- Dec 19, 2014
- 40
- 0
Never hunted 53 looking at trying to draw it next year if any buddy has hunted in I would really appreciate any info I can get thanks Jeff
Unit 53 elk ?
- Thread starter jeff.mahan.37
- Start date
Topgun 30-06
Banned
I've never hunted it, but be aware that approximately the northern 1/4 to 1/3 is a designated wilderness that that an NR needs a licensed guide or resident with the proper permit to go in. Also, there are plenty of grizzly bears there and I believe it may have it's fair share of wolves, but not positive on that. IMHO I would not hunt an area like that as a NR on a solo hunt if that's your plan.
- Dec 19, 2014
- 40
- 0
Thanks for the heads up I'm new to the forum and I really appreciate any advice i can get I'm playing on applying with 2 other guys and we are non-residents I live in Washington State. From what I have read so fare the unit sounds like it has decent elk numbers and some big balls but I'm trying to figure out if most the good hunting is in the Wilderness we will not be hunting the Wilderness being a NR and DIY hunter. Thanks jeff
hoshour
Veteran member
According to Guy's WY Elk MRS in the last Eastmans' Hunting Journal, Unit 53 is 33% wilderness, 20% private and 47% public land.
It takes 8 points to draw in the regular draw and 5 in the special draw, 4 and 3 if you go archery.
Early season any weapon harvest success on bulls runs 40% and archery can run between 0% and 22%, depending on the year. Trophy quality is excellent. The MRS has a lot of other information on that unit as well, I think Guy's main table has 40 columns of data for each unit.
You can call Eastmans at (800)842-6887 to get a copy of the issue containing the WY Elk MRS (Members' Research Section). The full-year subscription for that and Eastmans' Bowhunting Journal that has the other half of the MRS sections is $39.99, probably the best money you can spend for researching units and states.
It takes 8 points to draw in the regular draw and 5 in the special draw, 4 and 3 if you go archery.
Early season any weapon harvest success on bulls runs 40% and archery can run between 0% and 22%, depending on the year. Trophy quality is excellent. The MRS has a lot of other information on that unit as well, I think Guy's main table has 40 columns of data for each unit.
You can call Eastmans at (800)842-6887 to get a copy of the issue containing the WY Elk MRS (Members' Research Section). The full-year subscription for that and Eastmans' Bowhunting Journal that has the other half of the MRS sections is $39.99, probably the best money you can spend for researching units and states.
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SOLID advice from hoshour regarding the MRS, this info is "imo" much better that a generalized opinion from someone that's never hunted it. lol!!!!!
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mntnguide
Very Active Member
I hunted a small part of the area back when it was unit 121. . Big country..tough hunt. I personally wouldnt be going in there without horses. I had horses and hunted from a trailhead in November...rode about 6 miles every day in the dark before daylight before we even started to think about looking for elk. From what I gathered about the early season hunt in there, the elk are even further back. It was a hard hunt, and the country is not to prone to hunting on foot in my opinion. I killed my bull around 9000' in late november in deep snow when it was blowing 40-60mph winds.. its rough country and the bulls are tough
- Dec 19, 2014
- 40
- 0
Thanks guys. I prescribe Eastman already and have went over the Guy's MRS covering this unit 53 and all units in wyoming. I do have horses and all the gear for backcountry but I can't hunt the Wilderness since I'm non red I'm just trying pick the right unit that doesn't have too much hunting pressure, a fare amount of elk and some good bulls. I have will have 7 preference points for the 2015 season. So fare 53 sounds the best to me any suggestions ? Thanks again. Jeff
hoshour
Veteran member
Looks like you'll need the special draw to get Unit 53 in any weapon. Remember that 53 is extreme terrain with a lot of dark timber, not the easiest to hunt.
You might also consider some very good green chip units that you can draw with 7 points. There are several with good public land, good harvest success and good grades.
You might also consider some very good green chip units that you can draw with 7 points. There are several with good public land, good harvest success and good grades.
kiddwinner
Active Member
Topgun 30-06
Banned
kiddwinner
Active Member
Yes it sucks and there are a lot but with due diligence odds are you will be fine! I don't like them either...
Topgun 30-06
Banned
Grizz are a LOT further south than we like to believe....
All that said, follow the rules and you won't have any issues at all.
