Region R mulies

[fathead101098]

Wondering if someone out there has any experience hunting region R --- western side of the Bighorns. I have drawn the tag & have hunted mostly the sagebrush flats north of Gillette in the past and looking for more of DIY 5 day pack in trip away from the crowd. I have talked to the local biologist & was not surprised to hear that most hunters are within 1 mile of the roads & heavy pressure in the first several days. The main info I am looking for is can anyone reccomend starting south down by highway 16 or north towards Montana? BLM land in the foothills or up in the timber basins ? I would appreciate any information or past experiences both good or bad. I Am not looking for somebody's "honey hole" , just honest info from fellow hunters / or a contact person that may be helpful ---- Thanks

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Several guys I talked to over the last two seasons when I was thinking about hunting Region R said they went back in the boonies for a few days with a backpack like you're talking about and had good luck in the Shell Canyon area and it's finger canyons, rather than up in the NF higher areas.

 

[fathead101098]

Thanks for the insight --- I have seen that area while looking at topo maps but will look at it more in depth --- good luck this season

 

[AT Hiker]

Last fall, during Archery season, I drove the NF road from MT south to the southern border of R. Seen maybe a handful of does from the road. Once I got off the road and hiked in .5, I started to see more deer. A ATV will be useful, because the NF service road I mainly (it divided R/Y) drove was slick in some spots and if it snowed or rained travel would be rough. Plus a lot of the other roads were simple two tracks with large sharp rocks protruding everywhere.

I also spent a little time next to the Big Horn Lake, seen the biggest antelope ever there btw, if snow came early I would concentrate in the BLM lower elevations and try to catch them moving down the higher elev through the canyons to the lower land. I also seen a few places that backed up against crop fields, but it would take a few miles to hike into them...that may be a good idea if you are serious about backpacking in.