WY cow elk pointers

[JFox]

Hey folks!

I'm heading to WY this year after pronghorn, and have been strongly debating picking up a leftover cow elk tag and trying my hand at filling the freezer with my first elk. I have one elk point, but was looking at trying to pick up a leftover reduced cost tag. I was wondering if anyone could share personal experiences with this?
Any advice would be helpful, I'm not asking "hey what unit should I go to," but more generalities such as what type of habitat will they be hanging out in come October (steeper slopes, mountains, sage, etc), recommend BLM or USFS land, general pointers with picking up the reduced cost tags, etc.


Planning a scouting trip in either late July or early August. Will be packing meat out on my back, I have zero problems going where the animals are and putting the work and boot leather in.

Any advice would be very appreciated!

 

[WYO]

What area of the state are you going to be hunting antelope? This will help us in determining recommendations.

 

[fackelberry]

I would put in for the reduced price tag in the initial drawing its seperate from the bull tag and you wont use your point. I wouldn't wait til the leftovers as there may be way less of the tags and way more people putting in for it then reducing your chances of drawing. If you know you want to hunt them, just put in for it on the first draw and you will probably have a much better chance to get the unit you want.

 

[ScottR]

I would put in for the reduced price tag in the initial drawing its seperate from the bull tag and you wont use your point. I wouldn't wait til the leftovers as there may be way less of the tags and way more people putting in for it then reducing your chances of drawing. If you know you want to hunt them, just put in for it on the first draw and you will probably have a much better chance to get the unit you want.

Yup, way better option.

 

[WYO]

Guys, I don’t think he’s a resident, so his next option is the leftover draw.

 

[JFox]

Correct WYO, I'm not a Wyoming resident. I'm looking at pronghorn hunting 113, but I don't have a problem driving a ways to get after a herd!

 

[NDHunter]

If you are able to pick up a leftover tag, instead of doing a summer scouting trip, you might want to consider just going in September and then you could bowhunt them. Could be a hunting/scouting trip. You'd have to check the regs but I think most units, or at least some, you can bowhunt them in September with a Type 6 tag.

 

[LCH]

It's tough to guess which units may have reduced price leftovers, and even more difficult to know what kind of odds they'll have in the leftover draw.

I bought a Type 4 leftover a few years ago and had a good hunt, so that's an option too if you can't get the RP tag you want.

 

[lostriverproductions]

You didn't say when you were planning on being out there antelope hunting. So the elk could be anywhere on the mountain. The later in the year you go, if you get the needed weather, the cows will start pushing down the mountain. Its been said a Sept/Early Oct cow elk hunt can be as if not more challenging then filling your bull tag. Regardless when you go, the cows will be where the best food source is at that time.

 

[RICMIC]

I did a late season cow elk hunt (type 6) in WY. It was for the 2017 season, but I actually was able to hunt with that tag in Jan. 2018. The cows are in a wintering area and generally by this time of year are near the bottom of the mountain. But, this year with little snow I had to climb up to them (2000'+) each day, and had to be choosy about where I shot one so that I could slide it out instead of packing it out. I spoke to a bud yesterday who lives in the area, and he said that the elk moved down after a 12" snow, but were back up on top within a week after the snow melted. So, get a tag if you can, and the conditions will dictate things after that.

 

[JFox]

Awesome, thanks very much folks!