Wyoming Elk - Best Units around the Park

[JJPRC]

I am one off Max points this year (16). Looking to draw this year. Looking for advise..... I have no problem eating a tag. With that said, which units give the best opportunity to harvest a 350 plus bull. Units 51, 54, 61, 62, 63. I know I am not drawing 56, 58, and 59.

I appreciate any advise,

Thanks!

 

[Mojave]

60

 

[Ralphie]

And if someone posts that unit you won’t be drawing it with one less than max either.

 

[FlareBlitz91]

And if someone posts that unit you won’t be drawing it with one less than max either.

Do you really think there are that many max point holders lurking around here?

 

[ELKhunter60]

Honestly - I get why you are asking having waited 16 years - but all of the units you mention are great. With 16 points I assume you are not a resident. So if you are going guided, don't worry about how much wilderness there is in a unit - just find a good, reputable outfitter with a good track record and book it. If you are going DIY you need to consider how much land is available to hunt outside the wilderness and whatever unit you pick, you need to make sure you are in great shape and have at least 10 days to hunt. No one goes into any of the units you mention assured they will see a 350 bull - but there are a few in each of them. All of these units are great but you most likely need to go in deep and hunt high. I hunted a Park County unit 4 years ago. Packed in 4 miles before I started hunting and 3 days later I found myself in 8 miles before getting into elk. I ended up weeding through a few bulls before taking a nice 6 x 6 that I was happy with - but he was not 350.

Luckily I invited a strong young lad from work to go with me and my son lives in Bozeman and is in great shape as well. My son talked a buddy into going with him to help me pack him out. Me and the young guy from work got the bull 5 miles from the trailhead before my son and his friend showed up. We all took a heavy load and with 4 packs we brought him out. Hotels, food and drinks on me once we got to Cody!! The next day the guy from work and I had to go back to the unit and get our camp and pack it out. We had an absolute blast - but we were all in good shape with good mental stamina.

I guess I just brought up another good point. Whatever you do make sure you have a good plan for getting him out. We had perfect meat hanging temperatures and basically dropped everything and started packing once the bull hit the ground. Still took us 2.5 days to get the bull to a cooler. Unless you have people like I did, you will need to hunt closer to the trailhead, have Llamas, or work out a way for horses to pack the meat out.

Good luck - as long as you're in shape and have a good plan you should have a blast no matter which unit you end up choosing!

 

[Ralphie]

Do you really think there are that many max point holders lurking around here?

Probably no way to know for sure. I won’t argue the point. Posting it won’t improve his odds.

Im not in competition for those tags.

Burn it.

I’ve just gotten a little sensitive to public discussion of units states to move to etc.

 

[JJPRC]

Honestly - I get why you are asking having waited 16 years - but all of the units you mention are great. With 16 points I assume you are not a resident. So if you are going guided, don't worry about how much wilderness there is in a unit - just find a good, reputable outfitter with a good track record and book it. If you are going DIY you need to consider how much land is available to hunt outside the wilderness and whatever unit you pick, you need to make sure you are in great shape and have at least 10 days to hunt. No one goes into any of the units you mention assured they will see a 350 bull - but there are a few in each of them. All of these units are great but you most likely need to go in deep and hunt high. I hunted a Park County unit 4 years ago. Packed in 4 miles before I started hunting and 3 days later I found myself in 8 miles before getting into elk. I ended up weeding through a few bulls before taking a nice 6 x 6 that I was happy with - but he was not 350.

Luckily I invited a strong young lad from work to go with me and my son lives in Bozeman and is in great shape as well. My son talked a buddy into going with him to help me pack him out. Me and the young guy from work got the bull 5 miles from the trailhead before my son and his friend showed up. We all took a heavy load and with 4 packs we brought him out. Hotels, food and drinks on me once we got to Cody!! The next day the guy from work and I had to go back to the unit and get our camp and pack it out. We had an absolute blast - but we were all in good shape with good mental stamina.

I guess I just brought up another good point. Whatever you do make sure you have a good plan for getting him out. We had perfect meat hanging temperatures and basically dropped everything and started packing once the bull hit the ground. Still took us 2.5 days to get the bull to a cooler. Unless you have people like I did, you will need to hunt closer to the trailhead, have Llamas, or work out a way for horses to pack the meat out.

Good luck - as long as you're in shape and have a good plan you should have a blast no matter which unit you end up choosing!

Yeah, I am thinking about going guided. Hard to swallow the coat but might be the best option for us. Thanks!

 

[Dos Perros]

You can hunt 56 and 59 on a general tag.

If it were me, I would have attended some shows and met with a pile of outfitters by now. You've had 16 years. I would consider waiting until you can hunt with the outfitter you want, even if that's a year or three.

Else, consider units that aren't around the park, those all have lots of wilderness you'll want to be able to hunt.

 

[CAElkhunter]

with 16 points I would spend the extra $100 and join Huntin Fool, Epic or one of the online consultants and talk to a hunt consultant who knows the units, draw odds and outfitters.

 

[JJPRC]

with 16 points I would spend the extra $100 and join Huntin Fool, Epic or one of the online consultants and talk to a hunt consultant who knows the units, draw odds and outfitters.

Thanks, yes I have been with Huntin Fool for 15 plus years. I also have a GoHunt account. Both are great. Just looking for other opinions from others that have actually hunted the units themselves.

Thanks!

 

[mntnguide]

Thanks, yes I have been with Huntin Fool for 15 plus years. I also have a GoHunt account. Both are great. Just looking for other opinions from others that have actually hunted the units themselves.

Thanks!

Call Josh Martoglio with Trails West Outfitters. If you are willing to go guided, you wont go wrong with his outfit. They hunt multiple of the units you have listed, and im sure he would tell you which will give you the best chance for what you want. Its great country with lots of elk, and grizzlies. Backcountry, horseback hunt, so you need to be up for a wall tent style hunt. But they take good bulls every year of the caliber you are looking for