Region G outlook dismal

[bugleb]

After several scouting trips and five days of elk hunting in Wyoming's Region G, I would have to say this is the worst I have seen in the last 30 years as far as good mule deer bucks are concerned.

I feel sorry for any non-residents that cashed in their points this year because the decent bucks are going to be mighty few and far between. Even the great Foundulator is having a hard time finding a really good one for himself this year, let alone for his potential clients.

But even a bad year in Wyoming is better than a good year in Utah.

 

[elkassassin]

How Much are them GPS Coordinates Worth?

Or How Bout all the Social Media?

HuntinFool & Other Magazines?

The List goes on & on!

Ain't Life F'N Grand Though!

How Bout Posting the Trophy's on the Internet Before they're even Gutted?











Back Me Off to 1,700 Yards,650 is a Little Close & I'm Not Comfortable with it!

A GUT SHOT at 1,700 Yards will Still Make Some Good BRAGGIN Rights so I Can Say I At Least Hit Him!

 

[fullthrottle]

Haven't slept for 3 days, can't wait to get up there and give it a go!

 

[BBB]

Good attitude Fullthrottle.

Its not about the additional 10" of growth. It's not a dismal outlook just because bucks aren't at their peak maximum growth. Face it, they had a tough winter. their antlers show it some. If you're not up there for the adventure, the allure of the amazing alpine, the excitement of every morning peeking into a new basin, the excitement of seeing white-faced bucks on a steep scree slope...you've lost touch.

You'll have a great time. I tagged out in archery and am sad to not get to go back up this week. I wish you all the best of luck and don't let those that feel sorry for you get you down. lol...

 

[DeerHunter53]

I hunted that Zone in 93 the year after the big winter. When we go the tag there were people who said don't shoot the first four point you see. LOL that was a joke in 7 days of hunting and we did the Grey river drainage and went all the way up to 10,500 feet and saw two bucks the whole week. We did however see tons of elk and moose all over.
It took several years for it to recover that time, this time should be no different.

 

[HuntinFool]

I spend a few days each year helping out a buddy that lives up there on his hunt. Sometimes I go up during rifle, sometimes during archery. We always either hunt K or G depending on how much time we have. I can honestly say this year is pretty dismal compared to years past in terms of mature bucks. We have no problem finding 15+ bucks a day, but they're all your 2-4 year old deer. Nothing special. We've haven't seen one buck this year out of 40+ that would break 175" while hunting, and we've seen hardly any yearlings at all. In years past we'd see a handful of 160's on any given day, and normally turn up a 180 or 2. We're switching areas up for the rifle hunt, and I'm sure we'll turn something up, but this winter certainly had a big impact on the herds.

 

[Founder]

I was a little bummed not having a real slug found, but I'm up here now and it's fun. Nice cool weather, still quiet until tomorrow. Saw a neat buck this morning that had short droptines on both sides and two short cheaters off one side. 4x4 frame, good eye guards, but tines are short. I'd like to think that had the winter been normal, all points would be an inch or two longer and then a no question taker.
He might be in trouble if I see him in a few days!!

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!

 

[bugleb]

I'm all packed up and ready to go, not expecting much, but hoping for the best. I hope we can at least find a half decent buck for my 12 year old grandson's first buck.

 

[mmwb]

I expect most any buck will be a great buck to your grandson.

 

[PleaseDear]

I have NO complaints during my bow hunt week in G

Robb

 

[Millsworks]

Hopefully all the truly big mule deer have migrated to region F.

 

[Hawkeye]

I just returned from 5 day trip to Region G. It was tough hunting and the weather was difficult. We saw less deer than expected but that was due in part to bad weather. I saw a few decent bucks and one taker but I did not have a shot oportunity. Overall, it was a great trip to the high country with beautiful scenery and fun memories. I hope to get back up there before the season closes.

-Hawkeye-

 

[Deerlove]

Same experience here, it wasn't a gentelmans hunt. My boy got tired of looking at the same empty bowls that did have a couple of nice bucks in them last week. Very little pressure and shooting which was nice.

 

[marburg]

It's not just the winter. You cant have the pressure G gets year after year after year and expect things to stay the same or get better. Unless something changes as far as tag numbers or season length, the best days of G are behind us.

 

[travishunter3006]

you mean like the tag cuts they experienced this year? those kinds of changes????

