Greys / Little Greys River - DIY Bow Elk

[Ilovethewest]

Hey everyone. I will be buying my 4th wyo PP this year. I am planning a bow hunt for elk somewhere down the road. I have talked to several people on this site, as well as gathering my own info over the years. I have 4 general areas in mind, but something draws me to the Greys........well that something is my late grandfather and all his stories of hunting the greys before he passed......he hunted a lot in 89 and some in 90 too. I could have swore that he said it was one unit back in the day, but I could be wrong on that. anyways, I will be doing a DIY hunt. I don't have horses, but I am a pretty strapping 32 yr old young buck!!! LOL......so putting on the miles is no issue. I wont be doing it solo....I hope my buddy draws too, and if he doesn't, he will tag along or buy a bear tag, deer tag, cow tag, or ect. My grandfather talked a lot of hunting what he called the "middle ridge" and Deadmans Mountain area. He also spoke of murphy lake, and sheep creek when he hunted 90. Something inside tells me I need to hunt this area in which he spent so many years of his life hunting, and he has some ashes he wished to be sprinkled up in the Greys someday when anyone from the fam gets out there. That being said.....I have a lot of PP's, and don't want to burn them foolishly when the time comes in a couple years to apply. I would happily just travel out there and fufill grandpas wish on his ashes without hunting in the process.

so..........My general areas are the greys (89 or 90)....... the northern Bighorns (burgess junction area....shot a cow there back in high school), the infamous unit 7 (but I have heard DIY is hard in that unit with access issues)..........and then one other unit in the eastern half of the state that I wont mention b/c it was a tip from a fellow eastmans regular, and I don't want to ruin his spots that he has kindly shown me if I draw the area.

Now, being a NR, it is hard to get these tags, and this will be my first bow elk hunt. Yep, some of you will be calling me crazy right now, but I am pretty confident in myself and my abilities and will accept tag soup if need be, but I want to do this myself.

anyways, I am not looking for 300" plus bulls, although that would be nice. I want a quality elk hunt, fully aware that punching my tag will be tough to do, and I am ok with that. I want to hopefully hear and see lots of elk, and try my best to get an arrow into any decent bull, and hopefully have some close encounters.

This wont be happening for a couple of years, but I am a planner and its never too early to start planning.

So......any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[DryFlyGuy]

Check your PMs.

 

[Triple BB]

If yer not wanting a 300" bull, then you shouldn't be disappointed in the Greys. Most of those areas are general tags for the resident population. As such, its get's hunted hard. I've hunted it for deer a couple times in the last several years and still haven't seen a respectable 6 pt although I know there are a few around. Look at some of the outfitters who hunt that country. Small 6's and rag horns seem to be the norm with an occasional 300" plus being taken...

 

[norcalhunter]

Apply for a special tag and you can hunt the General units as your second pick and still retain your points.

 

[birdhunter]

I can't help you with the greys rivers areas. But I do know some friends who have hunted those areas often in the past. I could get some info for you. I also have a brother that lives in Douglas, we have hunted area 7 a few times together. I could show you a few areas that is public land that we have been surrounded by elk. My other brother and a cousin live in buffalo and Sheridan. Also most of the people in our archery club hunt the burgess jct area. I could also find some areas for you to hunt there. And as always, if you hunt in the NE area, my camp will be open to you at all times. I could even find a nice spot for your own camp if you would prefer. Just let me know, I can even tag along when if you go to the big horns or area 7 if you need me to help pack meat out. You know how to get a hold of me.

 

[Ilovethewest]

my only worry about the greys river area, is the hunting pressure and the outfitters. I have heard from numerous people, and even my grandfather before he died, that there was getting to be a lot of pressure in the area. It is beautiful looking country. I would like to go just to see the land. But between the wolves, bears, and pressure......that makes me leery of burning points there.

Birdhunter........I may take you up on your offer. I love that country too. There was a ranch that we used to hunt on for years between Sundance and Upton off 116 in the wooded hill country. I was too young to hunt, but I tagged along on hunts and I love the NE WYO area. Hunting the Hills for elk would be cool. And I would have no issue sharing camp with you! I would welcome the help and the company!

I am curious about the Special Tag suggestion. I will have to look into that. I never thought of or know much about what that entails. I will do some research on that.

The northern bighorn area, I shot an elk up there in High school. We hunted by Lick Creek. There was an early snowstorm that year, and the elk were all pushed down into lower elevations. We got 2 cows and a calf between 6 guys. Saw lots of moose and couple decent mulies.......but that was 16 years ago! Lots of older elk sign, but the elk were moved out.

Thanks for the reply guys. I know its a ways off, but it is never too early to research and plan!

 

[kcaves]

I live in Douglas, there is a lot more access than people think around here, but pressure is getting bad especially during rifle season. Archery season isn't to bad