Colorado vs Wyoming for first hunt

[BH2010]

Just got back from my first antelope hunt and had a blast. I gleaned a ton of knowledge from this forum and others, and we filled my dad's tag pretty easily with a nice buck. I want to step up into mule deer next year, but I'm having a hard time deciding between Colorado and Wyoming. In Wyoming most of the general tags are within reach with one preference point. I know these are OTC for residents and all of the issues that go along with them. For Colorado there are a lot of 2nd rifle units that I could draw easily. I've also repeatedly read that 2nd rifle tags are a crapshoot and can be tough. If you guys were going to pick a state for your first hunt in 2023, which would it be and why?

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[Pacific_Fork]

If you live close to either state and have time to scout I would choose that state. Otherwise I would pick Colorado because you cannot hunt wilderness in Wyoming without a guide.

 

[BH2010]

If you live close to either state and have time to scout I would choose that state. Otherwise I would pick Colorado because you cannot hunt wilderness in Wyoming without a guide.

I'm in Missouri, so the difference is negligible. And for Wyoming, a lot of the general tags don't even have any wilderness areas at all. Is that really so important?

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[WCB]

I'm in Missouri, so the difference is negligible. And for Wyoming, a lot of the general tags don't even have any wilderness areas at all. Is that really so important?

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Wilderness should have zero bearing on going to WY for a first Mule Deer hunt. Most of the general areas that you can get for 1 pt or less in WY are like that for a reason. The couple general units in North East WY heavily favor the whitetail hunter so for a dedicated Mule Deer hunt it would be a tough sell for me not that you can't get on some.

I would look at areas you think would be good and historical tag data and call the local biologist or Game Warden in the off season and ask about specific areas and herd information.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

I'm in Missouri, so the difference is negligible. And for Wyoming, a lot of the general tags don't even have any wilderness areas at all. Is that really so important?

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It’s important to me to get away from roads. But some national forest areas you can do this in Wyoming. I just don’t like the non wilderness hunting rule there. Just pick an area with the terrain you want to hunt and go for it.

 

[BH2010]

I guess I'm more curious about the difference between trying to hunt a 2nd season tag in Colorado vs a general season tag in Wyoming. Is the migratory timing of the 2nd rifle seasons in Colorado a worse deal than trying to fight crowds in the general season in Wyoming?

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[2rocky]

I'm in Missouri, so the difference is negligible. And for Wyoming, a lot of the general tags don't even have any wilderness areas at all. Is that really so important?

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check the % public land...That will reduce your options.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Assuming you are talking NE Wyoming, here is my perspective. I have hunted both, quite often. One or the other, or both every year for the last ten years.

If you want the feel of a rocky mountain mule deer hunt, go to Colorado. If you don't mind fighting a lot of public/privatate and you just want to kill any buck, try Wyoming. Better season dates and if you can't find a muley you might luck into a decent western whitetail.

BUT, if you want the feeling that any day you are hunting you might walk into a true public land giant, I'd go to Colorado. There are really solid bucks in nearly every unit in the state on public. Not saying you're going to find one, I still haven't, but I never question the odds of me glassing up a 170" buck in a killable spot in Colorado are higher than they are in Wyoming.

Note: I am specifically talking about 0-2 point units in both states.

 

[svivian]

Go to Wyoming

 

[Werty]

Whichever state will give u a tag, with point creep and changing tag allowances. Get as many tags as quick as possible.

 

[TreeWalking]

I prefer Wyoming from an overall experience. You will want to have OnXMaps on your phone so avoid public wilderness and private and public/private corners. Not all roads are public and some roads marked private or gated are likely public. You can't park along active major roads, as I recall but forget what defines a road as being major.

Colorado can get crowded if there is something to shoot and access is not requiring much gear nor much effort. I find that Colorado has better scenery from Denver all the way to the Utah state line than what I have encountered in the eastern third of Wyoming. The eastern 1/4 of Colorado and the eastern 1/3 of Wyoming remind me of Kansas more than "out West in the mountains."

Altitude sickness is serious and are more likely to be at higher altitudes in Colorado. Know the signs and be prepared to get to a lower altitude for a night or two.

Wyoming roads can get slick as snot if rains or the ground thaws. Colorado might dump a foot of snow on you in late September if are near the Divide.

Wyoming has plenty of grizzly and wolves which is something to consider.

