This is one of my first post on this forum. I hate to be the person who comes on here and asks for information but you have to start somewhere. I have spent the last couple of years researching a guided elk hunt for Wyoming. The closer I have gotten to booking the more I feel unsure if that is what I truly want to do. I little background on myself. I am 37 years old from Nebraska. I am an avid outdoorsman but have never hunter elk. I have extensive backcountry experience and gear. I have backpacked over 300 miles of the continental divide trail in CO along with a lot of other backpacking experience. I have 2 preference point at this time and had settled on a guided hunt in unit 59 for rifle. One of the main reasons I chose a guided hunt is due to my lack of a hunting partner and never hunting elk before. I chose 59 because I wanted a general unit that was physically demanding pushing myself to get back into better shape. I was looking at a guided hunt as a way to hunt the wilderness and hopefully find a guide that will teach me more than guide me. My first question is would I be better off hunting 1 on 1 guided archery hunting in order to truly glean knowledge from a guide rather than rifle hunting if so are there any guide recs. for 59 or any other units? My second question is how hard is it to hunt archery solo with little to no elk hunting knowledge unguided. If I was going to do it solo I would be looking at doing more of a car/spike camp hunt and hunting different drainages. This is mainly due to my concern about having something go wrong in the backcountry by myself. I am just looking for a little advice from those with a lot more knowledge than myself. Please Private message me with specifics.
Elk Hunt Direction
- Thread starter High plains hunter
- Start date
Elkoholic307
Banned
For this reason alone, I would suggest not to do it. My dad has always told me if I'm unsure or confused about something, then do not do it. Also, you sound like the type of guy that could go on a do-it-yourself elk hunt pretty easily.
arwaterfowler
Active Member
Have you thought of an OTC hunt? It's not an awesome hunt, but a good way to gain experience, knowledge, and enjoy the mountains. In a few years you can gain a few more points to draw a better area in WY too.
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NE69
Active Member
HPH, consider a cow hunt. Great way to get boots in an area, learn their habits and have some early success.
firebeck
Very Active Member
I agree. Feel unsure? Don't do it. As has been said do a OTC cow hunt. With your backcountry experience you should have a great time.
DreaminofMT6X6s
New Member
- Jan 19, 2012
- 6
- 0
The learning curve for elk hunting is STEEP! Going at it on your own, you'll more then likely learn more, but quite possibly see less game. The money you save not going guided should more then pay for coming back a couple more seasons. I'd have loved to get a guide my first time and it took four seasons to finally score, but I was in the elk my first year and got a shot off.
Againstthewind
Very Active Member
I am not sure a lot about that area, but archery seems to be the way to go if you go by yourself early. They seem like they haven't been pushed back up into the black wilderness that needs four legs and a resident guide to get in and out of. You are required to have a resident guide for wilderness areas in Wyoming if that helps. I am a rookie myself, so I have also looked at guided hunts to learn from someone, so it is a good thread. I personally would pick a different area to go by myself, or find a partner. That is some rough country and you are not at the top of the food chain over there, so I would not recommend going alone in that area. A couple hunters ended up shooting a grizzly just the other day. The story might be on the Eastman's site I think.