I am looking for an area to take my 2 sons for a fun deer hunt in Wyoming. I'm just looking for an area that they can have a good experience and see a decent number of deer. I can't afford a lot of trespass fees. They don't have any bonus points. Is it even a possibility to draw a tag this year? Any information would be appreciated.
Youth NR deer
- Thread starter Huntwest
- Start date
Go onto the G&F website and then into the draw odds section and click on the top line for the 2015 odds. You'll need to scroll down to the deer section and when you click on that you'll see the odds for each of the limited quota individual units and at the bottom for the Region tags that go by letters. The latter Region tags will be what you're interested in and want to try for with no Preference Points. A Region tag when drawn allows you to hunt in all of that Region, other than those marked as Limited Quota. You will see in the top Random Draw stats that there are several of the Regions that have leftover tags where there were more tags in the Random Draw you would be in than there were applicants. There will not be a huge amount of easily accessible legal public land and that's a big reason why there are usually leftover tags. Do your homework and then if you come up with those Regions that you are interested in and narrow things down you can come back on and ask specific questions. Most here will be happy to help you, but most of us would also like to see a person do as much on their own as possible before getting down to details. Doing that homework IMHO is a big fun part and almost as fun sometimes than the hunt itself. Good luck and welcome to the MM Wyoming Forum!
270Whatelse
Active Member
- Messages
- 762
I would go for region "R". It's the west side of the bighorns. Decent draw odds, good access,alot of public land and decent bucks/deer numbers. Have fun with the boys!
R is a good Region, but it can't be called one with decent odds with no PPs. It was only 15% in the Regular PP Draw with no PPs and 25% in the Random Draw. Y on the east side has lots of public land and is basically a 100% draw right now, but if the OP draws it for the boys I would hunt the second week of the season and miss the opening week crowd.
Thanks for the input. I've applied and hunted in Wyoming for deer and antelope in the past and know how the system works. I'm just looking for an area I can take the boys for a fun hunt. The areas I've deer hunted in the past, we've packed in and is not an area I would think would be a good hunt for a kid. Just looking for a more kid friendly area.
270Whatelse
Active Member
- Messages
- 762
15% + 25%=40%= decent draw odds to me
midwesthunter
Member
- Messages
- 96
How old are your son's? What about just hunting doe's? Pick an area that requires 1-2 points, hunt doe's and learn the area so you are ready when they can draw a buck tag.
Any area you can draw a tag with 0 points could be a challenging hunt, especially if you have never stepped foot on that land.
Me I would grab the boys some doe tags, enjoy the scenery, have some fun and hopefully notch some tags.
Any area you can draw a tag with 0 points could be a challenging hunt, especially if you have never stepped foot on that land.
Me I would grab the boys some doe tags, enjoy the scenery, have some fun and hopefully notch some tags.
badlander
Member
- Messages
- 82
I know its not what you asked so ignore me if it doesn't fit your plans. When my son is old enough to hunt WY I plan to bring him out there to hunt as well, but I plan to take him antelope hunting.
As far as a fun, exciting hunt goes I don't think you can beat antelope. Its earlier season and warmer weather, he'll see a lot of antelope, you can buy a few extra doe tags for very little extra $, and the roughest antelope terrain is still relatively mild for a kid to hike.
As far as mule deer in WY, I can't help you there - sorry!
As far as a fun, exciting hunt goes I don't think you can beat antelope. Its earlier season and warmer weather, he'll see a lot of antelope, you can buy a few extra doe tags for very little extra $, and the roughest antelope terrain is still relatively mild for a kid to hike.
As far as mule deer in WY, I can't help you there - sorry!
LAST EDITED ON Feb-16-16 AT 05:34PM (MST)[p]That's interesting because I had thought about making a post suggesting an antelope hunt and didn't get around to it. An antelope hunt would be a lot easier to plan and have fun with the boys with no PPs along with the other things that the OP mentioned.
ClearCreek
Active Member
- Messages
- 286
>R is a good Region, but
>it can't be called one
>with decent odds with no
>PPs. It was only
>15% in the Regular PP
>Draw with no PPs and
>25% in the Random Draw.
> Y on the east
>side has lots of public
>land and is basically a
>100% draw right now, but
>if the OP draws it
>for the boys I would
>hunt the second week of
>the season and miss the
>opening week crowd.
TOPGUN:
You mentioned Region Y on the east side of the Bighorns as having a lot of public land. Are you referring to the Bighorn National Forest when you say "lots of public land"? The one issue that has to be considered regarding the national forest land is that by October 15 when the deer season opens on the forest most of the deer have moved to the face of the mountain on private land. There is some BLM land in the southern part of Region Y but that gets hunted hard because it is the largest block of accessible public land that holds some deer the last half of October.
