Available Wyoming Mule Deer Hunts --- Search HF Aventures
Wyoming is home to some of the most diverse deer habitats in the West. From its high, rugged mountains in the west to its rolling sage desert country in the central portion of the state and the high plains of eastern Wyoming, this diversity in habitat has kept Wyoming mule deer herds doing well until recent years. The last decade, Wyoming mule deer have seen severe drought, poor habitat management, an increase in predators, and a couple bad winters like 2023 that killed more than 50% of the Wyoming range mule deer herd in a five-month period, as well as above normal winter mortality across the majority of The Cowboy State. Due to all these events/circumstances, Wyoming mule deer numbers are at an all-time low. As such, license numbers available for the draw have been reduced significantly, making draw odds a lot tougher than in years past in most units. Even with all the negative news on mule deer in Wyoming, there are still some good hunts to be had across the state, but hunters may have to wait a little longer to draw a tag or adjust their application to a different unit/region.
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The mule deer population on the eastern side of Wyoming has been declining with a real nosedive the last five years. Harsh winters in 2018-2020 and then 2023, along with very liberal tag quotas for bucks as well as doe and fawn quotas in years prior to 2019, really hurt populations as a whole. Drought conditions in the east side of the state have really affected fawn recruitment. Most units are showing a fawn to doe ratio of 55/100 or lower, which is well below the state average and definitely too low for a herd to increase its overall population. Add on top of these bouts of EHD and you can see why mule deer populations are struggling. The controlled hunts in this part of the state are not exempt from this either. Units 10, 11, 34, 87, and 89 are all still suffering and are all well below WYGF objective numbers. However, there are still some good bucks being harvested in these units each year, even though they are getting fewer and farther between. If you are looking at this part of the state for a hunt, be careful and look at license quotas as well as accessible land to hunt as some units have fewer tags available as well as poor public access for the self-guided hunter.
Western Wyoming mule deer populations were struggling going into the 2023 winter and then the worst winter on record hit. When spring finally broke last year, numbers in the southwestern portion of the state were down by over 60%, with regions G, H, K, and W being some of the hardest hit. The northern portion of region L, region F, and most of region X saw average winter mortality on mule deer. These deer have faced tough winters in the past, like in 2011 and again in 2017, but nothing like the 2023 winter where record snowfall and cold temperatures pounded the winter ranges for months. Mule deer have bounced back from past winters relatively quickly in past years, but with deer numbers at an all-time low, recovery could take a very long time, if it happens at all. Expect to see more units with reduced license numbers, especially for non-residents, and shortened season dates. Even with all the bad news about Western Wyoming mule deer, hunters might want to consider applying for a tag this year. The surviving deer went into the 2024 winter in great condition due to all the feed from the abundant moisture and had a very mild winter this year. Antler growth should be great, and bucks should reach their full potential by this fall. Hunters who are planning on waiting until the herd population recovers want to be aware that the 2022 and 2023 age class of mule deer is basically non-existent from the severe winter. Three to five years from now this western herd will not have many mature bucks on the landscape. Hopefully this deer herd will get some idle weather conditions and recover quickly, but the best case scenario is going to be 5 years and more likely 8 to 10 years for a good recovery.
| Archery Season | September 1-30 |
| General Season | October 1 - December 31 |
For specific units and dates check the regulations.
Limited quota units along the southern Absaroka Range may be the one bright spot in the state as the winter was not nearly as severe in these units. They also continue to have high fawn recruitment and bolster their population along with solid buck to doe ratios in past years. Units 117, 118, 119, and 120 all look to have solid futures for continued success on mature bucks. This good population growth in this area is part of the reason for the resurgence of trophy class animals becoming more of the norm in unit 128 during the limited quota late November hunt. In the past, it has been difficult to determine which hunt held the top spot for a chance at a trophy buck, but with multiple years of consistent harvest on trophy bucks, 128 has taken that spot for the time being. Unit 101 will produce a few great bucks as well from time to time, but that is a different hunt entirely with lower deer numbers and desert type habitat.
