Wyoming deer

[Tyler1215]

I'm trying to decide if it is worth it to buy preference points for deer in Wyoming? Does Wyoming have units that are worth waiting 5 to 10 years to hunt? Units with good odds at killing a 200 in mule deer? Any and all info is appreciated.

 

[Tyler1215]

I guess I have the same question for Montana? If you could only afford to buy points for mule deer in one of the two states which one?

 

[rtraverdavis]

I think you may be going about it a bit backwards—no disrespect meant. Folks that kill 200 inch deer (when it’s not pure, dumb luck) basically live out in the field thinking of little else besides mule deer. If you want to hunt Wyoming, go for it. I bet you have a great time.

 

[huntandfly]

200 inch deer aside, it only costs you 40 bucks a year to build points in Wyoming (unless I am mistaken)

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Is there anywhere with "good odds" at a 200 inch mule deer?

 

[MTLabrador]

Is there anywhere with "good odds" at a 200 inch mule deer?

Southeast Montana bro

 

[LCH]

Give Randy's latest podcast on point creep a listen, then decide.

A few points are likely to get you a slightly less crowded experience or better season dates, but probably not 200" deer.

For me, Wyoming deer is a no-brainer. You've just got to be realistic with your expectations.

 

[ccc23454]

Is there anywhere with "good odds" at a 200 inch mule deer?

Yes there is! but good odds is obviously relative

 

[Tyler1215]

To elaborate a little, here in AZ we have a couple units known to produce monster mulies. If you draw one if these tags the expectation after waiting a decade or more would be to harvest a near 200in buck. I'm basically asking if I put in the money to buy a pp for a decade or more in one of the two mentioned states, could I expect to be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to a az "strip" tag?

 

[WyoDoug]

I am a Wyoming resident and I have seen 200 class muleys in Wyoming. Not going to say where because I am hunting the particular area next year if I draw. We have nice bucks walk the alleys in Cheyenne now and then. A couple live by the cemetery and sun themselves during hunting season. But seriously, if I were after a 200 class buck or better, I would be hunting Northwestern Colorado or western Wyoming on that side of the divide.

 

[HalfAce]

To elaborate a little, here in AZ we have a couple units known to produce monster mulies. If you draw one if these tags the expectation after waiting a decade or more would be to harvest a near 200in buck. I'm basically asking if I put in the money to buy a pp for a decade or more in one of the two mentioned states, could I expect to be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to a az "strip" tag?

The strip is the best mule deer unit in the world. There is no mule deer hunt in WY or MT that even comes close. Even in relative terms, the better hunts in those two states, you’ll be waiting more than 10 years to draw a tag.

 

[WyoDoug]

To elaborate a little, here in AZ we have a couple units known to produce monster mulies. If you draw one if these tags the expectation after waiting a decade or more would be to harvest a near 200in buck. I'm basically asking if I put in the money to buy a pp for a decade or more in one of the two mentioned states, could I expect to be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to a az "strip" tag?

What I am reading doing my own research and what I know as a resident of Wyoming and formerly of Colorado is short answer is no. There are monster bucks in both Wyoming and Colorado that trophy hunters would salivate over. But will it compete with that strip in AZ where monster bucks have been famous lately, I just don't think so. I am a meat hunter but I do take big bucks on my general or Type 1 tags when I see them. I have been wanting to get a trophy class buck myself to put on the wall but lately in my current and former home states, there are not a lot of options to do that. They are there though but not as good as AZ right now from what I have read and seen in videos. Myself, in areas I do hunt, I have seen good respectable bucks but not B&C grade.

 

[NoWiser]

I think if you are worried about score, the B&C record books would be where I'd start looking. It shouldn't be too difficult to see where most of the truly giant bucks are coming from these days.

 

[The Hedgehog]

To elaborate a little, here in AZ we have a couple units known to produce monster mulies. If you draw one if these tags the expectation after waiting a decade or more would be to harvest a near 200in buck. I'm basically asking if I put in the money to buy a pp for a decade or more in one of the two mentioned states, could I expect to be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to a az "strip" tag?

I predict there are no 200" deer in your future, ever.

 

[Irrelevant]

To elaborate a little, here in AZ we have a couple units known to produce monster mulies. If you draw one if these tags the expectation after waiting a decade or more would be to harvest a near 200in buck. I'm basically asking if I put in the money to buy a pp for a decade or more in one of the two mentioned states, could I expect to be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to a az "strip" tag?

If all you're concerned about is inches then don't bother with PP, save your money, and just buy one.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Your original question is strange due to selections of MT and WY. If your question was “which states/units other than AZ might I consider to have a chance at a 200” mulie”, you might get some direction towards reaching that goal.

 

[smw110136]

Short answer is no. You will not be rewarded with an opportunity to hunt a unit relative to an AZ "strip" tag in Wyoming or Montana even after 10 or 15 years of point building. I doubt you'll find anything relatively close to the "strip" anywhere outside Arizona. But if you go on a Wyoming deer hunt with 10-15 points, there's low odds you'll kill a 200in deer, but there's great odds to kill a 170+ deer. If your main goal is hunting big mule deer more than once a decade (or more) you should invest in building points and hunting in other states. If you only care about 190-200in deer, you may be wasting your money applying anywhere but Arizona

 

[rmyoung1]

If you're after 200" deer and only 200" deer, there aren't too many avenues if you aren't at the top of the point heap in AZ/UT/NV. To use language from @BuzzH ... you can bully your way to the top with a bunch of money. There are $20K+ landowner tags in Nevada. Might have a shot at a 200" buck in some of those units.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

If you could only afford to buy points for mule deer in one of the two states which one?

The more expensive one. Think of your PP like optics. The more they cost the better they are.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I don’t spend that much time scouting, but I generally know what I’m doing on mule deer and some years have looked over a good bit of WY winter range associated with some good herd units. I think there are quite a few people that don’t realize how rare a legitimate 200” deer is.