That is the reason Region Y is close to having 100% drawing odds; there just is not a lot of public land accessible to hunters.
Other than the two G&F units (Bud Love northwest of Buffalo and the Ed O. Taylor west of Kaycee there are some scattered parcels of state land and that's about it. The public land off the mountain gets hit pretty hard by deer and antelope hunters.
Nonresident hunters should do their homework before applying for deer or antelope licenses in the areas around Buffalo, Sheridan and Gillette. Many don't and apply for licenses or pick up a leftover license and come to the area and then are disappointed because of the lack of accessible land to hunt.
Just some food for thought.
ClearCreek
>it can't be called one
>with decent odds with no
>PPs. It was only
>15% in the Regular PP
>Draw with no PPs and
>25% in the Random Draw.
> Y on the east
>side has lots of public
>land and is basically a
>100% draw right now, but
>if the OP draws it
>for the boys I would
>hunt the second week of
>the season and miss the
>opening week crowd.
TOPGUN:
You mentioned Region Y on the east side of the Bighorns as having a lot of public land. Are you referring to the Bighorn National Forest when you say "lots of public land"? The one issue that has to be considered regarding the national forest land is that by October 15 when the deer season opens on the forest most of the deer have moved to the face of the mountain on private land. There is some BLM land in the southern part of Region Y but that gets hunted hard because it is the largest block of accessible public land that holds some deer the last half of October.
That is the reason Region Y is close to having 100% drawing odds; there just is not a lot of public land accessible to hunters.
Other than the two G&F units (Bud Love northwest of Buffalo and the Ed O. Taylor west of Kaycee there are some scattered parcels of state land and that's about it. The public land off the mountain gets hit pretty hard by deer and antelope hunters.
Nonresident hunters should do their homework before applying for deer or antelope licenses in the areas around Buffalo, Sheridan and Gillette. Many don't and apply for licenses or pick up a leftover license and come to the area and then are disappointed because of the lack of accessible land to hunt.
Just some food for thought.
ClearCreek
>>R is a good Region, but
>>it can't be called one
>>with decent odds with no
>>PPs. It was only
>>15% in the Regular PP
>>Draw with no PPs and
>>25% in the Random Draw.
>> Y on the east
>>side has lots of public
>>land and is basically a
>>100% draw right now, but
>>if the OP draws it
>>for the boys I would
>>hunt the second week of
>>the season and miss the
>>opening week crowd.
>
>TOPGUN:
>
>You mentioned Region Y on the
>east side of the Bighorns
>as having a lot of
>public land. Are you
>referring to the Bighorn National
>Forest when you say "lots
>of public land"? The
>one issue that has to
>be considered regarding the national
>forest land is that by
>October 15 when the deer
>season opens on the forest
>most of the deer have
>moved to the face of
>the mountain on private land.
> There is some
>BLM land in the southern
>part of Region Y but
>that gets hunted hard because
>it is the largest block
>of accessible public land that
>holds some deer the last
>half of October.
>
>That is the reason Region Y
>is close to having 100%
>drawing odds; there just is
>not a lot of public
>land accessible to hunters.
>
>Other than the two G&F units
>(Bud Love northwest of Buffalo
>and the Ed O. Taylor
>west of Kaycee there are
>some scattered parcels of state
>land and that's about it.
> The public land off
>the mountain gets hit pretty
>hard by deer and antelope
>hunters.
>
>Nonresident hunters should do their homework
>before applying for deer or
>antelope licenses in the areas
>around Buffalo, Sheridan and Gillette.
>Many don't and apply for
>licenses or pick up a
>leftover license and come to
>the area and then are
>disappointed because of the lack
>of accessible land to hunt.
>
>
>Just some food for thought.
>
>ClearCreek
I wouldn't disagree with a single thing you stated. All I was saying is that at least they would have close to a 100% chance of drawing a tag in Y even though things are about like you stated from north to south in that region. The same thing can really be said of about any other area that's easy to draw, including Region M where I hunt every year and that always has a lot of tags left over after the draw.
>>it can't be called one
>>with decent odds with no
>>PPs. It was only
>>15% in the Regular PP
>>Draw with no PPs and
>>25% in the Random Draw.
>> Y on the east
>>side has lots of public
>>land and is basically a
>>100% draw right now, but
>>if the OP draws it
>>for the boys I would
>>hunt the second week of
>>the season and miss the
>>opening week crowd.
