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  • Why Wyoming for a Guided Mule Deer Hunt

    Why Wyoming for a Guided Mule Deer Hunt

    When it comes to western hunting, few things are more iconic than a big mule deer buck in the sagebrush. These spot-and-stalk hunts are a game of chess on an enormous scale. It’s easy to see why mule deer hunting remains so popular.

    Here in Wyoming, we’re fortunate to enjoy some of the best mule deer hunting anywhere on earth. Mule deer hunting in Wyoming is special. Here are a few reasons why:

    1. Variety of Opportunities

    From the peaks of the Rockies, to the Red Desert, to the high plains and sagebrush steppe, Wyoming is hope to an incredible diversity of mule deer country.

    The areas we hunt are near Douglas, on the eastern side of Wyoming. These are primarily sagebrush and high plains habitats, cut with stands of ponderosa and juniper-covered ridges and canyons. It’s classic western mule deer country.

    Here, our deer aren’t as vulnerable to winterkill as many high-elevation herds. We enjoy both migratory deer that show up when the weather turns cold, as well as resident herds deer that live here year-round. As we mentioned in our recent article about winter conditions and 2020 license numbers, our deer herd here is healthy and growing.

    Guided Mule Deer Hunt

    1. High Quality Hunts

    The Wyoming Game and Fish Department does a great job of managing mule deer hunting throughout the state, offering high quality opportunities. It might take a year or two to draw your mule deer license. But it’s well worth the wait. You can be sure you’ll have a very high quality hunting experience!

    What’s more, we operate our hunts on beautiful ranches in east-central Wyoming. These sprawling western landscapes are home to great mule deer habitat. We have exclusive access to these ranches – meaning you won’t have to deal with public hunting pressure.

    When you combine the quality wildlife management from the state agency, plus the careful ranch management that we employ on these private properties, you get a mule deer hunting experience that’s difficult to find anywhere else.

    Guided Big Game Hunt in Wyoming

    1. Antelope Combo Hunts

    One thing we love about deer hunts in this part of Wyoming is the ability to plan a mule deer and antelope combo hunt. Together, these two species make for an extremely fun hunting experience.

    On these hunts, we will often spend the early morning hours glassing for mule deer and if given the opportunity, making a stalk. Then, the afternoon hours are perfect for chasing antelope. If you missed our recent article about antelope, you might be surprised to learn that unlike deer, antelope are most active during the daylight hours. In the late afternoon, we will go back to glassing for mule deer until dark.

    In terms of the number of animals you’ll see and the consistent action throughout the day, there’s nothing that quite compares to a mule deer and antelope hunt. We truly believe this is some of the most fun to be had on any western hunt!

    Guided Antelope Hunt with Box Creek Outfitters

    The Wyoming Application Deadline is June 1st

    If you’d like to experience a Wyoming hunting adventure in 2020, you must apply for your license before June 1st! The deadline is approaching quickly and we’d love to help you plan your hunt. For details, give us a call at (307) 359-1848. You can also send us a message.

    If you’d like to read more about applying and our available guided hunts here at Box Creek Outfitters, please go take a look at our recent blog post about the application deadline.

    Again, feel free to call us anytime (307) 359-1848 or send us a message. We look forward to seeing you out here this fall!

  • 3 Things You Might Not Expect on a Wyoming Antelope Hunt

    3 Things You Might Not Expect on a Wyoming Antelope Hunt

    Antelope are truly one of a kind. Found only here in North America, the pronghorn is an iconic species of the American west. Nothing is faster. Their eyesight is incredible. And their painted appearance makes them one of the most beautiful big game trophies.

    Because they’re so unique, hunting antelope is often full of surprises for folks who haven’t hunted them before.

    Pronghorn Hunting

    Here are a few things you might not have expected if you’re looking forward to your first antelope hunt:

    1. Hunting Daytime Hours

    The first thing that surprises most hunters is that we don’t have to be in the field before daylight. Rarely is this necessary on an antelope hunt. Unlike deer, which are active during the early and late hours of the day, antelope remain active during the middle of the day.

    On most antelope hunts, you can expect to get started sometime after daylight. Antelope bucks are notoriously difficult to field judge. Daylight makes that task much easier for your guide.

    It might seem like a luxury hunt – because it is! No other big game hunt allows you to sleep in at your hotel in town, begin hunting after daylight and then see lots of animals. Antelope hunting is truly one of the most fun western hunts.

    1. Nonstop Action

    One of the things we love about antelope hunting is the numbers of animals we’re able to see every day. In this wide-open country, we can glass long distances and we will have the opportunity to watch good numbers of antelope.

    Antelope hunting is as fun and action-packed as it gets for a western big game hunt. On our guided antelope hunts, you can expect to see plenty of antelope throughout the day. We hunt beautiful Wyoming ranches where we have exclusive access to unpressured animals.

    As previously mentioned, antelope are tricky to judge on the hoof. So don’t be surprised if your guide isn’t ready to take off after the first buck you see. It sometimes takes a lot of looking before you and your guide determine a shooter buck.

    Guided Antelope Hunt with Box Creek Outfitters

    1. They’re Different Than Anything You’ve Ever Hunted

    Antelope aren’t just unique in their appearance. Their natural defenses and their behavior are also different from most other big game species.

    Unlike elk and deer, which rely heavily on their nose, pronghorn rely on their excellent eyesight. That’s why they prefer being in open terrain. When we stalk antelope, it’s important to keep this in mind. Playing the wind takes a back seat to playing their line of sight.

    Antelope are also unique in many of their other behaviors. At moments they can seem extremely skittish. While other times they seem unreasonably curious. The more time you spend around pronghorn, the more you’ll come to appreciate these cool animals.

