The Cowboy State is home to some of the best deer habitat that the good Lord ever created. From the western mountains (which hold the Wyoming Range and Sublette deer herds) and central high deserts to the Absaroka and Bighorn Ranges in the north and the rolling grasslands to the east, the diversity of habitat is hard to beat. However, the presence of good, diverse habitat doesn’t necessarily correspond with a healthy deer population. Once home to a vast and thriving mule deer herd—one of the largest in North America, in fact—Wyoming has seen a dramatic decline in the mule deer population over the past three and half decades. Statewide population estimates in the early 1990’s hovered around 600,000 deer; thirty-five years later, that number is estimated at a meager 200,000 deer across the entire Cowboy State. That is a two-thirds reduction in population in less than forty years. The winter of 2022/2023 definitely played a role in mule deer population decline, but deer numbers were already spiraling downward at a rapid pace long before that devastating winter hit. Depending on whom you talk to, there are a variety of factors that have led to this massive decline: habitat loss; severe weather brought on by drought or harsh winters; an increase in predators, disease, and road kills; and over-hunting or lack of management in certain areas. All of these reasons have contributed to the loss of mule deer to one degree or another. Even as dire as it sounds (and realistically is), there are still some great opportunities in the state to hunt mule deer. Harvest success was significantly better in most units and regions across the state in 2025 compared to 2024, showing some improvement in overall herd and hunter satisfaction. Trophy quality was also noticeably better in 2025, and several great bucks were harvested—especially on the western side of the state.
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Eastern Wyoming’s mule deer herd is in as bad a shape as anywhere in the state. Population is at an all-time low, and, frankly, some areas should probably be closed to hunting altogether. With long stretches of drought, a tough winter a few years back, habitat loss, and the presence of older plants that are producing little-to-no browse, the deer population is struggling to maintain its current numbers with no real chance of growth. There are a few small herds that are holding their own east of the divide, but this is mainly due to the presence of private agricultural lands supplementing deer diets. For any herd to improve, you must have good fawn recruitment. Eastern Wyoming has been struggling in this area, with the majority of units showing a ratio of 50 fawns per 100 does in the fall counts.
Even in an average year, with so few fawns going into winter, losses will be too high for the overall population to increase. Until fawn recruitment improves, we can expect to see a continuing pattern of fewer and fewer deer in the years to come. WGFD may be partly to blame as well, as they allotted too many tags in multiple regions for both bucks and does and definitely contributed to the low mule deer populations we’re seeing now. That said, the drought conditions are still probably the biggest culprit for the lack of deer on the landscape. Add to that bouts of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and you can see why mule deer populations are struggling.
| Archery Season | September 1-30 |
| General Season | October 1 - December 31 |
For specific units and dates check the regulations.
The controlled hunts are doing no better than the general units, except for the fact that they are nearly hunted out to less competition. Nearly all the units, including 10, 11, 34, 87, and 89, are well below objective and struggling to improve even with low tag quotas. However, even though they are getting tougher to draw, there are still some solid mature bucks being harvested in these units each year. The lack of hunters is the only real positive to hunting most of these controlled units. If you are looking at this part of the state for a hunt, it is recommended that you do some research, as some units have little-to-no accessible public land. Check harvest success numbers before burning points, as some areas also have very low success rates. Hiring an outfitter might be a good idea on this side of the state and will likely improve your odds of being successful, especially if they can get you onto quality private land.
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Mule deer populations in western Wyoming have been on a rollercoaster ride the past few decades, with numbers hitting all-time lows in 2023. The severity of winters is by far the number one factor in declining mule deer populations on this side of the state. If winters are mild (or even average) on the ranges deer inhabit during the winter months, deer numbers will usually increase, but when snow piles up and forage becomes difficult to get to, mule deer will suffer winter die-offs. This usually affects the younger age classes the most, which has a profound effect on the numbers in following years. There are multiple other reasons for low mule deer populations in western Wyoming, state such as habitat loss due to development, disease, and overpopulation of predators. Mule deer west of the divide have seen an increase in population the last two years, but after the winter of 2022/2023 blew through with a mortality rate of over 60%, they really have nowhere to go but up. Most of these western units and regions are still at or below 50% of objective. Fawn recruitment numbers have been high, coming in around the upper 80s and low 90s per 100 does over the past two years, and should hold that trend in 2026 with another mild winter wrapping up. For now, western Wyoming mule deer look like they have a chance to make somewhat of a rebound—if Mother Nature doesn’t throw another crazy curve ball at them. Far west regions of the state, like G, H, and K, show improvement in 2025, especially quality wise; some really nice, mature bucks were harvested. These areas have some great genetics and will produce some great bucks given the right conditions. However, this region will likely see fewer mature deer over the next few years due to all the young deer that died in the winter of 2022/2023. Hopefully, winters will continue to be mild or moderate, and mule deer will once again flourish in western Wyoming, but only time will tell.
