Sabineshooter
Well-known member
Pm me
Wyoming Region R Deer
- Thread starter Brenton96
- Start date
Valley1320
Well-known member
Keep us updated on your hunt! We'd love it if you kinda did a day by day, semi live type of deal. Good luck!
Brenton96
New member
Got back from Wyoming last weekend. I will type up a quick report from our trip here:
Thursday afternoon 10/13 we arrived in SE Unit 46. We hiked up into the mountains about 4 miles and found a good camping spot. Got camp situated that night and went out for a scouting day glassing session on Friday. There was a crazy amount of deer and elk sign on the mountain, but it all seemed to be about 1 or 2 weeks old. Didn't see anything all day on Friday. Saturday (opening day) we got to our glassing spots super early and sat all day with nothing to show for it again. We decided that after 2 full days of checking out the area and not seeing any deer (or much wildlife at all for that matter) that it was time to pack it up and head to our Plan B spot. We were happy to get the backcountry type experience we were hoping for in unit 46, even though we hadn't seen any deer. Sunday morning we cleaned up camp and hiked back to the truck. We ended up seeing 7 cow elk and a muley doe closer to the truck.
We drove to our Plan B spot in Unit 47. We accessed this area from the north (Shell, WY) on Trapper Creek road. The road was an absolute nightmare, and I do not recommend it. If you don't have sufficient ground clearance or 4WD, forget it, you're going to be in trouble. We later realized that we could have accessed the area much easier from the south, as the southern portion of the road is much more tame, but not great by any means. Anyway, although we weren't quite to our desired location yet, we picked a safe spot to pull over to take a break from the rough road and put a game plan together at least for the evening and following morning. We finally saw some deer on Monday morning at this location. 7 does about 1.5 miles away, and 2 small bucks within shooting range. The bucks were an 18" wide 2X3 and a 14" wide 3X3, both with pencil racks (no mass). There was still lots of time to hunt, so we decided to pass on them. After the morning sit, we continued (slowly) down the road to our desired location.
We arrived to where we wanted to be in time for an evening glassing session. I think we saw about 35 deer between the two of us that evening, with all but one being does. The buck that I saw was a respectable 3X3 that I would have been happy to take, unfortunately before I could put a game plan together, he was shot at (an I think missed) by another hunter. Neither of us ever saw him again. We spent the entire day Tuesday at this same location, hoping to see another decent buck, but all we saw were does and a spike. We hunted here Wednesday morning with the same results, and decided to make one more move Wednesday afternoon to a final location in Unit 47.
We got to our final spot early afternoon on Wednesday and headed out to glass for the evening. Again, between the 2 of us we spotted about 20 does, but no bucks. At this point we only had one full day left to hunt, so we decided that it was time to start thinking about shooting one of the does we were seeing in order to take some meat home. Thursday morning at first light I spotted a group of 3 does about 700 yards from me and was able to get to 220 yards and take one of the mature does from the group. My buddy was able to take a mature doe that evening as well. We headed for home as soon as we got his doe in the cooler.
Unit 47 is one of the only units in Region R that allow taking a doe with the general tag, and I can see why now. The buck to doe ratio in that area is way out of whack. We estimated a buck to doe ratio no better than 1:75, which is crazy. Overall, it was an awesome experience, and I can't wait to get back out there, but can't help but feel a little disappointed with the lack of buck sightings. Maybe the weather was to blame? High 60's low 70's every day.
Thank you to everyone on here who helped point me in the right direction, I appreciate it!
Thursday afternoon 10/13 we arrived in SE Unit 46. We hiked up into the mountains about 4 miles and found a good camping spot. Got camp situated that night and went out for a scouting day glassing session on Friday. There was a crazy amount of deer and elk sign on the mountain, but it all seemed to be about 1 or 2 weeks old. Didn't see anything all day on Friday. Saturday (opening day) we got to our glassing spots super early and sat all day with nothing to show for it again. We decided that after 2 full days of checking out the area and not seeing any deer (or much wildlife at all for that matter) that it was time to pack it up and head to our Plan B spot. We were happy to get the backcountry type experience we were hoping for in unit 46, even though we hadn't seen any deer. Sunday morning we cleaned up camp and hiked back to the truck. We ended up seeing 7 cow elk and a muley doe closer to the truck.
We drove to our Plan B spot in Unit 47. We accessed this area from the north (Shell, WY) on Trapper Creek road. The road was an absolute nightmare, and I do not recommend it. If you don't have sufficient ground clearance or 4WD, forget it, you're going to be in trouble. We later realized that we could have accessed the area much easier from the south, as the southern portion of the road is much more tame, but not great by any means. Anyway, although we weren't quite to our desired location yet, we picked a safe spot to pull over to take a break from the rough road and put a game plan together at least for the evening and following morning. We finally saw some deer on Monday morning at this location. 7 does about 1.5 miles away, and 2 small bucks within shooting range. The bucks were an 18" wide 2X3 and a 14" wide 3X3, both with pencil racks (no mass). There was still lots of time to hunt, so we decided to pass on them. After the morning sit, we continued (slowly) down the road to our desired location.
