horses to Hunt Wyoming Elk unit 54?

[jaeger63]

Hello,
I'm Tony Cleveland from Colorado Springs. I'm seriously considering applying for a Wyoming elk Unit 54 type 9 archery tag for the 2017 season. I've been doing my research and this unit seems very solid. I'll have 9 points to apply with in 2017. My research reveals that it is extremely rugged. I also read that access to public land can be tricky. I've never elk hunted from horseback but that is something Ive always wanted to try. I'd appreciate any good advise from anyone who has hunted this unit. Can a man just hire a wrangler and some horses without hiring a guide as well? I'm an experienced elk hunter and don't feel I need a guide. I would, however, consider hiring one solely for his knowledge of the area since my scouting of the area before my hunt will be limited. These are all things I still need to consider before I make a decision on 54. Thanks for any help.

Regards,
Tony

 

[birdhunter]

I would check out Wyominghorses.net, they are out of pavilion, wy and rent out horses for hunting. They do charge for delivery but they will drop off the horses at any trailhead and meet you there when you want. A little spendy but people around Wyoming have been using them for a very long time. Know all the horses by name. You can go back year after year and ask for the same horse by name and they will bring the same one each time. Pretty good for as many horses as they have. I myself have never used them but I have close friends that use them often. Hope this helps you out.

 

[jaeger63]

yes it does birdhunter. Thanks much for the info!

 

[WY ME]

Hello,
Can a man just hire a wrangler and some horses without hiring a guide as well? I'm an experienced elk hunter and don't feel I need a guide. I would, however, consider hiring one solely for his knowledge of the area since my scouting of the area before my hunt will be limited.

Tony

Essentially what you want to are hoping to do is hire an unlicensed guide and call him a wrangler. You can legally rent horses from outfits like birdhunter says and that may be your best option. Although I have my own horses I have rented from Wyoming Horses many times, they are a good outfit to deal with. If you're inexperienced with horses you should consider bringing a friend with you who does have experience.

 

[brianboh]

I don't think I would burn 9 points in 54 for archery. There are a few places to get into the area. It is rough in places but you can do it without horses. The trailheads are a couple miles through BLM until you get into the NF. Well in the Shoshone drainage. Not sure about the other side.

 

[theleo91386]

What are you meaning by hunting from horseback? Are you wanting to use a riding animal daily to access different areas? To be packed in away from the crowds and hunt from your camp? A combination of both? To go in deep and have horses to pack you and your elk out? Do you have much horse experience?

I hunt using mules, but relative to what an outfitter would bill it as would be a drop camp during September (rifle season where I go is a different can of worms) where I pack in, setup camp, and mainly hike from there. Lots of things to consider when you start using horses/mules.

 

[brianboh]

I don't think I would burn 9 points in 54 for archery. There are a few places to get into the area. It is rough in places but you can do it without horses. The trailheads are a couple miles through BLM until you get into the NF. Well in the Shoshone drainage. Not sure about the other side.

I am sorry I got unit mixed up. It may not be a bad unit to try and draw. However you probably don't need a horse in the unit except to pack an animal out. There is not a ton of public land.

 

[jaeger63]

Thanks Brian. Yea that would be the main thing I would use a horses or mules for is to get my meat out. From the map I've looked at there does not appear to be a lot of NF land but there is a lot BLM land. Where will the majority of the elk be is the big question I have to get answered. Thanks for posting

 

[jaeger63]

theleo,
Thanks for your post. I do appreciate it. No I do not have much experience with horses, actually none. LOL!! I believe using mules or horses just to get my camp in and out and my meat out would be what I would use them for. I would probably elect to just hunt on foot from camp is what I have in mind. I'll be planning for at least 10 days when I go in and that is a lot of food and supplies. I do admit, I like a nice camp with a few amenities if at all possible. I believe the better rested and fed you are the better hunting experience you will have. I'm 52 and have taken my share of animals so its as much about the overall experience now as it is about hanging my tag on a big bull. Again.....I do appreciate your post and help. I have some info about one of Colorado's high draw unit (GMU 61) and I would certainly be willing to share it if you happen to be building points for it. Thanks much

