October 2023 - 22

the Sublette herd should still offer quality hunting
experiences, as should the Uinta-Cedar Mountain
and Carter Lease herds.
Hunters are expected to see fewer pronghorn in
the Lander Region, especially in the Rawlins/Interstate
80 areas. However, those who drew licenses
are expected to have good harvest success with a
bit more effort to select a buck from fewer animals.
Pronghorn herds throughout the Laramie Region
A bowhunter stalks a buck pronghorn. Disease and a harsh winter hurt pronghorn numbers in parts of Wyoming,
but there are areas where hunters will have a solid chance at harvesting an animal. (Photo by Wes Uncapher)
any white-tailed deer and there are many doe/fawn
seasons extended into December. Most white-tailed
deer in this region are on private land. Chronic
wasting disease is greater than 20 percent in this
area, and Hunt Areas 1-6 are part of the Game
and Fish's CWD monitoring focus areas this year.
There are small populations of white-tailed deer
in the Jackson and Pinedale regions, and these deer
are commonly found in riparian habitats.
PRONGHORN
Harsh winter conditions and disease took its toll
on pronghorn numbers in several areas of the state,
but there are still chances for harvest despite fewer
licenses issued.
The largest declines in pronghorn numbers in
the Sheridan Region were in the Gillette area, but
favorable spring and early-summer conditions provided
a good start to help the population rebound.
Overall, opportunities to harvest pronghorn will be
similar to last year and average to find quality bucks.
The northern portion of the Bighorn Basin's
herds are relatively stable in the Cody Region, and
hunters who drew licenses within the region should
see similar or better results compared to last year.
The Green River Region has six pronghorn herds,
and numbers are down across the region due the
harsh winter. However, the southern hunt areas of
22 | October 2023
didn't succumb to winter conditions like other parts
of the state. However, Hunt Areas 50, 51 and 52
experienced higher winter mortalities compared
to herds to the east. Grassland herds in the north
and east, including Hunt Areas 11, 34, 38 and 103
have declined in the past six years. Decent buck
numbers remain in these herds, but older animals
will be harder to find. Populations in Hunt Areas
47 and 48 have increased.
Pronghorn performance has been variable in the
Casper Region in recent years, with herds around
Casper remaining at or near population management
objectives, while herds in northeast Wyoming
from Douglas to Lusk to Sundance remain far below
objective. After the 2022-23 winter, wildlife managers
decided to remove doe/fawn licenses from
almost all of the hunt areas in the region out of an
abundance of caution, with one notable exception
in Hunt Area 32 south of Casper where pronghorn
fared well. Substantial pronghorn losses were not
realized in much of the Casper Region despite severe
winter conditions being prevalent in much of the
state, partially due to the fact that pronghorn populations
were already well below what the landscape
could support. Despite numbers remaining below
desired levels in much of the region, hunters should
experience average to high-harvest success as buck
ratios remain strong and license issuance has been
drastically reduced for the fourth consecutive year.
Nearly 2,000 pronghorn licenses were cut from
the Pinedale Region due to winter and disease, and
hunters who drew licenses should expect to see far
fewer pronghorn this fall. Hunt Area 85 in the
Jackson Region is closed to hunting this year due
to pronghorn mortalities from weather and disease.
MOOSE
Hunters who drew a tag this year should have
good opportunities for success and favorable conditions
for the animals.
The forecast is for excellent opportunities in the
Snowy Range herd in the Laramie Region for those
who drew Type 1 and Type 4 licenses. Regrowth
from the 2020 Mullen Fire is good and has improved
moose habitat.
Moose numbers are good in the Absaroka herd
in the Cody Region and the Bighorn herd in the

October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2023