Caribou Gear

Wy unit 34 anyone

Grayfox,

One of the biggest non-typical deer I've ever seen alive was in 34 and in the NE corner of the unit. I saw the deer after the season was closed the year before I drew. That's exactly why I applied the next year, and drew the permit. All the time I had to scout was spent in the NE corner of the unit and I never could find that buck. I wouldn't be surprised if he was poached the year before, was in a pretty obvious spot.

I'm not the best at scoring deer, but I've seen enough to know that this particular deer was well north of 200 gross. I think he was 220 gross all day long, maybe a bit better. I don't believe he would have netted into the all-time NT category, but he was a buck that nobody would pass.

He was every bit as big as this buck, gross score anyway, that I photographed in a different unit.

bigbuck_2_1_1.jpg

I wish I would have spent more time and done the tag some justice when I drew it. My work schedule was an absolute wreck that year, and I had drawn some other tags that conflicted as well.

Good luck out there.

I doubt that there are many bucks that nice in 34, but...you just never know what might happen.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for sharing. Good to know all that 'other' area isn't completely vacant! I'll be happy just to see some older, mature bucks and have the opportunity to be in good country (hopefully without being stuck in the ooze for ten days in a bad spot!). My tape measure is used for work, not hunting. I work the devil out of glass while hunting, however. Still wondering about the elk, doe antelope hunter pressure. Are most of the WY resident 'goat' hunters, particularly the doe-tag holders, tagged out before the deer opener, or is there still a lot of goat hunting activity that late?
 
I drew the tags also. I'll be there for 2 weeks so I hope to find some decent bucks. The last time I hunted deer there was 2010. I didn't see many people hunting antelope then. I think we will have the place to are self during the week.
 
Congrats, and good luck! You enjoyed it before, obviously, or you wouldn't be going back. I'd love to hear about your experience(s) hunting the area. Shoot me a PM if you're willing to share.
 
We chase em til we get em'. That being said hunting pressure on antelope does go down when the other seasons open. The last week of antelope season is pretty busy with everyone trying to tag out. Most locals hunt the doe as we see them. A day or two here and there until we tag out. Our deer seasons are short enough that deer hunting takes precedent over antelope when the seasons overlap.
 
I hunted this unit in 2012 and felt it was a good hunt but did not kill a buck. Saw two bucks I was interested in trying for but they out-smarted me. Rain will shut down the two-tracks in the sage areas. Rain shouldn't affect the NW corner too much. Feel free to send me a pm and I'll try to help out.
 
Finally figured out the photo uploading procedure...NOT the most tech-savvy guy on the planet. The hunt went well, albeit a bit warm and windy. I passed on a bigger muley the first day out, and then wound up not seeing anything better. I was fooled by this one the last evening, right at dusk, and thought he was wider, but his head was down and way down in a draw in poor light. I'm happy with him, as he is only the second muley buck I've taken. The bar is set now, and it's only up from here, providing I get another chance.

Area 34 mule deer.jpg


The pronghorn was probably the biggest I saw during the hunt, and certainly the most interesting. I spent all day the day before trying to get within range, and never could get closer than 500 yds. The next morning things worked out and I got to w/in 260 yds and dropped him in his tracks. That's the best trophy...a clean shot on an animal dead before he hit the ground. I also filled my antelope doe tag, so I brought back quite a bit of Wyoming's finest.

Area 73 pronghorn.jpg

Now, it's point-building time, and looking forward to the next Wyoming adventure. Back home here in VA has been tough. I've had no luck finding anything of interest. We're down to just a few days left in the season, and I'm very glad I made meat in Wyoming. Donated two does to Hunters For the Hungry program, but still looking for something bigger than a basket-racked dink.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Have a safe and joyous holiday!
 
I saw lots of antelope but nothing huge. I also saw quite a few deer. I passed on a few 4x4's and saw a huge body of a deer at dark one night but couldn't find it again. I will recommend to everyone to deer hunt the last week of the season. From 10/22 on I kept finding bucks with the does. Also if they get any moisture the roads become a nightmare. The warden and BLM warned me that 4wheel dr isn't going to cure it either.
I saw a buck one morning but couldn't get the spotting scope on him. Staked him out in the afternoon and shot it at just over 400 yards. Not the biggest but not the worst. From what locals said it sounds like 3x3 is a common trait in the area. I even met up with Greyfox one afternoon while I was driving around scouting. He told me about shooting a buck and said it wasn't the biggest but was happy with it
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2232.jpg
    IMG_2232.jpg
    119.6 KB · Views: 966
That's a nice buck and pretty representative of what most top end ones will be in 34 IMHO.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2232.jpg
    IMG_2232.jpg
    136.2 KB · Views: 919
Last edited:
Thanks topgun for turning the picture. I only hunted deer the first week I was out there. I almost pulled the trigger on a little bit smaller buck because it was a 4x4 but held off and 5 minutes later saw the one that I got. If it's not a bad winter that other buck will be a shooter.
 
OK I finally cashed in My points . Coming up from AZ. last week in OCT. How are the bucks looking in 34. I don't want a 140" buck. What is realistic Hunting hard and Glassing the Chit out of the unit........Thanks in advance. At 62 (next week) I don't plan on going back for deer or lope again. Got 10 points for Elk next year......BOB!
 
We should be in good shape this season. Mild winters and a wet spring and early summer should have plenty of feed to help growth. I lucked out and drew the tag again so I’m looking for bigger than the 3x3 I got in 2016. I’ll be there around 10/15 and have all season to glass
 
34 is getting more and more difficult to draw. There are some nice bucks in the unit and there is less hunting pressure and more older age-class bucks since G&F stopped allowing it to be hunted on a general tag in the archery season several years ago.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
113,671
Messages
2,029,163
Members
36,278
Latest member
votzemt
Back
Top