ksnative

My father brotherand I are looking for some advice on units available to hunt in wyoming for the 2009elk season. We were looking for a unit that you can draw a tag relatively easy and have a decent chance at harvesting a good bull. If you have hunted wyoming before and have some useful information it would be greatly appreciated. thanks

beech18

The General Area tag has good hunting. Might take you little bit of homework and scouting, but theres good chances to find a nice bull if your willing to invest some time or hire an outfitter..

salukipv1

I've recently refreshed myself on wy units etc...

I have to say, i find it kinda annoying that they only have elk tags, deer tags etc....rather than elk-bow, elk-rifle.

I feel like I'm forced to wait and compete with rifle hunters to draw a tougher tag, then go and bowhunt using a rifle tag?

Sure they might be able to issue more tags this way, ie combining the bow and gun hunters into just elk hunters/tags,

I was considering putting in for a general elk tag as a 2nd choice....but I'm wondering if non-res can even draw a gen tag as a 2nd choice?

Also some of the better limited draw units....how long it'll take to draw one of those.

I'm building pts etc....not just for elk, but just about everything, and WY bonus pts aren't cheap either.

Oh and another thing, you draw your elk tag....then if you want to bow hunt you have to buy an archery stamp on top of that just to use archery equipment!!? what's that about??

Then also non-res have to draw a gen tag....but then all residents can just buy the same tag OTC, so that I would assume would me way more pressure, vs a limited tag, where only people who have drawn that tag can be in that area/hunting.

Still think I'm going to just wait/build pts until I draw a limited area, I'm not even sure you can apply as a 2nd choice for a gen tag? if so I'm going to do that, but I'm not counting on drawing a gen tag as a 2nd choice, seems like your 1st choice is the only one that counts....my plan, then is to draw a limited entry tag then after that perhaps start doing gen tag hunting trips. would hate to burn pts on a gen tag.

sclwald

Salukipv1, You have it down pretty well. I am not sure about the part as drawing a general as second choice. Your best bet given the money spent is to draw a limited area as long as it is a good one. There is a ton of great general areas that are not very pressured. Most people these days are lazy. If you get out off the road two miles you see very few people.

I am not sure but the archery tag isn't that expensive for a non resident is it?

Wyoming has been discussing for years to split archery and rifle tags and you can only hunt one. I think it is a great idea. Less pressure splitting the season and I would save money on all the time I spend elk hunting. It would give me limits instead of a month and a half searching for the big one.

salukipv1

the archery stamp I think is an extra $30.....not a big deal to a non-res, but its kinda stupid that you intend to archery hunt.....so first you must draw essentially a rifle tag....then buy an extra stamp or whatever to go archery hunting?

They should split the seasons IMO.

sclwald

But look at it this way. If you look forward to the hunt you can hunt your VERY EXPENSIVE TAG the whole month of September for archery and then come back for two weeks in October! So save up your money and your vacation days.

I wish they were split as well and I am a Wyoming Native.

salukipv1

I know that's a nice option.....in theory...but I mean who has the time/money to hunt a month then plus 2 more weeks? If I we're a resident, or even in a neighboring state that would work.

But since that's not the case, its really pick a time and go....

makes me want to move west though....to take advantage of these options/dates, also make some cash so I can take off my and go whenever. Someday soon maybe!

beech18

I like the idea of longer seasons with options. Ive beenburned too many timesin states whos got short seasons. Weathercan be ahuge factoron short season hunts. Long season dates if weather goes for the worse, can atleast wait things out or return later.