General deer units for Wyoming residents are something every non-resident should be aware of when burning points to hunt deer in Wyoming. The WGFD has done nothing to limit the number of resident hunters in these general units, which has resulted in overcrowding in many areas. Residents of Wyoming are allowed to hunt all general units during both the archery and rifle seasons, putting a lot of pressure on mule deer bucks. Add into this equation shortened season dates due to low deer numbers, and the hunting pressure gets even worse. Hunters will want to do some research on hunting pressure in the units they are interested in drawing. There are few things worse than burning a bunch of points on a hunt just to see orange hats on every ridge.
Not everything is doom and gloom for mule deer in Wyoming; the state has seen three mild winters in a row, and fawn numbers are above average in most of the western regions. If this trend continues, maybe—just maybe—we will see some deer herds creep close to their objective numbers in the next five to eight years. Even with high fawn recruitment in some areas, the rebound is slow due to the presence of so few breeding-age females on the landscape. Hunters who want to hunt western Wyoming, or anywhere else in the state, should consider drawing sooner rather than later, as there might be a serious decline in mature bucks in the years to come. During the winter of 2022/2023, all age classes of deer were hurt, but the region was not hit nearly as hard by the 2022/2023 winter as other regions in the state and has continued to maintain a solid deer population. This has allowed the WGFD to allocate licenses on a more consistent basis in recent years. These units have been consistently producing some good 160- to 170-class bucks and are really fun hunts with lots of deer on the landscape for hunters to look over. Unit 119 is the most popular in this area due to its type 1 November hunt and type 2 late October hunt that was new in 2025 and produced some nice bucks for hunters fortunate enough to draw. With limited tags issued and some good genetics, this can be a good hunt for anyone ready to burn their points and get out hunting. This is also a good hunt for the self-guided hunter, as there’s plenty of public land and good access. For those who prefer a guided trip, there are some great outfitters that know the country well and will help their clients harvest a great buck.
Limited-quota units like 87 and 89 are changing in there but are on a downward trend in terms of both quality and quantity. There are still some mature bucks to be found, but they are definitely getting fewer and farther between. The points needed to draw these units may not be worth it for the hunt you will be getting. Hunters who are in the point range of 6 to 14 points may want to consider limited quota units 10, 34, 78, 81, 84, or 125 if they are ready to burn their points. These units are all good hunts for the self-guided hunter, and they offer solid harvest success with some really nice bucks taken every year.
The Cowboy State continues to struggle when it comes to managing mule deer. Overpopulation of predators with too much protection, harsh winters, drought, habitat loss, and larger elk herds that never feed on mule deer ranges are all major reasons mule deer continue to decline at a high rate. However, one of the biggest issues is the WGFD’s refusal to manage resident deer quotas across the state. General deer hunting makes up the lion’s share of harvest throughout the state, yet the only the number of non-resident licenses can be limited. Wyoming’s Game and Fish Commission has its hands tied when it comes to regulating Wyoming residents. By state statute, the WGFD Commission cannot limit or cap the number of tags sold to residents in the general units, and legislators do not seem to want to change that anytime soon. In 2025, there were 18,860 deer harvested by residents and 8,686 deer harvested by non-residents—an increase of almost 1,200 deer for residents and a decrease of 500 for non-residents compared to 2024. Overall, that amounts to an estimated 309 more deer harvested in 2025 than in 2024—a timeframe when winter mortality was so low, it didn’t even make a bump on the scale. This doesn’t bode well for the future of Wyoming deer. Maybe the most concerning and telling statistic of all is that, in 2020, the statewide deer harvest was 41,274, and now, just a short five years later, the estimated deer harvest is only 26,946—a 35% reduction in harvest in five years. If the trend continues at that rate, by 2030, there may not be enough deer for residents and non-residents alike.
In summary, mule deer across the Cowboy State are fighting an uphill battle. Populations are below objective in nearly every unit and face poor fawn recruitment, high density of predators, and a department that seems at a loss for ideas to improve a diminishing herd. The WGFD has yet to come up with a management plan that offers any real solutions to the plummeting mule deer numbers we’ve seen over the past three decades. Ultimately, Mother Nature is going to have to be the savior of mule deer.
Whitetail in Wyoming are doing quite well, especially in the central and eastern portions of the state, and a few more are filtering into the western regions all the time. While the majority of them reside on private land, a few can be found on public land for hunters that do not have private access. Hunters who are interested in hunting whitetail in Wyoming will need to do their research or secure permission on private land 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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(License fees include $15 non-refundable application fees but do not account for the 2.5% processing fee.) |
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| Youth | Regular | Special | Youth | Regular | |
| Deer | $125 | $389 | $1,215 | $10 | $41 |
| Antelope | $125 | $341 | $1,215 | $10 | $31 |
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