>
>TOPGUN:
>
>You mentioned Region Y on the
>east side of the Bighorns
>as having a lot of
>public land. Are you
>referring to the Bighorn National
>Forest when you say "lots
>of public land"? The
>one issue that has to
>be considered regarding the national
>forest land is that by
>October 15 when the deer
>season opens on the forest
>most of the deer have
>moved to the face of
>the mountain on private land.
> There is some
>BLM land in the southern
>part of Region Y but
>that gets hunted hard because
>it is the largest block
>of accessible public land that
>holds some deer the last
>half of October.
>
>That is the reason Region Y
>is close to having 100%
>drawing odds; there just is
>not a lot of public
>land accessible to hunters.
>
>Other than the two G&F units
>(Bud Love northwest of Buffalo
>and the Ed O. Taylor
>west of Kaycee there are
>some scattered parcels of state
>land and that's about it.
> The public land off
>the mountain gets hit pretty
>hard by deer and antelope
>hunters.
>
>Nonresident hunters should do their homework
>before applying for deer or
>antelope licenses in the areas
>around Buffalo, Sheridan and Gillette.
>Many don't and apply for
>licenses or pick up a
>leftover license and come to
>the area and then are
>disappointed because of the lack
>of accessible land to hunt.
>
>
>Just some food for thought.
>
>ClearCreek
I wouldn't disagree with a single thing you stated. All I was saying is that at least they would have close to a 100% chance of drawing a tag in Y even though things are about like you stated from north to south in that region. The same thing can really be said of about any other area that's easy to draw, including Region M where I hunt every year and that always has a lot of tags left over after the draw.
I have taken my two older boys to Wyoming for antelope in the past, and have the plan to do it again. The problem is the area we've hunted before keeps increasing the bonus points needed to draw. So I was looking for something to tide them over until we can get a tag for that area. They are 16 and 13 and both shot deer before. Just looking for a way to spend some quality time with them. Thanks for the help. We may just have to wait until next year.
>I have taken my two older
>boys to Wyoming for antelope
>in the past, and have
>the plan to do it
>again. The problem is
>the area we've hunted before
>keeps increasing the bonus points
>needed to draw. So I
>was looking for something to
>tide them over until we
>can get a tag for
>that area. They are
>16 and 13 and both
>shot deer before. Just
>looking for a way to
>spend some quality time with
>them. Thanks for the
>help. We may just
>have to wait until next
>year.
Time doesn't stand still and IMHO you can do a fun hunt without any PPs for antelope or deer and save the PPs for where you want to go back to.
>boys to Wyoming for antelope
>in the past, and have
>the plan to do it
>again. The problem is
>the area we've hunted before
>keeps increasing the bonus points
>needed to draw. So I
>was looking for something to
>tide them over until we
>can get a tag for
>that area. They are
>16 and 13 and both
>shot deer before. Just
>looking for a way to
>spend some quality time with
>them. Thanks for the
>help. We may just
>have to wait until next
>year.
Time doesn't stand still and IMHO you can do a fun hunt without any PPs for antelope or deer and save the PPs for where you want to go back to.
Zeke
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 10,605
>>I have taken my two older
>>boys to Wyoming for antelope
>>in the past, and have
>>the plan to do it
>>again. The problem is
>>the area we've hunted before
>>keeps increasing the bonus points
>>needed to draw. So I
>>was looking for something to
>>tide them over until we
>>can get a tag for
>>that area. They are
>>16 and 13 and both
>>shot deer before. Just
>>looking for a way to
>>spend some quality time with
>>them. Thanks for the
>>help. We may just
>>have to wait until next
>>year.
>
>Time doesn't stand still and IMHO
>you can do a fun
>hunt without any PPs for
>antelope or deer and save
>the PPs for where you
>want to go back to.
>
Topgun just gave you one of the best pieces of advice that I've heard. Take the boys NOW while you can. It matters not what you hunt. Does are great fun to chase.
Zeke
>>boys to Wyoming for antelope
>>in the past, and have
>>the plan to do it
>>again. The problem is
>>the area we've hunted before
>>keeps increasing the bonus points
>>needed to draw. So I
>>was looking for something to
>>tide them over until we
>>can get a tag for
>>that area. They are
>>16 and 13 and both
>>shot deer before. Just
>>looking for a way to
>>spend some quality time with
>>them. Thanks for the
>>help. We may just
>>have to wait until next
>>year.
>
>Time doesn't stand still and IMHO
>you can do a fun
>hunt without any PPs for
>antelope or deer and save
>the PPs for where you
>want to go back to.
>
Topgun just gave you one of the best pieces of advice that I've heard. Take the boys NOW while you can. It matters not what you hunt. Does are great fun to chase.
Zeke
Wyoming Hunting Guides & Outfitters
Urge 2 Hunt
We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.
