Wyoming long term plan to draw same unit every 4-5 years

[Alabama]

I want to develop a strategy to draw an elk tag 2 out of every 4 years, then antelope/deer on the off years. I went on my 1st elk hunt this year and I loved it. Utah and Nevada are long shots and I will continue to apply for the home run units there. New Mexico is random so I might draw every year or never. I have a unit in AZ that I can draw every 4-7 years that really interests me, a couple in CO (but nothing definite) that will take 4-7 years but I'm lost in WY. The resident draw odds don't seem to correspond with the chip ratings listed in the MRS. I use the resident odds as another predictor of hunt quality taking into account that many of them want to avoid the areas thick with grizzlies.

My criteria are areas devoid of grizzlies (yes I'm scared of them go ahead and laugh), units with little or no wilderness areas, decent trophy potential and not mountain goat steep terrain. I've been looking in the WY game and fish site and the MRS. There are blue chips that can be drawn with 5 or less points but they have grizz (51 &54) or checkerboard public/private (125); green chips unit 19 late probably 6 points, 33 and 41 have little resident demand so must not be such great hunts, 47, 48 and 49 have access issues, 55 (grizz), 106 late has little public ground and 122 has access issues.

It looks like I will have to trust the MRS or roll the dice on some yellow chips: Areas around the bighorns 33, 35, 38, 39, 40, or 41? Maybe 98 or 99? Unit 6 in the southeast? Any insight on a good unit to get to know and hunt every 5 years or so would be great. PM's are very welcome. Thanks!

 

[WapitiBob]

Simple answer; I don't think it's going to happen unless it's a scrub unit.
You have zero points I assume, you need to take the tag allocation then divide all the applicants to see how long it will take to clear them out. A 5 point unit in 2015 might need 8 years to clean out everybody ahead of you. Once you draw you get to start all over and the chances that there are only 4 years worth of guys still applying for that unit will be zero.
And all this is predicated on the chosen unit maintaining the tag allocation and no more apps jump in with more points than you once you start.

 

[Hilltop]

Your only reasonable solution is a general tag every 2 to 3 years. Limited quota areas are getting harder and harder to draw with point creep.

 

[RICMIC]

In 2015, a NR General elk tag took<2 pts. I hunted WY on a general tag in 2011 and 2013, and have 2 pts. again for another hunt in 2016 or 17. During this time, the creep has been very slow. However, some of the general areas are now being impacted by the wolf expansion and a cut in tag allocations will change the pts. needed. Start buying the WY points, and if you can find a deer area that you can hunt and do some scouting for elk, you are at least out doing what you love.

 

[Alabama]

I have 3 points going into 2016. I have a outfitter friend who will take me for his cost for guides and cook (about $1000) but I'm no closer to drawing now than I was when I began. I can't stand the thought of building points for the next 10-15 years for 1 elk hunt. Sheep and mountain goat are different but I want to hunt elk and kill one on my own, the best way seems to be to learn an area and hunt it multiple times. Most of the units I have listed seem to have slowed or leveled out as far as the points required to draw. There will be years where it will take less and years where it will take more points to draw. Are there not any good bulls in the bighorns besides unit 45? A guy couldn't learn one of those units inside out and kill a monster after a few hunts with skills sharpened by hunting elk in multiple states? Would learning some general units (outside grizzly country) honestly be better long term? I know absolutely nothing about any of those places except for what little research I've done so far. Thanks for the responses guys!

 

[Musket Man]

I think the Bighorns are your best bet. There are some units you can draw with 5 points there. That is where Im looking when Im ready to go in a year or 2.

 

[HuskyMusky]

General tag...

Special Elk tag $$

 

[mntnguide]

for a non-res willing to put in the effort...General tag is hands down the best choice IMO...Im a resident and would damn near prefer a general tag over any Limited Quota..with the exception of a few late season hunts i would love to have one time..but if you are willing to put forth the effort, you can hunt quality bulls and good elk, every time on a general tag. Some of the best bulls in the state year after year come off General tags

 

[hoshour]

You didn't mention weapon types, but if you want to bow hunt, there are some very good elk units you can draw with 5 points.

I just finished editing Guy's WY elk writeup, which will appear in the next EBJ and that is as good advice as I think you can find as a starting point on WY elk.

Whether a unit is rated blue chip or not will not always correspond with the number of points it took to draw last year. Points needed roughly gives you the popular vote on the quality of the hunt.

That is pretty much based on past reputation, which is much more long-lasting than the year-to-year outllook in the chip ratings, though obviously past trophy quality is a big factor. So, the long-term reputation may not be as accurate for the upcoming year, especially if tag numbers have changed. Sometimes, the quota for a unit can change very drastically from year to year. I've seen them triple or get cut by 2/3 which of course has a huge affect on points needed. That's why we publish the points needed for past years.

We also give weight to some factors that the masses may not, who focus almost entirely on trophy size and success rate. The latter can often be misleading.

 

[tim]

Mike eastmans elk book has a whole chapter around this subject
Get the book, it is that good.

also, don't overlook over the counter hunts. lots of guys get there elk every year in these type of hunts.

 

[FitToHunt]

Your only reasonable solution is a general tag every 2 to 3 years. Limited quota areas are getting harder and harder to draw with point creep.

I had a great hunt in a general area this year. Although I am an archery hunter so I'd assume much higher pressure during rifle season. Also, you can pay an extra $500 to enter into the "special draw" which greatly increases your odds. If I remember correctly, the odds for a general tag with zero points was about 25%, and 98% in the "special".... Point being, don't turn your nose up at a general tag. Especially, if your willing to get some horses or a packer to get away from the crowds.