Hunter Access

[flatwater]

I drew an antelope tag in Wyoming this year. Unit 32 south of Casper. Not my first choice, but that is how it usually goes. Felt fortunate to get any tag. Hunt is Oct5-25.

Since I had never seen the area, I called the local game office to ask a few questions. Mostly about access. I was informed that access was easy. Five of the largest ranchers in the area had joined to form the Muddy Mountain Hunter Mgmt Area. This allows public access to some private land. And since public land in Wyoming is often very difficult to access because of screening private land or indistinct public-private boundaries, that was good news.

Unfortunately, on Wed and Thurs I drove to the unit, 7 hours from my Idaho home. After driving 290 miles on the unit's back roads, I was able to spot only a few lopes. Most worrysome, was that there was not one single blade of grass left in the unit. All grazed off by cattle and sheep. I called back to the biologist (JB) and he said, no worries. The area is winter range, and the antelope will arrive in Oct. When I asked what they would have to eat during the winter, he agreed that the range was in "terrible shape" and that was why the Game Dept had authorized 1550 tags: to kill them off to prevent starvation. I also learned that one of the prices of getting ranchers to join the Huntr Mgmt Area, was that they get more control on grazing practices. Namely, ruining the winter range.

I talked to a ranch owner (PG), and he blalmed the game dept for the loss of the deer herds. Could not recognize his own part in the wildlife decline. As a current ranch owner, it is embarrassing to see an area like this one in Wyoming.

The point of this rambling, we must be cautious what we hunters trade for access to hunting. The loss of all of the game is too big a price. Most western states have an access program (Mt, Wy and Id do). And I have been a big fan of such programs.

There is no way I'll take the big Sharps to Wyoming this year. Starving antelope may need to be shot. But not by me........FW Bill

[Tallperson]

Flatwater I hope that 11,000 acre widefire wasn't in your area... Also it is pretty amazing what those speed goats can live on.. Tallperson