Changing My Tune on Western Wyoming Mule Deer

Luckily I don't hunt either G or H as a non resident.

I'm usually busy watching Utah cow elk get slaughtered yearly by all the self regulating Wyomingites when they cross the fence out of the Uintas. I guess all the top notch self regulators must frequent further north?
 
hossblur said:
Luckily I don't hunt either G or H as a non resident.

I'm usually busy watching Utah cow elk get slaughtered yearly by all the self regulating Wyomingites when they cross the fence out of the Uintas. I guess all the top notch self regulators must frequent further north?
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Lots of cow tags offered down there so they are self regulating themselves to killing what needs to be killed , not sure I could stomach a cow coming from Utah though so I stay north and east to regulate my cows ?
 
Bookhead said:
You can sit here and wish for easy winters all you want we've had mostly easy winters until last winter and 16-17 which really wasn't bad compared to this one and deer numbers have been declining the whole time. The only thing game and fish can truly control is how many guys are out there killing deer. Sure they can try to kill all the predators and build overpasses but that isn't going to turn things around they've been doing these things the whole time little things won't make a big a difference and a big difference is what we will need. Limited quota for deer state wide and general for elk state wide residents only non resident can stay how it is, is my vote pretty tired of watching the deer waste away.
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In the current limited quota areas, the deer numbers are not growing. The bucks in western Wyoming are getting the available does pregnant. Notice I said wet springs and summers to go along with the winters. Throw in some wildfires for good measure. The overpasses are also good for saving people and deer. The 16/17 winter was horrible. You're clueless. It won't hurt to kill more elk but the elk aren't the biggest factor limiting the deer.
 
Limited quota would work if game and fish actually Limited the tags along with a point restriction. Being greedy is the problem!
 
SureShot said:
Sorry, but you're the one that's wrong. Let's take my experience this past week. I talked to three other non-residents and all three (plus me) had seen a few small bucks, but passed them up because they were holding out for something worthy of a 10 point tag. Every one of us were planning to eat our tag. And, I did. I have a nephew and friend (not the same as I just mentioned) that also had tags and they ate theirs as well. So, six out of six non-residents with no intention of shooting a small buck.

On the other hand, I talked to two resident hunters who marched up to the glassing knob I was on on opening morning and plopped down right next to me. To their credit, they were aware of their breach of etiquette, apologized for their rude behavior, and were quick to assure me that if a big buck stepped out, they would let me have first crack at it. They only had one day to hunt and were planning to shoot the first buck they saw, regardless of size, and were happy to shoot a small one.

As residents, they look at this as a cheap, OTC opportunity to harvest an animal and put some meat in the freezer. For every one resident hunter like you, there are ten of the other type. And, you residents of both types outnumber non-residents by a factor of ten. There's no question who's putting the hurt on.
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We have the same situation in Montana.
 
JakeSwensen said:
In the current limited quota areas, the deer numbers are not growing. The bucks in western Wyoming are getting the available does pregnant. Notice I said wet springs and summers to go along with the winters. Throw in some wildfires for good measure. The overpasses are also good for saving people and deer. The 16/17 winter was horrible. You're clueless. It won't hurt to kill more elk but the elk aren't the biggest factor limiting the deer.
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I never said elk we the biggest factor limiting deer. Neither is the weather. Deer numbers have been declining the whole time regardless of the weather. I hunted 2018 there was way more deer in G then there is now and I mean way more.
 
JakeSwensen said:
So how will limited quota fix the deer herd? Genuinely curious to hear your thoughts on this.
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The only thing it will help is bring the trophy quality back quicker, more mature deer. From what I saw this year there is about 5 hunters for every 2-3 year old buck up there that will make it twice as long to recover as it would on its own.
 
And also while it is true that does are the only ones that can produce fawns, when the population is roughly half bucks and their getting reduced to a fraction of the number they were every year theres going to be allot less deer on the landscape
 
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BuzzH said:
They taste like prescription opioids. Half the housewives in Utah are junkies.
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Buzz - You have many qualities. For example, according to many here, you know everything… or at least you say you do. But even your friends admit… as a comedian, you suck. :poop:
 
HornedToad said:
Buzz - You have many qualities. For example, according to many here, you know everything… or at least you say you do. But even your friends admit… as a comedian, you suck. :poop:
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I'll explain how comedy works.