 

[Deerlove]

A whole 200 nr?? Out of what a few thousand? Take Joes Texans $350 tag and replace it for Joe Evanstons $20.

 

[fullthrottle]

Yep what an adventure those 5 days were. Tough country for sure, probably not the deer numbers or quality that you would hope for, but I believe that has a lot more to do with the weather kill and antler pimps than just overall hunting pressure. Lots of BIG country up there. Had a great time and had some good success for a little icing on the cake. Wish I could pull a tag a little more often.

 

[mmwb]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-17 AT 03:25PM (MST)[p]Opening morning meat buck.

(Sorry for how blurry the first pic is. It was raining pretty good and I didn't want to ruin the phone. It was a couple of hurried shots and then the break down.)

Had him in the scope for 5 minutes, thinking, "I'll never get a booner if I shoot less; but I just opened a business and need to spend some time there, he was a mature buck, and my wife's favorite meat. No regrets. Older buck, his teeth were pretty much worn down and with those crab claw fronts, none of the trophy hunters should be too butt-hurt.

First opening morning ever, that I didn't see one other hunter and none of the usual droning of atvs/utvs. Nice quiet hunt in the rain.

 

[Onelegwonder]

>LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-17
>AT 03:25?PM (MST)
>
>Opening morning meat buck.
>
>(Sorry for how blurry the first
>pic is. It was raining
>pretty good and I didn't
>want to ruin the phone.
>It was a couple of
>hurried shots and then the
>break down.)
>
>

>
>

>
>Had him in the scope for
>5 minutes, thinking, "I'll never
>get a booner if I
>shoot less; but I just
>opened a business and need
>to spend some time there,
>he was a mature buck,
>and my wife's favorite meat.
>No regrets. Older buck, his
>teeth were pretty much worn
>down and with those crab
>claw fronts, none of the
>trophy hunters should be too
>butt-hurt.
>
>First opening morning ever, that I
>didn't see one other hunter
>and none of the usual
>droning of atvs/utvs. Nice
>quiet hunt in the rain.
>

Congrats!

 

[elkassassin]

>Yep what an adventure those 5
>days were. Tough country for
>sure, probably not the deer
>numbers or quality that you
>would hope for, but I
>believe that has a lot
>more to do with the
>weather kill and antler pimps
>than just overall hunting pressure.
>Lots of BIG country up
>there. Had a great time
>and had some good success
>for a little icing on
>the cake. Wish I could
>pull a tag a little
>more often.

So fullthrottle?

What'd Ya Get?








Back Me Off to 1,700 Yards,650 is a Little Close & I'm Not Comfortable with it!

A GUT SHOT at 1,700 Yards will Still Make Some Good BRAGGIN Rights so I Can Say I At Least Hit Him!

 

[bugleb]

Well, round 1 is over. The grandson got two shots at half decent 4-points but missed. My son got a shot at a good 4-point, but also missed. We saw about 30 small bucks. Not too bad for a three day hunt with a lot of bad weather. I racked up about 35 miles of hiking. Not too bad for a 68 year old.

We saw three small bucks being packed out and I found a boned out doe. My son saw a monster at the checking station that some guy from Idaho had gotten.

We talked to a lot of hunters that didn't do well at all, though. Even two local old farts from Star Valley that couldn't find a buck. They said they usually can, but not this year.

 

[elkassassin]

Sounds like the Last Big Buck is now Dead!







Back Me Off to 1,700 Yards,650 is a Little Close & I'm Not Comfortable with it!

A GUT SHOT at 1,700 Yards will Still Make Some Good BRAGGIN Rights so I Can Say I At Least Hit Him!

 

[Founder]

I walked right passed that giant on a scouting trip and missed him. I suck!!! A guy I knew did find it and after it was killed he told me where it was. I guess I can't see them all. Still a kick in the butt. I'd have rather been hunting a 230 than a 180.
I got the one I was after on the 3rd day. Saw him opening morning in the fog at 100 yards or less and couldn't get a crack. Found him bedded on day 3 at 10am. He was probably within 100 yards of me for all 3 days.
He's no giant, but I'm thrilled to have finally gone up there and got the one I was after. Even when you know where they live, it ain't easy getting them. I was telling my hunt buddy that in the summer I would see 20 bucks in a morning, during the hunt we were doing good to see 4-5. But you can't get one unless you're hunting where one lives, so.........

