Wyoming offers some fine wide-open hunting for whitetails according the Antler Nation Report.

Season Dates: Archery season runs from Sept. 1 to 30; muzzleloader and rifle season run from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, depending on the unit hunted.

The Grade: B+

Wyoming’s whitetail herd is scattered in pockets throughout the state but is primarily located in the northeastern Blackhills region, Bighorn Basin, around Riverton and along the river drainages and farmland in the eastern third of the state. There are good public-land opportunities within these regions for whitetails, but the best hunting is usually found on private ground. What makes Wyoming so appealing is its whitetail hunter success rate. The latest available data shows that it has been hovering around 55 percent for the last three years.

Deer Nation Knowledge: Because Wyoming’s archery season begins on Sept. 1, it offers an excellent opportunity for an early season whitetail still in velvet. Although it does not have high marks with respect to B&C entries, there are currently 150 P&Y typical, non-typical and velvet class bucks listed in their record books making the Cowboy State a great destination for the archery hunter.