Wyoming region J

[Usmcff]

Hello all, I recently drew a general deer tag for Wyoming region J and was wondering if anyone had pointers on the area. This area encompasses areas 59,61,64,65. This will be my first trip out west and I have been reading a lot of the forums on here, hunt talk, fb, and many others just to get ideas of what to expect and how to hunt. I have been hunting white tails for many years and know how to butcher my own game so as of now the plans are to try and find a larger expanse of public land and hike far enough in to get away from most day hunters. I have invested in decent optics and a good gun capable of distance shots. I bought a decent frame pack, decent boots based off some recommendations here, and will be getting a good tent and sleeping back in the coming weeks. I am a veteran so I have access to expertvoice, and guidefitter and routinely check camofire. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[txhunter806]

First time out west for me as well. Also drew J.

 

[Usmcff]

First time out west for me as well. Also drew J.

Might run into each other, I’ll be heading there from Tennessee so a 22 hour drive for me.

 

[txhunter806]

Might run into each other, I’ll be heading there from Tennessee so a 22 hour drive for me.

We just might. You have a little further hike than I do. From where i'm at in Texas it says it's about 11 hours for me.

 

[Usmcff]

That’s not bad and yes, I’m going to try and make the trip in one day since I’ll have someone with me so alternate who drives. So far from what I’ve heard, good boots, OnX pro, lots variable gear so some cold weather and some hot weather because the weather there is erratic as ours down south, and persistence will be the key. Apparently this region is a lot of private land with some public so with us hunting public it may be a little challenging. Additionally, bad winters have killed a lot of the deer for the last 3 years or so.

 

[wytx]

Deer numbers are ok in J , depends on which part of the region you're hunting.
Be ready for any weather and have good tires on your truck, it's rocky country.
Lots of bighorn sheep in there too.
And watch for wolves, shoot on sight.

 

[Parkercox77]

How did the hunt go for y’all?

 

[Usmcff]

How did the hunt go for y’all?

Tons of elk hunters and locals. I believe the nearby fires pushed a lot of locals to j to hunt instead. Every hill and drainage had a orange beanie or vest on it. Saw a total of 4 bucks thay were bigger than a spike during the 8 days I hunted with only 1 being on public land. That one was feeding on a tiny 160 acre piece of public. Shot him and he ran onto private. Backed out after following the blood trial to the edge and waiting for morning, spent 4 hours trying to call fish and game and the property owner. All the property owners numbers were disconnected, and fish and game gave me the run around saying it wasn’t his area. Went back out to search and see if I could located the deer through Binos from public or see if he doubled back onto it like a whitetail would and had the “property manager” walk up and be a dick head to me and his first words are I’m going to charge you for trespassing so I pull my phone out and my map out and show him we are indeed standing 10 yards into public then he tries to say I shot it on private so I go show him where the blood trail started in the middle of public and goes to private. Well he calls the warden and the guy comes out within 10 minutes when it’s now 1230 and I’ve been calling them since 715 am. Game warden looks for about 15 minutes then leaves so I just did the same. So it was a shit show to say the least.

 

[jimney]

I'm heading to J in a month and that sounds like a shit show indeed. Hopefully we have a little fun at least.

 

[Usmcff]

I'm heading to J in a month and that sounds like a shit show indeed. Hopefully we have a little fun at least.

If you haven’t already set tentative dates, I’d advise to show up on the Monday following season opening. I was there opening day and like I said everyone was on the mountain but by the monday/ Tuesday of the next week no one was hunting and if you need lodging the motel 6 on wheatland was very hunter friendly. I felt bad cause as much as I tried I always tracked grime in from the field and they were great about it and refuse to let me to do the vacuuming for them lol also if you have any questions, pm me and I’ll help as much as I can.

 

[long hunter]

Interesting about the deer on private property, if the deer is shot on allowed ground and goes too private ground is it allowed too trail the deer without a weapon in hopes of recovery, the state I hunt whitetails in requires this, yes it is helpful if you contact the owner and get there permission, I have a standing agreement with the farms on both sides of my hunting area too this effect, seems too me the game warden should of checked the blood trail and allowed the recovery of the deer, also the manager should desire the recovery, sorry for your loss.

 

[Usmcff]

Interesting about the deer on private property, if the deer is shot on allowed ground and goes too private ground is it allowed too trail the deer without a weapon in hopes of recovery, the state I hunt whitetails in requires this, yes it is helpful if you contact the owner and get there permission, I have a standing agreement with the farms on both sides of my hunting area too this effect, seems too me the game warden should of checked the blood trail and allowed the recovery of the deer, also the manager should desire the recovery, sorry for your loss.

Nope, In Wyoming they are not required to allow you to track it even without a weapon according to that warden because in Tennessee it’s similar. You can’t go track but if you call the warden he can basically give the owner an ultimatum, let him search or get charged for abandoning a game animal. I wouldn’t of been mad about the situation, had I either been able to get in touch with someone from the ranch it ran onto or someone from game and fish who hadn’t tried to pass blame and effort off to someone else. Just sucks I lost what would of been an amazing first mule deer.

 

[long hunter]

Thats just crazy. I will be heading too wyoming in Oct. private ranch hunt for mule deer, Was out in 2019 for antelope same ranch never had such a situation and never hope too, sounds too me the warden and the private manager were just being shall we say a## h###s, I have spoken numerous times too the warden in the area I hunt decent fellow, although never facing a situation such as yours, I TEND TOO THINK WITH THE WARDEN AND THE OWNER A AGREEMENT COULD BE ARRANGED. What a waste too just feed the coyotes.

 

[long hunter]

Forgot, SEMPER FI

 

[wytx]

Interested to know the GW name and landowner if you would pm me that.
J has had poaching problems for years in spots and that may have lead to your experience.
Sorry to hear your outcome.

I would really wait til last week in Oct to hunt J. Oct 15 is opening day for elk in 7 and that makes the area heavily pressured on that side of the highway.

 

[jimney]

If you haven’t already set tentative dates, I’d advise to show up on the Monday following season opening. I was there opening day and like I said everyone was on the mountain but by the monday/ Tuesday of the next week no one was hunting and if you need lodging the motel 6 on wheatland was very hunter friendly. I felt bad cause as much as I tried I always tracked grime in from the field and they were great about it and refuse to let me to do the vacuuming for them lol also if you have any questions, pm me and I’ll help as much as I can.

I appreciate it. We are heading out on Oct. 20th, for a week. We reserved in Wheatland, but a different spot. I'll send you a pm today, thanks!

 

[Jbone62]

What optics are you guys using in unit J? Is it as windy as ive heard? I was invited to do some hunting on a buddies ranch up there.

 

[OXN939]

What optics are you guys using in unit J? Is it as windy as ive heard? I was invited to do some hunting on a buddies ranch up there.

This thread is a few years old, FYSA, so you may or may not get many responses.

I hunted a J tag this same year and it was actually kinda hilarious. I saw almost 50 does on public and one tiny legal spike that was snow blind and couldn't see me... and then, on the way out, saw some dude with a ~160 inch hammer. I was like "Hey man. Where'd you find him?" My guy was like "Oh, they're all on private. I've never seen a shooter on public in the 20 years I've lived here."

So with access to a ranch, you may be set. Terrain I'd say was pretty standard for deer, I took 8x binos and a compact spotter and was fine.

 

[Jbone62]

hah well sadly I think most places are like that. For a secondary optic would you do a 15x binocular or your spotter?

 

[wytx]

Decent binos and a spotter are good for J, it is open country.
The spotter can save you some boot miles.
Hunt it later in season and bucks will be pre rut.

pm sent