Wyoming Archery 2020
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: NorCalVineyards
22-Jan-20
fellas, Assessing my situation I’m not a lock for a elk hunt this year except for random draws in NM OR ID, (burned my AZ points last year and on the Nevada wait period). I do have 7 points for WY and considering making this my year to hunt Wyoming. I do not want to go guided. Based on special or regular odds, I’ll go either, units 39 and 40 type 9 may be in reach, 41 looks fine as well. 23 (completely different part of the state) looks like an option as well but public ground here may severely limited. 39-9 sticks out to me with only 75 type 9 tags and no Oct 1 rifle hunters/slayers hammering the elk.
What I am looking for: high quality high country scenery, Roadless country with lots of ground to hunt without over crowding, quality elk 300-330” type bulls. My experience in unit 8 AZ was roads everywhere and too many tags, made for a disappointing elk hunt as overcrowding was a problem. Any suggestions as to my direction, either positive or negative would help me further my planning phase of Wyoming 2020.
From: NorCalVineyards
22-Jan-20
Further - I’m 37 and a solo app. None of my hunting buddies have many Wyoming points currently. If anyone is looking for a hunting partner and wants to point average, with a couple more points than me, then maybe 38 or 45 would be in play. I believe I could be offer some value to someone out of state like myself that has never hunted the area before. I will surely do my homework and work my tail off in preparations and during the hunt.
From: NorCalVineyards
22-Jan-20
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From: Zim
22-Jan-20
Beware on that 39-9 choice as I read a thread of three guys putting in for that this year with an average of 9 points I believe. That would leave you only 3 others in the preference draw. That’s why I chose a different unit. Very few NR tags. Not sure where I read that either Bowsite, MM or HuntTalk. Might want to find it and shoot the guy a PM. Not sure why they’d burn 9 there. I think 9 points is a reach.
From: pav
22-Jan-20
Hunted WY 39-9 in 2015. PM sent.
From: midwest
22-Jan-20
He'd have to go 39-9 in the special for any hope to draw.
From: NoBark
22-Jan-20
And 9 points may not get anyone a 39-9 as several with 11 jumped into that unit last year... that unit suffered from "point rush" not point creep.
From: Brotsky
22-Jan-20
There were a lot of units that suffered from “point rush” last year. Going to be interesting to see how things go this year with the changes.
From: NorCalVineyards
23-Jan-20
Thanks for the messages and pms. 39 is not a big unit and the roads can make it feel that much smaller. 41 looks like a much better chance of getting remote even outside of the wilderness. Can any resident local yocal still take you into the wilderness?
From: digs
23-Jan-20
Wow..reading these posts regarding the point system is like hearing my kid do the new math. Who says bow hunters are slow witted and count only using their fingers and toes!!!!!! You guys are the bomb at figuring all this out. Guess I just showed my age and how dim witted I am huh.....
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
So here’s a curve ball, what about a drop camp around the Pinedale area DIY. I could point average with my buddy ( give up my 7 points for two general tags) and get dropped off in some scenic gods country. Off course it would have up be NF and not wilderness as we are not residents. My dad has a house in Pinedale and I know the area up around Elkhart park a little (use to hike the hills 25 years ago by the white pine ski resort past Fremont lake and snowboard).
From: WI Shedhead
24-Jan-20
Thier are now 100k hunters that now have a point for Wyoming elk. The next time you dump your points will be the last time you have any chance of pulling a higher end le tag unless the system changes. Ride it out and get a good hunt out of it. The speculation of them having thier elk application period with the deer and antelope is very real and will change the odds. Wyoming will no longer be the first place each year to shop for an elk tag. Wait to see what Arizona will turn into if that’s happens!!!!
From: WI Shedhead
24-Jan-20
One more thing to chew on if you think you don’t have a chance at a tag- 64% of the top point holders didn’t even apply for a hunt last year!!!!!
From: Stryker
24-Jan-20
I’m one of the as you call us local yocals and no we can’t take you into the wilderness unless we have a guide license.
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
Stryker didn’t mean it in a deragatory slang
From: Teeton
24-Jan-20
NorCalVaneyards, to hunt in wilderness you must hunt with a outfitter. If hunting with an outfitter in wilderness, say a drop camp the outfitter must sign the back of your license. Or a resident that has gotten a free non-commercial guide license.. That license is just a walk-in and get license.
From: Stryker
24-Jan-20
I didn’t think you did. No offense taken. Just trying to help with info.
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
Cool! Shedhead I appreciate your comments and I hear what your saying. I think it would be good to know what happens this year in the odds for next year. I could just take a swing at something a point or two out and see what happens
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
Archery 7 or 19, how would you compare the two in terms or pressure, access and trophy quality. Outside chance I may have a point average buddy.
From: WI Shedhead
24-Jan-20
I hunted 7 in 2010. Good bulls lots of elk lots of private. I paid a trespass fee on a ranch that has since been sold. I would line up access prior and plan on booking when u draw. Have a deer and a lion tag in your pocket. Trust me.
From: Brotsky
24-Jan-20
19 took 9 points in the special last year. Unless your point average buddy has 12 to share you may want to consider another option.
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
He has 11 - 11 plus seven divided by 2 :-)
From: Brotsky
24-Jan-20
You kids and your new math :-) I was figuring 9.5 to be 100% guaranteed as 19 in the special has been heading north along with everything else lately.
From: NorCalVineyards
24-Jan-20
I hear yea Brotsky, but then again the game changed for results this year and that may swing the odds my way! Can't hurt to take a crack and find out.
From: Pop-r
24-Jan-20
That guide license is easy to obtain. I would think it would be hard to find anyone with the "local yocal" mindset tho. I've been trying for two years and don't have one yet.
From: Pop-r
24-Jan-20
That posted hours after I submitted it for some reason and y'all had already discussed.
From: NorCalVineyards
25-Jan-20
Just want to say everyone has been really cool with their experiences. It’s a long Ways and a lot of years of waiting for most.
From: wytex
28-Jan-20
The guide has to be with you in the wilderness, drop camps are not legal unless a guide accompanies you while you hunt.