Escouting lowish elevation Mule Deer in Wyoming

[375H&H]

[QUOTE="BrentD, post: 2725118, member: 36549"] I drew a Wyoming mule deer tag - Area 36 (North and East of Shoshoni, WY), fwiw. I've been sorting through it on OnX and Google Earth, trying to find interesting, promising locations to hunt in mid-late October. There are roads every where, so escaping them is just a "relative" thing, and there is at least one "Wilderness Study Area" that I have found so far. But what I don't know is what to look for in the way of habitat. I am attracted to the rolling, broken country along the northern third of this unit, but I don't really know why. Consequently, I have already discarded the entire South 1/2-2/3rds of the unit. I have hunted and killed mule deer in WY, NE, and AZ, but that doesn't mean I knew what I was doing then or now. Anyway, this is mostly 6500-7500 ft elevations, "forested" areas appear to be scrub where "trees" are too far apart to close canopy. I suspect they are mostly juniper and thickest, of course, on the North facing slopes. Are these where I'm going to find all of the monster bucks? More trees = more big bucks? There seems to be very little water of course, and most is on private ground (of course), and there are very few private walk-in areas. On a scale of 1-10 for "greenness" the whole place looks like about a 3 with little variation and whatever slightly greener spots there are, seem to be on private (surprise). So the bottom line is, I don't know WHAT to look for with respect to where mule deer - especially mature bucks - can be found in this type of real estate. Of course, if you want to tell me where that 220" Typical is tied to a stump, please feel free, but I'm hoping some of you would be willing to teach me and others how to fish in this type of country, rather than just serve up a meal, if you follow. Any recommended books on, let's say, for example, "[I]The Habits of the Shrub-Steppe Mule Deer Buck in Pre-Rut[/I]" would, for sure, also be welcome. [/QUOTE] I'm going I chat with the Bio for 36. Units t seem to easy to draw worry me. I'm wondering if most of tge deer are on private since water and feed are more abundant?

I want to reply in ransom note style like this. How did you do it?

 

[BrentD]

I dont think 36 is an easy draw anymore.

The biologist for 36 is my first grad student.

 

[Muskeez]

How many points did you burn and how did your hunt go Brent?

 

[BrentD]

We burned a couple points. I think point creep will squash that now though.

Saw lots of does. Good numbers of pencil bucks (yearlings), one 2 yr old (partner took.it), and one mature buck on the last day that gave me only a Texas Heart Shot, so I let it walk.

 

[270WSM140g]

I want to reply in ransom note style like this. How did you do it?

I just replied, nothing else......lol.

 

[verticalslope]

I just replied, nothing else......lol.

270WSM140g How did you hunt go in 36? Did you end up harvesting a deer?

 

[bullbugle307]

In one of the areas I hunt that is heavily roaded, the bucks really like to bed at the base of rocky outcroppings where they can see road traffic and watch the obvious parking areas. Years back, we killed two bucks exactly a year apart under the exact same rock. Both times when we retrieved the deer there was a 6 pt elk shed within 20 yds of where the buck was bedded. I killed the buck the first year, and my buddy found the shed I walked right by as I was concentrating on the deer. The next year, I picked up the elk shed that my buddy walked right past as he was concentrating on his deer.


We drew the same area this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of us kills a buck there again. This may or may not be applicable to your area, FWIW.

Edit: just realized this was posted years ago. I'm a little slow on the uptake today. Hope your hunt went well.