1. There has to be some known truths about it. This is no secret.

www.upr.org

A State of Addiction: Utah's Opioid Epidemic

In this 13-part series, we explore the issue of opioids in Utah - hear people’s stories, dissect the complexities and explore possible solutions. In our research, we have discovered many of you have a personal story about the appeal and devastation of opioids. Maybe you are the user or it could...
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2. You have to have a sense of humor, you don't.

To top it off, it's pretty apparent you're nipping at my ankles because you grossly inflated a score on a pronghorn. Hey, it happens, get over it.
 
BuzzH said:
I'll explain how comedy works.

1. There has to be some known truths about it. This is no secret.

www.upr.org

A State of Addiction: Utah's Opioid Epidemic

In this 13-part series, we explore the issue of opioids in Utah - hear people’s stories, dissect the complexities and explore possible solutions. In our research, we have discovered many of you have a personal story about the appeal and devastation of opioids. Maybe you are the user or it could...
www.upr.org www.upr.org

2. You have to have a sense of humor, you don't.

To top it off, it's pretty apparent you're nipping at my ankles because you grossly inflated a score on a pronghorn. Hey, it happens, get over it.
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Not bad… but just because some people are struggling with drug addiction, does not mean that, “Half the housewives in Utah are junkies”, as you said. Not funny.

Say… still waiting on you to originate something, anything, rather than just lying in the weeds, waiting to snipe someone else.

What about that goofy buck you posted. Burn your tag on him yet?
 
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HornedToad said:
Not bad. Say… still waiting on you to originate something, anything, rather than just lying in the weeds, waiting to snipe someone else.

What about that goofy buck you posted. Burn your tag on him yet?
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Season isn't open yet on my tag, pretty good chance someone else will get him.
 
Pretty sure I was addicted to painkillers once. After I broke my back, it was awhile before it was operated on. Months, 3 I believe. My doctor would ask me if I was uncomfortable at the appointment, and I would say yes. 12 10mg tabs a day for over a year will give you some serious withdrawal symptoms. The urge is still strong, but I dont even like to use Tylenol now. Lived those pills for awhile.
 
Bookhead said:
Time to shut it down for 3-5 years the trophy quality won't recover because apparently there is an unending amount of non residents that are happy shooting every 3 year old with any amount of potential just so they don't go home empty handed
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Careful throwing all NR under the bus bud, I hunted hard for 6 days ( still planned on hunting 4 more) and ate soup just for the sake of the herd. Passed on every "3 year old" so that hopefully they have a chance to grow. Not every small buck is shot by NR's. I do agree that it should be shut down though!
 
BuzzH said:
I don't think anyone did either. My suggestion would be to shorten the seasons to 5 days for NR and no more than 9 for residents. Give residents a 4 day head start, let NRs hunt the last 5 days.
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You're already doing that with the shed season maybe non-residents can put a patch over one eye?
 
Chales519 said:
Careful throwing all NR under the bus bud, I hunted hard for 6 days ( still planned on hunting 4 more) and ate soup just for the sake of the herd. Passed on every "3 year old" so that hopefully they have a chance to grow. Not every small buck is shot by NR's. I do agree that it should be shut down though!
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Sorry you didn't find the buck you were looking for thanks for not shooting one just to shoot one, though I didn't say every nr was that way just seems there are plenty to go around
 
Rie bread said:
As hunters we should get away from the term meat buck…
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Not sure where you are going with this one but often I wonder if we shouldn't head more towards every animal is just a meat buck and not worry about big bucks. Let's just manage for a good experience, not too many people in the field at one time, set tag numbers to average 30 to 100 buck to doe ratios after the season across the state and shoot whatever you want. Make 25% of units 40 to 100 ratio, 50% 30 to 100 and the last 25% 20 to 100 or whatever the state thinks is healthy. This doesn't seem too complicated. Do whatever you can to save the does: predator control, better habitat, invest in wildlife crossings....sounds like Colorado a few years back?
 
