I guess it's tag soup for me. The elk were thrown off by the weather this year. Together with bad decisions (not mine) well some were and some bad luck I came home empty. I gotta find a new hunting partner and maybee a new area what I've been doing ain't working. Sometimes I think you can try too hard. A perfect storm of weather hunter pressure and poor decisions makes me wonder why I do it.I am thinking of other options including other species and locations including Alaska. and Canada. I hope someone had some success. I heard Colorado was rough too.
wyoming frustration
- Thread starter nebugle
- Start date
Eberle
Veteran member
Keep your head up buddy! We have all ate tag soup at some point if you hunt! There is always next year & you learn from your mistakes. School of Hard Knocks! I see you live Nebraska so you got the whitetail rut ahead of you right?
Its been unusual weather with the elk in nontraditional places this year in WY. My advice is be flexible and look down low. We had elk this summer miles from the mountains. Best bull I've seen was killed by a car 20 miles from where I thought he should have been.
Nebugle, don't fall into the trap of considering other species and locations. Continue your quest of Wyoming Elk. There are some very savvy hunters out there willing to give you helpful information. The western thought process seems to give out small pieces of info as opposed to dumping the whole truck load. Collect these small pieces and begin to put the puzzle together. Filter out the sarcastic negative comments as this is part of the process. If you are truthful about your hunting experience, it will be just a matter of time before you touch a nerve and receive useless feedback. My family will slam 4 or 5 quality whitetails this fall due to the fact that we own a fair amount of property and know every crack and crevice of it. We know where they travel. where they hide, where they go when wounded, etc,etc. This has come from years of hunting the same ground. I sure this is the same way it works out west, only on a larger scale. Your frustration says lets try something or somewhere else, but my advice though feeble be, Take a mental break from your trip, and then put your nose to the grindstone and begin preparing for that next Wyoming Elk hunt. This TeddyBear has to go into hibernation for now as I need to rest up for 16 hour shifts for the next 5 days.
jenbickel
Veteran member
I know exactly how you feel and your definitely not the first to feel that way. Wyoming elk hunting is tough! Especially DIY! It had taken years of frustration for me to really figure out the area I hunt in and where the elk like to hang out. I know most the unit like the back of my hand now. The only problem is some years the elk act way different from the year before. It all depends on weather, hunting pressure and other little things. This year, I was hiking like 6 miles in h e l l holes and my dad shot at a bull about 30 feet from his camper! There are times that I get to the top of a canyon and I'm suddenly rim rocked out and for a minute or two, I get the urge to see how far I can throw my bow off the rocks. It definitely doesn't help when you don't have a good hunting partner. I took someone this year that I definitely shouldn't have. I usually go alone but liked the right of company this year.. I regretted it but now I know next year, I will either be more picky or I will just go alone again. Don't give up on Wyoming elk. It will only make it that much better when you finally get one down. What area were you hunting in?
bnred9
New Member
You are right, the Colorado first rifle season was rough in the White River Drainage. We had lots of snow and no sunshine.
CoHiCntry
Veteran member
Wyoflightmedic
New Member
- Mar 11, 2011
- 42
- 0
Wyoflightmedic
New Member
- Mar 11, 2011
- 42
- 0
I think most archery hunters did well this year. Rifle hunting has sucked, to much snow. I to have tried to take others hunting and always have issues. I have found my best hunting buddies have been my boys. They are eager to learn and see thinks a little different. Good luck finding someone to hunt with.
NE69
Active Member
What area from NE are you from? I would be willing to share what have learned the hard way with a fellow Nebraskan. I just got back from Bighorns. Shot a 5 point bull on next to last day. It was my third trip up there this season. Bow-hunted 3 days then went back for first 3 days of rifle then went back for last 2 days of season. Brutal temps on last trip. Decided to never go that late alone again. Almost didn't get out late one night due to a couple small decisions that left me exhausted, under dressed and still 3 miles to hike uphill in 0 degrees. What I do is buy points and tags for several relatives and friends so I can get back in tough draw unit each year. This was my year to draw. After scouting/hunting for 8 years I know the unit well and it paid off. First day of rifle I passed on three 6 pointers and missed a fourth. I didn't find one of the monsters during rifle season that I saw during bow season but hope by the next tag I have that figured out.
Ne 69 I sent you a pm . I like you went for archery and thought I was good to go for rifle. The deer hunters pounded this area. This along with weather did the damage . It would have been a different story if I would have shot when we had some bulls in front of us instead letting my partner talk me out of it. You cant hunt elk like deer they travel too much I know this my partner never learns and I must not either. After all I keep going back for more. O well a blind hog finds a tater once in a while!
Dedeye
New Member
Nebugle...when I started elk hunting I was disapointed before I ever left town the first time when i read that success rate for elk hunters is about 33%. And of course I was unsuccessful, and the next time, but just like the odds said, I got my first bull the 3rd time I went. So stick with it...it WILL happen!
Never thought I would be saying this, but I took my wife to Wyoming this year to hunt for elk. She turned out to be the best partner I could have asked for. When I was discouraged, she said we have 10 more days to hunt and we'll keep hunting till we get a bull. This from a non-hunter who was dog tired. Next day I got a great bull. She was more excited than I was. Next year she's going back.
Manualman
Active Member
I drove out labor day weekend to hunt a week and had to deal with 90degree temps. Went back first 2 weeks of November and the wolves moved in. Nobody was finding elk. Two wolves were shot but didn't even hear of any elk taken in the area. Things happen. Learn from it and try again. In 7 years maybe I'll draw the tag again