Unit J Wyoming deer ?

whitetailaddict · Oct 7, 2008

Hi all, new here. Heard about the site from the guys on bowsite, who also live here. I am leaving Friday, to bring my dad out to Wyoming on a muley hunt. I will be archery hunting the rifle season, and he will be rifle hunting. He is 62, and this will be his first muley hunt. Just hoping we can find one for him that is reasonable. Doesn't have to be no 30" buck that is 7x7. Just something respectable for him to bring home. I am set up for glassing with binos, and spotting scope, got a rangefinder. So basically just checking to see if anyone has any suggestions/starting points to help cut down the learning curve. I have the maps, and will be out 4 days early just to scout and look over the land. Thanks in advance.

WTA

Big_DD · Oct 7, 2008

Although I have no experience in rejion J I do have experience hunting mule deer, so here is my 2 cents.

Use your binos and spotter as much as you possibly can, get to a good vantage point before light and glass until you can't glass anymore, then glass some more. This will be your most effective scouting tool. If you can't see for miles from where you are, look over everything from that point several times and then move to another vantage point and glass some more.

In the middle of the day, do your searching for food and water sources when you won't disrupt the animals as much, and don't be afraid to set up the spotter in the middle of the day and look in the shade of everything you can find for bedded game. Do the same before dark as well, set up and glass the food sources you have located for game coming in and pattern them.

I am assuming since you have never hunted muleys that you will get this response from most people... GLASS GLASS GLASS.

whitetailaddict · Oct 7, 2008

Thanks, will start with that info. Any other thoughts? WTA

gb22 · Oct 7, 2008

What the first guy said........YES!!! ALSO...don't be too surprised when you find out mule deer (particularly the "average buck to take home"..not the 2 or 3 points) are about 100 times smarter and more difficult to hunt than you may have been led to believe. Getting close to a 3 1/2 year (or older) mule deer during October is at least as difficult as getting close to the smartest whitetail who ever lived. Whitetails are a little more difficult to see (cover is more dense) and mule deer live in more rugged country (think mountain sheep) if you want the old guys. Whitetails have to hide from people for a couple of months per year...mule deer do, too...but they also have to hide from mountain lions (LOTS of them) for 12 months a year.

Within the shadows, go quietly.

whitetailaddict · Oct 8, 2008

Thanks guys, can't wait to get out there. Anyone else?

ICMDEER · Oct 9, 2008

There are not many good deer on public lands in J. The area gets hammered and elk season opens at the same time. Expect to see hunters everywhere. I would suggest going to a "fringe" place. A place where you might not expect to see many deer, that looks like open country or marginal habitat. Many of the deer will move to obscure places to avoid the craziness and crowds, so you might try getting away from the hunters and looking where a buck might hide. Good hunting, plublic land hunting in region J can be a real struggle.

Elkcrzy1 · Oct 9, 2008

Good tip Icmdeer and wanted to thank you for the help you gave my son and I on our elk hunt too. Thanks, Gary

oddhntr · Oct 21, 2008

If the area is heavily hunted, go where others aren't willing to go, or wouldn't think to go. Good Luck

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