Wyoming Area 48 or 7

[TLC]

ok, due to Randy's incessant rantings about DIY hunts, going to wyoming this year, if drawn, to try this elk hunting stuff. after having checked out the wyo website, these couple of areas seem to have plenty of walk in areas, and the non resident hunters success in drawing seems good with the amount of PP's I have(3). also, the success rates on the hunts seem high as well. 66% in area 48. so, any of you wyoming folks have any suggestions, ideas, or comments about these areas? and have no problem with going after a cow the first time around.

be using the bow, 60 pound pull. I'm old, what can I say. have heard both good and bad about the type of broadhead, mechanical versus fixed, so will go with what I am shooting the best at the time. but, will have the 270 as the backup.

Oak, looked at the colorado website for a possible hunt there, but damn, those elevations are high for a midwesterner. have been thru colorado a time or two. what do you think about the area around gunnsion for elk?

ah yeah, just kidding Randy about the incessant part........

 

[WapitiBob]

I would double check the odds. Your 3 points were 2 points in the 2011 odds reports.

You could get a type 6 Cow tag in 48....

 

[Topgun 30-06]

The reason the success rate is so good in 48 is because almost all the elk are on controlled private ranches, especially the 100,000+ acre Orchard Ranch on road 434 in the southern part of the unit, and there are very few elk on what public land is in that unit. That is the main reason that there are so many leftover type 6 reduced cow/calf elk licenses in that unit. It will probably take 4PPs to draw a 48 bull tag this year as anything less than 3 last year didn't draw. I hate to see anyone waste their hard-earned money on a hunt and that's what you would be doing if you don't pay at least a $500 access fee to shoot a cow on most ranches in that unit. I've deer hunted Region M most years since 1994 where 48 is located and have a very good handle on that entire area out there.

 

[BuzzH]

I think you'd be better off with a general tag than having either 48 or 7 for elk. Way more options and way more public land to hunt.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I think BuzzH hit the nail on the head with that short post!

 

[Steelhead]

If you'd be better off with a general tag than drawing a tag for unit 7. What good is it to build preference points in WY? I too have 3 points.

 

[BuzzH]

If you could draw unit 7 with no points, it MAY be worth it.

To have access to the best animals in that unit, you better be willing to pay some $$$ or get very lucky.

There is too little public, and too much pressure on what public is there, to make it worth burning points, IMO. Plus theres been a huge increase in either-sex permits in there too...also a whole slug of cow permits as well. There has been talk to make unit 7 a general area, which I believe it largely already is with the number of tags given.

Its not an easy hunt at all and unless you have some access to private, I dont believe its much better than many of the general permits. Its still possible to get a decent bull there, but I'd kill the first bull over 300 I saw on public land if I had that tag.

 

[Steelhead]

Good info! Yeah I just glanced at the tags and it looks like 1,200 any bull permits. Not exactly what I'd call "limited entry"!!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Herein lies the other problem with unit 7. Last year in the Reg PP draw there was only a 51.01% chance of drawing the tag with the max of 5PPs. This year the max is 6 and the 49% who didn't get the tag probably bought another PP. There were also another 1049 applicants with <5PPs that probably bought another PP. That means it would take several more years of buying PPs to even be in the running to draw unit 7 in that draw. In the Special higher priced draw there was still only a 72.34% chance of drawing that tag with the max of 5PPs and there were another 493 applicants in that draw with <5PPs. Therefore, even in that draw a person with 3PPs this year probably has no chance of drawing the tag. With 3PPs you could invite two more people that have no PPs to go with you and with the average of 1PP they should draw a General tag this year. That's basically what we were getting at and there are lots of units under the General tag where you would have adecent chance of scoring on a good bull.

 

[Steelhead]

Going off on a wild tangent... are there better opportunities if a guy goes with a draw archery tag?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Steelhead---If you're a dedicated bow hunter, I think it's a great way to go have a great time with a better chance when the bulls are bugling in the rut than during the later rifle seasons. If you draw a regular LE tag and are fortunate enough to have the time and money to go back for the rifle season if you don't tag out with your bow, you can really get a lot of bang for your tag money. If you're talking about drawing a type 9 AO tag, then you need to look at things a little differently as far as how many tags are issued and what kind of pressure the unit might have, as well as the fact that you can't go back with a rifle.

 

[Steelhead]

Very true. I'm just gonna stack my points for now. I'm sure things will work themselves out by the time I'm ready to go over there and hunt

 

[TLC]

OK, am I reading this wrong?

007 1 ANY ELK 101 101 5 198 51.01%
0 < 5 1049 0.00%
007 4 ANTLERLESS ELK 150 2 3 2 100.00%
148 0 < 3 0 100.00%

thought after looking at this the cow tag was almost 100% with no loss of points? looking at walk in areas and the hunter management areas in area 7.

Buzz, what area for a newbie at elk would you recommend under the general license? and as I said, a cow the first time around is what I will be looking for.

thanks for the responses folks.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Putting that type 4 cow tag as a second choice with the type 1 as the first choice in unit 7 would get you that cow tag. However, you'd be paying over $600 to shoot a cow when you could apply for a type 6 reduced cow/calf tag for half that price in that unit and only 4 first choice applicants didn't get that tag, which costs half the money as a type 4 tag for the same animal. Then you wouldn't even be risking any PPs on that type of tag. You could buy your 4th PP this summer and get your feet wet out there and decide if you wanted to continue for a bull tag in 7 or go for another unit in a year or two.

 

[TLC]

"the cow tag was almost 100% with no loss of points". the reduced price tag is what I was talking about. and according to wyo game and fish, will not have to use the PP's for that tag.

 

[BuzzH]

The type 6 and type 4 are seperate applications...

If you're just going to hunt cows, save the money and find a type 6 tag somewhere.

 

[TLC]

Buzz, agree with ya. the cow tag(reduced)for the first time seems the smart thing to try. at least I will get a chance to get my feet wet with this elk hunting thing. if this works out, may stop by area 23 for antelope and see what I can find there. know they always have OTC tags at the end of the draws.

 

[BuzzH]

plenty of type 6 cow tags in unit 7...long season as well.

I've shot some cows in unit 7 late, I have some info. I'd share.

 

[TLC]

Buzz, I would say I'm all ears, but since I'm deaf in one since the accident, would be a bad joke on me.

would appreciate any and all info you have on the unit. notice you said late season. would you recommend going later than early then? can post it here, or if you want, can post my e-mail address.

 

[mixedbag]

If you hunt the Gunnison area of Colorado, you best be in top shape.I hunt that area and its rough,but plenty of elk if you get in a ways;unit 55