Region R and Y Wyoming Mule Deer

[nickpaolini81]

Planning a DIY hunt to the Bighorn Nat'l Forest for mule deer this fall. From digging at the odds for a NR, we're very likely to get drawn for either of these regions. I already know NRs cannot go into the wilderness area w/out a guide or resident. Not interested in a guide or hunting the wilderness area.

We want to get back in the shit away from any other orange. We have ATVs, motivation and stamina.

Would anyone be interested in recommending a location in either of these regions to set up camp and hunt where we camp?

 

[mnhunter]

We want to get back in the shit away from any other orange. We have ATVs, motivation and stamina.

This statement is a little contradictory. If you want to get away from other hunters, ATV's aren't going to help you do it. Motivation and Stamina will though. Most people you see in the bighorns aren't willing to go where is required during the rifle season to find a decent buck.

Also in the Bighorns, think "down in the shit"

 

[nickpaolini81]

any reccomendations? have you been out to region R or Y?

 

[nickpaolini81]

and an ATV will get you to places a truck cannot. i would venture a guess that the majority ofhunter will have trucks not ATVs. ive hunted many places in the rockies where you rode 5 clicks on an Atv to walk another 2.

 

[ssliger]

You can only ride ATV's on established roads in Wyoming, so no matter where you go there will be other hunters with ATV's, jeeps, and trucks. Heck last year I drove down a road that was real nasty to get to the end and some one had driven a car in there. I would try and PM Jen Bickel, she is very familiar with the bighorns. I am not. I just know that I see a billion hunters cruising around on ATV's. I wish I could be more help

 

[nickpaolini81]

No thank you for the intel! Any insight is useful. Do you happen to know Jen's username within Eastman's? I searched for her name, but could not find her.

So you really see that many hunters during gun season? I've heard the pressure is high on the weekends and during the week is bearable.

 

[ssliger]

I have never hunted the Big Horns, but down in the Snowy Range it seems like a zoo all season long. I think Jen's username is "jenbickel". She really knows her stuff, especially in regards to the Big Horns. Good luck

 

[jenbickel]

I have never hunted the Big Horns, but down in the Snowy Range it seems like a zoo all season long. I think Jen's username is "jenbickel". She really knows her stuff, especially in regards to the Big Horns. Good luck

Thanks Ssliger!

My username is jenbickel lol feel free to PM me with any questions!!

 

[mnhunter]

I didn't mean to come off as a smarta$$, but ssliger nailed it. I have hunted the bighorn's quite a few times always in region Y (the picture in my avitar was taken on the north end of the Bighorns). If you want to find a buck up on the mountain you need to drop down off the ridges into the canyons. You will find that most of the areas where you can get away from the road, will have you walking downhill away from the truck and back uphill with a heavy pack if you are lucky enough to find a buck down in the timber.

You ATV will be the most useful if there is some snow up on the mountain that might allow you to get some places most trucks won't.

 

[nickpaolini81]

Thanks for the intel guys. mnhunter, ....what tactics do u use when u hunt in this area? Spot n stalk? Do these deer stay in the timber low in the ravines? Do u set up ambush in a timber spot with lots of sign?

Any areas that you like to hunt up there that has tough country, decent deer numbers, and not a ton of hunters? I'm not scared of the hills or humpin 3 clicks w my pack. If you don't want to put a spot on the open forum Pm me

 

[mnhunter]

I would say during rifle season, your best bet for a nice buck would be dropping down into a canyon where they is a clearing along a water source, and then sit there all week long. It is a low percentage game, but if you are patient you will eventually catch a decent buck coming to the water.

Chasing them around in the timber is more than likely going to be an exercise in frustration, that being said sitting by a water source might be too.

What you will find when you get there is that after you drop of the ridge you are in black timber, and spotting from any distance is difficult at best. You might have some success glassing the lower edges of a burn (hint: lots of the bighorns burned last year). these always tend to be game rich areas.

I would recommend ordering a forest service map and getting the "GPShuntmaps" files for google earth and going from there. My two nicest muleys came out of the northeastern corner of the Bighorns (they are both in my photo gallery if you want to see what I have been able to drag out of that area).

 

[bontop]

I have hunted the Bighorns for deer the past 2 years. Region Y the first year and R the second year. We did ok on both occasions but hunted our tails off. We get to Wy with 10 days to hunt and if we hunt a day or two in an area with no success we move on. We have pretty much covered both units north to south and the North is the better area if you want my opinion. Both regions are decent though and have good deer. Snow will determine alot though if you plan on hunting up north. We managed solid 4x4 deer both years with the largest in the high 60's but would count on finding alot of those. We strictly pack in on foot to get away from people and there are alot of hunters but once in a mile or so your pretty much all alone.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

EDIT: Posted in wrong thread.

 

[nickpaolini81]

Thanks for the info.

I keep hearing about how the snow is going to play an intricate role in success or lack thereof. I'm from western PA and we keep our fingers crossed all the time during deer season that the snow comes.

Lay it on me guys....what do I need to know about how snow will affect the deer. How will it affect their behavior? What should I do if we have snow and what should I do if we dont?

 

[mnhunter]

The snow will have the greatest impact on the areas that you can get to, and a lot less impact on the deer. Once the snow hits the roads can get impassable quick. I have never seen the snow push deer out into the open country during the season, maybe some local folks can speak better to that. I think it was the 2009 season, and there was a decent amount of snow up on the mountain during the rifle season, and there were huge areas you couldn't get back into without a snowmobile.

Either way the deer are likely going to be holed up in the timber down in the drainages, and will most likely only break out into the sage once the season is over closer to the rut.

 

[fathead101098]

I have applied for Region R & plan on hunting the west side of the Bighorns ---However does anybody have any advise on whether it is better on the southern end down by the town of Ten Sleep (highway 16 ) or up on the northern end up by Montana? Also is there any accessable BLM land adjacent to the Bighorn National Forest? Any response / info is greatly appreciated -- Thanks