 

[mntnguide]

If you honestly have zero experience with horses and packing. .renting them is gonna probably be more trouble than you understand. .horses make life easier for someone who knows how to use them and care for them, but they still are a ton of extra work. .they have to be watered, fed, watched etc...I would highly suggest either finding an outfitter to help you or just hunting on foot. . I couldn't imagine having to deal with horses without knowing what to do, they take a ton of extra time out of your day, and just because they are "broke" doesn't mean they will cooperate with you especially if you are unsure of how to do everything with them. I'm sure a couple outfitters around cody would be willing to do a drop camp type scenario, that they pack you into an area with your nicer camp, leave you to hunt, then come pack you and your game out. That would go a lot smoother for you than trying to learn the hard way how to deal with horses and the backcountry at the same time.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Horsenhike]

mntnguide is right on the money. I am a very competent individual, and even after a few years of dealing with horses find it challenging at times. My wife is very knowledgeable, which makes it possible for me to be involved. We have well broke horses with lots of trail time, and they still do stupid stuff occasionally. I couldn't imagine going into it green and expecting anything other than a disaster.

 

[Granby guy]

I agree with mountain guide. We have had horses for many years and they are very well trained but they require a ton of extra effort. What we do now is use the horses to pack our camp in then we take them all out and hike back into camp. When we need them to pack out then we just hike back out and get them. The sun rises early and sets late during archery and if you don't have another person to help you take care of camp and the horses it can lead to really long days and will undoubtedly cut into your hunting time. If I were in your situation I would be strongly considering a drop camp.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Mntnguide is right on. I've hunted enough with guides to know having horses on a hunt would be a major added stress. On my hunt in Wyoming last year, I had a horse rental lined up so if I killed I would backpack out, get a single horse to lead (not ride) into the elk and bring it out. Unfortunately the weather got hot and no bull was killed.

 

[jaeger63]

mnthguide,
That is probably solid advice and I will probably do just that. Do you know of any reputable guides in the Cody area that would do a drop type camp for me?

 

[jaeger63]

yes I've heard before how much work horses can be, especially for the inexperienced like myself. I will certainly look into a drop camp type scenario. Thanks much

 

[mntnguide]

mnthguide,
That is probably solid advice and I will probably do just that. Do you know of any reputable guides in the Cody area that would do a drop type camp for me?

Id check with...Justin Jarrett, Wapiti Ridge Outfitters; Carl Sauerwein, Boulder Basin Outfitters; Dominick Meade, 7D Outfitters; Josh Martoglio, Shoshone lodge outfitters; and even Griz Turner, Lost Creek Outfitters....There are plenty of others in that region, but i know those guys in particular harvest big bulls in 54 and know that unit well.. just depends on if they have the time and/or willing to do a drop camp. Some outfitters are against doing them, because they can be a pain in the rear to deal with sometimes especially if the outfitter is busy with guided hunters

 

[theleo91386]

yes I've heard before how much work horses can be, especially for the inexperienced like myself. I will certainly look into a drop camp type scenario. Thanks much

A drop camp is what you're really describing. To take stock into the back country shouldn't be taken lightly. When packs role, animals get stung, you meet lamas, and grouse explode out of the brush things can go wrong in a hurry. Spend a few summers doing some packing and you'll start to get an idea. Also, there's laws in many areas regarding certified weed free hay/hay cubes being required for feed. Unless you only have a few animals and can setup an electric fence (the animals have to be tame enough to catch in an open space for this to work) you'd be looking at holding lead ropes for a couple of hours a day so they can graze. You can hobble them but you'd still have to keep an eye on them.

Hire a guide to do the drop camp. You don't want to start the learning curve at zero on a hunting trip, especially with unfamiliar animals.

 

[wyohunter1]

This guy runs trail rides all summer and rents horses for the fall in Cody. You may just rent some horses to pack out your elk. (307) 527-4966