All that said, follow the rules and you won't have any issues at all.
spotnstalk1
Member
Any chance we can see a picture of your bull? I also applied for this unit and was just curious the quality of bulls you saw/hunted and also what you ended up killing. Sounds like you really worked for it! I'm sure it was an awesome experience!
mntnguide
Very Active Member
- Nothing special..A young 6. he scored 280ish if i remember right. . He was the first 6 point i found in a week of hunting, and by that point I was getting wore out and went after him and the 2 others he was with..It was a blinding snowstorm and i never got a good look at him, and when i finally jumped him in the storm at 40 yards, I started chucking lead...Of course i wish i would have found a better bull, But i was plenty happy nonetheless...It is a tough hunt and weather dependent. . There are some dandy bulls taken out of there each year from what ive gathered, usually by the outfitters and Im sure someone who lives there and has the ability to hunt each storm cycle has better opportunity as well. If you draw and are in the November hunt, you basically have 1 option...Jim Mountain area.. and its all up from the trailheads. . Like i said..I wouldnt hunt it without horses. this guy was what i considered one of the closest elk i saw, and I was still 8-10 miles from the trailhead, and 2500 feet above it. Its a challenging hunt, but I will do it again someday now that i know the area well. Grizzlies are definitely there, I passed fresh tracks every morning in the snow not far out of the trailhead and knew he was above me at one point the way my horse acted..but that horse has seen plenty of them and luckily does not care one way or the other. Just gotta pay attention for them. Good luck in the draws.
Matthoek21
Veteran member
Man that does not look like a hunt I wouldn't want to have horses with. That's a killer. Deep snow and wind. Good job. Looks like it was hard earned.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
- Feb 21, 2011
- 192
- 39
Area 53 is a pretty good elk area, and can be horse country particularly in the later part of the season. Some of the area consists of what used to be Area 121. I wouldn't be too concerned about the Wilderness in that area, as a lot of the Wilderness is sheep country above timberline, and not really elk country until late in the season.The private land can be a pain here, as it land locks a lot of the area from below. There is three or four good access easements to the forest, but you have to hike quite a ways to get to it. A lot of the bulls in this area don't migrate out and actually go higher to winter. They winter with the sheep on the wind swept slopes. My wife had the tag when it was 121 and we hunted it and saw lots of bulls. Nothing huge, but I know there are there. Back then the season was in November and the bulls where very high and snowbound beyond where I could get horses. We did see bunches of 4-30 bulls in a bunch wintering. The Game Warden is my neighbor and told me just the other day, that both 54 and 53 have bull to cow ratios in excess of 65 which is extremely high. There is tons of grizzlies in this area and some wolves, which I think is the reason the bulls winter so high. The October season in here should be much better for hunting bigger bulls and the bow season is very good in here with so many bulls. A local guy did hammer a 380+ bull in this unit last fall. A very beautiful bull.
You will have to hike or ride 3-5 miles just to get to the forest in the two main accesses as noted above, lots of hiking and riding in the dark if you try to day hunt the area. And the weather can be brutal in here. We actually encountered winds so high that our horses would not walk into them and the blowing snow was like sand blast on our faces and the horses eyes. They do get 100 mph winds at the tops of these ridges during a storm. For the most part, it is a very solid elk area, but is for only the hardest core of elk hunters, and it may take you a few runs at it to feel comfortable enough to kill elk consistently here. I hope this helps to clear the air on this unit a bit.
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You will have to hike or ride 3-5 miles just to get to the forest in the two main accesses as noted above, lots of hiking and riding in the dark if you try to day hunt the area. And the weather can be brutal in here. We actually encountered winds so high that our horses would not walk into them and the blowing snow was like sand blast on our faces and the horses eyes. They do get 100 mph winds at the tops of these ridges during a storm. For the most part, it is a very solid elk area, but is for only the hardest core of elk hunters, and it may take you a few runs at it to feel comfortable enough to kill elk consistently here. I hope this helps to clear the air on this unit a bit.
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mntnguide
Very Active Member
yep. .what guy says explains it very well. .i have a video of coming off the top of the ridge with my bull. .my horse is honestly leaning well into the wind it was so strong. .easily 60-70mph gusts. ..i had a couple times on that hunt thought of reconsidering my love for chasing elk.. don't go in expecting to have a nice casual day. .it's brutal and open but those bulls love staying up in the wind and snow for some reason