Going to cash in 14 WY elk points, but where???

cooperjd

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I have waited a long time to elk hunt in wyoming. I started building points years ago dreaming of hunting with wagonhound. Watching Primos and Realtree videos told me this was the place to be.
Fast forward well over a decade and i have a wife, kid, mortgage, etc....and spending that kind of money on a guided hunt isn't feasible.

Also, I lived and hunted in CO for the past 8 years, so I'm comfortable DIY'ing the hunt now.

Even spending the $8-9k it would take to hunt some of the NW units in the wilderness isn't feasible, so this will be a DIY event.

BUT WHERE???

This will likely be an archery hunt, as I am ASSUMING there will be a little less pressure.

I can draw a bunch of units. I would like a unit where I have the possibility to kill a nice bull, let's say 325"+. More importantly, though, I want to have a good, fun hunt. As I get older the exact inches mean less and less, and the experience means more and more. However, I will never build this many points in any state again, so I do want a decent opportunity to find mature bulls.

I can still draw unit 7, though it seems to be pounded and I'm not sure I'll get away from pressure.

Unit 11 looks interesting as well, as does 38, 39, 45 up north by Sheridan.

Any suggestions out there of other places for me to be looking?

Would a rifle hunt in some units be a better use of my points? I've never actually killed an elk with a rifle, only bow kills. So i'm not necessarily opposed to rifle hunting, I just figure there will be less booming going on and hopefully there will be quality animals left on public dirt.
Thank you for any input!
 

Mojave

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Jun 13, 2019
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39 is classically known to be a very good unit. I messed around on gohunt with the odds applications and I would pick a Bighorn unit. 39 and 45 are limited, most of the rest are OTC.

Wyoming is not Colorado, a limited entry tag on the weekday will be a very limited number of people. Especially the 2nd week.

A OTC tag on the weekend will have less competition than OTC in Colorado but still there will be plenty.

So the question is type 9 or type 1.

I am not primarily a bow hunter, so I wouldn't waste my time on a type 9 tag.

If I was, I'd consider that.

I would also say that if it took 8 points in 2022, it will probably take 12-14 points in 2023 because of the 2024 increase in tag fees that will cause tons of people to get out of the Wyoming points game.

Go hunt is only guessing on a 2-3 point creep. I personally believe it will be closer to 4-8 points.
 
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Man I’ve got 12 points and thinking along the same lines. Will be doing some research over the holidays so shoot me a PM if you’d like to swap notes.
 

cgasner1

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Mar 12, 2015
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Yeah well throwing out those area numbers just affected your draw odds.
325" will not be a given anywhere but they are in every area in Wyoming.
Wagonhound is going up to $18,000 for a bull next year.

Seriously 18k for that I’d be willing to bet for that kind of cash you could do a lot of other really cool hunts


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Mojave

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Yes you could hunt ibex in Asia, and then do a combo hunt in Argentina for stags and blackbuck.
 

cgasner1

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It looked like they had a good year last year but 21 didn’t seem like it had anything crazy posted up


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dtrkyman

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Oct 2, 2014
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I will be going in with 8 this year. If I would have known my fall schedule was so light I would have cashed in this past year, oh well.

Not sure what I will do but probably just get a decent tag somewhere and be done with Wyoming! I only archery hunt so maybe odds are better?
 

TheTone

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I’m in a really similar spot mentally at 12 or 13 pts. I’ve been looking largely at some type 9 tags. I’m basically hoping for a hunt that’s different from otc Idaho that I’ve hunted my entire life and would be darn happy with a 300-320 bull
 
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I am going in with 9. I swear every year for the last 4 years when I look at draw odds my points put me in the same units every time due to point creep.
 

Mojave

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There have been 1 full points worth of creep every year since 2019 on general elk tags.

The special went up 1.5 points last year.

Wyoming G&F and Go Hunt have burned me multiple years telling me that I could draw a tag with a certain number of points and it ends up taking 1-3 more points.

Now I game it and apply for things I have at least 2 more points than the experts claim is needed.

My antelope tag unit in 2020 took 7 points. I didn't draw it until 2022 with 9 points. Only 71% odds for 9 points. Bad drought made it a tough hunt, took a buck, but it wasn't the kind of buck i would have spent 9 points on.
 
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Last edited:

Mojave

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In 2021 anything over 2 points guaranteed a license in the special. In 2022 anything over 3 drew a license guaranteed. A 1 point increase.



Your posts are all gloom and fkn doom. Your source?
Not all.

I used gohunt.

As you can see the actual application numbers per year.

I didn't add it all up, just guestimated.

Dude I f'n love doom and gloom!
 
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