Area 33 Kaycee WY Access

lucas257

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Hi all! Curious, looking at hunting in area 33. I have a general region deer tag in Y, and have narrowed down a few areas, around Kaycee being one of them. I have stumbled upon a lot of threads saying public and BLM is hard to access etc, but ONX seems to show me many areas off of state and county roads i can get to these parcels. Just wondering if i am missing something? I don't think so, but would rather take it from the experienced hunters in the group.

Luke
 
Can't remember the game unit, but I hunted that area several times between 2002 and 2012, for antelope and mule deer. We stayed in Buffalo.

The general area was bordered by I-25 on the west, the Powder River on the east. The southern edge was between Kaycee and PR. Northern boundary was I-90, but there was some area in our unit that was north of I-90. I seem to remember State Hwy 14 and 16.

To answer your question, there was reasonably good access to BLM and state land at that time. This was in the days before OnX, so we used the BLM paper maps.

Last time I was there was 2012 and it had changed a lot from 3+ years earlier. There was lots of ongoing drilling in the area, and some of the public lands had been leased. It was strange standing next to a sign that said "Public Hunting" and one 25 feet from it that said "No Hunting - XXXX Company"

Anyway, I don't know what the area is like now, but we found access then.

One year, by BIL and I were glassing a herd of antelope. We were on the west side of the PR. They were on the east side, not in our unit. There was a wide one, and a tall one. We decided it the wide one crossed the river, I would shoot. If the tall one crossed, he would shoot. We went back the next morning. The herd was still on the east side, but the wide one stepped across the river. GW aged him at "more than 9."

If the areas I mentioned above are in your unit, let me know and I can check old maps and notes and maybe give you some more intel.
 
You are definitely speaking of the area I'm planning to target. Same exact scenario, the very last year I hunted this area was 2012, and it was a great time, "but" we did a trespass fee near the hole in the wall; overall one the most scenic and exciting hunts I've been on, antelope and mule deer bouncing all over the place.

So with that said, I'm thinking you're right, there has to be decent access, may not be plentiful in all cases but nonetheless there is access to the BLM and Public.

I've done some speaking with local ranchers and they say the drought has really taken a toll over the last two years but they say they are seeing the numbers rise spite what fish and game has been saying.

I'll absolutely take some intel if you are willing! I'll be sure to relay some pics and how the hunt goes.
 
One year, by BIL and I were glassing a herd of antelope. We were on the west side of the PR. They were on the east side, not in our unit. There was a wide one, and a tall one. We decided it the wide one crossed the river, I would shoot. If the tall one crossed, he would shoot. We went back the next morning. The herd was still on the east side, but the wide one stepped across the river. GW aged him at "more than 9."

Antelope can be aged to 4 years of age quite easily while in the field by looking at the incisors on the lower jaw. If all the lower incisors on 1/2 of the lower jaw have been replaced then the age is considered "more than 4",

You must have heard the game warden incorrectly.

ClearCreek
 
You are definitely speaking of the area I'm planning to target. Same exact scenario, the very last year I hunted this area was 2012, and it was a great time, "but" we did a trespass fee near the hole in the wall; overall one the most scenic and exciting hunts I've been on, antelope and mule deer bouncing all over the place.

So with that said, I'm thinking you're right, there has to be decent access, may not be plentiful in all cases but nonetheless there is access to the BLM and Public.

I've done some speaking with local ranchers and they say the drought has really taken a toll over the last two years but they say they are seeing the numbers rise spite what fish and game has been saying.

I'll absolutely take some intel if you are willing! I'll be sure to relay some pics and how the hunt goes.
So if the numbers are down the past two years, how will numbers be on the rise already? Food for thought. It takes several good years for rebound.
There were at least some fawns this year. Many does did not fawn last year from what we saw. And we did get more moisture than the previous two years.
 
I have occasionally been speaking with the local biologists and the WY fish and game and the answers have varied. Some say the populations in areas have had significant rises in the last 18 months and other areas dramatically lower.

The one reasonable answer I received that seemed to account for some of the information given to me is migration routes have changed vastly over the last 2 years based on resources, densities of deer herds have shifted their routes from standard summer and winter ranges to other areas of more plentiful resources via deer collaring data they have been collecting. So populations maybe not so much on a huge upswing but maybe moreover a shift in where they are inhabiting which might be an illusion to some that they are on this huge increase.
 
I've done some speaking with local ranchers and they say the drought has really taken a toll over the last two years but they say they are seeing the numbers rise spite what fish and game has been saying.
I have occasionally been speaking with the local biologists and the WY fish and game and the answers have varied. Some say the populations in areas have had significant rises in the last 18 months and other areas dramatically lower.

The one reasonable answer I received that seemed to account for some of the information given to me is migration routes have changed vastly over the last 2 years based on resources, densities of deer herds have shifted their routes from standard summer and winter ranges to other areas of more plentiful resources via deer collaring data they have been collecting. So populations maybe not so much on a huge upswing but maybe moreover a shift in where they are inhabiting which might be an illusion to some that they are on this huge increase.
As @SS! would say: "good story bro"
 

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