Not sure of you all are keeping track but winter is shaping up to be a real brute this year.
Deer and pronghorn are really suffering and some elk too now.
Tag numbers are getting reduced in many areas for deer and pronghorn.
Not good timing for those looking to burn PPs and get out of the game in Wyoming.

90/10 for the regular 3 has not passed, elk, deer and antelope but talk of it has NRs looking to use their PPs sooner than later.
The license fee increase is really over the top, most resident did not support it but it passed so many are looking to use PP this year.
If you have the means to afford the higher price tags, I might wait a year or 2 for populations to rebound.
Special draw odds should be better after the price increase so I hope many DIY hunters go that route for the draw and get your tags.

For those applying this year wait until quotas are out in April, might be some areas with very few NR tags and much shorter seasons.

Thanks for the info, appreciate it

Thanks for the update Wytex. My dad & I have been building points for a few years to go out with my son. Dad's getting really close to the end of his adventure capable years, so I was really hoping this would have been the year to go out. Will need to pay close attention to this one.

Same here. I have a boat load of points for deer and antelope (used my elk points a couple of years ago successfully) and had really planned on an antelope hunt this year. I have been following this pretty closely and have about decided to wait until next year because I am afraid excessive point creep may keep me from drawing a good unit. Unfortunately when you get to my age, you never know what next year is going to hold.

I wasn't going build pronghorn points in Wyoming again after I burned them all in 2021. But I'm thinking with the proposed fee increases and in spite of the bad winters many will burn points these next couple years. Four years from now I might get to hunt a fair unit or start plugging away at a decent unit with the idea to draw in the next ten years. The good thing about pronghorn, if you can still walk you'll have a decent chance to get in range.

There will be some good bucks this year for pronghorn but knowing how many tags is the issue.
Many areas will be very reduced and depends if some NRs opt to not apply due to that or just go ahead and burn those PPs.
Next year would be best bet but with the price increase, this winter has thrown a real wrench into those wanting to get out of the PP game in Wyoming.

We've decided to put in for pronghorn here closer to our hometown due to the winter over where we usually hunt. The area near here is not as bad over the whole area, been seeing some nice bucks already. Drove through part yesterday and some bare ground but parts are buried in deep snow.
Saw signs of herds moving through while we were gone. They have some good ground now but if we get another deep late snow it will be brutal on them too.

Had we had a crystal ball maybe those license fee increases should have gone into affect in another 2 years or so.
I do feel for you NRs trying to get a quality animal before it gets too expensive and harder to draw.

Saw about 50 mule deer wintering next door to the ranch, they have good clear areas right now for browse in our little part of the state.

One silver lining, maybe great moisture for the range this summer.

Wytex, what’s the prognosis for the upland birds after this rough winter?

Kind of hard to say right now. Lots of deep snow all over except in a few wind blown areas.

We have season setting meetings coming up this month so I'll try to ask how they are fairing.
We have seen sage grouse out in the winter range and the sage was all; covered in snow.
Lots of the pheasants are farm raised so they may be ok.
We were seeing 2 coveys of huns on the ranch but haven't lately, they may well be just over the ridge from where we can get right now though.

I'll sure try to get some info for you at the meeting on March 23.
This is a busy time for biologists but you may email the one where you like to hunt birds and ask too:
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Law-Enforcement/Field-Personnel-Contact-Info/biologist-contact-info

We put in for our cow elk licenses this year and should draw. This may be the last year for us with all the $$$ increases.
I have 12 deer points and 5 antelope points and will focus on these next year. Still dreaming of a giant Mule deer on the wall.

Elk hunting should be great this year, lots of water for the range.
Might have cows spread out but we have plenty to hunt.

If we can get winter to let go before another deep snow, some areas will be ok. March and April are always iffy months though.
The ranch is in an area with no so much deep snow, saw about 50-60 mule deer on Saturday as we drove in.
They have been ranging all over the neighboring properties too though.
Might be a few more sheds on the ranch with the open ground up there but didn't see a ton of big bucks last Fall.

Pronghorn bounce back pretty well, they have lots of twins and even a few triplets every year. Mule deer will take longer , might have a hole in the population for certain aged deer after this year.
Could be some really nice pronghorn bucks this year in certain areas.
Talked with a gal that drove down from Casper yesterday and said snow was not too bad where she drove, a good pronghorn area for DIY hunting. Other areas near Casper though are buried and really hurting.
We're adjusting our antelope app this year, if we apply at all.
Meeting will have some info for us on areas to the West and outside of the Laramie valley.

I'll be headed up there at the end of April/1st of May to do a public land bear hunt. I haven't seen or heard anything about the fees going up for black bear. Hoping I don't get a surprise when I get ready to buy my tag. Y'all stay warm up there!

No increase on those sir.
It will be snowy yet I bet though. Lots of snow up in mountains, down lower is getting less.
First grizz has emerged in Yellowstone area but they are early usually.

We have some color phased bears so best of luck, been trying to get one myself.

Next week is our season setting meetings across the state for licenses allocations this year.
I'll post up the quotas likely set and any info I have on conditions and populations around our area and other parts of the state.

Going to be less pronghorn licenses and deer I'm pretty sure, winter kill is bad in some areas.

This winter is shaping up to be a "normal" one for us. Like years past and it always has an impact on some animals.
Pronghorn will bounce back faster due to twin fawns etc and deer will take another couple of years and may have a hole in the population where the 1-3 year olds should be.
Some elk have been affected but not near like deer and antelope.

It will be interesting to see what the quotas are for antelope and deer, antelope will be significantly less tags I'm thinking.

Thank you for the update Wytex. I am in for limited elk in the special draw with max points this year. Hoping to pull my tag!

As always, thanks for the updates!

I talked to a really nice retired WY GW yesterday for a few hours in Denver, said Northern WY is hurting with some pretty big die offs on the elk side which means deer are really getting hammered. He was out of Sheridan

Hadn't heard of the elk kill, that is not good.
Deer and antelope are getting hit hard in areas.

Good thing about the elk is we were over population objectives in many areas, maybe they will not get knocked back numbers wise to badly. Lots of cow tags with fewer restrictions this year.