Wyoming Whitetails

[IdahoElk]

Has anyone hunted the eastern part of the state for Whitetails? how did you do?

 

[Rich M]

I hunted antelope in the eastern part of the state in 2017.

Saw a killer nt whitetail on public. They are there, you just gotta find em.

Every crop field was loaded w deer.

 

[slatebuilder]

Depending on where you are headed populations are down, they cut tags and shortened the seasons. Blue tongue and drought were hard on them the last several years.

 

[TurkeyReaper69]

I've been hunting just about every weekend since archery opener. I live in Colorado, so paid the NR deer price. If I were to do it over again probably would be hunting Nebraska right now. Extremely low population where I'm at, and I've yet to find a mature buck. Few does n young bucks. Nothing to get too excited about.

 

[Holski]

I am hunting in Western Nebraska, really close to Wyoming. I am new to Whitetails as I grew up hunting Muley's and Elk in the mountains. Where I am, I have seen a good amount of does and small bucks. My buddies family owns the ranch I am hunting and his dad says they usually don't see the bigger deer show up until a cold front pushes them around and all the corn is harvested. Hope that's true but would imagine its similar in Eastern Wyoming as it is Western Nebraska.

 

[TurkeyReaper69]

I am hunting in Western Nebraska, really close to Wyoming. I am new to Whitetails as I grew up hunting Muley's and Elk in the mountains. Where I am, I have seen a good amount of does and small bucks. My buddies family owns the ranch I am hunting and his dad says they usually don't see the bigger deer show up until a cold front pushes them around and all the corn is harvested. Hope that's true but would imagine its similar in Eastern Wyoming as it is Western Nebraska.

Where in W Nebraska? Where I'm hunting has been ravaged by EHD a few times over the last couple years. I'm hunting about 40 miles west of the Nebraska/South Dakota/ Wyoming border.

 

[WCB]

We have hunted the very NE WY regions/u its a bunch of times and done really good. However, was out there 1.5 weeks ago hunting elk. In 3 days on Natl Forest we saw MAYBE 20 deer only 1 buck in areas we normally see 50 or so everyday

Also on a family friends ranch where you could literally see hundreds of deer a night on alfalfa fields or just along the roads...we saw a couple dozen over 6 days including driving 40+ minutes every morning and evening. The deer are decimated in that area. Not sure about further south but Devils Tower area into the Bear Lodge Natl Forest...you almost couldn't pay me to hunt there for the next 4 or 5 years.

 

[Scottf270]

I hunted the extreme NE corner of Wyoming back in 2014 and 2015. I was hunting private on a friend's ranch. He is surrounded by several really big ranches.

I never saw so many deer in my life. There would be 100 or more deer bedded in hay fields off the road all day long.

The thing I noticed is the deer there were small bodied and most were 16" basket racked. I know there are bigger deer taken in the area, but compared to Midwestern or Dakota whitetails, the deer there disappointed us.

Haven't been back since then. I do turkey hunt out there and the recent die offs have caused my rancher friend to shut his ranch down till populations rebound.

 

[Holski]

Where in W Nebraska? Where I'm hunting has been ravaged by EHD a few times over the last couple years. I'm hunting about 40 miles west of the Nebraska/South Dakota/ Wyoming border.

I'm up just outside Morrill

 

[Der Schwabe]

I hunted area 11 last year in late October and took a small 8-pointer on the second day. I'm going back again this year. The rancher and guides all claim to have seen a big 10-pointer last year, but no one got him. I'll be looking for him this year. They call it a 5x5 out west.
I did hear about the effects of blue-tongue in this area. They aren't advertising for whitetails for next year, but most guys go for Muleys there anyway, and there are plenty of those. I guess I just prefer the whitetails.

 

[Der Schwabe]

Has anyone hunted the eastern part of the state for Whitetails? how did you do?

I'm headed out next week to Area 11 again. Have you been out that way? What is your plan this year?

 

[Der Schwabe]

I got another buck this year from eastern Wyoming. The tag I drew was for areas 11, 12, 13, and 14. He's much better than last year's. This region has pretty good bucks. They're all in the creek bottoms.

 

[Macintosh]

Thats a pretty nice stick of firewood on that rifle. You going to put some checkering on it?

I havent hunted eastern wy, but central wy the only place we’ve ever seen whitetails was right around year-round water. Not much public like that in the areas we’ve hunted. Always saw 10:1 muleys to wt on public there. Driving by irrigated ag fields they were full of wt Id be happy to shoot. Last time there was ‘22 so population likely different this year.

 

[h10312]

Awesome deer! I am looking at the central WY creek bottoms as well.

 

[CobraChicken]

Has anyone hunted the eastern part of the state for Whitetails? how did you do?

Wyoming is often overlooked for quality whitetail hunting. Sundance has tons and great public land. Buffalo areas are loaded. They are also scattered on various farms and ag fields throughout the state.

Not gonna be a Nebraska or Iowa buck but it's still fun

 

[Der Schwabe]

Thats a pretty nice stick of firewood on that rifle. You going to put some checkering on it?

I havent hunted eastern wy, but central wy the only place we’ve ever seen whitetails was right around year-round water. Not much public like that in the areas we’ve hunted. Always saw 10:1 muleys to wt on public there. Driving by irrigated ag fields they were full of wt Id be happy to shoot. Last time there was ‘22 so population likely different this year.

Thank you. I like it a lot. I thought about checkering, but the wood is so nice that I don't want to interrupt the mineral streaking. Also, I get a good grip on the stock with the gloves I usually wear.

 

[171farm]

I just joined up with a crew that hunts north eastern WY every year and last year was my first year with them. Deer numbers were way down last year from prior years (per them). 3 of the 5 (including myself) took bucks. Nothing really to write home about. But I heard stories like what people above me have said...50-100 deer in a field at a time. Pick that buck you want...that just wasnt the case last year. Sounds like at least 2 years of EHD and then last years long hard winter has to have the numbers down even more. Again 4 of 5 this year tagged out, all respectable (no monsters). From what Im hearing numbers were about what they were the year prior.

 

[Der Schwabe]

Yes, those factors that you mentioned reduced the population somewhat. It also seems location specific to me. One area had fewer and smaller bucks, but another spot 75 miles away the herd was in great shape and 4 out of 4 hunters took mature deer, and saw several others.
I like to take a contrarian approach. If an area has good habitat, but the numbers are low for a couple years, then the transient hunters will be gone for the next couple seasons. I go hunt there anyway, so that when the deer hit 4 or 5 years old, I'm the only one hunting them. This year's deer was 4 1/2 and there was at least one more the same age/size, but I was the only hunter on that property this year.

 

[cnelk]

The Wyoming JCRs have some good info about deer herds and trends

 

[Der Schwabe]

Thanks for that information. The 2022 report explains the previous EHD event.