Mule deer in the Bighorns
Mule Deer
A couple of buddies and myself are researching mule deer in the Bighorns of WY. We are thinking about elk hunting there in 2016 and considering a 2015 mule deer hunt to scout the area for elk. We don't have enough points for the archery elk tag, so we will likely hunt elk with rifles. We are considering doing the same for mule deer, so that we are there for the same time frame as we would be elk hunting. So I have a couple of questions...What is the bighorn mule deer population like? Will the deer still be in the mountains for the Oct rifle hunt, if that's when we decide to go or do they head down low? Any addition info is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bowhntr
I hunted all sept i saw mule deer does fawns and dinks , i didnt see one decent buck the whole month up there .
Thanks cityhunter. The rifle tag looks pretty easy to draw, as a NR, so it makes me wonder if it's worth hunting.
The Bighorns where the elk hunting is good is not really know for quality deer hunting. There are some deer up there, as was mentioned in the previous post, but it would be a tough hunt that I wouldn't waste my money on.
I would apply for a cow elk tag before I would waste my deer points on this area. My work takes me through the bighorns quite often and like city stayed lots of dinks. I'm sure there maybe some good bucks but very limited.
I wouldn't waste the money again thats for sure.
I had an awesome hunt in the Bighorn Mountains back in 2013. This was the 22nd buck I saw (in 5 days) and shot him at 13 FEET.
Love mulie hunting!!! Started in the Big Horns in '75 and my last trip was around the earl 90's so its been a while. We hunted the cold creek canyon country at about 8600' going in at Hyatville (spelling?). Rifle season started october 15. One year we started up higher...saw elk but no deer and no shed antlers...crossed over to our old "hot spot" and filled out in 4 days...8 hunters...also saw elk and found several elk and deer sheds.
We killed some good, some really good, and never any monsters. Most other hunters were after elk and the locals thought we CheeseHeads were nuts to work that hard for deer...they shot theirs out of a ranch pasture. The canyons are tough hunting...more than 1000 to 2000 foot up hill pack. From the top where we camped, the Paint Rock river is 2600' down...great trout fishing and spectacular country...but, again, damn tough hunting.
Would see several trucks on the forrest service roads up top but saw no other hunters in the s@#t other than our boys...lol.
Like I said, its been a while...and I've heard numbers are down...but if I could still handle the verticle real estate I'd go back. Knees won't take it any more, so its just hunt memories for me. But we did have fun.
I killed 2 pretty nice ones in 2009 and 2011, struck out in 2010 but was on a buck in the 170 range. 2011 was slow shot the only good buck seen on the trip and he scored 156". In 2009 I shot my buck after I killed my cow shiras moose. So o not much time spent hunting mule deer.
DIY/self guided or the outfitter route??
Getting on 150 min-170 mulie bucks on leased land is possible. getting on good bull elk deep in rough country is possible w/ an outfitter.
Before u burn them points understand BH can get snow in oct this snow can limit you to were u can go ! it can even shut you down !
Cityhunter is correct. The rains that pounded Colorado in the beginning of September 2013, made it to the bighorns a couple days after we left and deposited quite a bit of snow, I was told.
"Cityhunter is correct. The rains that pounded Colorado in the beginning of September 2013, made it to the bighorns a couple days after we left and deposited quite a bit of snow, I was told."
You were told right,as in 2013 there was so much by the first of October that a lot of the access roads into the high country were shut down by the FS and never reopened until Spring. This year we had 13" or more above 7500' on September 10th and it was 5 degrees. It warmed back up and was gone within a week or so, but the hunting was tough because of the melting and then freezing at night. I'm out there every year for 4-7 weeks and we had a low of 5 and a high of 93 one day between that storm and 11/1 when I headed back home! That's what everyone should be prepared for any time you head for the mountains after August most years.
Thanks for all of the replies guys. We may look at other areas for deer and just wait to elk hunt the Bighorns.