We arrived to where we wanted to be in time for an evening glassing session. I think we saw about 35 deer between the two of us that evening, with all but one being does. The buck that I saw was a respectable 3X3 that I would have been happy to take, unfortunately before I could put a game plan together, he was shot at (an I think missed) by another hunter. Neither of us ever saw him again. We spent the entire day Tuesday at this same location, hoping to see another decent buck, but all we saw were does and a spike. We hunted here Wednesday morning with the same results, and decided to make one more move Wednesday afternoon to a final location in Unit 47.
We got to our final spot early afternoon on Wednesday and headed out to glass for the evening. Again, between the 2 of us we spotted about 20 does, but no bucks. At this point we only had one full day left to hunt, so we decided that it was time to start thinking about shooting one of the does we were seeing in order to take some meat home. Thursday morning at first light I spotted a group of 3 does about 700 yards from me and was able to get to 220 yards and take one of the mature does from the group. My buddy was able to take a mature doe that evening as well. We headed for home as soon as we got his doe in the cooler.
Unit 47 is one of the only units in Region R that allow taking a doe with the general tag, and I can see why now. The buck to doe ratio in that area is way out of whack. We estimated a buck to doe ratio no better than 1:75, which is crazy. Overall, it was an awesome experience, and I can't wait to get back out there, but can't help but feel a little disappointed with the lack of buck sightings. Maybe the weather was to blame? High 60's low 70's every day.
Thank you to everyone on here who helped point me in the right direction, I appreciate it!
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Valley1320
Well-known member
Thanks for the update on your hunt. Enjoyed reading it. At least you got to take some meat home!
Brenton96
New member
Bringing this one back to life. Thinking about heading back for round 2 in 2026 with my dad. Hoping to find a decent buck this time, but really just want to have the experience with my dad while he's still physically able. This will be his first hunting trip out west. To anyone that's been in the area recently, how is the deer herd looking in Region R?
Brenton96
New member
Got our tags last month. Excited to get out there in October. Anyone else on here planning to hunt Region R this year?
I hunted a few days around the opener last year in R. It was my first season in the Big Horn basin after moving around Cody the year before. Lots of deer, but did not see anything I liked. Best buck I saw was on opening day and only a 140ish 4 point. Kinda glad I did not find anything as I shifted to the other side of the basin for the migration hunting. Didn't shoot anything, but learned a ton about the deer around her.
Brenton96
New member
Thanks for the feedback. Sounds about the same as what I experienced in 2022. It's definitely a tough hunt for sure. I feel like I was just starting to figure the area out last time before I left, so hoping I can start in the right spot this time and not waste too much time searching. Either way, I'm more so looking forward to spending the week out there with my dad. A deer will just be a bonus.
Keep in mind that CWD has really taken a toll on the low country deer in that region.
Brenton96
New member
That's a good point, thanks.
I had 9 points and planned on H or G next year, but my uncle who first got me started hunting as a kid finally decided that he wanted to try for a mule deer. I spent my points to get us the tag for R instead as I have been looking at the area for future potential elk and pronghorn trips. So we'll be there for the rifle opener as well. Your description of the roads is exactly what I've been worried about. Uncle is only willing to stay at a motel, so it seems like we're going to have to wake up 4 hours before daybreak to ever make it to a glassing spot by dawn. We will bring a sxs though.
Brenton96
New member
Maybe I'll see you out there. There are definitely a lot of deer in the area, but I was disappointed in the lack of bucks. Hoping I can get lucky and find a decent one this year. The only road in the region that I had a problem with was Trapper Creek Road. I would advise staying off of that road with a truck. With a SxS it would have been no problem. If you have any other questions about my experience in the area, feel free to PM me.
backcountry_sassn
Well-known member
Loaded weapon is second amendment, so it wouldn’t be a gun crime, but hunting laws are separate. It’s not illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle under 2nd amendment, but it is highly illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle while hunting. Under second amendment I can carry a pistol, but if I’m archery hunting in some states, I can’t carry one or I’m restricted on what kind of pistol (mainly barrel size) I can’t carry carry. And while it might be legal to camp in the wilderness and not hunt it, it’s tough to prove you have no intention of hunting it when you got hunting gear with you weather a gun is loaded or not. Like mentioned before, call a the warden in that area and get a feel from them. DONT ASK THE FISH AND GAME OFFICE. They will likely have a different view from the person who’s actually patrolling.