    Guided Antelope Hunts with Box Creek Outfitters

    Please take a few minutes to explore the rest of our website to learn more about our Wyoming antelope hunts. You’ll find pricing and other information. If you have questions about availability or other specifics, please don’t hesitate to call us at (307) 359-1848 or send us a message.

  • Update on Wintering Big Game Herds & 2020 License Numbers

    Update on Wintering Big Game Herds & 2020 License Numbers

    Here’s a brief update on the condition of big game herds in Wyoming. Winter is quickly turning to spring, and things are looking more green every day. In our part of Wyoming, it was a healthy year on the winter range for our deer and antelope herds.

    Winter Range Update

    The winter of 2019/2020 brought good levels of moisture to the landscape. Precipitation levels were slightly above average, and the green-up is already happening. We won’t have to worry about drought conditions anytime soon, and that’s always a positive way to start the year.

    Big Game Herd Conditions

    Residual winter moisture will continue to provide healthy food sources for our deer and antelope herds through out the spring and into the summer. This is when most antler and horn growth takes place. With that in mind, we can expect a good year for the trophy quality of our mule deer bucks and antelope bucks. What’s more, high moisture content and quality food sources is a leading contributor to higher doe/fawn ratios. Healthy does make healthy fawns.

    2020 License Numbers

    This year, we expect the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to further increase license numbers in our areas. Both mule deer and antelope herds in these areas are growing. We are looking forward to another great year of hunting!

    2020 Deer and Antelope Application Info

    If you’re interested in hunting with Box Creek Outfitters this year, please know that all hunters must apply for deer and antelope licenses by May 31!

    You can explore the rest of our website to learn more about our deer and antelope hunts. We offer archery and rifle hunts. If you have questions about the draw, specific dates or anything else, please don’t hesitate to send us a message or call us now at 307-359-1848.

    Guided Big Game Hunt in Wyoming

  • Wyoming Deer and Antelope Application Deadline is May 31st

    Wyoming Deer and Antelope Application Deadline is May 31st

    The application deadline for Wyoming deer and antelope licenses is May 31st. The fall hunting seasons might seem distant. But it’s time to begin planning your Wyoming hunt!

    If you have questions about the application process, don’t hesitate to send us a message or call us at 307-359-1848.

    Here are a few things you should know about our archery and rifle hunts…

    Archery Antelope Hunts

    Guided Archery Antelope

    At Box Creek Outfitters, our hunting season begins in mid-August with the archery antelope hunts. Antelope are known for their incredible eyesight, and taking a pronghorn with a bow is a great accomplishment.

    By far the most effective way to hunt antelope with a bow is from a ground blind. Blinds are set up and ready to go before our hunters arrive. These blinds are placed at strategic locations near water. During the hot days of late August and early September, we can reliably intercept bucks as they come to water during the day.

    Unlike deer, which tend to be most active early and late in the day, antelope are active throughout the daylight hours. Most deer hunters are used to getting started before daylight. But with antelope, that’s rarely necessary. We can expect to see antelope showing up at these watering locations from mid-morning through the late afternoon.

    To learn more about these hunts, including pricing and other details, please take a look at our archery antelope page. If you have questions about availability or any other details, please don’t hesitate to contact us or give us a call at 307-359-1848.

    Rifle Antelope Hunts

    Rifle Antelope Hunt in Wyoming

    After the archery hunts wrap up, our next adventure is rifle antelope hunting. Pronghorn are arguably one of the most beautiful big game species in North America, and pursuing them across these wide-open Wyoming landscapes is something truly special.

    Rifle antelope hunts begin in late September and run through mid-October. These dates are timed with the antelope rut. It’s an exciting time of year to watch the bucks compete and chase does.

    Our rifle antelope hunts are spot-and-stalk adventures. We use 4-wheel drive pickups for access. Bring quality binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one. Due to the open nature of this terrain, we’ll be able to spot good numbers of antelope while looking for a mature buck. Once we spot a quality antelope buck, you can expect to begin the stalk on foot.

    If you’d like to read more about these hunting opportunities, please visit our rifle antelope page. You can also give us a call at 307-359-1848 or send us a message with any questions.

    Wyoming Mule Deer Hunts

    Guided Mule Deer Hunt

    There may be no more classic western experience than a spot-and-stalk Wyoming mule deer hunt. Glassing for mule deer and stalking them across this windswept landscape is something every hunter should experience.

    Rifle antelope hunts begin October 1st and run through the middle of the month. We hunt classic Wyoming deer country – sagebrush hills, riparian river bottoms, and juniper-studded coulees. Like our antelope hunts, we access the terrain using 4-wheel drive pickups. We will begin glassing early in the morning. We’ll eat lunch in the field and continue glassing in the afternoon. You’ll want a quality set of binoculars on this hunt and a spotting scope if possible.

    The weather in early October is highly variable. Hunters should be prepared for warm temperatures and sunshine, to wind and snow, and everything in between. But no matter the conditions, we know these landscapes and how the deer use them. Our guides will show you how we adapt to weather and other factors to locate these mature mule deer bucks.

    For pricing and other information, please check out our mule deer hunting page. If you have specific questions or if you’d like to inquire about availability, give us a call at 307-359-1848 or contact us online.

    The Wyoming Deer and Antelope Application Deadline

    Guided Wyoming Hunt

    Anyone who wishes to hunt Wyoming in 2020 must apply for licenses by May 31st. To get started, please give us a call now at 307-359-1848.

    Licenses for our antelope units can be very easy to draw, even without preference points.

    Licenses for our mule deer hunts can also be drawn with no preference point, but having a couple of points going into the draw will help secure that tag.

    If you’re feeling unsure about preference points or the application process, don’t worry! We’re here to help. Send us a message or simply give us a call at 307-359-1848. We’d love to help you plan a great Wyoming hunt!