Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Wyoming General Units

I am determined to go elk hunting next year and I am trying to start planning on where I should go in Wyoming. I have one year preference so i figured i will be drawn for the general tag.

I have been looking a lot at the Units and I see alot start in October. I was wondering when the Elk rut generally runs in Wyoming? I plan on archery hunting mainly but might go back with a rifle if unsuccessful.

I was wondering if anyone can point me to a good unit to check out. This will be my first elk hunt and I have to avoid Wilderness areas bc i dont want to hire a guide and i plan on backpacking in.

I was kinda leaning towards 36 and 37 , 98, 102,102, 107, 128,( 129 i like the sept 1 start date.) But i honestly dont know much about these units. Any info i would greatly appreciate.
I have been telling my self next year i will go for a few years buts its time to fullfill the dream.

There are a lot more units that start archery Sept. 1st with the General Elk. I hunted in Unit 21 the first week of September. If I go again I won't go until the third week of September. The weather was way too hot this year for the elk to be talking the first week of September. There was a lot of elk sign I just wasn't able to find any elk. Mostly because I didn't know where to look and I spent a lot of time wondering around trying to learn the area.

I still haven't decided whether or not I am going to apply this year

blackraven. Don't give up. I have been up there 2 years in a row now and have yet to shoot one. Although my buddies have. Just have to be in the right place at the right time.

You won't know the area unless you scout/hunt it. I dont have the luxury to scout as I live 1000 miles away, but I have learned alot in geography in the last 2 years being up there. I WILL NOT give up and will continue to go there whether I have a tag or not each year. My buddy lives up there and I figure I can help him (he gets over the counter because he is a resident). My father in law told me once that you wont see any deer sitting at home. I am sure this is applicable to elk as well. Good luck to you.

Blackraven- i also kinda had 21 highlighted on a map to possibly check out but all the info i could find was a Oct 15 start date.

Could someone post a link if there is one to some dates, i looked all over there website and found 'Nonresident Tenative Full Price Elk Huntign Season Information" And most show a late late september or October start date.

21 has a Sept 1st start for bow season and runs the entire month of Sept. Rifle season for bulls usually starts on the 15th of October.

Always any elk during bow season and varies during rifle season from bulls only to any elk depending on the post winter counts.

Those dates you are looking at on the tentative sheet are the opening dates for rifle seasons. Almost all general elk areas have a Sept 1st opening date for bow season.

That makes more sense that iwas looking at rifle dates. Is there an archery season spreadsheet?

The actual dates and seasons are not set until after the winter counts sometime in May.

Here is something that might help. This is last years. Scroll down to section 4. These may change a little in May.

http://gf.state.wy.us/admin/regulations/pdf/Ch7_04262010.pdf

yes that what i needed to see. page 12-13 for anyone else looking.


Ok Now i have dates figured out. Anyone want to share units that are worth a look?

I have 3 general vacinities i am concentrating on SW corner 98 102 103 105 107 106. South Central 9 10 12 15 110 21, 128 (little north)

And NE closest to home for me 129 36 37. 128

Yes very general areas LOL

i am looking at units in south central and north central mainly, anyone care to atleast fill me in on a unit? iam not asking for gps coordinates or even a trailhead just a unit to get started. Just looking for good amount of public ground and decent elk numbers.

Thanks everyone.

Looks Like gas is going to be expensive for a while and i would like to do it right by scouting and a trip or two so i am leaning towasrds the Bighorns, anyone have any insight for 36 and 37?

The first thing you'll notice right away ,is it is dang near a mathmaticall impossibilty for there to be that many 4wheelers and hunters and so few elk in any othe place in the world.... Probably at least 3 atv's for every hunter, and .003 elk per hunter....
Draw a black hills unit and spend your time and money close to home with a reasonable chance of getting an elk.

Come on Ranch, there are some units in the Bighorns that produce some nice bulls if a person is willing to walk away from the atv's.

You have to walk further than it's prudent to try and get one out on your back. Horses would be a better bet. And even when you think you about got back far enough you blunder into another bunch of camps.
About the closest thing you can find to hunting in Colorado....

I didnt say it was the units he mentioned.

... and I dont hate horses enough to take them where I was hunting. That country has some boulder fields that are impressive.

No I wouldn't want to take horses up there either. To many idiots with magnum rifles......Besides who wants to go on vacation so they can get up 2 hrs earlier and do chores... Not me.
36 and 37 are fun to visit,occasional, but I wouldn't even want the price of a nonresident license riding on finding an elk in shooting range there.
Snowy's and Madres much better chance of finding elk.
Not to mention any preseason scouting on elk is for naught long before the archers get thru prickin around.

Only place I ever hunted where I called in bulls and both of you look at each other and what is between you and both of you say fug it.

Agreed on the Madres.... way too easy for a NR to find an elk.

Up on those flats north of soldier park with all those srewy little ridges that are more like boulder covered honeycombs is what made me a believer in gps...
Would like to spend some time in that country between Paradise and Firebox. Looked like it'ld be alright if you could figure out how to get one out without going in for a frying pan at atime.

Still think if I was living in SD and wanted to hunt Wy. I'ld try for a 116-117 or 1 permit. Longer season closer to home.

Some good elk in the Hills. I just hate having to check my gps with every step to make sure I was on forest circus property. That country pisses me off with landowners playing games with property signs.

Going to stick with the Madres until I can draw one of those tags up near you.