Mule Deer Hunt Advice

S

Sportdog

Moderator
Well my black bear hunt is a memory now and next on my "bucket list" is going west and getting a decent mulie. I hunted Wyoming 20+ years ago and took a forkhorn. I have been looking on-line for outfitters but would like to hear from someone with personal experience or real knowledge about who, where, and when to contact about a hunt. I'm not looking for record book animal, just an average mature three or four point buck. Anyone care to give me some advice or tips. Thanks!:)
 
Take a look at outfitters that operate in the Absarokas and Gros Ventre (pronounced grow vont) Mountains. The former is the most remote area in the USA next to places in Alaska; I've seen some mighty fine specimens in the latter. Good luck.
 
ps

the Greys river wouln't be bad either, it has the Wyoming range on one side and the Salt River range on the other. This post is making me really miss Wyoming.
 
Wyoming is great, but don't forget about Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Some of the Utah and Colorado outfitters don't charge much more than the 'average' fees, but guarantee you'll get what you want, or you get your money back.
 
I have been looking on-line for outfitters but would like to hear from someone with personal experience or real knowledge about who, where, and when to contact about a hunt. I'm not looking for record book animal, just an average mature three or four point buck. Anyone care to give me some advice or tips.
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I don't know why you would need to hire a guide or outfitter for mulies in Wyoming. Go to the Wyoming Fish & Game web site, down load the application for a non resident deer. Put in for Region Y. (Bighorn Mountains). Get a map of the Big Horn National Forest from the USFS.

Go to Burgess Jct. There US 14 splits, Take 14A west of Burgess Junction. Drive about 20 miles. (Being carful not to drive out of your hunting area). Look to your right, (north as you are driving west. You'll see some bald mountains. You will notice on most of these mountains you will see a tree line of spruse, alders and birch. Take a light pack with sleeping gear and hike above those tree lines. As we all know, mulies usually hold up in the trees and come down in the evening to eat. Now here is the exception. Yes most deer come down BUT, those are does and small bucks. The really huge bucks go up, out of the tree line. If you are set up above the tree line about 2-300 yards, you're gonna find some Monsters. Its gonna be late when you get one down and dressed so you may want to spend the night and get the critter out in the day time.

In the area I'm talking about, You will find a dirt road Dayton Rd, You can follow it around until you find the mountian/treeline to suit you and go from there. It starts near burgess junction and swings around coming back to US14A.

Attached is a picture showing the type of tree lines I'm talking about. The white trees, birch alders etc to the right center of the picture is what I'm talking about. You will see such stands of tember on bald mountains, w/out the evergreens you see here. Sorry I dont have a better picture but you'll get an ideal what I'm talking about.

Bighorns.jpg
 
Two outfitters I can recommend:
Table Rock Outfitters- ID, WY, MT
Wagon Wheel Outfitters- UT, CO, WY

Two hunt-on-your-own lodges, but will recommend local guides:
Rye Creek Lodge- MT
Dampier Lodge- WY

There are bunches of outfitters, and some are very reasonably priced. Open up any hunting mag and there are more choices than you can possibly wade through. Take the time to call and talk about the hunt with the outfitter, they will tell you how they hunt and where they hunt, hunt options (self-guided, fully guided, spike camps, etc). Many have landowners' preference tags that you don't have to draw for, so all you have to do is show up with a rifle and a license, others guide in areas you have to draw for in order to hunt. Some offer "guaranteed" hunts (not talking about high-fence operations, just guarantee you a shot at any-bull or any-elk), others are offering to guide you, no guarantees. Some put you up in a lodge with fireplace, satellite TV and hot tubs, some in the Motel-6, many put their guests in bunkhouses, and others in wall tents in the back country.

Another option is a hunting lodge that offers guide services, so I put a couple I am familiar with up there too..
 
+1 kraigwy

Yeah, there really isn't any reason to hire a guide in Wyoming unless you plan to hunt in designated wilderness areas (in wich case a non-resident has to by law). Just do a little research and go for it, esp. if you're on a budget.
 
Kreig,

Is that picture up near the Medicine Wheel? Last time I hunted there we got 30" of snow the day before the season started, back around '01 or so. Killed a respectable 3 point on opening morning. This was before the 4-pnt restrictions. I like Montana personally. Have filled every single deer (buck and doe) tag that I have ever bought. The 700 units have very liberal doe tags. Makes for a serious meat hunt, if you're interested. Headed there in 4 weeks.
 
yeap its pretty close, I think that picture is less then 5 miles from medicine wheel.

And thats true, if it starts snowing, run. more then one group of hunters had to go back in the spring to get their outfits. But there are some monster bucks there.

Want smaller bucks and does, cant beat the Black Hills, (or my back yard, suckers raise hell with my hay).
 
kraigwy,

That is wonderful advice! There is so much more satisfaction in hunting. Going through an outfitter isn't hunting! Its just being serviced!:barf:

Had 6 mulies come out to me while Elk hunting earlier this month in Colorado. The little gentleman following the 5 ladies was a 3 pointer. He stomped and snorted at me for a couple of minuets. What a pleasant morning that was!. Being from the swamps of MN I just love to see those things bounce away!
 
kraigwy

Thanks for the heads up. My last (and only) hunting trip years ago was south of there around Tensleep. There were three of us and we knew nothing about hunting mule deer. Nice to know that that type of hunt is still there. From everything you read there is next to no chance of taking a decent buck on public land. Since I have more time than money, a DIY hunt is more down my alley. So I guess I'll pull my Bighorn Mtn maps out of the mothballs and start doing some planning. Your help is much appreciated. Thanks again.:)
 
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