Recommended Hunt Dates for WY Bighorns
Elk
Hey All,
So after 8 years I drew Wyoming's unit 38 archery elk tag Elk. Ya! Coming from KS, I have 2 weeks available to hunt, with the full moon landing about mid month right before what some consider the peak of the rut, I was planning to hunt the last 2 weeks of the month. However, last night I listened to Corey Jacobsen's FB live event and he has me 2nd guessing my strategy. He said he's starting to lean toward the beginning of the month.
I wanted to get some input from those of you who've hunting that neck of the woods before. What 2 weeks should I hunt? Any advice would be great, this is my hunt in Wyoming.
Tell the boss you need the whole month off Travis:) Then no worries!
I have hunted there 3 times.
Do not second guess yourself. You are hitting it just right.
I just went over the Bighorns early yesterday morning for work. I saw about 50 cows and calves in one group. Also saw some pretty nice bucks.
Like Ron stated tell your boss you have elk fever and need the month off to get over it.:)
Stay away from the holiday weekend as that's a rat race there.
And just be prepared in case weather turns as there have been late snow storms the last week of archery
I've hunted it twice and major snowstorms came through late sept both times. If I ever draw again, I'll be there right after Labor Day.
Miss the first week it is a zoo there. i would pick the second and third week myself but i was there the whole season last two times I hunted it.
I've been in 45 the first two weeks the last two years and that would be my choice if I had the tag or maybe the middle two weeks. The reason I say that is it's much easier to get the better bulls to come in when they are looking for cows and are just getting their harems together. Once they get their cows together and the rut is getting close it's very hard to get the herd bulls to come to a call. The younger satellite bulls will usually come in any time during September, as they are just like we all were when we were in our teens!
Middle two weeks for sure.
We have killed and had them screaming on opening day. Mid month they have shut down, maybe due to pressure? Late they lit up again but tougher to pull bulls away when they are cowed up. I like the first two weeks. There are plenty of elk so just adjust your hunt to fit regardless of what the elk are doing.
Thanks Ron & Bowboy, I thought I was doing good with getting 2 weeks off... ;-)~
Interesting comments on the hunt getting tougher once the bulls are harem'd up.
I figured the feedback would be split, but hey it's all part of the fun, it's almost like the hunt has already started. I'm stoked!
Thanks for the feedback guys! Planning and discussing is half the fun.
I've hunted 38 3 times and killed two on the 19 and one on the 20th. Disclaimer....never been there for the first week.
I was there last year. Arrived on Labor Day (7th) and killed my bull on the 15th. Very little action the week in between.
I'd stick with the middle two weeks and avoid the chance of a late snow shutting it down. I had good action during that time, but next time I draw, I'm only hunting one day as it seems I only get a shot off on the last day!!!
I have drawn in the Bighorns 3 times and find the middle 2 weeks the best (for me). Labor day is a zoo, even though I hunted that weekend, then came home for the week then back for the duration.
I'm pretty sure that after September 15th, those that drew a type 1 rifle tag can get an archery permit and that increases the # of people in the field. I experienced that in Unit 35. However, I found that as a group those hunters spent more time on the roads and spent more time scouting for rifle season than actually hard core archery hunting. Good luck!
Sol
Can't buy an archery stamp for 38 so no worries about the gun crowd after the 15 the.
Ya, part of the reason why I chose 38 for my unit to draw.
