I got my NM refund on Sunday.

I got my CC refund a couple of days ago.

Colorado is charging $100 for a preference point now? What the ****?

I had $100 charges for goat and sheep apps.

Just put in for Nevada elk, muleys, sheep, and speed goats. Fingers crossed and if that doesn't work I'm putting in for Wyoming at the end of the month.

I have a question about mule deer hunting. What's the magic number in terms of distance from the trail head where the number of hunters starts decreasing. This will be in southeastern Wyoming. If we're willing to go hike 2.5 miles and set up camp, should that keep the low bidders out?

Depends on terrain and location. What unit/season?

agenjake said:

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I have a question about mule deer hunting. What's the magic number in terms of distance from the trail head where the number of hunters starts decreasing. This will be in southeastern Wyoming. If we're willing to go hike 2.5 miles and set up camp, should that keep the low bidders out?

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I know nothing about WY.

But if it's anything like Southern CO- the "magic distance" is a myth. People are freaking everywhere...

Probably 64/65 in Region J. Somewhere in the Laramie Range. Rifle season.

My experience was in 75/76. The majority of hunters that atv/hiked in every morning were typically 1 mile and less from the end of the road.

There were day hunters on horses that would be in that 2 to 3 mile range.

If the terrain is steep it will be even less. My goal was to always find spots you can't see from the road.

Thanks, that's helpful. We looked hard at 75/76 too.

Nevada results are out today. I got completely skunked for all big game tags. Nothing for mule deer, elk, antelope, 3 species of bighorn, and mountain goats. Seriously? WTF.

Thank God for water fowl.

That sucks

How many points did you have?

When is Co draw posted ? June?

Log said:

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How many points did you have?

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Depending on the draw anywhere from 2 to 6. I honestly didn't expect the mountain goat of big horn sheep to get drawn but mule deer?

I'm going to throw in for Wyoming next week but the odds don't look good. It's might just be waterfowl this year.

I was at the gun store today and the guy behind the counter said at one point he went 7 years without drawing deer or elk in the state. That just blows my mind. We don't exactly have a shortage of muleys.

That really stinks and sorry to hear that. I know nothing about Nevada but am curious why the system appears to be so brutal... is it mismanagement of resources? Over allocating tags to OOS hunters? General incompetence by the FWS (or equivalent agency in NV)?

It's a mixed bag. I went back and looked at the numbers last night and I think a big part of the problem with Nevada some of the rules of the system vs individual strategy. We have some units that the state has that are free for all and some they really cultivate to be the best trophy units in the US. I've lived in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and NV and the biggest bucks I have ever seen in my life are Nevada mule deer. Tags are just coveted.

I think the average points needed to draw a bull elk in Nevada are around 4, then you can't draw again for 5 years. Some of the good bull elk units might require 8-10 to sniff a tag for a resident and 13+ for a decent chance to draw for a non-resident.

Our Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep units have a few thousand applicants and over 200 resident tag holders with more than 24 points. Most of those guys will never draw one. Dads will sign their kids up when they are 12 so they can start stockpiling bighorn points. (funny story, my buddies wife told him she wanted to learn how to hunt. She took her hunter safety course and pulled a bighorn tag her first go. No points, never even shot a rifle before. When word got out about her hunters across the state were losing their *****)

The other problem is you can only pull one sex per species per year. So I can have a doe or a buck but not both. So this creates a lot of games with strategy and sometimes it backfires.

As for the guy that went 7 years without a tag? I can only guess that he kept putting in for the marquee units.

Once you start to build points for a few different species you should be able to at least draw something every year. This year I think I just had a bad strategy and some bad luck.

Got drawn for a Wyoming Elk Cow today! Unsuccessful for my bull tag though. So pumped because this is the first year I have put in for the draw and I have zero preference points! I figured I would be unsuccessful for the first three years. I will be buying preference points every year starting this July. Any advice?

Edit: found the season for Section 110-6 is Oct 1 - Nov 14

That's awesome. Congratulations.

If you go to the interactive hunting maps, you can click on your unit and see the seasons. They may not be final, but it will give you a good idea.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Hunt-Planner/Elk-Hunting/Elk-Map

Shoot me a private message I know some guys that live in that area.

Has anyone here hunted pronghorn in New Mexico on private land without an outfitter? If so, did you find the landowner through the New Mexico G&F website, or some other way?

My dad and I are considering a DIY hunt this fall, and would prefer either the Texas Panhandle or New Mexico (planning on driving, so Wyoming is out).

Thanks

Congrats. Encampment is an awesome area.

Anyone hunting NW Wyoming this year out of Hoback or Jackson?

Mtn_Guide said:

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Anyone hunting NW Wyoming this year out of Hoback or Jackson?

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I likely am. Brother has an elk tag. I should draw mule deer.

Hunted there three years ago.

Did you not put in for elk? How many points did you have?

Had 2 points for elk. Didn't draw.

I had 3 points but decided to switch it from a general tag to one of the limited tags which I didn't draw. I picked up an Idaho archery elk tag and drew a late season elk tag in Utah so my plate is pretty full.
Also a mule deer tag in NM and my youngest son drew a deer tag there as well.

Looks like a good one!

That's awesome - good bear. Sounds like a great week in the woods

We back on the road.