disappointing hunt in G

[Indian Summer]

The publicity alone is worse than long range shooting. Not many people A) can get up on top and stay there B) Actually do their homework and can make the long bombs in field conditions C) Can get the deer license more often than once every 7-8 years!

You can usually look to mother nature for the cause of herd fluctuations. We weren’t having these conversations before the few bad winters in a row.

 

[highfastflyer]

The publicity alone is worse than long range shooting. Not many people A) can get up on top and stay there B) Actually do their homework and can make the long bombs in field conditions C) Can get the deer license more often than once every 7-8 years!

You can usually look to mother nature for the cause of herd fluctuations. We weren’t having these conversations before the few bad winters in a row.

You forget the biggest problem of all. The 7,000 resident hunters who merely buy a General license, many of whom are outstanding long range shooters. Getting up the mountain and staying has never been easier with modern GPS, ultralight camping equipment and delicious, lightweight backpacking meals it’s easy to stay a week up there. This is why nowadays those high alpine basins are teeming with hunter orange and very few deer. In the past these basins were loaded with trophy bucks and far less hunting pressure.

 

[Indian Summer]

You forget the biggest problem of all. The 7,000 resident hunters who merely buy a General license, many of whom are outstanding long range shooters. Getting up the mountain and staying has never been easier with modern GPS, ultralight camping equipment and delicious, lightweight backpacking meals it’s easy to stay a week up there. This is why nowadays those high alpine basins are teeming with hunter orange and very few deer. In the past these basins were loaded with trophy bucks and far less hunting pressure.

Very true. The number of non res hunters doesn’t change. But other than the severe winters the resident hunting is the only thing they have no control over. I doubt there will ever be a cap on that.

 

[HOT ROD]

Out of the 7000 resident hunters who bought general deer tags how many of them hunted G? Mandatory reporting would really help under stand where every one is hunting and help WG&F help manage JMO

 

[highfastflyer]

Out of the 7000 resident hunters who bought general deer tags how many of them hunted G? Mandatory reporting would really help under stand where every one is hunting and help WG&F help manage JMO

Those are hunter Numbers in the Wyoming Range. There were about 45,000 resident licenses sold last year and of those about 7,000 hunted the Wyoming Range, the majority of which were hunting in G.

 

[Indian Summer]

When they have a situation like that in Montana they require a permit for the unit. It’s an unlimited permit so guaranteed but it tells them how many residents are hunting there. A good system for monitoring the pressure. Where did you get the 7000 number? That’s high!!! On top of that they can hunt as long as they want whereas non res hunters are usually only there for a week.

 

[Fatcamp]

Out of the 7000 resident hunters who bought general deer tags how many of them hunted G? Mandatory reporting would really help under stand where every one is hunting and help WG&F help manage JMO

You honestly think only 7000 Wyoming residents buy deer tags?

Reporting is a farce. Other than check stations it's a guess at best.

 

[highfastflyer]

You honestly think only 7000 Wyoming residents buy deer tags?

Reporting is a farce. Other than check stations it's a guess at best.

Last year about 45,000 resident deer hunters statewide. Wyoming sends out over 100,000 surveys every year so it certainly is not a farce and Game check stations are a very small sample in the vast Wyoming data collection process. All license holders for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, fall wild turkey, spring wild turkey, furbearer, sandhill crane and light goose conservation order are included and sent surveys n the survey process. For deer, elk and antelope Wyoming sends a sampling of surveys of approximately 100,000 hunting license holders annually to utilize for management. Hardly a farce or a guess.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

G wasn't a secret 20 years ago guys
And I have lived here that long
Lots of "experts" commenting
There were a shit ton of deer before the big winters and still are quite a few
A huge percentage of the residents still don't get up into the hot spots and never will

 

[Fatcamp]

Last year about 45,000 resident deer hunters statewide. Wyoming sends out over 100,000 surveys every year so it certainly is not a farce and Game check stations are a very small sample in the vast Wyoming data collection process. All license holders for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, fall wild turkey, spring wild turkey, furbearer, sandhill crane and light goose conservation order are included and sent surveys n the survey process. For deer, elk and antelope Wyoming sends a sampling of surveys of approximately 100,000 hunting license holders annually to utilize for management. Hardly a farce or a guess.

And you feel like people answer honestly? I've listened to more than one podcast where people openly acknowledge they outright lie on the surveys. I've heard numerous people admit to the same. I'm sure the folks whose paychecks are based upon them will assure me the statistics are valid, but I have my doubts.

