116 Deer

blacktailBC · Oct 28, 2021

Hey guys/gals
My daughter has a type 3 (whitetail) tag for this area south of Cody. I’ve never been up there before, just wondering how the roads are in the unit? I have a sidexside , is it necessary or worth dragging it over there? Or is a truck, small suv just fine?
Anyone from the Cody area?

DoubleDropMuley · Oct 28, 2021

Yo @nfh chime in !!!

nfh · Oct 28, 2021

Well i use to work in the oil feilds in part of 116. When i think of whitetails i think of the wood river which is mostly private and pitchfork ranch. No side by side needed for pitchfork due to not allowed going through the ranch. They really cant enforce it but its a nice gesture to follow the rules on the sign. People use to fly across the ranch with livestock running around and to many nosie before daylight. Also all the roads in the pitchfork are very nice. Even the other roads that branch off. I drove across the pitchfork ranch everyday for 4 years heading up to 4 bear. If you do hunt it make sure you have your permission slip cause they do check and are super nice about it..

I cant think of other whitetail spots in the area where a side by side would be handy unless you were after other species...

blacktailBC · Oct 28, 2021

Ok, thanks for the info. We have her Pitchfork permission slip. Got the Newell Springs & Absoroka Fromt HMA slips for good measure.

MyrtDog · Nov 2, 2021

Any further direction on WT hunting in 116/117? We've pounded pitchfork and newell... not seeing great numbers?

nfh · Nov 2, 2021

MyrtDog said:
Any further direction on WT hunting in 116/117? We've pounded pitchfork and newell... not seeing great numbers?

As i said i use to drive through it everyday and always saw good bucks but come hunting season whitetails know how to hide. A guy just needs to sit and wait on the river and let them come by you. I would be sitting on the edge of the closed areas and wait for them to come out.They will be moving through the trees then the bucks will come out to feed way after legal shooting light. I know a lot of guys that archery hunt it cause of the low hunting pressure and the bucks will lay in the tall grass in the feilds and makes it perfect for spot and stalk...

nfh · Nov 2, 2021

I would investigate that francs fork drainage. It dumps into a closed area. But them whiteys run through it. Might be able to flush something out. Most people just cruise right along it on that bumpy road. Might be worth a shot during the mid-day. Put someone up high and have another do a push. Just a thought

muleylover · Nov 2, 2021

Poke around the North Fork of Dick Creek, we saw 3 whitetail bucks in there on our Muley hunt. One was pretty good 4x5, probably a 140 buck. Saw him from the road but there is lots of thick cover and aspen in there too.

blacktailBC · Dec 8, 2021

Just thought I’d get back with an update, since some of you were nice enough to chime in.
Daughter didn’t get a buck. We had fun though. She missed one & had a couple more opportunities where she just needed 5 more seconds. These whitetails were tough for a new hunter cause they never stand still….always on the move searching for does. Plus , they stuck pretty close to the closed areas. She learned a lot, and got introduced to Wyoming wind.

Mackey · Dec 9, 2021

blacktailBC said:
View attachment 61925
Just thought I’d get back with an update, since some of you were nice enough to chime in.
Daughter didn’t get a buck. We had fun though. She missed one & had a couple more opportunities where she just needed 5 more seconds. These whitetails were tough for a new hunter cause they never stand still….always on the move searching for does. Plus , they stuck pretty close to the closed areas. She learned a lot, and got introduced to Wyoming wind.

Great picture! I was there in October hunt a 62 elk hunt. That place is a beautiful place. Sorry you guys didn’t connect on a Whitetail but I’m sure you had a great time. Good luck next year.

muleylover · Dec 9, 2021

Glad you enjoyed the time there. That is an amazing picture. Sorry she wasn't able to connect on one.

Chesterwyo · Dec 9, 2021

One of the better photos ever posted in here. Nice work.

Wyohunter1 · Dec 13, 2021

blacktailBC said:
View attachment 61925
Just thought I’d get back with an update, since some of you were nice enough to chime in.
Daughter didn’t get a buck. We had fun though. She missed one & had a couple more opportunities where she just needed 5 more seconds. These whitetails were tough for a new hunter cause they never stand still….always on the move searching for does. Plus , they stuck pretty close to the closed areas. She learned a lot, and got introduced to Wyoming wind.

What dates were you hunting?