Looking for guidance on WY elk hunt

[MountainTracker]

I'll say that if I had a tag in one of the top areas that the OP sounds like he'll be hunting, had a few bulls sorted through and shot the one I wanted a few days before I had to leave, first thing I'd do is try to go help the OP get the next biggest one down. There's some really incredible hunters and even more incredible people in WY, so if you're gonna go DIY, try to be social when you're out there. Some of the best friends can be made out in the field; learn what you can from them and they might even tip you off to where a nice bull is hanging out.

There’s truth in this. I was hunting elk in WY and was heading up a draw, had some hunters on horses come up behind me. They asked if I was going to be hunting up the draw and I told them that was the plan. They informed me they had killed a bull the day before and were getting the rest out. As we were chatting I told them about a large mule deer I’d seen and it’s location. They then proceeded to tell me the herd of elk they got into was headed to the next draw, and gave me good directions. Sure enough as soon as I got to the draw I ran into the elk, right where they said they’d be. Point being every local I personally talked with on that hunt was really helpful, to include guides.


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[Indian Summer]

I get it I do. The big word that’s lurking in my head is Regrets. Those are memories too. It’s not an antelope tag. Anyone can find an antelope without getting out of the truck. Anyone can field dress one too. Remember the first time you walk up on a dead bull and got butterflies in your stomach?

Remember the times you had a license and couldn’t find a critter to save your life but drove past 500 of them every day smiling at you from the other side of a fence on private property?

My suggestion would be to talk to an outfitter, tell him your situation, and tell him that if you strike out on your family vacation hunt you want to book a fully guided hunt for the last week of the season. The best laid plans are ones with a plan B and this hunt is worthy of an insurance policy in the way of a stand by outfitter!

 

[WoodrowCall]

I am having a hard time understanding why this whole conversation is an either/or discussion? Why can't you go guided for 7-10 days and take your family along? I am sure given the gravity of your tag, there are outfitters that will help you fulfill your wishes (as Indian Summer has stated earlier).

OP, I will give you my personal experience as I grew up in Florida myself. I have hunted the Southeast my whole life and just started western hunting a few years ago. You are in for a rude awakening to go DIY. I know it sounds great and the YouTubers and TV shows make it look romantic. It can and will kick you in the teeth compared to the Southeast.

You started this thread looking for advice, 75% of the people recommended going guided to increase your odds of success, but yet you are going against the majority's advice... There is A LOT of wisdom on this forum trying to lead you in the right direction. I completely understand the idea of involving your family, as I would want to myself. Again, I would rethink it as how can I go guided AND have my dad and son come along???

 

[Indian Summer]

Amen! Best of all worlds.

Youtube and hunting show are like watching Baywatch. Nothing but smoking hot girls (Boone and Crockett bulls) in bikinis with friendly smiles on their faces. What do you see when you get there? Grandmas, fat drunken chicks (cows) in one piece bathing suits hiding their stretch marks, and old hairy guys (spike bulls) with beer bellies drooling over the lifeguard. Reality check! Where are the hot chicks (shooters)? Over at the private resort (outfitter camp)! Lol

Yes there are helpful people in Wyoming. There are also rich ranchers that don’t give a shit about your golden ticket. Even if they did it wouldn’t matter because their hunting rights are leased by an outfitter. If you draw a 270 mule deer tag in Montana I’d help you in a heartbeat. Absolutely! But if the bucks are on Craig Barrett’s CB Ranch guess what? No dice.

A guided hunt gives you more than a guide. It can give you access to the places where animals seek refuge. There is NO chance you’re going DIY in the NW part of the state where the mountains are surely more than you can handle and the grizzlies hang out. If you head to the east end of the state the bulls are smart. If they aren’t holed up on private they’re in places you’d have to dig a tunnel to get close to.

Get a backup outfitter. Your dad and son will thank you. You’ll thank yourself. I’m digging this thread up in November! Lol Ok I’ll shut up now.

 

[Bighorner]

A month is a long time to get things figured out. That's four seasons for some guys. If he said a week, I would say he has a pretty steep hill to climb. But a month of boot leather and glassing will put something in the right spot and things will come together. In that amount of time he is likely to run into a few people that want to see him succeed as well. Not everything has to be measures by inches to gauge its value. Regardless of the direction you go, I wish you luck.