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nripepi said:
Not sure where you are going with this one but often I wonder if we shouldn't head more towards every animal is just a meat buck and not worry about big bucks. Let's just manage for a good experience, not too many people in the field at one time, set tag numbers to average 30 to 100 buck to doe ratios after the season across the state and shoot whatever you want. Make 25% of units 40 to 100 ratio, 50% 30 to 100 and the last 25% 20 to 100 or whatever the state thinks is healthy. This doesn't seem too complicated. Do whatever you can to save the does: predator control, better habitat, invest in wildlife crossings....sounds like Colorado a few years back?
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Not the worst idea, I like pieces of it. Maybe not quite so drastic on the buck to doe ratios but I really like a lot of that. I was thinking more like 20 to 22 bucks and 22-24 bucks for the generals. Make the LE's more like 30-32 bucks. Opportunity would increase perhaps a little on the LE's and decrease a little on the generals. Hard call though when people are already waiting 3 to 5 years to get a general tag.
 
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nripepi said:
Not sure where you are going with this one but often I wonder if we shouldn't head more towards every animal is just a meat buck and not worry about big bucks. Let's just manage for a good experience, not too many people in the field at one time, set tag numbers to average 30 to 100 buck to doe ratios after the season across the state and shoot whatever you want. Make 25% of units 40 to 100 ratio, 50% 30 to 100 and the last 25% 20 to 100 or whatever the state thinks is healthy. This doesn't seem too complicated. Do whatever you can to save the does: predator control, better habitat, invest in wildlife crossings....sounds like Colorado a few years back?
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What you describe is most of California and lots of general units across the west currently. With the increase of hunters and natural predators; plus terrible climate summer or winter, the harvest rate in many units is just crippling the population. You can make up what ever ratio you want but shooting the piss outta deer isn’t the answer for population growth.
 
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Rie bread said:
What you describe is most of California and lots of general units across the west currently. With the increase of hunters and natural predators; plus terrible climate summer or winter, the harvest rate in many units is just crippling the population. You can make up what ever ratio you want but shooting the piss outta deer isn’t the answer for population growth.
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Okay. I don't think the harvest actually matters for population much at all unless you are shooting does. If you sit at 15 bucks per 100 does or 100 bucks per 100 does, all the does should get bred. Not sure where you are hunting but a realistic 30 to 100 ratio is a well managed unit nowadays with some good bucks running around and surviving
 
nripepi said:
Okay. I don't think the harvest actually matters for population much at all unless you are shooting does. If you sit at 15 bucks per 100 does or 100 bucks per 100 does, all the does should get bred. Not sure where you are hunting but a realistic 30 to 100 ratio is a well managed unit nowadays with some good bucks running around and surviving
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Region g is around 45/100 bucks/doe before last winter If 45% of your population was bucks and the population was reduced by 50/80% depending on what part of the region your hunting and then killing a good portion of that 45% of bucks before they are mature or even if they are there will be way less deer bucks are deer too ?
 
Bookhead said:
Region g is around 45/100 bucks/doe before last winter If 45% of your population was bucks and the population was reduced by 50/80% depending on what part of the region your hunting and then killing a good portion of that 45% of bucks before they are mature or even if they are there will be way less deer bucks are deer too ?
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How does it matter for the future overall population? If anything less bucks equal more fawns and more future deer. Just not sure why people are concerned so much on the bucks. The bucks will come back if the does survive.
 
JakeSwensen said:
So how will limited quota fix the deer herd? Genuinely curious to hear your thoughts on this.
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I also am wondering this. So far I haven't seen a Utah general draw unit that has exploded into a unbelievable area since they made them draw areas. Even the Henry's that 99% of the people will never draw in their lifetime has gone way downhill from what it was 10 years ago and that's giving hardly any tags. Yes I'm a resident and I 100% love my over the counter tags but I'm not just saying no limited quota because of that. I just haven't seen it work good enough anywhere else to make a big difference.
 
Good point! Seems like 10-15 years into limited quota areas there are a lot of huge 3x3’s, wierd forkies and management type bucks. Areas with balanced harvest of all types of bucks seems to hold a population of all types of bucks. Late hunts also seem to cause a decrease in large quality bucks over time.
 