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There are a few bright spot areas where mule deer are doing well or at least holding steady in The Cowboy State. Units across the south end of the Absarokas have seen consistent buck to doe ratios as well as slightly increasing fawn to doe ratios over the last several years. Herd population in these units (117-120) has increased a tiny bit or at minimum maintained its numbers, which has kept license quotas from being reduced, giving hunters with 8-18 points an opportunity to draw a tag. Unit 128 in the Wind River range and unit 101 in the south end of the Red Desert country are two units hunters with top tier points will want to apply for. The November 1-20 dates of unit 128 make it the go-to option for top point holders as the deer population is doing well and multiple trophy class bucks are being harvested every year, not to mention it is a great hunt for anyone young or old to be successful. Unit 101 may not have November rut dates and did suffer a little winter mortality in 2023, but it is still producing good bucks in a great area for the self-guided hunter. Other limited quota units like 87 and 89 are holding their own as well. They may not be producing quite as good bucks as their western counterparts, but they are producing many mature bucks averaging 5+ years of age. Hunters who are in the mid-tier range of 7-12 points may want to consider limited quota units 10, 34, 81, 84, or 125 if they are ready to burn their points. These units are all great hunts for the self-guided or guided hunter with above average harvest success on buck mule deer.
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Wyoming has many issues when it comes to managing mule deer in the state. Overpopulation of predators, harsh winters, drought, habitat loss, and ever-increasing elk herds on mule deer ranges are all major reasons mule deer are declining at a significant rate. However, one of the biggest problems is WYGF’s refusal to manage the resident deer hunters across the state.
General deer hunting makes up the lion’s share of harvest throughout the state, yet the only number they can limit is the non-resident number of licenses. By state statute, the WYGF Commission cannot limit or cap the number of tags sold to residents in the general units and do not seem to want to change that anytime soon. In 2023, there were 15,624 resident-harvested deer and 8,792 non-resident-harvested deer, which is down 5,499 deer from the harvest numbers of 2022. The scariest statistic is that in 2020 Wyoming had a statewide deer harvest of 41,274, and now in 2023 only 24,416 deer were harvested, which is a 41% reduction in harvest in a four-year period. This shows a significant drop in deer numbers throughout the state. Very little is being proposed for changes to deer hunting across the state for 2024, other than fewer non-resident tags and shortened season dates in some areas. This is like putting a Scooby Doo band-aid on a cancer patient, thinking it’s going to fix the problem.
Mule deer in The Cowboy State are in bad shape, to say the least, from way below population objectives, poor fawn recruitment, and low buck to doe ratio; it can be considered a disaster statewide at this point. WYGF has yet to devise any real solutions to address the declining mule deer population and cannot seem to agree on any suggestions that have been presented. Ultimately, Mother Nature is going to have to be the saving grace for these deer, with some good, timely moisture throughout the spring and summer months as well as a run of mild or average winters. If this happens, mule deer might just make a comeback. If you are a point holder for deer in Wyoming, you may want to consider using them sooner than later as unfortunately the future does not look all that bright.
Wyoming has a fair amount of whitetail in the central and eastern portions of the state. While the majority of them are located on private land, a few wander onto public land from time to time. Hunters who are interested in hunting whitetail in Wyoming will need to secure permission before obtaining the permit. We work with some great outfitters that have good whitetail leases. If you are interested in booking one of these hunts, contact us and we will put you in touch with the best in Wyoming.
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The application deadline to apply for Wyoming deer is 11:59 P.M. MDT on May 31, 2024.
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(License fees include $15 non-refundable application fees but do not account for the 2.5% processing fee.) |
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| SPECIES |
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| Youth | Regular | Special | Youth | Regular | |
| Deer | $125 | $389 | $1,215 | $10 | $41 |
| Antelope | $125 | $341 | $1,215 | $10 | $31 |
| *The application dates to apply online for points are July 1-October 31. **The archery license is $72 for non-residents, $16 for residents, $16 for non-resident youth, and $6 for resident youth. |
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