I will be doing a diy rifle hunt there in WY. I've heard everything from it's heavy timber and can only see about a 100 or so yards to your best bet is to spot and stalk. If any of you have hunted it, would you mind shedding some light on that for me? You can PM me, if you had rather. Thanks.
Medicine Bow NF
- Thread starter N2TRKYS
- Start date
D
Deleted member 22670
Guest
It really depends on where the elk are, which depends on hunting pressure and weather. If they are in the heavy timber, and you can only see 100 yards, I would think that would be more of a spot and shoot. You just have to get out there and put boots on the ground and find the elk. I hunt just S of you on the CO side, and I have been seeing a lot of elk down low this year in the desert country for some reason. They just never left.
mhungerford
Active member
We hunt the med bow almost every year. Elk numbers are high, hunter numbers are high, but get away from the road and do some walking you will find elk. For the most part you will be hunting thick timber with lots and lots of dead fall. Depending on where you go plan on hunting the timber. I think my longest shot the last few years was like 75 yards. If you have questions just shoot me a PM. I will be more than happy to help.
LCH
Well-known member
The part I hunted is thick. I spooked most elk before I even saw them, kind of like trying to still hunt whitetails here at home. I eventually got a shot by setting up between 2 thickets and ambushing a cow as she passed from 1 to the other. The shot was about 15 yards.
The parks can be quite large with shots well over 100 yards. The timber can be thick with lots of downfall. Most of our elk come out of the parks and edges not the dark timber. Lots of people but with just a little walking elk can be found. Lots of atv road hunters and the elk know it. Usually get at least one snow to help with tracking them down. The whole Snowy Range is great elk country and numbers are high. You should do fine.
A few years back we rifle hunted there for Mulies. Hiked in and set up camp at just over 10,000 ft. Ross got on Elk immediately upon setting out for some scouting just as a storm was hitting. Temps plummeted overnight and everything in and out of my tent froze. Worse night I have had hunting. At that elevation, there was plenty of open basins with patches of timber and aspens. More bad weather was forecasted so we hiked back out and hunted at lower elevations. We were pretty green and a bit unprepared for such weather extremes (keep in mind we are Midwesterners with little experience at the time outside of what the Army and Afghanistan teaches you). That said, I would love to go back with a bow...I am far better equipped and a tiny bit smarter.
Lots of Deadfalls! Don't go in with super power rifle scope as you may be in dark timber. I shot a dandy muley at 300 yards but most elk were in dark timber, get away from trails as atv's will be allover that place. There is some nasty stuff that hunters don't go in, but it holds elk. Good luck.
Brad Daniel
Member
The bow is a large forest. Be better if you told us what unit?
bigbear045
New member
General tags are good for multiple units correct?
Yep. Here's a link for the regs. https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Regulation-PDFs/REGULATIONS_CH7
If you are new to Wyoming which it sounds like you are, you really need to look at the regs and make damn sure there is a general season in the where you're hunting. All sorts of seasons and all sorts of season dates.
bigbear045
New member
Thanks guys. Already looking forward to planning out 2017-2018. WY is tricky. I read the heck out of these things and no where can I find the definition of "General Tag." If you are new at looking in WY's hunting process the term "General" can mean anything.
General means that it's over the counter for residents and it's a draw for nonresidents. That's the way I understand it.
homer1983
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2024
- Messages
- 9
I know this is a way old thread, how was the hunt? I am going there in 4 days for early archery. I have an idea of where I want to go but haven't officially scouted anything there. Was there just camping last year in late September and saw a fair amount of sign not far off atv trails. Didn't want to get too far off and disturb hunters but found a really decent looking area I am wheeling back into and camping
You'll have company for the Labor Day weekend, lots of campers and atv riders.
You'll also notice the elk ignore the riders until they stop their machines.
Cooler weather and rain next few days , be ready for wet conditions a cold at night. Might be interesting early this year but we'll see.
You'll also notice the elk ignore the riders until they stop their machines.
Cooler weather and rain next few days , be ready for wet conditions a cold at night. Might be interesting early this year but we'll see.
homer1983
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2024
- Messages
- 9
Thanks, I found a spot on onx that's kind of away from trails and hopefully people, will be roughly 2 miles from nearest roads also according to onx. Last year when we were in there for a week and half only saw 2 hunters back in there and no other ATVs although I'm sure the trails get pretty pounded. Yeah I see it supposed to rain the next few days, hopefully it clears out as I'm not opposed to hunting in the rain, I'd rather not but makes moving in the timber that much quieter. I'm going in with a couple tents, can set up a base camp where I park my ATV and take a small tent and do spike camps if I find elk back in a ways. Will see how it goes, I'll start a thread on my adventure when I get home.
utah400elk
Well-known member
I hunted there for many years and always got my elk. You don’t have to look for areas miles away from roads. IMO, not all miles are equal. All of the elk I killed were within 1/4 mile of a road. However, all the roads I hunted near were closed roads. I have found well used wallows 20 yards from closed roads.
Universaly, I always find that most hunters won’t get more than 1/2 mile from the closed road signs. Hike one mile on a closed road and you might as well be in the wilderness. You will almost always be all alone.
The real problem I have found in the last couple years are guys who hike into an elk rich area and camp there. They are only a mile hike from a closed road sign but camp in the bedrooms or dinning rooms if elk. This empties the area. To each their own but, if you find people camped, simply move.
During your archery hunt, you can drive the roads and chase bugles. Once rifle starts they will go silent. Also don’t forget to use your senses. I usually smell elk and hear them before I see them.
Good luck!
Universaly, I always find that most hunters won’t get more than 1/2 mile from the closed road signs. Hike one mile on a closed road and you might as well be in the wilderness. You will almost always be all alone.
The real problem I have found in the last couple years are guys who hike into an elk rich area and camp there. They are only a mile hike from a closed road sign but camp in the bedrooms or dinning rooms if elk. This empties the area. To each their own but, if you find people camped, simply move.
During your archery hunt, you can drive the roads and chase bugles. Once rifle starts they will go silent. Also don’t forget to use your senses. I usually smell elk and hear them before I see them.
Good luck!
Similar threads
