Wyoming Mule Deer

[Ruttin]

By the time you but the $40 points and build enough to apply you could just as well go for a super tag or hire a guide. Almost $500 deep into points in just Wyoming now…..

I burnt my goat points in 23, still have 8 elk points, and just spent my deer points. I will start over with each even though the price per point is steep! Wyoming does have some good opportunities for anyone looking to hunt cow elk.

 

[Wall-eyes]

I do all I can on my little spit of land and I have loads of animals and I don't hunt them either. Put it is nice my neighbor next to me has lots and no one hunts on it which is nice I don't have problem with some saying no even family don't hunt.

 

[Trip McNeely]

We put 30 acres of new CRP into our section. Is armpit tall incredible cover. Our pheasant numbers are 3x better than they were before. Deer numbers are way up. Improving 5% of the land base in conjunction with the existing habitat made a huge difference. We kill predators but with little impact. Yes it’s a process and takes time and isn’t realistic everywhere. But habitat still wins for me.

Again since you don’t seem to understand what I’m saying…. No one is arguing better habitat is what is needed long term. But until we see people lining up to enroll their 30 acres into crp wishing for more habitat is about the equivalent to shitting in your palm…… the people here saying predator control is important and overlooked have no issue with habitat and very much realize it’s probably the biggest issue…. But We are saying we live in reality…. Not shit palm land…. A robust predator program, specifically in the spring will increase animal numbers come fall. I don’t think it’s debatable. And until we have people actually Interested in meaningful habitat programs then I don’t see why pushing a predator program would be a downfall to support higher animal numbers.

 

[Trip McNeely]

I burnt my goat points in 23, still have 8 elk points, and just spent my deer points. I will start over with each even though the price per point is steep! Wyoming does have some good opportunities for anyone looking to hunt cow elk.

The higher my points creep up the more points it takes to draw. Sitting on 8 deer points, needing a few more to even consider a blue chip unit

 

[Trip McNeely]

https://deltawaterfowl.org/whats-new/news/what-is-delta-predator-management/

habitat is king but when combined with targeted predator control it will show results . I have been putting out hen boxes and using dog proofs for trapping coons while a small drop in the buck if we can get enough drops the bucket will fill up faster

This is why I like delta waterfowl and how they navigate ND. They push where they know individual landowners can choose how to manage their lands, such as predator control, winter wheat, nest boxes…etc…. Whatever they can do to boost numbers on the landscape. No win is too small…..realistic mindset……….that and they stay out of the anti-landowner politics…..

 

[Traxion]

Again since you don’t seem to understand what I’m saying…. No one is arguing better habitat is what is needed long term. But until we see people lining up to enroll their 30 acres into crp wishing for more habitat is about the equivalent to shitting in your palm…… the people here saying predator control is important and overlooked have no issue with habitat and very much realize it’s probably the biggest issue…. But We are saying we live in reality…. Not shit palm land…. A robust predator program, specifically in the spring will increase animal numbers come fall. I don’t think it’s debatable. And until we have people actually Interested in meaningful habitat programs then I don’t see why pushing a predator program would be a downfall to support higher animal numbers.

What I’m saying is I feel this impact, per dollar spent, is significantly higher on habitat. You could argue both are localized impacts and maybe you work them together. But, I’d still personally want one habitat project of high quality versus 10 predator control projects spending the same money. Once you get good habitat, then hit the predators. They’ll definitely be there once there are actually critters.

I love Delta and understand the predator side of their work. I think if you’re in decent habitat it makes sense. But more and more we’re dealing with deserts that have no ability to really support wildlife. We could kill every predator out there and still wouldn’t have much. We were right on the edge of that and it’s been clear the difference. That said a SOB coyote ate a mallard drake on one of my trail cams last spring lol. So we need to tip a few over.

 

[Trip McNeely]

What I’m saying is I feel this impact, per dollar spent, is significantly higher on habitat. You could argue both are localized impacts and maybe you work them together. But, I’d still personally want one habitat project of high quality versus 10 predator control projects spending the same money. Once you get good habitat, then hit the predators. They’ll definitely be there once there are actually critters.

I love Delta and understand the predator side of their work. I think if you’re in decent habitat it makes sense. But more and more we’re dealing with deserts that have no ability to really support wildlife. We could kill every predator out there and still wouldn’t have much. We were right on the edge of that and it’s been clear the difference. That said a SOB coyote ate a mallard drake on one of my trail cams last spring lol. So we need to tip a few over.

