I went for archery season after scouting it three times before hand. Scouting it was the best part of the hunt. There were 2 camps set up right in the middle of the best deer spot when I arrived to bow hunt, and ATV tracks on every place you could go. I rifle hunted the last 4-5 days of the season. Saw a few decent bucks but nothing that was 180 so I came home empty. The biggest problem is that the BLM had no restrictions on vehicle travel. There were 4X4, ATV and motorcycle tracks EVERYWHERE. That's what ruined the hunt for me. Nontypical knows his stuff on those areas, but I'll pass on going back there. I'd rather hunt a general area.

And I like using Carters and Eastmans. Those tell me where NOT to apply. Odds are bad in their recommended areas and there are an inordinate number of trophy hunters there as well.
 
ICMDEER,

You know what man, I want to say thank you, I have never really thought about it like you said. I had the wrong attitude about these guys telling everyone and their dog on which units to apply for. Not that they are telling you where to apply but rather telling you which units not to apply for. Besides that from what I have seen about some of these limited quota areas they aren't all that good to begin with.
bm
 
To all hunters,

Do not apply for any of the units recommended by Huntnfool and Eastmans. I would appreciated it.
 
Nice try, but there are too many people that live too far away, so they use those recommendations. Just check the odds on any top recommendation from those guys. Most of the highest recommended areas have really poor draw odds, and I don't think MM is going to change that. (But it only takes one - right??)

Those of us that live a little closer are able to do our own looking around at times like right now and plan for the future. And being a Wyoming resident sure gives us lots of flexibility on where to hunt deer. Maybe having that flexibility is why I avoid those limited quota areas.
 
Big Muley-thanks for clarifying.It just kinda sounded strange the way you worded that!Sorry you had a crappy hunt in 2002,Jim.Probably should have tried to hook up with you a little harder back then.Probably could have helped you out a little.Seems I had lots of irons in the fire that year.My buddy killed a 35" 197" in 2003,and we filmed several shooters after season during the rut that same year.I killed a 178" 28" class buck in 2000.They are there.That being said,101 is definitely hurting compared to what is was 5 years ago.The tags in 102 only got raised from 350 to 400 a couple years back(not doubled,as someone wrongly stated earlier).They tried to raise them by another 50 this year,but we showed up in force to the meeting and put the ka-bosh on that!!There was some winter-kill in both units this year,we'll just have to see how that affects things.I would not rue drawing either tag!I would hunt my arse off and glass til my eyes ached!!They are good tags!I guarantee a fun hunt!Later,NT.
 
Thats right nontypical, it actually did not go from 200 to 400 in one year. In 2001, there were 300 tags and in 2006 there were 400 tags. It seemed like in 98 there were somewhere around 200 tags, but the G&F website did not have data past 2001. Exact tag numbers really don't matter. But as they have increased, combined with the shift to "trophy hunters", quality has decreased over this time span. Anyone that has spent time in this unit with an unbiased view can certainly see this trend. While a handful of biguns exist still, just doesn't seem to be any better than a lot of other areas these days. This unit has some serious issues of older mature 2 and 3 points in the population that are not being killed. Can't help the genetics much. If they are going to keep increasing tags over time, they are going to have to come up with a strategy to remove some of these bucks and take some pressure off the top end. That is if trophy animals are part of the plan. Really kinda sad too, I loved that unit. I didnt even see one legitimate 180+ buck post season last year, but had a blast shooting coyotes.
 
I drew out a few years ago. It is still a good area even with lots of roads. The area has lots of cover and deer can be hard to spot. The sage brush is high and in some areas there are lots of cedar trees. All a buck has to do is laydown and you will never see him. A comment was made above, about not expecting much unless you hunt from sunup to sundown. That is very true.

We spotted an antler of a nice buck laying down, and got the spotting scope set on him. After to scope was locked in, he turned his head. We waited about three hours before we got to see him again to get a good judge. He ended up being one we passed on. The point is, there is a lot of cover and they hide very good.

One thing is a given, you will see a lot of smaller deer. Don't get discouraged. If you hunt hard, you will eventually see a good quality deer turn his head just right.

The rifle seasons for elk in area 102 open up the 1st, so the deer will know what is going on by the 15th. If you can try to do you scouting a week before deer season. I think the good bucks will move into their hidding spots once the gun shots start up.

I ended up shooting a deer that I thought was a good one. When I got up to him, I had never seen a mule deer that was so small bodied, and was a little disappointed. He still scored around 160, but with a 19" wide ear span, I thought I was going to walk up on a much bigger buck. I don't know if that was just the case with my deer, or if the smaller bodies are common to that deer heard. He was alone, so I couldn't judge him against others.

My only other advice is to have fun. It is a unique area and very fun to hunt. You will see a lot of deer and it has great potential for great bucks.
 
ive been looking on the utah side of this unit and im not seeing alot of deer. there is alot of old sign. is this winter area?what do you guys know about the southern end
 
BP-sad,isn't it?Ditto on the mature 2x3's,3x3's,4x3's,etc.I think they should put on a special rut youth hunt to clean up some of those.Maybe Nov.1-10 for anything that has less than 4 pts on at least one side.Sure,a few bucks that don't fit the bill would be killed,but I think we could deal with that.Maybe 10-15 tags;age 12-16 only.Just a thought.It wasn't that long ago that this place was really good.That being said,I would still love to have that tag in my hands!It's a great place to hunt!
 
I live in Rock Springs and go to this area every year just to look at the animals. Last year I was lucky enough to draw an elk tag for area 31 which is in the same area but a lot smaller. I spent about eight different days hunting down there and seen lots of deer. What I noticed was, when elk season opened the bigger deer weren't on top of the mountain, but on the west side, in the cedars closer to the lake. and yes I did see some really nice deer. I also noticed there were more hunters on top of the mountain, these are probably the same people that say there are no big deer anymore. Even though they were probably seeing a lot of deer, the bigger ones just moved down the mountain. Don't let these people get you down for drawing this tag. It is still a great area to hunt. I put in for it every year, but rarely get it. Take a little time to learn the area and you should do fine. One other thing, some of the roads in there can get really nasty if they get wet so bring some tire chains to.
 
The opening couple days of the rifle elk hunt in that area last year the roads were very slick dang near slid my truck and camp trailer off the road, one minute it looks and feels dry the next you will need to chain up.Shedfinder you been up looking at animals this year?I drew an antelope tag cant wait to start looking soon.
 
SLC MULEY I have been scouting in that area and heard from the fish and game they had a horrible winter kill. I also have not seen many deer.
 
Actually I havn't hunted sheds in this area. I usually find most of my sheds when I'm hunting. One year I found over 10 sheds over by Evanston deer hunting. Didn't get a deer that year, but I was huntin horns anyway so it worked out good. And no I havn't been down there yet this year. I usually wait till the end of august to go.
 
Contact Bo Stocks Sevwry creek outfitters.1 307 380 7117 he takes the biggest bucks in that area maybe he can help you out even if you are going self guided he is a nice guy and will do what he can for you .I hunted public 10 years ago and killed a 192 4-point its a zoo though so you got to get way away from the roads and stay after the weekenders go home. Hunted it 2 years ago and not as many good bucks but saw a few get taken as always saw alot of deer but went home emty but went home emty.
 

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