I?m new to this forum..so please forgive my lack of knowledge..looking to take my teenage sons on an Elk hunt in Wyoming. We?ve only got 1 Pref point, but we are fine with getting a cow tag in 2018 if we don?t draw a bull tag. Is unit 33 or 34 good units for us to start elk hunting..we are long Time deer hunters from TN. Was interested in these units due to the fact it wouldn?t take 7-10 points to get a bull tag..any advice would be greatly appreciated! I?ve seen there?s a WMA called Ed O Taylor in 33 (is it any good) then of course the national forest land in unit 34.. thanks!
Wyoming Elk Unit 33 & 34..Which one?
- Thread starter TN VOL
- Start date
WapitiBob
Veteran member
Without digging deeper, I believe there were only 3 bull hunts that had 50% or better odds with only 1 point in the regular price draw; 47, 125, and 96. A Gen license will take 2.
Alabama
Veteran member
Thomas11
Member
Thanks for input guys..I’ve heard that Wyoming is increasing the number of elk tags this year, not sure how many or which units or if it’s all units..I guess if we don’t draw a general tag we could get a cow tag and put in for a region Y deer tag and hunt unit 163 or unit 33 for deer along with trying for a cow elk in unit 33..
WapitiBob
Veteran member
Prerylyon
Veteran member
TN,
If this is your 1st western elk hunt or even diy elk hunt, there's some things to think about. I'm not any sort of expert, nor do I want to come across as preachy. Elk are also not the mythical ghosts some make them out to be, but sometimes they don't seem too far removed from a unicorn either. [emoji6]
I have yet to kill one myself, but I was along for the ride on a successful elk hunt, I actually 'found' the bull and called the shot, plus killed a mule deer a few years back in the mtns of WY. So, I am no expert beyond the 3 seasons I've hunted out west.
1. The mtns are amazing-but can kick your @$$-and its big country with weather that changes real fast-I spent the night at the Walmart in Laramie this past October cause they closed the interstate
2. An outfitter-while pricey-will increase your odds and you'll learn an awful lot during your time with one-lessens some of that learning curve
3. Beyond feed lot cow hunts or haybale-raider culling late in the season, most outfitters budget 7-10 days for a wilderness bull hunt - something to consider if you are diy-budget enough time afield
None of that is meant to discourage!
At some point, one has to do 'something'. If we do 'nothing' we get 'nothing'.
For a 1st time diy elk trip in WY, you guys may want to consider the reduced price cow tags. No points, some reasonable draw odds, lower cost. You can still be in the rockies and you definitely will get the experience and hopefully some meat. That's what I'm doing for the forseeable future. If I don't draw in WY, I'll try to pick up a cheaper (than the bull tag) cow tag in the CO draw (it comes after WY). Plus, I'll budget for a pref point for later years to get into a more interesting bull unit when I have enough points.
Or, if you can swing it, go with an outfitter-at least once. I did it a few years back and it was a blast. Just because someone makes your meals doesn't mean its easy in the wilderness at 10k' feet. They wake you up early and stay out late. Horses are great, but they make you sore if you usually sit in an office all day. [emoji206] You will learn a lot.
Another idea would be a mountain mule deer hunt, though some of those tags are getting harder to draw. The tag itself would be cheaper than the bull elk tag in WY and you'd likely be in good elk country depending on where you decide to go.
Lastly, there is antelope. While generally quite different country than the elk like (though sometimes you will see the elk down low in the sage too), the antelope hunts are usually high success odds and quite economical. I don't know how old your kids are, but I might try to grab some doe antelope tags and take my sons out to WY this fall. My buddy at work got two doe tags in the draw and had a blast somewhere between Casper and Sheridan last October, he filled both tags in 3 days in totally unfamiliar country.
Anyhow, take that all FWIW. Just some ideas. Stay warm! [emoji301]
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
If this is your 1st western elk hunt or even diy elk hunt, there's some things to think about. I'm not any sort of expert, nor do I want to come across as preachy. Elk are also not the mythical ghosts some make them out to be, but sometimes they don't seem too far removed from a unicorn either. [emoji6]
I have yet to kill one myself, but I was along for the ride on a successful elk hunt, I actually 'found' the bull and called the shot, plus killed a mule deer a few years back in the mtns of WY. So, I am no expert beyond the 3 seasons I've hunted out west.
1. The mtns are amazing-but can kick your @$$-and its big country with weather that changes real fast-I spent the night at the Walmart in Laramie this past October cause they closed the interstate
2. An outfitter-while pricey-will increase your odds and you'll learn an awful lot during your time with one-lessens some of that learning curve
3. Beyond feed lot cow hunts or haybale-raider culling late in the season, most outfitters budget 7-10 days for a wilderness bull hunt - something to consider if you are diy-budget enough time afield
None of that is meant to discourage!
At some point, one has to do 'something'. If we do 'nothing' we get 'nothing'.
For a 1st time diy elk trip in WY, you guys may want to consider the reduced price cow tags. No points, some reasonable draw odds, lower cost. You can still be in the rockies and you definitely will get the experience and hopefully some meat. That's what I'm doing for the forseeable future. If I don't draw in WY, I'll try to pick up a cheaper (than the bull tag) cow tag in the CO draw (it comes after WY). Plus, I'll budget for a pref point for later years to get into a more interesting bull unit when I have enough points.
