Moving on from Wyoming

WyoBowhunter21

WyoBowhunter21

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
1,844
Location
Casper, Wyoming
I have been pretty frustrated with our elk population as well as opportunity to get on good elk. With that said I am looking at moving onto other states. I will be just starting points/hunting other states as I have always hunted Wyoming. I am in the process of losing hope for mule deer as well but I have one last place to try before I move onto another state for that species as well. I am looking at starting this next year as this season is almost over. I know New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona offer some prime hunting but is there areas where you can draw every year? I like to work my tail off for a bull or even a cow. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Interesting section in the Eastmans MRS section regarding quality and number of big game coming from each state.... appears Wyoming seems to be stable to improving. Wyoming is a HUGE state and has a ton of opportunity. I lived there my whole life and have been in MT for the last 4 years... i complain that I am going to hunt Wyoming from now on.

I think that as far as a state where you can hunt a cheap, otc, general tag every single year and have opportunities at big deer or elk.... wyoming is as good as it gets. To get into some of the awesome areas in AZ/NM/NV you are going to either have to wait years and years between tags, or pay through the nose for landowner tags.

I see where you are coming from, and I understand your frustration... I just feel like trying to hunt as a nonresident every single year would be very difficult and extremely expensive. I would say work on new areas in Wyoming, but start getting points in the other states so that you have an opportunity to get a great tag every few years.

Joe

Joe
 
Thanks Joe. I don't get Eastmans anymore but I will see if I can read the article from someone. I think if I was a nonresident I would probably be more happy with the state. I am not to worried about cheap anymore. I have actually considered trying to pay nonresident fees to see if I can get preference points in the state so that I could draw a limited quota tag.

I wish I could agree with the stable to improving. I used to hunt an area where I killed an elk every year. Now I am lucky to see one. I have some friends in industry and they quite guiding in places due to the no to limited elk.
 
there is no area in NM you can expect to draw every year, there are landowner tag options but they can be pricey.
 
From what I have seen from my bosses and friends video footage of their hunts in Wyoming I think you guys have it pretty damn good there compared to what we have here in Oregon. My boss has been there for 4 out of the last 5 years and they have gone 100% every time on 5pts or better. This year their group went 4 for 4 on 5pts in a general unit with multiple opportunities. Can't say that about hunting here in Oregon.

Perhaps your efforts would be better spent on researching new units there than burning a lot of money on other states? Just a thought.
 
WyoBowhunter21 said:
I have been pretty frustrated with our elk population as well as opportunity to get on good elk. With that said I am looking at moving onto other states. I will be just starting points/hunting other states as I have always hunted Wyoming. I am in the process of losing hope for mule deer as well but I have one last place to try before I move onto another state for that species as well. I am looking at starting this next year as this season is almost over. I know New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona offer some prime hunting but is there areas where you can draw every year? I like to work my tail off for a bull or even a cow. Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Nv you will be lucky to draw a bull elk tag in 15+ years of applying in Nv, unless you have some luck on your side. I am going to be going on 7 point I believe for Nv bull elk as a resident archery hunt. And I don't expect to be drawn until I am around 10 Bonus points. Don't look at Nv for a every year elk hunting state because you then have to wait 5 years to just start reapplying if you don't kill a bull, and if you kill a bull, you then have to wait 10 years until reapplying.

Cow hunts are a little easier to draw as residents, and you can draw those almost every year or every couple years. But as a non resident you are gonna be looking at needing more points to draw, so probably several years just applying to try and get a cow elk tag.

Bottom line, go for Nv if you want a chance and a monster bull, but you'll probably only draw a Nv bull elk tag once or twice as a non resident.
 
Thanks for posting guys. I was under the impression from some people I work with that they a guy could draw every year in those states. I am now wondering if they are buying landowner tags every year. OR Archer, it's is funny you mention the video and many opportunities. Somehow the only decent bulls I have seen are on private or in limited quota areas. Is your boss hunting on private land? It is nice to hear some people are seeing animals though. The folks around me that hunt haven't seen much at all. I have talked to a few guys this year already who have spent 5+ days and had no success. We must all be in the wrong places. ha. I am going to try another area this year for a cow to see the area and if it can produce even a rag bull.

Thanks for the replies.
 
velvetfvr said:
Nv you will be lucky to draw a bull elk tag in 15+ years of applying in Nv, unless you have some luck on your side. I am going to be going on 7 point I believe for Nv bull elk as a resident archery hunt. And I don't expect to be drawn until I am around 10 Bonus points. Don't look at Nv for a every year elk hunting state because you then have to wait 5 years to just start reapplying if you don't kill a bull, and if you kill a bull, you then have to wait 10 years until reapplying.

Cow hunts are a little easier to draw as residents, and you can draw those almost every year or every couple years. But as a non resident you are gonna be looking at needing more points to draw, so probably several years just applying to try and get a cow elk tag.

Bottom line, go for Nv if you want a chance and a monster bull, but you'll probably only draw a Nv bull elk tag once or twice as a non resident.
Click to expand...


Like he said ^^^ Plus if you are picky it might take you 20 years to draw a tag. The states that have really big elk conistently are because of limited draws. However with our point system you always have a chance. My dad drew a very hard to get tag with only three points this year.
 
I'm no elk hunting gooroo or anything but have done a deer/elk combo two years now in western wy and have seen plenty of elk. In general units. Now I haven't taken a bull yet but have been kinda picky since we hunt on foot and are pretty far in. But have seen at least 5 bulls on both occasions. My hunts were primarily deer hunts with the option to take a good bull if he presented me with an oppritunity. But if you were focused on any elk. I believe you wouldn't be disappointed. It's also a rut hunt with a rifle which makes it a fun hunt also. While I was there this year a guy took a 390+ bull in the same unit I hunt. So they're deffinantly there. Feel free to shoot me a pm if you think you might want to look into that part of the state. I do agree with looking at other states as well to maximize your options.
 
You have me scared. I just started buying points and applying in Wyoming. I know CO well and while we have quantity/opportunity our quality isn't quite what I believe Wyoming has.

With that said I really need to start researching some places to hunt and find a good mature bull.
 
I admit that there are things I would change about what the g & f does but if a guy is willing to put in some time scouting and willing to put in some miles, the elk are there... now deer on the other hand is a different story...
 
If your unhappy with 6 deer tags, 6 antelope tags, and 3 elk tags you're going to be unhappy anywhere you go.
You can hunt OTC in or and co. Basically OTC in id and mt. Montana is the only one that is comparable to WY in numbers and quality of hunt.
 
Last edited:
WyoBowhunter21 said:
Two buck deer tags? I have heard of the two buck goat tags but never 2 buck deer. What areas are those in?
Click to expand...

You can get a full price tag, then a type 3 any whitetail tag in certain areas. So you can get a mule deer buck, and a whitetail buck. Or 2 whitetail bucks.
 
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