I would hate to see G and H go limited quota. If they had to maybe do it for a year or two but the worry is once it goes LQ it will never come back off.
 
I just got done hunting Region g after 13 years of preference points. The herd is gone. Saw 13 deer in 5 days of hunting in which 10 were bucks and only one buck over 4-5 years old. They need to shut it down. I would have gladly turned in my tag this year if they would have given me my preference points back and they could have kept the money. They need to shut it down immediately.
 
Country said:
I just got done hunting Region g after 13 years of preference points. The herd is gone. Saw 13 deer in 5 days of hunting in which 10 were bucks and only one buck over 4-5 years old. They need to shut it down. I would have gladly turned in my tag this year if they would have given me my preference points back and they could have kept the money. They need to shut it down immediately.
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Did you get one?
 
Mudtracker said:
East there. He knows more and does more than you. Guaranteed.
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My buddy who lives and guides in Western WY told me for whatever reason the deer seemed to survive and do much better in the Gros Ventre/Jackson area as opposed to G. There have been multiple 190's killed and he personally saw one buck that was over 200. Plus still seeing numerous does and young bucks. Doesn't change the fact about the deer herd in G though from the sounds of all these hunting reports.
 
Coyotebrowntrouthunter said:
My buddy who lives and guides in Western WY told me for whatever reason the deer seemed to survive and do much better in the Gros Ventre/Jackson area as opposed to G. There have been multiple 190's killed and he personally saw one buck that was over 200. Plus still seeing numerous does and young bucks. Doesn't change the fact about the deer herd in G though from the sounds of all these hunting reports.
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There have been multiple 190 bucks killed in G as well. I’m seeing numerous does and young bucks, And I’m hunting one of the biggest bucks I ever have in G. So sounds about the same to me.
 
BuzzH said:
I don't think anyone did either. My suggestion would be to shorten the seasons to 5 days for NR and no more than 9 for residents. Give residents a 4 day head start, let NRs hunt the last 5 days.
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Wyoming was the only state that handled the 2022 die off by assigning 100% of the general deer cuts to NRs. Residents experienced no cut whatsoever.

But sure, assign even more of the pain to NRs with this lame brain season structure.
 
Crampy said:
Wyoming was the only state that handled the 2022 die off by assigning 100% of the general deer cuts to NRs. Residents experienced no cut whatsoever.

But sure, assign even more of the pain to NRs with this lame brain season structure.
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what do you mean non res took all the cuts. We only bought 1 tag out of 4 in the family this year and hunted a total of 1.5 days. The biggest buck we saw was 18 inch 4x4 that got shot the next day by a Utah guy. That's 1 out of 4 tags or a 75% reduction for our residents tags.

When you have a tag every year then there is no need to pound every buck that moves.
 
We bought 4 wy res deer tags and turned them in add that through the list!

Try drawing a ut non res tag talk about lame retardation!
 
Crampy said:
Wyoming was the only state that handled the 2022 die off by assigning 100% of the general deer cuts to NRs. Residents experienced no cut whatsoever.

But sure, assign even more of the pain to NRs with this lame brain season structure.
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Nobody is forcing you to hunt or apply in Wyoming. It's up to residents how they want to treat NRs.
 
Crampy said:
Wyoming was the only state that handled the 2022 die off by assigning 100% of the general deer cuts to NRs. Residents experienced no cut whatsoever.

But sure, assign even more of the pain to NRs with this lame brain season structure.
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I would say the majority of residents that I know that are more than meat buck hunters have self regulated themselves. There are always the people that need to shoot a deer every year regardless which is unfortunate but it is what it is.
 
I haven't hunted western Wyoming for deer, unlikely I ever will. I shed hunt western Wyoming and I can say that winter prior to shed season 2015, 2016... we saw many 180+ bucks on the winter range... 2017 was obviously bad. Since then, Ive seen fewer 180+ bucks. Some years though, the sheer number of bucks was astonishing, like January 2022... we must have seen 150 bucks in a day on the winter range, with many 4 year olds and several older. I think we all hate the ebb and flow that is nature sometimes...
 
I hunted southwest Wyoming just outside of Evanston last week. Deer numbers are down but the majority of the Doe’s I saw had fawns and one had twins.
 

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