Sheridan, Wyoming

What's the area like? Decent place to live, hunt, trap?

Following... my area of Idaho has a high cost of living and low pay.

Never been there, but had a long time family friend that moved to Sheridan in the late 80s or early 90s to enjoy his retirement trapping. I guess he thought is was a good area. I recall him talking about catching beaver all the time and how nice the coon were, not sure how far he traveled to do it though.

Beautiful area. Not far from National forest, in Wyoming if you're going to trap public you need to be on BLM or you need permission from the state to trap state grounds. Sheridan doesn't have much for public ground close to it. Not sure what the rules are for trapping on national forest. Hunting is decent as you can hunt both deer and elk on the national forest. PM me if you need any other info about Wyoming. I hunt most of it.

I just moved from there back to montana. 12 years this time, another time for 6 years. 1988 to 94. I absolut5 love the area. I would still be there if not for employment. Two sons and wives and grandchildren still there. If you are an outdoorsman you will find plenty to do. Let me know if you need any specifics. The cost of living is higher than my hometown of Great Falls, Mt.

Sheridan county was my favorite coyote trapping area, plenty of coal shale there

Alt 14 from Sheridan to Jellystone is one of the nicest areas I've ever drove. Can't say much for the town of Sheridan, but don't take long to get out of town.

Son lived there not a lot of work coal mines slowed down kinda pricey for Wy. best be a millionare to buy any acreage and I am not kidding it is a very trendy area lot of folks moving there bought up ranches subdivded some and a lot of mini ranches. Hard to get on private ground for hunting or trapping in most cases and not much BLM. As far asNational forest it is high elevation and crawling with people during hunting season then about the time fur primes its snow country. Lots of areas that have very limited access do to closed road and no snowmachines off road till15th of Nov. Im pretty sure. By then preadators for the mos part are off the mountain several foot of snow and on the fringes of the forest they are land locked by private land and no access. Things have changed in Wy in the last 10 years big money coming in from other states, land locked access of public lands and the attitude we dont want you crossing it to get you your public land. Lots of public land but as far as the western states go the least access. I dont even allow access or very limited on my place because of problems and attitudes.

well aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

Just information it is a great place to live like most places in the west but wages are not great its a trade off.

Prices of housing went high, in all wy mountain towns, Buffalo too, California people bought up homes, drove prices up years ago

Yep, it is happening all over from MN going west people are tried of out of state hunters and sportsman and are closing things down. I won't let any on my land anymore either.

I ran into that public access thing too. Was trying to find what they call Mummy Cave on the east side of Pathfinder Reservoir. There is a lot of private land around there with locked gates and signs preventing you from accessing public land on the back side of the private land. I still like Wyoming though as there is still a lot of public land available.

I guess if a chunk of land is land locked the owners around the chunk have there own private hunting spot.

I have vacationed there since I was a kid. Lots to do in the Big Horns - great camping and fishing. There are a lot of deer, elk, moose, and grouse but I don't know what the rules for hunting are. I can tell you about the fishing all day long though. . Sheridan is ok. It has everything you need. There is a lot of BLM and national forest land but other guys are trapping it too. There seems to be people who make that area their destination to fly in and road hunt coyotes for a few days and then go back home. Some guys from here in central IL do that. They are road hunters here ( illegal) and I'm sure they don't follow all the rules there either.

Danvee is right about things changing. It is different. Jackson used to have millionaires and now they are getting kicked out by the billionaires- guess where they are moving to. Sheridan used to be more of a western style town where you had to have something to sell to be able to make a business work. Now I see businesses that can't make it but they are supported by wealthy owners who then take some of the business that is there from the legit people and it makes it tough for them. There's a lot of new money in Sheridan. Look at the houses south of town.

I do like the area. I guess I would move there if I could but then I'd be fighting for trapping and hunting spots too. I talked at length with a young guy who had moved there 5 years ago from Wisconsin. He was excited because he had just found out he was going to get to hunt elk for the first time since he moved there. Sounded like it might not be easy to get a license to do that. You might want to go visit and check out the Big Horns and ask around some. With all the big money moving in it is hard for a person with average means to find a place.

