Wyoming Hunting with Travis Hobbs and Jaden Bales

[realunlucky]

Travis Hobbs @ntrlbrnhunter hosts today’s Rokcast. It’s all about WYOMING hunting!! The Deer/Pronghorn application is due May 31st. Travis Hobbs and Jaden Bales of Wyoming Wildlife Federation discuss Wyoming winter kill, and the good and the bad that comes along with a big winter. We give an overview of the upcoming Wyoming Pronghorn and Mule Deer applications, as well as discuss 90:10 splits, point creep, and Wyoming resident participation. Wyoming Wildlife Federation wyomingwildlife.org
at http://wyomingwildlife.org/


If you want to be in Wyoming hunting, this is your podcast.

Wyoming Hunting! with Travis Hobbs & Jaden Bales

Travis Hobbs hosts today’s Rokcast. It’s all about WYOMING hunting!! The Deer/Pronghorn application is due 5/31. Find out about winter & tags in Wy.

www.rokslide.com

 

[wyobigbuckhunter]

This podcast aligns very well with my thought process and everything that I am seeing on the ground . I've had a lot of discussions with locals on these same topics and it is interesting that people seem to give up way to easily especially after a hard winter. Jaden, I have kept a scouting journal since 2012 and have realized that the BIGGEST bucks I turn up have been after a hard winter. Less of them, but well worth the effort to find them because usually the feed is off the charts. I'll be interested to see what your journal says in a few years. Some people will choose not to be out on the landscape this year, but a hard winter isn't going to stop me from going all in. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

 

[MarkOrtiz]

In looking to hunt more, I have been looking at different states to hunt in. Point creep is an issue I have come across a lot. I enjoyed the full episode.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

This podcast aligns very well with my thought process and everything that I am seeing on the ground . I've had a lot of discussions with locals on these same topics and it is interesting that people seem to give up way to easily especially after a hard winter. Jaden, I have kept a scouting journal since 2012 and have realized that the BIGGEST bucks I turn up have been after a hard winter. Less of them, but well worth the effort to find them because usually the feed is off the charts. I'll be interested to see what your journal says in a few years. Some people will choose not to be out on the landscape this year, but a hard winter isn't going to stop me from going all in. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

and the moisture keeps pouring in! It’s shaping up to put a lot of quality feed on the landscape and hopefully really help out the winter ranges!

 

[robby denning]

good podcast you hairy hunter @Travis Hobbs

and @Jaden Bales

 

[Jaden Bales]

This podcast aligns very well with my thought process and everything that I am seeing on the ground . I've had a lot of discussions with locals on these same topics and it is interesting that people seem to give up way to easily especially after a hard winter. Jaden, I have kept a scouting journal since 2012 and have realized that the BIGGEST bucks I turn up have been after a hard winter. Less of them, but well worth the effort to find them because usually the feed is off the charts. I'll be interested to see what your journal says in a few years. Some people will choose not to be out on the landscape this year, but a hard winter isn't going to stop me from going all in. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

This is awesome man! I can’t wait to report back and compare notes! Best of luck this fall!

 

[Jaden Bales]

good podcast you hairy hunter @Travis Hobbs

and @Jaden Bales

Thank ya Robby!

 

[Jaden Bales]

I have to add a note - I was totally looking at the wrong columns for the Pronghorn tag data. The end result didn’t change, but in case anyone wants to check out the actual stats on tags sold these past few years, here’s the link!

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Harvest Reports

wgfd.wyo.gov

On each of the spreadsheets there’s a section to see the tags sold and where based on County of the state, too! I find it so hard to read but interesting when you dive in.

 

[Trvl2hunt]

Good info

 

[wyobigbuckhunter]

Thanks for touching on the trend in Wyoming that residents want the Salt River and Wyoming ranges to become a draw. I just hope people research, vet this fully and understand what they are risking before drinking the "cool-aide" that outfitters and others are selling.

From what I have researched, it is my opinion that a draw hunt for deer in Wyoming would make a difference for big bucks in the short term, but would ONLY limit opportunity and has the potential to be catastrophic for the population long term. For example, old man winter is going to regulate the population more than anything and if there is an over population of bucks it will only make things worse. There is data that supports harvesting bucks can be a good thing because the habitat can only support so many units!

I think this notation of "too many hunters" on the range is based on selfishness and not wanting to put in the time and sometimes years that are required to harvest a big deer. Yes, I've had target bucks killed out from under me by other hunters, but that is just hunting. You just learn from it and be more creative the next time. Frankly, I believe the only ones that would truly benefit from a draw (including the deer themselves) would be the outfitters because there would be less resident competition and that is why they are pushing it!

I also think that part of this discussion is so many people want the easy way out without the work required to obtain such a lofty goal. They want to post the harvest on Instagram for instant gratification rather than put in the time to go through the required process. Limiting opportunity WILL NOT solve this. It will only make it harder because now you can't draw a tag.

I like many others think change is about to happen. I am open to this and realize that as we gain knowledge and perspective the right change can be positive. I just hope that the change is based on science/data and not just a "knee jerk" reaction based on state agencies' budget analysis and anecdotal evidence given by emotional hunters. Trust me, there are still big deer out there despite what everyone thinks even with all the "hunting pressure" and winter kill.