 

[bsnedeker]

A month is a long time to get things figured out. That's four seasons for some guys. If he said a week, I would say he has a pretty steep hill to climb. But a month of boot leather and glassing will put something in the right spot and things will come together. In that amount of time he is likely to run into a few people that want to see him succeed as well. Not everything has to be measures by inches to gauge its value. Regardless of the direction you go, I wish you luck.

Counterpoint: A month is also a VERY long time to get completely wiped out both mentally and physically by terrain and animals you have never experienced before.

I tried hunting 2 weeks straight in September a few years ago and it beat the absolute hell out of me. I'm certainly not the toughest dude in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but I do spend a lot of time in the mountains. Now I hunt a week, take a week off, then go back out for a second week.

I can tell you for a fact that there is no way my dad could hang for more than a week....hell, he can't do more than 1 hard day and he needs to rest up for at least 2-3 days before he's ready again. Maybe this guys dad is much younger than mine and maybe he's in better shape, I'm just saying hunting for a month straight can be an absolute ass-kicker.

 

[Bighorner]

Counterpoint: A month is also a VERY long time to get completely wiped out both mentally and physically by terrain and animals you have never experienced before.

I tried hunting 2 weeks straight in September a few years ago and it beat the absolute hell out of me. I'm certainly not the toughest dude in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but I do spend a lot of time in the mountains. Now I hunt a week, take a week off, then go back out for a second week.

I can tell you for a fact that there is no way my dad could hang for more than a week....hell, he can't do more than 1 hard day and he needs to rest up for at least 2-3 days before he's ready again. Maybe this guys dad is much younger than mine and maybe he's in better shape, I'm just saying hunting for a month straight can be an absolute ass-kicker.

I totally agree going hard for a month would break a lot of guys, I certainly couldn't do it, but being at a house, with a shower, hot meals, and maybe a little relaxing on the side would help to make it not an absolute grind. I would expect someone in that circumstance would sit out a day or two here and there. Ideally they would have a couple good places to glass from without having to pound out miles in timber day after day.

If I found myself in a completely new place, hunting something I've never seen. Just getting out and getting eyes on what I was looking for would be a pretty big moral buster.

I'm not discounting the guys that are recommending a guide. I think it's a hard call between two pretty solid choices. A month long hunt for your first elk is going to be memorable no matter the size of the elk. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to take a month off and I would be nervous about a short commitment on such a good tag.

 

[wyoduster]

Call Pete Duby in Buffalo, Wy He'll get you an awesome Elk and Your Dad can ride along .. Private land spot from the truck!!

 

[bsnedeker]

I totally agree going hard for a month would break a lot of guys, I certainly couldn't do it, but being at a house, with a shower, hot meals, and maybe a little relaxing on the side would help to make it not an absolute grind. I would expect someone in that circumstance would sit out a day or two here and there. Ideally they would have a couple good places to glass from without having to pound out miles in timber day after day.

If I found myself in a completely new place, hunting something I've never seen. Just getting out and getting eyes on what I was looking for would be a pretty big moral buster.

I'm not discounting the guys that are recommending a guide. I think it's a hard call between two pretty solid choices. A month long hunt for your first elk is going to be memorable no matter the size of the elk. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to take a month off and I would be nervous about a short commitment on such a good tag.

Yeah man, very good points and I agree with all of that.

I guess the point is if this guy ends up spending his first couple of weeks not seeing elk or not having any real opportunities it starts to become VERY easy to justify blasting the very first elk you have an opportunity at. I wouldn't consider that a very good memory, personally, and I think that outcome is more likely than not based on my elk hunting experience.

But hell, I've never hunted WY and I've certainly never hunted a premium LE unit for ANYTHING before so I'm basing all of this off my experience. I wish the guy all the luck in the world.

 

[Bighorner]

Yeah man, very good points and I agree with all of that.

I guess the point is if this guy ends up spending his first couple of weeks not seeing elk or not having any real opportunities it starts to become VERY easy to justify blasting the very first elk you have an opportunity at. I wouldn't consider that a very good memory, personally, and I think that outcome is more likely than not based on my elk hunting experience.

But hell, I've never hunted WY and I've certainly never hunted a premium LE unit for ANYTHING before so I'm basing all of this off my experience. I wish the guy all the luck in the world.

The premium spots have good access and good numbers. A lot of times finding the elk is not too hard, but your right there are no guarantees and going g DIY is a gamble.

