Bowsite.com

Region F Mule Deer Drop Camp

Do you guys have any recommendations for an outfitter in region F who does a drop camp mule deer hunt? I know our options may be very limited outside of a wilderness area since we are non-residents. I wouldn't think that a drop camp would qualify for the non resident guide requirements in a wilderness area. I have found only one outfitter online (mooncrest.com) who advertises a drop camp. It looks like they operate in unit 111 in the rattlesnake canyon and trout peak area. Any experience with these guys? I've tried to contact them without any luck. We also really like the looks of non wilderness areas of units 105/106, but can't seem to find an outfitter who operates in those areas. 105/106 also look like one of the few areas in F where we could do a DIY backpack hunt. Any info or recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

Trout Peak area is all wilderness, and options are limited for bowhunting since a lot of the deer are migratory and summer in the wilderness.

I think most of Region F outside of wilderness would not require a drop camp. You may be better off staying mobile and day hunting from a truck camp. This is definitely more of a migratory hunt later in the year but you may scratch up some decent bucks during September.

There are very few if any outfitters that I know of that do drop camps up in this corner of the state. I've tried to find one for elk camps and I'm a resident. The forest service has specific rules on outfitter camps and it can really mess things up in my opinion. That being said I'm like Ron and would suggest staying mobile out of truck camps.

Thanks for the info guys. I think we may do as y'all say and just hunt out of a truck camp to stay mobile, and maybe bivy out for a night or two at a time if we find a good area with some deer. We'll be up there for a week to 10 days in late October for our hunt. We'll be coming off of a month of the backpack hunting the Colorado elk/deer archery season, so it'll be nice to have a truck camp! Are we on the right track looking into the 105/106 areas in the northern part of the region? It looks like those areas have the most public land outside of the wilderness areas in the unit. Any info on a general area for a starting point, or areas other than 105/106 in region F will be appreciated. We'll be set up to cover some ground, and definitely not scared to put some miles on our boots. We're not expecting to kill a giant on this hunt, just hoping to get into Wyoming to see some new country and hopefully have a chance to harvest a couple decent bucks. Thanks again for you guys' help!

Just FYI...the drop camp would not qualify you to hunt wilderness. A resident "guide or friend" has to be WITH you in order for that to be legal. Which is why most outfitters dont even try to offer drop camps, as well as the permitting for them is a pain that most outfitters dont care to deal with because they are busy enough with their own clients and hunts.

From your suggestions, I think we'll forget about finding a drop camp outfitter. A mobile truck camp will allow us to move from one area to another if we run in to lots of other hunters or if we aren't finding deer. I'm really liking the looks of the sunlight basin area, as well as carter mountain. Looks like there's plenty of country to look over in those areas. How much pressure will there be up there in late October? The beartooths north of 212 look like amazing country too, especially up around Gilbert creek... Then there's pilot mountain... So many choices! No matter where we decide to start, it looks like we'll have some unbelievable scenery. Thanks again for you guys' tips!

You can always hunt around the irrigated stuff and find some local deer to hunt too if your into that kind of thing. I backpack and fish a lot in the Beartooths and rarely see deer up around the lakes.

depending on the year we have snow fall wise, much of carter mtn and the beartooths may be inaccessible in late October. And as pointed out, there aren't much for deer there anyway. sunlight is jammed with outfitters generally, its about as close to hunting Colorado as you can get,and every single person it seems in wapiti is an outfitter"" so you'll sometimes you'll run into signs stating you can't camp within 150 feet or yards or something from that sign because that area is leased to an outfitter.

with that said there are many many areas you can still set up and hunt in, keeping in mind that again, in some areas, like along the north and south fork you can only camp in designated campgrounds, many of which will be closed in late October.

I'd consider staying at a dude ranch along the north fork and hunting there, or staying in buffalo bill state park, http://travel.wyo-park.com/campgrounds-and-rv-parks/all/buffalo-bill-state-park/reservations

and hunting land near there and or paying hunting trespass fees and hunting the bigger ranches, hoodoo, two dot, etc, plenty of private lands available to hunt for deer.

its going to be a great trip in gorgeous country and you'll see bison, elk, bears, bighorns, etc

you're not going to have a bad time, no matter where you hunt, we live in 110 and I'm happy to send you to specific places to hunt here, mainly to keep you away from "our deer"

Register here to reply to this topic