Wyoming deer areas 143, 144, 145 and 135 (region G)

[BEE-ROX]

Hey everyone, first post!
My dad and I are headed to one of the above areas for deer this fall. Planning to take 2 trips of 2 to 3 days away from the road setting spike camps trying to get deep.
I'm hoping to get advice on how to disect the country. I'm stationed in Alabama so no potential for scouting trips so I'll be leaning heavily on escouting using OnX and google earth. I'd like to hunt timberline in the really high elevations but is that crazy without horses? It's hard to fathom the scale of this land.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome to HT

 

[Deleted member 16014]

There will be lots of people, there are deer, and yes it's possible but you've got to want it and be in shape. You can get up high by vehicle in some places but that's not always where bucks are, given that everyone else can do that too.

 

[wytex]

You don't have to hunt timberline to be successful. There will be tons of folks up high looking for big bucks.
Biggest mule deer buck I have ever seen on the hoof was about 150 yds from the main road in G.
Don't overlook the lower country.

 

[Jape]

Hey everyone, first post!
My dad and I are headed to one of the above areas for deer this fall. Planning to take 2 trips of 2 to 3 days away from the road setting spike camps trying to get deep.
I'm hoping to get advice on how to disect the country. I'm stationed in Alabama so no potential for scouting trips so I'll be leaning heavily on escouting using OnX and google earth. I'd like to hunt timberline in the really high elevations but is that crazy without horses? It's hard to fathom the scale of this land.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I think this is actually your second post but welcome back and hope you have a great hunt with your dad! Let us know how it goes this fall.

 

[Irrelevant]

I randomly ran into a 150" buck mid elevation last year elk hunting while driving from one trailhead to another.

 

[BEE-ROX]

I think this is actually your second post but welcome back and hope you have a great hunt with your dad! Let us know how it goes this fall.

Right you are, my bad.

 

[buck23]

I can offer only a little advice as I was there last year however i went with a buddy of mine and we were guided. We are from the south so hard to really do without alot of help either from someone who lives there or a guide. Bring the best glass you can afford. Those bucks hide especially the big ones. Huh I guess that was easy ! Really it is sitting and glassing the country there are plenty of smaller deer easy to see but the bigger deer are there but they lay down during daylight and don't seem to move much. I found one and sat on him til he finally moved several hours later. Be ready to shoot him quickly and a long way sometimes. I shot my buck at 495 yds. And listen to what the folks from Wyoming say they know what to do and can help you more than some. Good luck it is truly GOD's country.

 

[Heyjbales]

I can offer only a little advice as I was there last year however i went with a buddy of mine and we were guided. We are from the south so hard to really do without alot of help either from someone who lives there or a guide. Bring the best glass you can afford. Those bucks hide especially the big ones. Huh I guess that was easy ! Really it is sitting and glassing the country there are plenty of smaller deer easy to see but the bigger deer are there but they lay down during daylight and don't seem to move much. I found one and sat on him til he finally moved several hours later. Be ready to shoot him quickly and a long way sometimes. I shot my buck at 495 yds. And listen to what the folks from Wyoming say they know what to do and can help you more than some. Good luck it is truly GOD's country.

I think more folks wanting that classic high country hunt and haven't muley hunted much ought to consider this. I bet this was a stellar experience!

 

[WyoDoug]

I hunted 135 a number of times. A ton of orange hats but hunt during the week or go where the other hunters won't go and scope from the ridge lines and you might see one or two. I am using to hunting pressure having grown up in Colorado, so I try to position myself where I think other hunters will push them to, generally away from roads. Keep in mind that thermals affect deer hunting so getting to the ridge line early is not what I suggest. Early. Go higher when the thermals change direction and begin to go uphill position yourself lower early AM but away from roads.

 

[ccc23454]

Your heading to one these areas this year? You must be a resident then since nonres havnt drawn yet. Welcome to HT! There is orange but its not crazy espicallyif you get away from trails and popularbasins. wytex nailed it with his deer can be where deer are note. I spend lots of time up there and across from there and what you want to do is good except for if weather rolls in, drinking water will be your issue if hot.

 

[WyoDoug]

I am going to qualify what someone else wrote a bit. Deer are going to be all over and where you see groups of does, there generally is at least one buck nearby unless someone shot it. The older bucks though are going to seek sanctuary and since they do most of their rutting at night if they are still in it when you get there, they will be off in their safe zones until the orange hats leave and move out primarily at night.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

They won’t be rutting until a month after the season is over.

 

[WyoDoug]

They won’t be rutting until a month after the season is over.

True for the most part, and after looking, true for the mulies in the areas asked about, but look at the dates. Some of the whitetail seasons run into end of November and that is also when the rut generally occurs. I personally put in for a type 1 first choice and type 2 second choice "any deer off national forest" and if I draw the type 2, that season runs to end of November. I also found a landowner that gave me permission to hunt mulies on her property so my deer hunt runs from September to end of November until I fill my tags and those will be weekend hunts. If I draw 100% that will be 3 tags plus possibility of a leftover.

There are late season opportunities in Wyoming. Some require private land access or an outfitter. There are several areas with just a quick glance that allow whitetails through the end of November. In the areas specific to this post, I double checked and whitetail is the only one available during the rut. However, bucks begin gathering in the fall around rifle season and are usually not where the bang bangs occur. They join the females right before the rut and do mild antler wrestling and begin serious fights for the right to mate as soon as the estrus is detected in the females. The younger and immature bucks join the does early.

 

[ccc23454]

I am going to qualify what someone else wrote a bit. Deer are going to be all over and where you see groups of does, there generally is at least one buck nearby unless someone shot it. The older bucks though are going to seek sanctuary and since they do most of their rutting at night if they are still in it when you get there, they will be off in their safe zones until the orange hats leave and move out primarily at night.

No! This a september hunt, usually you see very few does compared to bucks if your high enough. You are far more likely to kill a buck in velvet than one following a doe... whitetails? Have you ever actually hunted G? Everything you say about region is wrong, maybe your looking at the antelope map 143 or something.

 

[WyoDoug]

I have hunted area 135 and seen whitetails yes but whitetails need a lot of water and do not get much it from food they eat like mulies do. I missed the part about this being a September hunt and that changes the game. The bigger bucks anyways are going to be away from the does and not even considering the rut yet in September. Where I seen muley bucks in September is in the black timber close to food sources like oak brush and thick areas where they can bed down and watch for predators and that. I have also seen them on the private land north of Fontenelle Creek in 135 along with whitetails. As a rule, in September you are not likely to see any descent bucks close to does.

 

[Nick87]

For the love of God Doug!! Bad info is worse than no info!

 

[zpooch]

Lol I don't think he's looking for whitetails Doug

 

[WyoDoug]

For the love of God Doug!! Bad info is worse than no info!

Not bad info. I drive through the Kemmer to Afton area regularly and hike 135 beginning in August. I know what I see. I fish Fontenelle Creek and the reservoir 4-5 times a year prior to hunting season. I see bucks in lower elevation part 135, least in August to November timeframe. Yes still in velvet in early fall, but bucks are bucks. Once the first shot is fired, the bucks are gone onto private and up high until the rut in November. Smaller and immature bucks stay with the does. If you can get permissions like I did to hunt the private, you will see them too. I have been hunting deer since the 60s dude. I know deer, especially mulies.

 

[WyoDoug]

Lol I don't think he's looking for whitetails Doug

That was in response to someone asking me where I saw whitetails in the area. I hate hunting whitetails and I agree that is not what he wanted. Well unless I see a really big whitetail buck which is very rare.