Mixed bag expected for local hunting seasons

As deer season opens next week, Game Warden Chris Teter feels that hunting opportunities are likely to be a mixed bag this year in local hunt areas.

Deer

Mule deer numbers are good in most of the county, says Teter, and hunters who have access to private land should have luck. The white-tailed deer population has also been productive and remains high.

“Doe/fawn license numbers have been kept at a liberal level and there are currently over 2100 leftover licenses available for the hunt areas north of I-90,” he says.

“Hunters should note that doe/fawn deer licenses in hunt areas 1-4 are only valid on private land.”

On the other hand, he says, hunters may notice the lingering effects of the higher-than-normal winter losses that occurred two years ago, especially with fawns.

“Hunters will notice the effects of losing deer in that age class,” he says. “Fawn numbers this year are a bit lower than normal.”

Turkeys

“The turkey population dropped a bit over the recent past, but poult production was promising this year,” says Teter. “Hunting opportunities this fall should be good. The upcoming season remains unchanged.”

The season for general licenses for any wild turkey in area 1 runs November 1 to 30.

Lions

Lion season, as always, will be open until the harvest is complete.

“There have been no changes to the lion season this fall. Hunters are reminded that all harvests from Hunt Area 1 need to be reported with 24 hours,” says Teter.

“The nonresident limit in area 1 was met on October 24.”

Elk

Elk hunting continues to be a mixed bag this year, says the game warden, with particular success seen so far for hunters with access to private lands.

“Public land hunters in Hunt Area 116 typically have limited success,” he says. “The general license season in Hunt Area 116 was designed to increase elk harvest on private lands while allowing for some opportunistic elk harvest on the National Forest where elk numbers are low during the fall as hunting pressure displaces them.”

Teter reminds hunters that only general licenses are valid on the National Forest and area 116 type 1 and 7 licenses are only valid off the National Forest.

License quotas for Hunt Area 1 remain the same, he adds.

“Finally, in hunt area 117, there will be some opportunities for antlerless elk harvest on select private lands. Cow/calf licenses are not valid on the National Forest,” he says. “This is the second year that type 2 licenses are available in hunt area 117, which permit hunters to take spike bulls and antlerless elk.”

Chronic Wasting Disease

Please consider assisting Wyoming Game & Fish in their efforts to monitor chronic wasting disease in Wyoming.

“This disease has now been identified in most deer hunt areas across Wyoming and the focus for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department has shifted from detection to monitoring,” Teter says.

“In order to obtain valid estimates of prevalence, large sample sizes from focused areas are needed.”

For more information, visit wgfd.wyo.gov/cwd.