JACKSON/PINEDALE — Following the severe winter of 2022-23, which resulted in above-average mortality in the Wyoming Range mule deer herd, wildlife managers continue to observe signs of recovery and growth. While the adjacent Sublette mule deer herd was less affected, both populations recorded exceptional buck and fawn ratios this winter. Herd recovery is further supported by high over-winter survival, a result of several consecutive years of favorable, relatively mild, and snow-free conditions on mule deer winter ranges.

"Both herds have demonstrated incredible resilience over time, rapidly recovering from periodic high winter mortality, as we saw in the mid-2000s and more recently from 2011–16 when consecutive mild, open winters resulted in high survival and rapid population recovery,” said Brandon Scurlock, wildlife management coordinator for the Pinedale region.

This positive trend has also been documented by a long-term study by the University of Wyoming’s Monteith Shop, which aims to understand the factors regulating survival and reproduction in the Wyoming Range herd. Heading into this winter and during fall capture efforts, researchers recorded above-average body fat levels and the highest number of females successfully recruiting twins ever recorded since data collection began in 2016. In addition to collaboration with the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is in the fourth year of a five-year focal herd study. This study is narrowing in on five herds statewide, including the Wyoming Range herd, to gather more information about the cause of population declines and to identify possible solutions. From these studies, researchers from the Monteith Shop and Game and Fish biologists are learning more about how the landscape influences population dynamics.

Game and Fish biologists in the Jackson and Pinedale regions use these research insights and other field data to inform management decisions and to set hunting seasons. Partnering with researchers for collaring and biological sample collection is one of many strategies used to compile a comprehensive data set. Other information includes analyzing fall hunter harvest data and conducting aerial classification surveys on winter ranges.

The feedback collected from post-season harvest surveys is crucial for monitoring populations, setting future quotas and establishing season dates. The total number of deer harvested and the success rate of hunters in the previous season are primarily determined through these surveys. For the 2025 season, hunter success in the Wyoming Range herd unit was 27%, and in the Sublette herd was 29%. Although some hunter comments still indicate low deer numbers, post-season classification data show signs of population growth and high productivity.

The Wyoming Range herd had incredibly high fawn ratios over the last two years, with 81 fawns per 100 does observed this year, and 83 fawns per 100 does last year. The buck ratio increased to 38 bucks per 100 does, bringing the buck ratio to objective. This productivity is reflected in an increased population estimate of 15,500 for the 2025 post-hunting season, up from 13,200 in 2024. 

Surveys for the Sublette herd indicated higher than average fawn and buck ratios. Managers recorded 43 bucks and 77 fawns per 100 does. The 2025 post-hunting season population estimate is 22,437, an increase of 18% from 2024. 

"To set hunting seasons that promote herd health and recovery while providing quality hunting experiences, we rely on a comprehensive data set encompassing all of these factors and public input," Jackson wildlife management coordinator, Cheyenne Stewart said. "As these populations continue to recover, hunting seasons will be modified to offer opportunity while still managing towards our goals for the herd unit."

For more information on mule deer in Wyoming, visit the Game and Fish website. More information on the 2026 hunting season proposals can be found here. 

– WGFD –