 

[Elest98]

Sounds like a great excuse to use an outfitter and gain experience for future diy’s

 

[Indian Summer]

A house… you’re cooking. You’re doing dishes. You’re driving every morning. Driving after dark every evening. Gotta leave the place like you found it. I might do that in Key West. Plus is that the “western experience” memories are made of? Hail no! The guy on the horse is a client from Chicago. First big game hunt ever. Scared of horses. Memories? Hail yeah!

 

[tdhanses]

A month is a long time to get things figured out. That's four seasons for some guys. If he said a week, I would say he has a pretty steep hill to climb. But a month of boot leather and glassing will put something in the right spot and things will come together. In that amount of time he is likely to run into a few people that want to see him succeed as well. Not everything has to be measures by inches to gauge its value. Regardless of the direction you go, I wish you luck.

But in reality a month will be very wearing on a new hunter, away from family and if there is a 2 weeks span of not seeing anything I could see one quite. I don’t think many understand just how difficult western hunting is.

I wish him the best of luck but think he’s setting himself up for a hard time mentally.

 

[go_deep]

I don't know where he decided to take his tag, but if he picked a dessert hunt area he'll hardly go a few hours without seeing elk somewhere.
Again, if he choose a dessert elk tag its half Antelope, half elk hunting.

To the OP. I've got 2 youth hunters, one a first year hunter that I am spending every weekend needed with to fill her tags, but feel free to PM me with questions, and most certainly let me know where you decide to take your tag along with dates you'll be hunting. Your choice of wanting to hunt with your family gives me the impression your a stand up guy that id be happy to help any way I can.

 

[tdhanses]

Counterpoint: A month is also a VERY long time to get completely wiped out both mentally and physically by terrain and animals you have never experienced before.

I tried hunting 2 weeks straight in September a few years ago and it beat the absolute hell out of me. I'm certainly not the toughest dude in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but I do spend a lot of time in the mountains. Now I hunt a week, take a week off, then go back out for a second week.

I can tell you for a fact that there is no way my dad could hang for more than a week....hell, he can't do more than 1 hard day and he needs to rest up for at least 2-3 days before he's ready again. Maybe this guys dad is much younger than mine and maybe he's in better shape, I'm just saying hunting for a month straight can be an absolute ass-kicker.

When my dad was 60 he made it 2 days, gave up elk hunting after that. I was worried he’d have a heart attack. I’ve been doing it a long time and usually go for 2 weeks straight but I can’t imagine someone that’s never done it lasting more then a week. He also had been doing it for over 40 years but had taken a break for a few years before his last hunt.

 

[go_deep]

When my dad was 60 he made it 2 days, gave up elk hunting after that. I seriusly was worried he’d have a heart attack. I’ve been doing it a long time and usually go for 2 weeks straight but I can’t imagine someone that’s never done it lasting more then a week.

My dad made it 7 days at 63, he has MD, and he filled his tag.
Everybody's different.

 

[tdhanses]

A house… you’re cooking. You’re doing dishes. You’re driving every morning. Driving after dark every evening. Gotta leave the place like you found it. I might do that in Key West. Plus is that the “western experience” memories are made of? Hail no! The guy on the horse is a client from Chicago. First big game hunt ever. Scared of horses. Memories? Hail yeah!

Did my first guided hunt ever last year, amazing memories and it was every bit as difficult as diy, I just didn’t have to worry about cooking or the pack out. I’ve been diy hunting for over 20 years in the west and love it. If I could I’d hunt with horses this way every year for the rest of my life, I 100% would pick it over hiking.

 

[tdhanses]

My dad made it 7 days at 63, he has MD, and he filled his tag.
Everybody's different.

Was that his first time ever?

 

[go_deep]

Was that his first time ever?

Yes it was. He came all the way from Wisconsin from 1,000' elevation on top of it all.
He gave 'er hell!

 

[String&stick]

I think what a few of you aren't understanding about the high desert units is that in these LE highly sought after units it goes like this. . .

Hunt strategy:
Find a high spot. . . Glass up 6 different groups of elk, plan stock on group A, and plan stalk from group A to group B in case stalk is blown. Go blow both stalks. Eat lunch on high spot, find 6 more groups of elk. . . Rinse and repeat. . .

Now during rifle season it may look something like, drive your 4wheeler at 40mph to get ahead of the herd then set up and try to get a shot before someone else comes along and turns the herd away from you. . .

There is a reason these units are 90% public land and 92% success. . . It's not because there is a killer hike or low populations