Ok I can understand where you are coming from. We’re both more or less in agreement, just a chicken or the egg sorta deal. If I had 3 dollars and it had to be spent wisely I’d agree 100% with habitat first. I was more coming from a place of how our OHF funds have been spent on some eye raisers in years past ….. I’d rather it spent on a yearly program that puts money back into and residents pockets and distributes it statewide than a 3.5 million dollar outdoor toilet or playground in Temvik that gets overbid and ends up with 3 million in change orders…..we’ve got X amount of dollars in the OHF fund. Im all
For spending it on habitat for sure but once we are maxed out on logistical projects due to not enough interest I’d be all for giving a look at a predator program just for the fact alone it would get distributed back statewide to common folks and not into some politicians buddies pocket or some developers pockets as well as give a boost to the animals statewide. Thats more or less the gist of what I meant……

 

[5575]

Used to live in western WY near what are blue chip units today. Quality of bucks has sucked for over 30 years, I'd never waist money on deer points there. Unless you're into shooting 145-165 inch muley bucks. A 175" buck is a fricken unicorn in western WY these days...sad.

 

[Wall-eyes]

When I was younger dad and I hunted all the good units and shoot some trophy bucks. It has changed a lot for sure, The best land is private or leased up and the hunting industry wrecked it all. My dad's group never hired guides unless we had too for certain regions of world or just to get on the land it was DIY hunt period the only way. Why any buddy does it different is not really hunting, each his own, just how I was raised or learn to hunt from my dad. I don't need to shoot tied down buck or any animal but that is what has changed so much. Was just out in Montana on bear hunt but I use to live there so that helps too. Took out some guys from Montana daughter's boyfriend and his friends that love to hunt , it just was to overwhelming for them to process. They were so thankful and were so appreciative. Dad told me when you get older the best part is sharing knowledge and passing it on to others. It really Truely is. If I killed enough animal I could care less. I passed on two nice bears so they could shoot them. Some did not have big enough gun, so I had plenty to borrow out. I am glade I got to experience the best times back than hunting, they are not now. Hell I have 11 points to draw mule buck in ND hoping herd will come back, yes I have prime land to get on just damn hard to find trophy bucks and try to take my kid out as much as I can and I try to get him on another hunts in different states too but time is not on my side.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

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[Ruttin]

Used to live in western WY near what are blue chip units today. Quality of bucks has sucked for over 30 years, I'd never waist money on deer points there. Unless you're into shooting 145-165 inch muley bucks. A 175" buck is a fricken unicorn in western WY these days...sad.

If i see a 150 at first light on opening day...im punching my tag. I'll keep on applying and buying points but a trophy will have to be pure luck for me

 

[Migrator Man]

I disagree and I do think it would make a difference long term, so long as habitat development also remains in the forefront….I do agree that only predator control isnt a good long term solution and more is work is needed for habitat but I think if the program is implemented yearly itll keep animal levels up near or above carrying capacity going into fall harvest seasons…..especially in areas with marginal to minimal “good” habitat…..now I feel a lot of the areas with dense predators on the landscape operate under carrying capacity most of the time to begin with and once fall arrives the predators have taken their toll on areas that could otherwise provide at least some opportunity…I know it’s not a stand alone approach but predator control could help to act as a cover so to speak on marginal habitat areas….. ideally a two prong approach would be a huge win. We focus on habitat creation while simultaneously implementing a predator control program. I think without some type of predator control program or focus we are doing all this work on the front end focusing on habitat creation, if there’s no focus on predator control we blow all that work out the backend by making more animals for an unchecked predator population. Go at the predators while working to make more/better habitat= a resurgence in the good old days of ample game and opportunities….

There really are not many wolves outside of the NW mountains of WY. The government has a big program to control coyotes across the state. Mountain lions on the other hand are a huge problem.

 

[Migrator Man]

Used to live in western WY near what are blue chip units today. Quality of bucks has sucked for over 30 years, I'd never waist money on deer points there. Unless you're into shooting 145-165 inch muley bucks. A 175" buck is a fricken unicorn in western WY these days...sad.

Got to hunt back in the sticks to find big deer, not easy hike for anyone not in shape. Pack all you can, sleep on the ground and hope you can still get close enough to a big one

 

[Migrator Man]

Winter is a bitch and predators pack a wallop. Those two mortality factors, IMO, are worse than all the rest put together. Lions eat a deer a week and then you add wolves on top just for spice. Easy winters are the best thing mule deer hunters can hope for as you can imagine how likely an open season on lions will be let alone a free fire declaration on wolves. You can't do much about winter, but you sure as heck can do something about predators. Just some thoughts from an old grey beard.

There are some big ranches that don’t hunt any mule deer because the populations are so low. They kill every lion and coyote they see and the populations still can’t recover. Hard to say CWD isn’t one of the big factors.

 

[KDM]

There are some big ranches that don’t hunt any mule deer because the populations are so low. They kill every lion and coyote they see and the populations still can’t recover. Hard to say CWD isn’t one of the big factors.

My gut reaction to this is a severe lack of winter cover or these ranches run so many cows that all the winter forage is consumed. I say this because of the BLM lands I've hunted in several states where grazing is allowed look like the surface of the moon with how little vegetation is left after the cattle. I'll leave CWD alone for this one. I think everyone on NDA knows what I think about that little gem.