Short time input needed

[Lab]

Ok here is the deal. My son graduates this spring from College. Next fall he will be off to the real world working like the rest of us. He has max points in WY. What unit should I put him in for? We would archery hunt with the option to go back with a rifle. He would be the hunter and myself the guide. We cannot go guided. I would like a reasonable chance at a 300 class bull. Public land DIY. Lots of animal vs a few huge bulls would be the preference. I hunted 7 a few years back. I really do not want to hunt a checkerboard unit again espicially with him burning 8 points. i am thinking 22,24 31,32 or 45 in the bighorns. Any input would be great. I realize he may not draw some of these units.

 

[30Hart]

For a 300 bull with lots of elk prob 24 is your best bet...31 you prob will not draw but that would be good too.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

For a 300 bull with lots of elk prob 24 is your best bet...31 you prob will not draw but that would be good too.

If he's after a 300" bull, Unit 24 is a darn good recommendation right there and he would almost certainly draw in the Special pool and have about 1:3 odds in the regular pool. The bow hunt should be fantastic.

Unit 22, 31 and 32 are all good but a lot stiffer draw odds than Unit 24. Unit 22 has a reputation of being pretty physical in the archery season. Unit 32 is a fantastic bow hunt, but the elk tend to bail over the state line when the rifle shooting starts. Unit 31 is awesome for 300-330 bulls, but but a tough draw.

If I drew Unit 45 I would want a way to hunt the back country.

 

[Lab]

so 24 is better than 45 for what i am looking for?

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

so 24 is better than 45 for what i am looking for?

I believe Unit 24 would be a better choice for success:

RESIDENT POPULARITY: Unit 24 has 13.8% draw odds last year, and Unit 45 had 26.5% draw odds from resident applicants.

HUNTER SUCCESS: Hunter success over the past four years on branch antlered bulls for Unit 24-1 was 54% and Unit 45-1 was 31%.

ARCHERY PRESSURE: Unit 45 has type 1 and type 9 licenses. Type 9 are archery only so there will be a crunch during the archery season. In Unit 24 you will only have Type 1 license holders who also decide to archery hunt.

Unit 45 I believe would have a more traditional backcountry experience.

I have not hunted either unit. All my information has been gathered from other resources.

 

[Work2hunt]

I believe Unit 24 would be a better choice for success:

RESIDENT POPULARITY: Unit 24 has 13.8% draw odds last year, and Unit 45 had 26.5% draw odds from resident applicants.

HUNTER SUCCESS: Hunter success over the past four years on branch antlered bulls for Unit 24-1 was 54% and Unit 45-1 was 31%.

ARCHERY PRESSURE: Unit 45 has type 1 and type 9 licenses. Type 9 are archery only so there will be a crunch during the archery season. In Unit 24 you will only have Type 1 license holders who also decide to archery hunt.

Unit 45 I believe would have a more traditional backcountry experience.

I have not hunted either unit. All my information has been gathered from other resources.

Dang UH,
What do you have every single states hunt data memorized or locked away on some excel sheet just waiting for you to pull up Wyoming unit 24 and 45?

 

[AT Hiker]

45 has a wilderness area and 24 does not (I believe). I talked to an outfitter this past fall who guides in 45 some and he was not to excited about it (I told him I thought about applying for it or 34).

 

[WapitiBob]

24 is not a 300+ bull unit from from previous hunts I've read. If you see one, you best be shootin.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I don't know about 24, but 45 has plenty of 300+ bulls and some are quite a bit better than that. It's gorgeous country whether you get a guide and go up into the wilderness or do a DIY in the rest of it up there.

 

[WapitiBob]

I would put 45 over 24 and 31 above them both.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

31 is an excellent choice. Probably the best in the state for a fun hunt, lots of elk and the opportunity for a good bull. Long draw odds though. You could be chasing that tag another 10-15 years.

There are always trade-offs, the main ones being, success, draw odds, private land issues, trophy quality, terrain, grizzlies. It really comes down to which you are most willing to compromise on and which you are not.

 

[AT Hiker]

Are there many elk in 45 down out of the National Forest? Or is the majority of the herd in the NF and Wilderness?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Are there many elk in 45 down out of the National Forest? Or is the majority of the herd in the NF and Wilderness?

***45 has elk that stay down below the NF all year and some come down early all the way onto private holdings where they love the irrigated crops. That's why there is a real early cow season there. If I was hunting 45, I'd start high and work my way down, especially looking at what the weather is doing in a particular year. Many will stay high until it gets bad and then start migrating down a few thousand feet to those lower wintering areas. During the bow season the best would be up high in the NF. For rifle it could be weather dependent from year to year. Last season there were more elk down at 6000-7000 feet elevation than we've seen in 20 years with the early bad weather that set in by the end of September and first week of October.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Topgun spends a lot of time in that part of Wyoming, and is a very good resource on the Bighorns.