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!

 

[dihardhunter]

Look forward to more pics and a likely video Founder. Congrats. Sounds like Region G is a grind this year, but the bucks are there. We held our points this year and are hoping a few of those 160-170 bucks make it through and replace some of the mature winter kill - excited for G next fall!

 

[mmwb]

Great buck, Founder!

 

[bigpiney]

Heck of a nice buck! Founder.

 

[Joe2Kool]

A couple of nice bucks MM and Founder. Congratulations!

I'm guessing it's gun season now?

 

[mmwb]

Yes, rifle opened the 15th in some areas.

 

[mulecreek]

Nice buck, mmwb.

 

[marburg]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-23-17 AT 09:27PM (MST)[p]Nice buck Founder

 

[marburg]

>you mean like the tag cuts
>they experienced this year? those
>kinds of changes????


That is a start, long ways to go.

 

[Founder]

They shouldn't have cut non-resident tags. There are plenty of mature bucks, and bucks in general, in that country. It's too bad. This year may have been the last year for me. It'll probably take 8+ points next year.


>>you mean like the tag cuts
>>they experienced this year? those
>>kinds of changes????
>
>
>That is a start, long ways
>to go.


Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!

 

[bugleb]

We just came home from round 2 in Wyo region G. We've hunted 7 days so far this year. Its a strange year. I have heard very little shooting and bucks have bee hard to find. Only saw 14 bucks in three days last trip and most well beyond rifle range. There was tons of snow up high and no bucks there. It's really hard to find them down lower in the thick stuff.

My grandson missed two more opportunities for shots at half decent bucks because he is way too slow on the draw. It seems like it takes him FOREVER to get a shot off. I guess he just doesn't have enough experience yet.

We only saw one buck that might have been big enough for my son to shoot. It was over a mile away late in the day and it had a huge body compared to two other bucks nearby. It was probably a good buck, but it was hard to tell for sure.

We saw the remains of two deer that were shot and boned out a week earlier. Both had coyote tracks in the deep snow coming to them from literally every direction. It was quite a sight.

 

[bugleb]

One more weekend in the high country with slightly better results. The grandson is tired of freezing his butt off and didn't go, but my daughter-in-law made her first hunt of the year. It only took her 1/2 day to connect. She got a heavy horned 24" four point, but shot the wrong one in a herd of 4 bucks. My son got a shot at the big one that was wider, taller and heavier after she dumped hers, but it was on the run then and he missed. So far, it has been a tough year, and the heavy snow up high has made it tougher, but we have had our chances.

We have one more chance on Thursday/Friday, and then the high country is closed for the year.

 

[RoadlessHunter]

Well, Region G is history. We saw 19 more bucks the last two days and my son missed another pretty nice buck, again. Overall for the season, we hunted 11 days, hiked around 80 miles mostly off trails, we saw one buck well over 30" wide, three or four others pushing 30", a dozen or so over 25", so it wasn't near as bad as we feared.

We also watched a guy a half mile away shoot a buck pushing 30" about 15 minutes before dark today (last day).

We still have a couple of days left in Region K, so maybe the grandson can still get something.

 

[bugleb]

No decent sized bucks in range in K for the grandson, but my son got a decent sized 5-point elk on opening day in what is Region G for deer. That is his third 5-point in a row in the same area.

 

[Triple_BB]

I do a guided hunt in G every year. Some older gentleman shot a 199 buck the first morning. First day of my hunt, I spotted a huge buck several miles away in a small basin. There weren't any close trails, but we bush wacked it onto the edge of the basin the next morning. Got a good look at the buck and guessed him at 204 - 206. Spent the next several days trying to get on him. Watched him everyday and finally on the fourth day I got a shot. Unfortunately I hit him in the right front leg. He dropped, got up and took off down into a steep draw. We tried to follow him, but lost his tracks in thick timber. One of the guides hunted the area the next couple days and never saw him. It was truly a once in a life time buck. We did see a dozen other bucks in that basin that were average with one decent 5 pt. Never hunted anywhere else. Heard reports of poor buck numbers and guys not being able to find bigger bucks.

We did make up for it a little bit as I took a family member back up there last week moose hunting and we were able to score on a B&C Shiras. He was just over 50" wide and had extremely long split front brow tines.

Both were hunts I'll remember the rest of my days.

It'll be interesting to see how things look after this winter and next summer.