Wyoming general road hunters

[AvidIndoorsman]

What I have seen in WY general hunts is that if the season opens on a weekend, specifically Saturday, it rivals what I experienced in 2020, which had to rival what Colorado's popular OTC units get. This year's opener in the unit I hunted, opened on a Saturday and it was even packed more than opener on 2020. Friday openers have considerably less than Saturdays. not sure on Sundays but hope to find out next year. Mondays thru Thursdays were sparsely populated.

The Saturday opener allows WY residents to take full advantage of the weekend, hunt hard Saturday and maybe go out again Sunday or finish packing off an elk, or sleep in after a hard night of celebrating life. Monday, WY residents are hard to find in the mountains besides on roads.

It's like deer hunting in NE. The vast majority of residents go out opening day/weekend, then go home for the week. Then some of them go back out the next/last weekend and that's all she wrote until next year. I think a large majority of state resident hunters are weekend hunters and enjoy the social aspect of going deer/elk hunting but aren't hard core to take a week or a few days off to chase deer/elk.

Hoping to draw a tag next year and that next year's Sunday opener is a lightly human populated one on the mountain.

Good luck everyone.

MA seasons start on a Monday, it’s actually pretty nice and spreads people out.

 

[FlatlandHunter]

My son, brother in law and I got out there 3 days before the opener and I was shocked at the lack of camps… that changed Friday and it was more like I remembered it being in the past. I was pointed towards an area that I was pointed towards in 2015. I also checked some spots that I have hunted in the past and found some sign. Brother in law had a cow tag only and dropped him where I felt it would be good and my son and I set up for opening day about a 1/3 of a mile further and off a road no one can drive on without a chainsaw. Had a herd within a 100 yards at daylight but with a lot of downed timber couldn’t get on them before they were pushed out by other hunters, maybe outfitters, and an animal was shot.

We could hear the ATV’s and trucks driving on the roads down the mountain all day and the time we were there. Used my GOHUNT app to find dark timber with water below it and not as many roads. Son and I set up in a spot and doubled on a spike for my son and a cow for me. Took my brother in law back into the spot the next night and had a 4x5 broadside at 67 yards. We should have had 3 opening morning but things happen. When I have the general tag again I know where to be earlier so they can push the herd to us hopefully.

This was my shortest and easiest pack out of all my elk.

 

[Cornbread]

What I have seen in WY general hunts is that if the season opens on a weekend, specifically Saturday, it rivals what I experienced in 2020, which had to rival what Colorado's popular OTC units get. This year's opener in the unit I hunted, opened on a Saturday and it was even packed more than opener on 2020. Friday openers have considerably less than Saturdays. not sure on Sundays but hope to find out next year. Mondays thru Thursdays were sparsely populated.

The Saturday opener allows WY residents to take full advantage of the weekend, hunt hard Saturday and maybe go out again Sunday or finish packing off an elk, or sleep in after a hard night of celebrating life. Monday, WY residents are hard to find in the mountains besides on roads.

It's like deer hunting in NE. The vast majority of residents go out opening day/weekend, then go home for the week. Then some of them go back out the next/last weekend and that's all she wrote until next year. I think a large majority of state resident hunters are weekend hunters and enjoy the social aspect of going deer/elk hunting but aren't hard core to take a week or a few days off to chase deer/elk.

Hoping to draw a tag next year and that next year's Sunday opener is a lightly human populated one on the mountain.

Good luck everyone.

I have hunted Penna for 25 years, and that's exactly what happens there. There are hunters that complain about the pressure, but i use it to my advantage. If you're a serious hunter, I believe, that you try to avoid the opener, OR you get in very early sit down and wait for the weekend warriors to push deer to you. I WANT those hunters pushing deer to me. I WANT to see the guy still hunting, cause the deer are going to be doubling back on him, LOLOL, and right past me in my spot!! It's a game of psychology. I also hunt the Mon-Thurs period, because they are back to work or whatever. They've burned themselves out, hence stay home on the opener or don't put in a lot of time. I guarantee ya, they haven't worn the right clothes and they will be heading back to camp for lunch and to warm up or dry out. So I ALWAYS bring my lunch and sit in my spot. Many times, they won't go out until 3:30 and those deer are moving around considerably between noon and 2:30. Then there seems to be a lull between 3 and 4:00pm. From what? Hunters coming back to their stand, LOLOL. Just my approach.

