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WY unit 45, 38

I am hopefully hunting with a friend that is sitting on 9 NR points this year and plan to just tag along and help him out possibly with a cow tag. Been eyeing unit 45 but looking at odds even the special may not get that tag. 38 is also on the radar and that may be in his reach as well. This will be a type 9 tag. We considered applying for 2nd choice cow tags and in the event he didn't draw we could still go and learn the ground before he spends his 9 or maybe 10 by then on a bull tag. This will be a public land hunt and we have as much time as needed. Any information or experience from folks that hunted these units last year would be much appreciated and PM's are welcome..Not looking for GPS coordinates but more of a general sense of things. Another unit may be a consideration as well however we are not looking to hunt the bear areas so much. I know that this post will offend many but I figure anyone that hunted these units last year ain't gonna see it again for a while.

Bowsite flooded 38 a few years ago, plenty of info in those threads.

Last year I gambled 9 points would get me a 45 tag. Yet again, squashed by point creep. Expect it again this year.

Unit 38 does not allow Type 1 tag holders to hunt the September archery, so the Type 9 tags have it all by themselves the entire month. Last year the G&F put that restriction on unit 45 after the NR application period was over and so many people complained that doing that was just plain wrong that they took the restriction off. I haven't seen anything this year about 45 being changed and if that's the case it will have a lot of Type 1 tag holders hunting archery the last half of September. If it was my PPs, I would apply for unit 38 as I've been all over both units and both have great elk populations and gorgeous country for a September hunt.

Thanks for the information!!

I was aware of the whole type 1 restriction on 45 last year and its being removed and you make a very good point about the type 1 folks being plentiful if all things remain the same. Unit 38 looks larger and possibly more remote areas available. Having never hunted outside of WY gen and OTC CO I am looking forward to this as much as him.

keep in mind that there are 200 type nine tags awarded out in unit 38, don't expect solitude. Last year was a zoo. unit 45 is roughly 200 square miles larger then unit 38.

I hunted 45 in 2014 so my info might be too old for you. It was a good hunt with a lot of elk and some hunting pressure but not terrible. I certainly wouldn't trade hunting general units for the 10 or more years it would take to draw 45 again so I'll probably never hunt it again in my lifetime.

I am aware of tag#s but honestly don't have a good feel for how that relates to crowds. The area I hunt is either gen in WY or OTC in CO so no real stats on how many tags or hunters are really around to compare. I know last year where I was it was beyond zoo. It was downright rush hour. When comparing the size of the NF and tag numbers it seems that 38 would be better than 45 or less hunters per sq mile. Added that the type 1 tags can hunt in 45 in sept seems like it would be a bit of a dice roll as to how busy it would get. Did you elk hunt it last year Trial153? I know this is a pathetic statement but maybe your zoo is not the same as mine? Last year I passed close to 20 hunters on a 3 mile stretch of trail.

Yea I don't plan to save and draw anything special I am good with the GEN also. He just has had cold feet for almost 10 years and now wants to go. Seems logical that he draws the best tag he can. I am sitting on 3 now as I didn't draw last year. Next year I will be going in with 4 and will be looking at GEN units. Initially we were going to apply as a party but nothing jumped out at me with 6 each. Besides I will have a good time just helping him. Not as much as if I was trigger man but it will still be a blast. Did you score in 2014 Cheesehead Mike?

less then 10% of Wy residents bow hunt. So yes its gamble that some might hunt the archery season on a type 1 tag. Higher numbers I bet for NR. 100% of type 9 tag holders are Bowhunters. For whats its worth I couldn't see a spit of difference in the amount on people in 38 vs 37 last year once the gen season opened in 37 the second week of sept. Every place was crowed and had trucks parked. If he is hunting either of the first two week only its moot point as won't be running into gen tag holder in 45 unless they are setting camp or scouting....which I am sure you will see.

“ Did you score in 2014 Cheesehead Mike?”

Really you have to ask! The last time he didn’t score was his freshman year prom.

^^^^^Yea I kinda figured but I had to ask. maybe he got picky? We will be there as long as it takes so the second half of Sept is a very real possibility. I do think he will pull the trigger on the first bull that isn't super raggy. In other words I hope to have more action than giant horns.

This is old info but I hunted unit 1 Moose in 2013 in that area. (38) Lots of people. Some Moose hunters, some Elk hunters. That unit would be tuff sledding if they aren't talking. We did see some nice bulls taken, a lot of roads and a lot of road hunters. Had a bull behind camp that would bugle all night until the first truck came down the gravel road---then crickets till the next night.

Thanks for the responses I very much appreciate any information I can get!

LOL Huntcell I appreciate the vote of confidence , but actually I did not score in 45 in 2014. I figured it was a once in a lifetime tag so I was a little selective. I passed up some smaller bulls and hit a 300+ 6x6 square in the shoulder blade and only got an inch or so of penetration. I had action every day and had 350+ 7x7 inside of 20 yards for a couple minutes but couldn't get a clear shot. Lots of bugling and bulls running around like crazed whitetails in the rut.

It did get a lot more crowded after the 15th when the type 1 tag holders were allowed to hunt. I also saw the Seven J Outfitters trucks a couple times. I think they were guiding for some celebrities...

Ditto on the archives. Tons of info.

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