If your pocketbook is large then you can buy deer tags in Colorado every year while in Wyoming your future ability to get a tag annually are at the mercy of the F&G rules that seem to squeeze the non-resident in new ways every couple of years.

 

[Mojave]

I would not count on drawing a general tag in Wyoming. The odds are about 15-70% with no points depending on the region. Most regions are 10-30% A, B, J, T, X & Y are 60-100%, but they don't have much public land.

Limited quotas in Wyoming are 0-6% for nonresidents with no points.

 

[MallardSX2]

Wyoming for sure.

Lots of Elk there.

 

[BH2010]

I would not count on drawing a general tag in Wyoming. The odds are about 15-70% with no points depending on the region. Most regions are 10-30% A, B, J, T, X & Y are 60-100%, but they don't have much public land.

Limited quotas in Wyoming are 0-6% for nonresidents with no points.

True, but if my wife and I both buy a point now and apply independently next year for the same unit one of us will probably draw a tag for some decent options. Like Q,X,Y, etc. Those all have plenty of public land.

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[KHNC]

Wyoming for sure.

Lots of Elk there.

LOL, yes, would be great for elk. I think he was looking for a deer honey hole tho.

 

[MallardSX2]

Lots of deer too. lol

 

[Rich M]

2017 did WY for antelope - saw a bunch of muley does, 30+ in one group that someone spooked past me one day. Seen lotsa guys hunting antelope. Saw a 2x2 and a mature buck while scouting and chasing speed goats. Locals were grumpy. I panicked over 90/10 and we have a 2023 antelope hunt in WY. Also left a sour taste - not gonna be in a hurry to go back after all is said and done.

2019 did CO for muleys - saw a handful of 2x2s, a real pretty 3x3, and a 160-inch 4x4. Shot the 4x4. Buddy missed the 3x3 the next day. Saw few other hunters and locals but those we saw were the nicest folks you could ever meet. Will gladly go back and hunt CO. Was a nice experience.

 

[Mojave]

True, but if my wife and I both buy a point now and apply independently next year for the same unit one of us will probably draw a tag for some decent options. Like Q,X,Y, etc. Those all have plenty of public land.

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Ok, go hard then.

 

[StuckInTheEast]

Speaking from recent experience...as in on the road back from the hunt as I type this...do not waste your time in northeast/east central wyoming for deer...there are none on public land, especially after opening day. We went hard at it 3.5days. Walked way back, went where no one else was, Walked and glassed a bunch of public and drove damn near the whole region between Lusk and Newcastle...we saw 2 tiny fork bucks this morning on our way into first glassing point...and they were crossing right infront of us to get onto private. Those were the only two bucks we saw other than the resident herd in Newcastle on the road side at night/morning.
We didn't even see much for doe/fawns.
Literally every hunter we talked to said the same.
The only successful hunters we found deer wise were on large private ranches, and even they said it was slim pickings.
EVERYONE local we talked to said EHD and last couple winters damn near wipe out the deer in the whole region.
That and obvious poor conservation efforts made apparent by the fact they are even issuing tags in this region with numbers that everyone knows are dangerously low.
There was virtually no DNR presence in the region, which tells you alot as well.
I can go on and on. Long of it short is steer clear of Wyoming deer region B unless you can get in on some private honey hole.
We were offered cheap trespass on a large chunk after some calling around and opted to just cut it short a day because the rancher even told us EHD wiped out damn near every deer in the area and he's not seen but a few doe in months.
I think that region is a solid no go for at least a few years if conditions/management improve substantially.

 

[BH2010]

2017 did WY for antelope - saw a bunch of muley does, 30+ in one group that someone spooked past me one day. Seen lotsa guys hunting antelope. Saw a 2x2 and a mature buck while scouting and chasing speed goats. Locals were grumpy. I panicked over 90/10 and we have a 2023 antelope hunt in WY. Also left a sour taste - not gonna be in a hurry to go back after all is said and done.

2019 did CO for muleys - saw a handful of 2x2s, a real pretty 3x3, and a 160-inch 4x4. Shot the 4x4. Buddy missed the 3x3 the next day. Saw few other hunters and locals but those we saw were the nicest folks you could ever meet. Will gladly go back and hunt CO. Was a nice experience.

What time of year was your Colorado hunt?

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