Question on Hunting Powder River Area, WY

[chambero]

A couple of friends and I are hunting mule deer next fall in WY following a Unit 23 antelope hunt on private land. We hunted deer in Region B last year in the Rochelle Hills. We turned down some small bucks, but never saw a mature deer. I'm trying to decide on whether to try the same area again, or try somewhere else. I have to hunt a unit that opens the first week of October so we can go immediately following our antelope hunt. I've been looking at maps of some units in Region C, particularly along the Powder. It looks like there is quite a bit of accessible BLM land, but I can't tell for sure. Does anyone have any suggestions or general knowledge of the area. I'm not looking for secret spots, but just if the public land along the Powder is accessible and if there are decent numbers of deer in the area. I know public land will probably be pretty well worked over, but we just want a chance at decent bucks. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Lien2]

chambero
I hunted muley's in Region C last year. Paid a trespass fee for a small ranch and also hunted about 15 miles north of Gillette in the Burnt Hollow Management Area. Ended up getting a 2x2 on the ranch. The drought (which is actually going on it's 8th year from what I was told) has really effected the bucks. My buck's body must've been 250 lbs. He was wider than his ears, had 14-16" back tines and long main beams, but he never branched anywhere. Probably the biggest 2x2 I'll ever shoot. The BHMA didn't seem to get hunted very hard, but I never saw a deer there. I did see that some guys were successful, not a lot and nothing huge but average 4x4's. I believe the area is 13,000+ acres so I know there is deer around. It's all walk in and I think if you got way back in, you'd find more deer. I ran into a G & F officer one day in town and he said they still take some decent bucks out of there and he said the same thing, the farther in you go, the better.
Good luck.

Lien2

 

[chambero]

Thanks. I guess we kind of ran into the same thing in Region B last year. Saw lots of does and very small bucks, but nothing with developed antlers. The ranch we are hunting antelope on has had to cut hunters way back due to the drought. The spots we got were the first openings he has had in years.