Or, if you can swing it, go with an outfitter-at least once. I did it a few years back and it was a blast. Just because someone makes your meals doesn't mean its easy in the wilderness at 10k' feet. They wake you up early and stay out late. Horses are great, but they make you sore if you usually sit in an office all day. [emoji206] You will learn a lot.
Another idea would be a mountain mule deer hunt, though some of those tags are getting harder to draw. The tag itself would be cheaper than the bull elk tag in WY and you'd likely be in good elk country depending on where you decide to go.
Lastly, there is antelope. While generally quite different country than the elk like (though sometimes you will see the elk down low in the sage too), the antelope hunts are usually high success odds and quite economical. I don't know how old your kids are, but I might try to grab some doe antelope tags and take my sons out to WY this fall. My buddy at work got two doe tags in the draw and had a blast somewhere between Casper and Sheridan last October, he filled both tags in 3 days in totally unfamiliar country.
Anyhow, take that all FWIW. Just some ideas. Stay warm! [emoji301]
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Prerylyon,
Thanks for the advice! We actually came to the Sheridan WY area this past October on a mule deer hunt for our first Western Hunt and we all got hooked! We filled 4 mule deer tags but it was on a persons private land that my Uncle is really good friends with. My sons are 16 & 14 and love to hunt and they’re hooked! We wanna do the DIY Hunt and have a good camp and experience..if we get an elk then it’s a bonus..my dad raised me whitetail hunting in the mtns Of TN and he always wanted to hunt out west and in 2016 he died unexpectedly in his 50’s..so I figured life is way to short to not try things we always dreamed of doing which is killing an elk..sorry to share so much personal info but just looking for a hunt or an area we can sink or teeth in and do this!
-God Bless
Thanks for the advice! We actually came to the Sheridan WY area this past October on a mule deer hunt for our first Western Hunt and we all got hooked! We filled 4 mule deer tags but it was on a persons private land that my Uncle is really good friends with. My sons are 16 & 14 and love to hunt and they’re hooked! We wanna do the DIY Hunt and have a good camp and experience..if we get an elk then it’s a bonus..my dad raised me whitetail hunting in the mtns Of TN and he always wanted to hunt out west and in 2016 he died unexpectedly in his 50’s..so I figured life is way to short to not try things we always dreamed of doing which is killing an elk..sorry to share so much personal info but just looking for a hunt or an area we can sink or teeth in and do this!
-God Bless
Prerylyon
Veteran member
TN,
I can relate. I grew up hunting whitetails in the big woods of the mtns PA and New England-quite a different hunt style than how deer are hunted in most of my "new" home state of Iowa, "new" now for almost 15 yrs [emoji16]. I have 7 kids myself, some are hunters, some aren't. One of my girls is more into hunting than some of my sons, and she isn't no tomboy either. Lol
We get only so many seasons. Make those plans to get out there and live it while still physically able to do so. I lost my dad early and suddenly too, so I can relate to that as well.
Its not impossible to hunt elk every year out west. There's several blogs out there breaking it all down, I think the one that immediately comes to my mind was Randy Newberg's. I kept all my receipts and was able to do it for under $1k, tag inclusive, last year. The tag and gas were my biggest expenses.
For hunt areas, look at units with lots of public forest and BLM lands so you have access. Be aware of wilderness areas where WY requires nonresidents to be guided by a local. Checkout the units in/near these mtn ranges Bighorn, Teton, Snowy/Sierra Madres, Laramie range, Wind River range, Wyoming range.
I don't know much about 33/34, but I've hunted in the Bighorn and Medicine Bow National forests.
Regards,
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
I can relate. I grew up hunting whitetails in the big woods of the mtns PA and New England-quite a different hunt style than how deer are hunted in most of my "new" home state of Iowa, "new" now for almost 15 yrs [emoji16]. I have 7 kids myself, some are hunters, some aren't. One of my girls is more into hunting than some of my sons, and she isn't no tomboy either. Lol
We get only so many seasons. Make those plans to get out there and live it while still physically able to do so. I lost my dad early and suddenly too, so I can relate to that as well.
Its not impossible to hunt elk every year out west. There's several blogs out there breaking it all down, I think the one that immediately comes to my mind was Randy Newberg's. I kept all my receipts and was able to do it for under $1k, tag inclusive, last year. The tag and gas were my biggest expenses.
For hunt areas, look at units with lots of public forest and BLM lands so you have access. Be aware of wilderness areas where WY requires nonresidents to be guided by a local. Checkout the units in/near these mtn ranges Bighorn, Teton, Snowy/Sierra Madres, Laramie range, Wind River range, Wyoming range.
I don't know much about 33/34, but I've hunted in the Bighorn and Medicine Bow National forests.
Regards,
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Yell Co AR Hunter
Very Active Member
I spent two weeks in the area 33 unit. I was antelope and mule deer hunting, but spent about a week in the mountains. I did not see not one elk. I got off the roads as I walked a total of 43 miles chasing animals. I did see some what I thought to be elk sign. I was there October 15-30th. I had thought I might try to get a cow elk tag in the future. Unless the elk move in later I would plan on spending a lot of time trying to locate them.
Yell Co AR Hunter
Very Active Member
I did see a lot of deer in the mountains. 100 to 125 per day. Most were doe and small bucks. I did not fill my deer tag. I was looking for a good one and passed a few decent to marginal bucks. My buddy did kill one with a 23" inside spread. I did locate a really nice buck in 163 only to find out the season ended the day prior. We hunted antelope first and filled all 6 of those tags prior to deer hunting.