 

[highfastflyer]

And you feel like people answer honestly? I've listened to more than one podcast where people openly acknowledge they outright lie on the surveys. I've heard numerous people admit to the same. I'm sure the folks whose paychecks are based upon them will assure me the statistics are valid, but I have my doubts.

I don’t quite understand how lying on a survey would help much and the few who may wouldn’t skew the overall accuracy of the by vast majority of honest, law-abiding decent truthful hunters and citizens. If you lie reporting you harvested when you did Not they ma6 shorten the season a bit if they felt the harvest was too high. If you lie and harvested but don’t report it they may view the overall success rate was lower than projected so again, they may shorten the season. Lying on surveys doesn’t really help your case and most people aren’t Liars.

 

[Indian Summer]

G wasn't a secret 20 years ago guys
And I have lived here that long
Lots of "experts" commenting
There were a shit ton of deer before the big winters and still are quite a few
A huge percentage of the residents still don't get up into the hot spots and never will

I agree with that. Since residents can hunt there anytime they want I don’t think they are as serious as hunters who know they will be lucky to hunt it again for at least another 7 years. I know that they don’t give 110% for elk in that area either and lots are looking for elk close to the road. Deer hunting the right way is a tougher hunt than elk.

 

[highfastflyer]

When they have a situation like that in Montana they require a permit for the unit. It’s an unlimited permit so guaranteed but it tells them how many residents are hunting there. A good system for monitoring the pressure. Where did you get the 7000 number? That’s high!!! On top of that they can hunt as long as they want whereas non res hunters are usually only there for a week.

Look at the Game and Fish website it lists the Wyoming Range 5 year hunter average at 5772. Add in the areas on the Eastern side (Sublette) region H numbers and you are well over 7,000 hunters for the greater Wyoming Range ecosystem.

 

[Indian Summer]

What % of those guys do you think are up on top before sunup and stay there until dark?

I watched Steve Rinella hunting with Crooked Sky yesterday. I tried buying that outfit before Stewart took it over from his uncle. I know the area well. I haven’t hunted down that way in awhile but I was surprised that three guys couldn’t kill one solid buck there. They had good weather too. I’m a little hesitant to burn my deer points there this year.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

That area is tough now
I hunted it a couple years ago and had a tough time seeing much
We did see a big buck way too far away one morning and passed a young big buck that was a future 180+ but not real exciting
Lots of predators

 

[npm352]

I have more than enough WY deer points for G, but I won't burn them on a G tag on general principle because 7,000 residents snag theirs at Walmart the week before the season.

I have no beef with WY. They are following hunter satisfaction surveys doing what the residents want, just like Idaho ... but I don't understand how NR expect to just climb into a basin and be the only one there when that many residents have tags.

 

[highfastflyer]

I have more than enough WY deer points for G, but I won't burn them on a G tag on general principle because 7,000 residents snag theirs at Walmart the week before the season.

I have no beef with WY. They are following hunter satisfaction surveys doing what the residents want, just like Idaho ... but I don't understand how NR expect to just climb into a basin and be the only one there when that many residents have tags.

Use those points in a limited quota area. You’ll see far less hunters and a lot more deer. Wyoming is not a good state for deer at current and G has never really came back since the 92/93 immense winter kill.

 

[4ester]

One of those lazy local hunters here that sleeps in, road hunts and buys their tags at Walmart (1.5hrs to one) ....... see if these non-residents who dont live and breathe this country daily will pick up on the sarcasm.

We are definitely seeing the ugly head of the bad winters we saw a few years back. Mature buck numbers are down. G&F has been doing their counts so look forward to hearing that number, but I haven’t seen very many mature bucks around. We lost most of a whole generation a few years back....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Yes
Rifles are more effective.
Long range even more effective.
What I'm saying is its all the same hunter doing the killing. No matter the weapon he is gonna end up with a dead deer.

I believe the amount of hunters whose only trick is long range. And who's archery and muzzleloader tags go un filled.
But yet they stumble on a big buck and pop him long is small, to small to make a difference.

And if all the other limitations the deer fave where whelmed ( which i know is a fantasy)
There would be more then enough big bucks to circumvent the 1000 yard out if the box guys that harvest one big buck in there life.

But like you said its really semantics and un measurable.

I agree with you on some points. But I disagree that the same hunters would be doing the killing. I have a handful of friends that shoot deer past 400 yards that couldn’t get in trad bow range if their entire families lives depended on it.

 

[npm352]

Use those points in a limited quota area. You’ll see far less hunters and a lot more deer. Wyoming is not a good state for deer at current and G has never really came back since the 92/93 immense winter kill.

That is the plan. I think I have 12 or 13 and will do one of the rut hunts at some point. Not as much trophy potential as G, but fun hunts with less pressure.