 

[Cornbread]

My son, brother in law and I got out there 3 days before the opener and I was shocked at the lack of camps… that changed Friday and it was more like I remembered it being in the past. I was pointed towards an area that I was pointed towards in 2015. I also checked some spots that I have hunted in the past and found some sign. Brother in law had a cow tag only and dropped him where I felt it would be good and my son and I set up for opening day about a 1/3 of a mile further and off a road no one can drive on without a chainsaw. Had a herd within a 100 yards at daylight but with a lot of downed timber couldn’t get on them before they were pushed out by other hunters, maybe outfitters, and an animal was shot.

We could hear the ATV’s and trucks driving on the roads down the mountain all day and the time we were there. Used my GOHUNT app to find dark timber with water below it and not as many roads. Son and I set up in a spot and doubled on a spike for my son and a cow for me. Took my brother in law back into the spot the next night and had a 4x5 broadside at 67 yards. We should have had 3 opening morning but things happen. When I have the general tag again I know where to be earlier so they can push the herd to us hopefully.

This was my shortest and easiest pack out of all my elk.

My buddy Danny told me ahead of the season "SHOOT IT CLOSE TO THE ROAD". Now I see why.

 

[NativeIndian]

I think most people treat hunts like social events . Ride around , BS and drink beer .

While those of us who would like to actually hunt can't draw a tag for half the units. lol

 

[StrongmanHuntsBigGame]

Unfortunately, I experience a lot of the same over here in Idaho and I hunt in a "non-motorized" unit... But most of the time it feels like I am the only one who pays any attention to the regulations or cares enough to follow them. It's very frustrating at times lol

 

[Muskie175]

Hunting a general unit in Southern wyoming. I climbed roughly 1000 feet to over look a nice pinch point , a gravel road is below me and I cant believe the number of road hunters I see drive around , drive up 1/2 mile up a two track glass and then turn around . Im not judging anyone doing that, hell antelope hunting almost seems like thats the preferred and ideal tactic. I just have to wonder though is it a successful tactic ? Ive heard when it snows at here the elk use the low ground so maybe then its more successful ? Again - Im just curious if Im missing something with all this climbing around im doing . Im on some pretty steep stuff compared to other mountains in the area . I see plenty of elk on the low private prarie that look like you were a rancher you could step out the back door and pick one of 100 lol .

I hunted Colorado right up along the Wyoming boarder this season due to not drawing anything this year and going with leftover tag. Was glad I went and got out in the mountains but I was overwhelmed with the amount of people hunting the roads. Some of them did end up with elk but it seemed like pure luck.

 

[shrapnel]

I think most people treat hunts like social events . Ride around , BS and drink beer .

This contributes to the real % of successful elk hunters. I have heard that the elk hunting success in Montana is around 17%. Out of that, I would guess that 80% of that 17% get elk nearly every year. That means that roughly 3.5% of elk hunters get lucky and actually get an elk.

Road hunting and no hiking can contribute quite a bit to that low success rate…

 

[LSUJOSH]

My Bad for some reason I thought we were talking deer.

That is what I was looking for information on. Do you have an experience with the General W Deer area?

 

[Nick87]

That is what I was looking for information on. Do you have an experience with the General W Deer area?

Yes

 

[LSUJOSH]

Yes

I was looking at this area and Region D general tag. I'd have 10 days and am willing to hike. I am not looking for a giant just a good deer. Is that doable in this area?

 

[Nick87]

I was looking at this area and Region D general tag. I'd have 10 days and am willing to hike. I am not looking for a giant just a good deer. Is that doable in this area?

A good deer is doable in any general unit in wyo ime. Lots of variables.