After my first ever Antelope hunt last year near Douglas, I found a ranch SW of Douglas for my first ever Mule Deer hunt. Anyone ever hunt that area and can give me a few tips about hunting, gear, what to expect? I've taken a fair number of whitetails and read quite a bit, but I have found that deer don't read the same articles. Not after a real trophy but I would like to get a mature deer around 20" or so (I can hear you hard core mulie guys snickering).
Douglas WY deer
- Thread starter Mingo
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Wyodeerhunter
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I have no idea about the hunting quality of douglas but good luck and I hope you enjoy your time in wyoming.
As far as gear all you need is binoculars, rifle, and david longs mule deer book.
As far as gear all you need is binoculars, rifle, and david longs mule deer book.
I can't tell you how many phone calls I made last year and this trying to find access, but I can tell you that everybody I talked to was friendly and helpful. I think the fact that most everyone is booked up with return hunters, many that have been coming for several years, says a lot about Wyoming. I can't wait to get back.
I went to Douglas for antelope and mule deer in 2008. You can read about my hunt at: www.virginia-outdoors.com/articles/wyominghunting. Not that I'm an expert, but I learned a lot on my one outing. Good luck. A good spotting scope may be worth it.
I lived there for 9 years and hunted both north and south of town.. It can be cold and snow bound or in the 60s and 70s. So you have to bring both warm and cold weather clothes. When its wet plan on mud up to your eye balls and when its dry dust covers everything. You should be able to kill a good 4x4 or better in most areas if they do not allow too many people to hunt. I have seen more big bucks north of Douglas than south but, I have to admit it’s because of the access that I could get. Also Plan on shooting distances of from 100 yards to as fare as you can ensure a good clean kill. Talk to the land owner so you can learn what type of shots you should plan on and practice with shooting sticks because the wind can be very challenging. One more thing get in shape because the more mobile you are the better chance at being able to walk lots of canyons, draws and hills to find that buck of a life time.
Wyodeerhunter
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If you loved WY i'd give Colorado a try. Talk to JohnCushman or even Dinkshooter. if you want a mule deer CO would be the place to go. You will not even have to worry about tresspass fees
Wyoming had plenty of deer tags in the leftover lottery, which they have now done away with I think, but they do have leftover deer tags in some places. I'm sure there is plenty of good hunting without paying trespass fees, but when you only hunt out west every ten years and are 2500 miles from home and have no time to scout and only a few days to hunt...trust me, the trespass fees were well worth it. Good access. Good hunting. No hunting pressure. Compared to the cost of travel and tags for nonresidents, the trespass fee was a no-brainer.
I'm not sure how paying a trespass fee fits in with the OYO philosopy, but I don't mind paying a reasonable fee to access private property to increase my odds. Now, my idea of reasonable is different than it was 10 years ago. I have hunted public land a few times in the past and had good hunts, but my tag went unfilled. I figured my best chance for success was to hunt the same area for a few years until I learned it well, or pay a trespass fee. In the end, I figure I will be money ahead, though that remains to be seen. I guess everyone's standards are different, but I can't bring myself to pay for a guided hunt. I had gotten the idea in my head that I wanted to take a nice mature Whitetail, Pronghorn and Mulie. Perhaps not real trophies, but nice enough for me. I have taken a handful of Whitetails around 130", shot my first goat last year, a decent 14+ incher, now I'm looking for a Mule Deer. A nice 20" 4x4 would be fine for me. I turn 49 this spring, so I am hoping I have lots of years left, but I'm not wanting to wait too long before I get a Mulie and move on to elk.
Thanks to all of you for your help.
Thanks to all of you for your help.
I think you nailed it. That's my dream - be able to hunt the same area for a few years and really DIY hunt. Both for the enjoyment and savings. With no time to scout and few opportunities to hunt, the trespass fee is a good compromise. I hope to start annual trips to CO beginning this fall. It will all be DIY public land hunting.
Good luck with the muley!
Good luck with the muley!
