Well we tried out first WY Mulie hunt this year and came home empty handed. We still had a great time but I think the combination of the weather being so mild yet and us really not knowing what we were doing was the main problem. We were up the northern bighorns. We did a quick 2 day scouting trip in September and had seen some deer so I thought we would be ok.
The first couple days we spent in an area that I had picked out on google earth, it was off the 4 wheeler trails and had good water around I figured we would start there and see what happened. Well the first day we were pretty excited as we got in there. Tons of game trails, deer and elk tracks, poop everywhere. Really got my hopes up. We worked the area for 2 days and saw 1 doe! Now we are whitetail hunters so we applied some of that strategy to this trip. Find water or a feeding area and sit on it in the morning and evening hours....no luck. On the way out on our second night we had a game warden stop us and check permits. Great guy. Talked a little bit about how the other hunters were doing in the area and he said pretty good on the elk but pointed out that if we were after deer we should probably seek another spot for the best chance. On to plan B
So now we are headed a little farther up the mountain. Actually a lot closer to camp so It worked out well. The first Evening out I pick an area, find the highest spot around and sit with the spotting scope. Finally saw some deer!!! Quite a few does and 1 small fork horn came right out where I thought they would and fed around until dark. At this point Im feeling pretty good about my odds and having a few days left. I headed back to the same spot the next morning. Just as Im taking my pack off and settling in I see a buck. He was a bout 300 yds off and I could see antler without any glass so I was pretty pumped. Got laid down and put the spotter on him. He was a 4x4 but well inside his ears and judging by his body and face I guessed him at 2 years old MAYBE 3. I had the rifle on him several times as he fed all the way into about 75 yds. I let him walk. My goal for the trip was a 4x4 at least as wide as his ears and I wasnt wiling to give up on that so early in the week. Kind of regretting that now. I stuck with it for the next couple days dealing with some big wind and rainy weather and nothing else showed up but fork horns and does.
Were now at 2 days left and decided to run down the mountain and try management area down on the flat land. We were going to try it for 1 evening and see what happens. Deer everywhere! I think we saw over 20 does that night. With that many does around theres got to be a decent buck around somewhere. We went back up the mountain that night packed up camp in the morning and headed down to concentrate on this spot for our last day. We found a campground and got setup, drove around looking at some public ground for a couple hours then headed to our new spot about 2 for the evening. As we pull into the parking area I see a couple hunters standing there with a pretty decent buck on the ground. We get out and start talking to them and they had shot it just over behind the hill were i was going to go for the evening. But heres the real kicker. There were also 2 game wardens there. Confiscating the deer because they did not have a permit for it. That upset me a little. Great looking deer killed by poachers. Morons. But I put it behind me and headed out. Went to the top of a ridge with a great 360 degree view of the area. about 3:30 I started seeing deer all over, all does, all night. Never did see a buck.
I was pretty disappointed going home without any meat but I did have an opportunity to kill one so It could have been worse. Way worse. It was a learning process though. I have a better idea of where to start next time, and there WILL be a next time, hopefully next year. I think I have a better idea on where to start at and maybe changing tactics on the actual hunt a little bit as well. All in all it was a great trip, got to spend a week hunting with my dad so It really doesnt get much better than that!!!
The first couple days we spent in an area that I had picked out on google earth, it was off the 4 wheeler trails and had good water around I figured we would start there and see what happened. Well the first day we were pretty excited as we got in there. Tons of game trails, deer and elk tracks, poop everywhere. Really got my hopes up. We worked the area for 2 days and saw 1 doe! Now we are whitetail hunters so we applied some of that strategy to this trip. Find water or a feeding area and sit on it in the morning and evening hours....no luck. On the way out on our second night we had a game warden stop us and check permits. Great guy. Talked a little bit about how the other hunters were doing in the area and he said pretty good on the elk but pointed out that if we were after deer we should probably seek another spot for the best chance. On to plan B
So now we are headed a little farther up the mountain. Actually a lot closer to camp so It worked out well. The first Evening out I pick an area, find the highest spot around and sit with the spotting scope. Finally saw some deer!!! Quite a few does and 1 small fork horn came right out where I thought they would and fed around until dark. At this point Im feeling pretty good about my odds and having a few days left. I headed back to the same spot the next morning. Just as Im taking my pack off and settling in I see a buck. He was a bout 300 yds off and I could see antler without any glass so I was pretty pumped. Got laid down and put the spotter on him. He was a 4x4 but well inside his ears and judging by his body and face I guessed him at 2 years old MAYBE 3. I had the rifle on him several times as he fed all the way into about 75 yds. I let him walk. My goal for the trip was a 4x4 at least as wide as his ears and I wasnt wiling to give up on that so early in the week. Kind of regretting that now. I stuck with it for the next couple days dealing with some big wind and rainy weather and nothing else showed up but fork horns and does.
Were now at 2 days left and decided to run down the mountain and try management area down on the flat land. We were going to try it for 1 evening and see what happens. Deer everywhere! I think we saw over 20 does that night. With that many does around theres got to be a decent buck around somewhere. We went back up the mountain that night packed up camp in the morning and headed down to concentrate on this spot for our last day. We found a campground and got setup, drove around looking at some public ground for a couple hours then headed to our new spot about 2 for the evening. As we pull into the parking area I see a couple hunters standing there with a pretty decent buck on the ground. We get out and start talking to them and they had shot it just over behind the hill were i was going to go for the evening. But heres the real kicker. There were also 2 game wardens there. Confiscating the deer because they did not have a permit for it. That upset me a little. Great looking deer killed by poachers. Morons. But I put it behind me and headed out. Went to the top of a ridge with a great 360 degree view of the area. about 3:30 I started seeing deer all over, all does, all night. Never did see a buck.
I was pretty disappointed going home without any meat but I did have an opportunity to kill one so It could have been worse. Way worse. It was a learning process though. I have a better idea of where to start next time, and there WILL be a next time, hopefully next year. I think I have a better idea on where to start at and maybe changing tactics on the actual hunt a little bit as well. All in all it was a great trip, got to spend a week hunting with my dad so It really doesnt get much better than that!!!
