By: J.C. Call, Owner Tri-Spoke Outfitters
One of the most famous deer areas in the west is shaping up to produce a very memorable 2015 hunting season. Wyoming's Regions G and H have always been known for the mass and trash that we all crave and this year has all the makings to be the best year in the past decade.
Early fall of 2014 brought some great rain, which made the winter ranges of the famous G and H deer flourish. Combined with the unusually mild winter and the table has been set for a stellar 2015. The deer were in great shape coming out of winter this February.
In May, the rain started and did not stop. The Wyoming range saw rain daily throughout May and also had several wet days in early June. This created great habitat for the deer as they moved from the winter range back into the high country.
Going into the rut last fall the bucks were strong and healthy. They cruised through the mild winter and now have the feed to start some phenomenal antler growth. As a Wyoming outfitter, I am on the edge of my seat as we begin to scout for the 2015 season. With the mild winter and timely spring rains my imagination is running wild about our hunting possibilities this year.
The lure of legendary bucks like Popeye, Goliath, and Magnum draw us to the Wyoming range, but nothing comes easy in the high country. Even catching a glimpse of a Region G or H monarch will cost you a hefty payment of time, sweat and, most likely, a little blood. G and H are steep. The air is thin. Your fitness will dictate your ability to travel the 8,000 to 10,000 ft rocky basins and trails. Your emotions will swing wildly. Elation and rejection will be daily companions.
The high country of G and H are very glassable. We see a good number of bucks every day. Wyoming high country is a great place to glass for deer and much of our time will be spent glassing for an inventory of big bucks that we have scouted over the summer. Hunters can anticipate harvesting bucks that score 170” to 180”+ B&C, with a few bucks harvested every year on the unit that will exceed the magical 200” mark.
At my camps, horses are an invaluable tool for success in the high country of G and H. Horses haul camp in during August and out in late October. Every day, they take us out to our hunting adventures. When we leave camp a couple hours before daylight, the horses take us back where we need to be before sun up.
The mountain ranges that make up Region G and Region H are very steep and rugged, making many of the areas that hold big bucks tough to access on foot. What takes a horse an hour to cover would take most of us half a day on foot. Another advantage of having a team of seasoned horses is that when the big buck hits the ground, one quick trip with a pack horse will have your trophy back to camp and your knees and back with a few less aches and pains.
Due to the remoteness of our high country camp and the amount of time spent on horseback to reach our base camp you will most likely be a bit sore; however, a hunter who is physically prepared — and has the mental toughness to push through the saddle sores, the blisters, and the aching joints — will be a hunter with a great chance of putting his tag one of the high country monarchs that consume our dreams.
If you are lucky enough to have a Region G or H tag in your pocket this year, make the most of it. Be prepared. Be relentless. Be delighted. The 2015 mule deer season is looking to be one for the books. The bucks will be plentiful and your efforts may be rewarded with opportunities we have not seen in over a decade.