A lot of that happens in the good ole U.P.

Its towns all around Wy that are close to the mountains people have made there big money in the big cities are retiring here and the only thing they want is a piece of eye candy real estate most don't hunt, trap or believe in the western style of living.

Lots of BLM in central WY good grade of coyotes not near as windy and wages a little higher than Northern part of the state. Good hunting, fishing and trapping
Wish every day I hadn't left there

Good info and insight. Thank you. Keep it coming.

I did not get to Sheridan but while traveling Wyoming a couple of years back me and the wife decided to travel up to the metropolis of Burgess Junction and hit the malls and such. Had a great time on the UTV we rented.

What about bears?

Clayton, I wouldn't have thought you were the type of man that is scared of bears.

Actually the bears should probably be afraid of your boys!

If you are moving to Wyoming I would not move to Sheridan. Go over the Mountain to any of the small western towns and live Greybull,Powell,Basin,Worland,Ten Sleep,etc. Tons of blm on that side plus the National Forest. Kind of funny reading some comments like during hunting season the place is crawling- I hunted 38-39-40-41 elk and most times I never seen anyone. If you do archery you will never see anyone-Rifle? I have video of opening morning elk in area 40 with tons of elk and mulies and NO One for miles and you can see rt 14 in the video . Trapping-There is a guy in Shell that makes a living trapping only and he goes after cat/coyotes exclusively. Coon-fox-beavers-rats are all yours. Some awesome spots to trap high mountain coyotes/cats/foxes/some martens one just has to learn how to trap in deep snow in some spots but down low in the blm you can get to most areas any time.
Hunting is awesome in the BigHorns-someone asked about bears, there is alot of black bears and color phase--grizz I know are over by Ten Sleep and probably around Burgess Jct. area now- Wolves are in the Horns and hopefully will be back on the menu soon.
If you are looking to work out there it is kinda limited on the west side of the Bighorns but the cost of housing is cheaper- Houses in some towns can be had under 100,000 know the right people and small acres can be had reasonable enough.
Big cats abound in this area as well- The ones with long tails ! Beavers are in yellowtail area and most have never seen a trap. Waterfowl hunting in this area is superb.
I love that area- Lived there about six years got transferred back to IL for work. I will retire there. Oh ya some of the best snowmobiling in the country in the Bighorns.

If you are worried about bears I would look into the Jeffrey City area. Way more public land around than up in Sheridan. You can go on Greenwood mapping for Wyo. and see for yourself.

How is the fur around Thermopolis? Lived there as a kid, always wanted to trap that area.

The fur is good in all of Wyo. when prime. You just have to fine a place to trap that is not already taken.

I ain't scart. Read enough about them to know I can handle' em. I've paid attention to Dirt, Ken, and Pete on the wilderness forum. Just never lived around them. Thinking more about my bird dogs. Keeping them safe in kennel and hunting. Just wondering how thick around the town. The boy's can handle themselves. Really like the idea of trail riding the horses. Elk has been a dream for years. Not a horn hunter. Fed my family with a lot of venison over the years. We'll be going to Sheridan in a week or so to check it out. The job dictates the location. And looks like a good one. I'll find a way to trap. Always do.

I have been the area and would be a great place to live and all the outdoor things you would want. You wouldn't have time to do them all. Lol

Lots of nice high desert prairie like land between Sheridan and Gillette

Visited Sheridan. Reminds me of Branson MO the way its laid out and the traffic. Lots a traffic for such a small town. Definitely influenced by the West coast. Cool town none the less. Flew into Billings and drove down to Sheridan. Nice drive at 85 mph. Seen a few speed goats. Lots of deer and Merriams. No bears or sign. Didn't get out of town much.

Burgess junction is real close to where I used to trap

hunted there and stayed in town
I could live there

Wife and i ate in a little cafe there last year. The town seems a little run down but the area around it is amazing. Awesome drive coming from that resevoir from the south i believe. The locals drive 15 over and pass on curves , little nervewracking. We drove through on the way to Cody, then went back home through Sheridan. The only thing i didnt care for in Wyoming was Yellowstone, and thats just because of the tourists. Otherwise i think i could live anywhere in that amazing state.