Why It Matters
Two of northwestern Wyoming’s premier mule deer herds are rebounding from a catastrophic 2022-23 winter, but proposed hunting regulation changes have sparked debate among hunters about how fast to restore harvest opportunities. The outcome could influence wildlife management approaches across the Mountain West.
While the controversy centers on season length and antler restrictions, wildlife biologists say neither change will actually affect herd recovery rates — only doe and fawn survival drives population growth.
What Happened
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department proposed extending hunting seasons and removing antler-point requirements for the Sublette and Wyoming Range mule deer herds. The changes would reverse emergency restrictions imposed after the devastating 2022-23 winter killed roughly two-thirds of the Wyoming Range herd.
Brandon Scurlock, wildlife management coordinator for the agency’s Pinedale Region, said the Wyoming Range herd has grown from approximately 10,300 animals to 15,500 after the 2025 hunting season. That represents recovery to about half its pre-winter population of 29,580 deer.
Most hunters submitting public comments oppose the changes. Afton resident Tristan Mack wrote that removing restrictions too soon could reverse progress. Diamondville’s Blake Gipson said he is vehemently opposed to both extending seasons and dropping antler requirements while populations remain low.
Some hunters supported the proposals. Cora resident Braxton Hamilton noted that antler restrictions typically provide benefits for only about three years and can become counterproductive beyond that timeframe.
By the Numbers
10,300: Lowest point for Wyoming Range herd population after the 2022-23 winter
15,500: Current Wyoming Range herd size after 2025 hunting season
29,580: Pre-winter population level for the Wyoming Range herd
38-43: Buck-to-doe ratios (per 100 does) in the affected herds, well within healthy parameters
18: Number of hunt areas in northwestern Wyoming affected by the proposed regulation changes
Zoom Out
The 2022-23 winter’s long-lasting and inverted snowpack devastated mule deer populations across the Mountain West. Wyoming’s experience mirrors challenges facing wildlife managers throughout the Intermountain region as they balance conservation with hunting opportunity.
Biologists say fawn ratios and survival rates are now impressively high in both herds, indicating strong recovery conditions. The populations are rebounding naturally through doe reproduction and fawn survival — the only factors that truly drive herd growth.
Buck harvest through hunting does not impact population trajectories unless sex ratios become extraordinarily lopsided, which has not occurred in either the Sublette or Wyoming Range herds. Current ratios of 38 to 43 bucks per 100 does remain within normal ranges.
The agency shortened seasons and imposed four-point-or-better antler requirements starting in 2023 after concerned hunters and outfitters voluntarily gave up tags. Those emergency measures were designed as temporary responses to the winter kill.
What’s Next
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission will decide on hunting regulations for all Wyoming elk, deer and pronghorn herds on Wednesday, April 22 in Casper. Meeting details are available online at the agency’s website.
The commission’s decision will set the regulatory framework for the 2026 hunting season across 18 hunt areas in northwestern Wyoming. Scurlock said the agency wants to encourage managers to liberalize opportunities as populations recover, just as they quickly shortened seasons in response to winter kill.
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