Hey guys. I was born in Afton and my family had lived there for 10 years before I was born. My parents built the raquet ranch in afton. Anyways...I have been wanting to get back there and do some hunting. I think that is unit G? Is there any outfitters there that are any good? How is that unit for big muleys? I would love to take my dad back there for a hunt befor he cant do it anymore. Any help or info will be greatly appreciated. Abe (nv_hunter)
Wyoming unit G?
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W
WYhunter
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I live in the Afton area. Yes, it is area G. This year was the best year for the taking of good bucks in several years. There has been alot of folks trying to decide why. (and hoping that some were left for next year). The local WGF biologist told me that in one check station they checked & photographed about 30 trophy bucks from area G this year where the year before there was only 5. I saw some of the pictures & couple of the actual bucks and they were hogs. That said, the deer numbers are not anything like "the good old days."
There are a number of different outfitters you can use or DIY is always an option.
WYHunter
There are a number of different outfitters you can use or DIY is always an option.
WYHunter
I thought about DIY. I would prefer it to be honest but I know the country is tough and steep. I would use the outfitter for camp and horses. Speaking of the good old days....My brothers went to high school there. They both have pics of big dear they took in the early 80s. You dont happen to know Max Wade do ya?
Chesterwyo
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I also grew up in the valley, my family has been there for four generations. A friend of mine used to live in that huge apartment above the racket ranch. The deer hunting has started to slip the last few years so I have all but quit hunting deer there. But like WYHUNTER said there was quite a few very big bucks killed there this year. The strange thing is most of them were killed in strange places that don't typically produce huge bucks. A lot of them were killed in close proximity to roads. I know of a 215 inch buck that was killed from the highway. So the potential defineitely exists for a huge muley there. If I was going to go on an outfitted hunt there I would hunt with robb wiley of non-typical outfitters out of alpine. He consistantly kills huge bucks year after year. I'm sure he has a waiting list of a couple years so that would give you an opportunity to build preference points so when you finally drew your tag you could have your hunt all lined up. Good luck in your search and if you have anymore questions I will help you all I can.
W
WYhunter
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Yes, I do know Max Wade. Nice guy and good roofing contractor.
There is several good guides who could help you with camp and horses or fully guide you, plus people who rent just horses if you want to still try the DIY.
Biologist told me he thought we got rains at the right times and good feed for the deer during key antler growth period. Also a few years back we killed alot of lions in the area and that has to help a few more to carry over. The big deer killed this year are about the right age to match the time period when the lions were killed back to a decent level. Whatever the reason I hope it continues.
WYHunter
There is several good guides who could help you with camp and horses or fully guide you, plus people who rent just horses if you want to still try the DIY.
Biologist told me he thought we got rains at the right times and good feed for the deer during key antler growth period. Also a few years back we killed alot of lions in the area and that has to help a few more to carry over. The big deer killed this year are about the right age to match the time period when the lions were killed back to a decent level. Whatever the reason I hope it continues.
WYHunter
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WYhunter
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I believe Reed Clark owns it again and it is for sale. BJ is over in the Riverton area.
WYHunter
WYHunter
Chesterwyo
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BJ hill Now lives in Pavilion near riverton. He has the pacific creek camp and he also has a camp up the gros ventre that he runs deer and elk hunts out of. Last I knew his old swift creek camp was owned by Lamont Merrit, but that has been a few years ago.
ridgerunner
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I'd be curious as to what outfit runs the swift creek camp, I hunted out of there in the mid 90's. I can't seem to see any outfitters advertising for that camp though. It was a good one.
Here is the link to Swift creek outfitters.
http://www.horsebackadv.com/
http://www.horsebackadv.com/
ridgerunner,
You thinking of going back there if BJ still has this spot?
Ridgerunner and I both hunted up there back in 1995, but he went the first hunt and I was on the second hunt. The day before I rode to camp, was sitting in the local hotel/bar/restaurant abut noon time. A lot of women came in to see the large TV screen to hear the announcement on OJ Simpson. Good think I was a white guy in there........LOL
Brian
You thinking of going back there if BJ still has this spot?
Ridgerunner and I both hunted up there back in 1995, but he went the first hunt and I was on the second hunt. The day before I rode to camp, was sitting in the local hotel/bar/restaurant abut noon time. A lot of women came in to see the large TV screen to hear the announcement on OJ Simpson. Good think I was a white guy in there........LOL
Brian
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WYhunter
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BJ definately does not own the camp up Swift Creek any longer.
Although he stills uses the name Swift Creek he does not own that camp east of Afton up Swift Creek any longer.
Although he stills uses the name Swift Creek he does not own that camp east of Afton up Swift Creek any longer.
When I was there in 1995 B.J. told me himself that he had got caught with having Military type containers for storage up there. He told me that Clark had brought them in there before he ever worked for Clark. When he bought out the site from Clark, he never bother to removed them, said he had no way to get them down out of that 9,100 El.
The N.F. person, a lady, came up there ealier that year and found these containers and told him to have them out of there by spring '96 or he would loose his license to operate there in the N.F. at Swift Creek.
A few years later I saw where he operated out of Pacific Creek. A couple of years ago I was talking to another Outfitter at a Sports Show from that area up there and he did say that B.J. has the old Bud Nelson camp that Bud had for 30+ years. I hunted with Bud's outfit in 1983 for Elk in NOV. what a mistake that was.
Brian
The N.F. person, a lady, came up there ealier that year and found these containers and told him to have them out of there by spring '96 or he would loose his license to operate there in the N.F. at Swift Creek.
A few years later I saw where he operated out of Pacific Creek. A couple of years ago I was talking to another Outfitter at a Sports Show from that area up there and he did say that B.J. has the old Bud Nelson camp that Bud had for 30+ years. I hunted with Bud's outfit in 1983 for Elk in NOV. what a mistake that was.
Brian
Chesterwyo
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Nope.
ridgerunner
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I wouldn't hunt with BJ again, but I did like that camp, that's why I was wondering what outfitter was running it now. I'm headed back to G, just don't know when yet. Maybe 09 or 10.
Chesterwyo
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Ridgerunner, just curious did you have a bad experience with BJ Hill? You can PM me if you don't want to post it here.
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