The Long Shot Hunt: Wyoming Cow Elk Unit #3

[Chefofthewoods]

Hello Roskliders,

So I bit the bullet and a cousin and I bought leftover cow elk tags for Wyoming Unit 3. Highly ranked by land mass and low hunter density, the unit is only about 10% widely spread public access with elk not so widespread. We arrive Sept 29 and hunt until the 8th or 9th of October.

We've applied for access permits to the Broom Creek HMA that encompasses some 70,000 acres of military and private holdings, that's drawn on the 18th of August.

Has anyone here either hunted the unit's sparse, spread out public lands or the Broom Creek HMA for elk? Any pointers are welcome. There's lots of pivot-based and typical agriculture along the North Platte and Niobrara Rivers, how heavily do elk feed in these post rut? Will I be on the outside looking in at elk in pastures I can't access? Gaming their likely bedding route and trying to intercept them in this country?

From using OnXhunt I've mapped out about every reasonable part that MIGHT hold elk, but I've no experience locating elk and am guessing we're in for a lot of hiking and glassing. I also planned to reach out to some landowners or ranches for access or permission, but don't have much hope on that as a nonresident.

If it ends up a camping and hiking trip with guns we're fine with that; just hoping to learn a few ropes and enjoy the fall somewhere other than Michigan.

BTW we also picked up whitetail doe tags if all else fails and deer are our best option for venison.

Thanks!

 

[BigDog00]

I'd get in touch with the local warden and/or biologist. I would imagine that will be pretty tough to hunt due to minimum public land and non-traditional elk habitat. I checked the stats and it does look like 50% success so that's a plus. I'll be the local game and fish will point you in the right direction.

 

[Chefofthewoods]

Thank you, I got a couple wardens names from a non rokslide forum, I haven't called the regions biologists yet either. Maybe they get annoyed with a nonresident looking for elk with such challenging constraints but ill try. I also wanted to think my questions thru, be more specific with them so I don't get generic answers. I figured to wait until after this HMA draw to call.

The 2018 job completion report was informative, for elk it showed a great map of 9 collared elk cows movements over a 14 month or so period. Mostly pinged in and around the HMA. Got me excited about the possibilities. Resident commentary was mixed; Because so much land is private the report acknowledged hunter feedback is poor and they operate a landowner-based satisfaction model due to lacking this data.

Thank again!

 

[String&stick]

I'd start calling wardens and biologists now. Those guys can be very busy and may only be around the office once or twice a week. So it may take 2-3 weeks to get a call back.

Even if you draw the HMA, more information is always good!

 

[Chefofthewoods]

Good point. Wait and my "sources" can run out of time to respond or just too busy. I'll start calling this week and followup again after the HMA draw happens.

 

[wytx]

Email the biologist, they prefer emails.
Martin is the biologist there, shoot him an email. He is a great guy and will have some insight.

pm sent chef

 

[Chefofthewoods]

Thank you - I'll reach out to him today.

COYW

 

[Chefofthewoods]

hello,

Just to update this thread. My hunting partner and I were not drawn for access to the Broom Creek HMA for Oct. 1-14th. We have access until September 30th for archery and after October 15th.

The elk should be highly concentrated on the HMA or adjacent private property. I started a letter writing campaign to several dozen neighboring landowners and am expecting mostly no response or referrals to one of two guides that do offer hunts there.

There is some public land access but it is quite limited, we knew that going in. A private permission or two would give us better options (to landlocked BLM/unfarmed State land). So do I still show up to hunt (9/30 - 10/8) hoping the General season moves elk around enough to hunt on the public pieces, or wait until after Oct. 15th to access the HMA? Anyone hunted the HMA after General season closes? I'm torn how to strategize. The biologist shared the view this HMA and adjacent lands hold most of the elk on the unit, without the HMA it highly unlikely we run into elk elsewhere.

We knew going in access would be tough which is why we picked reduced price licenses (have cow elk 3-6 & deer type 8, whitetail antlerless) to just get out West for our first time. Curious what the Forum thinks, can we find elk well enough after a 2-week General season in their old prerut/post rut haunts, or should we give it a few extra days to "settle" towards later October (20th-31st)? Or am I setting myself up for a more difficult hunt if they shift out of the area to different private for food or security I've not planned for?

I think i lean towards original dates (Sept 30-Oct 8), shoot whitetail does and scout n learn for next year, if we luck into a few cows or private access materializes, great. Whatever happens it will be an adventure enjoyed!

COTW

 

[Chefofthewoods]

Hello Everyone,

Post-hunt results as first time out Wester's. Ended up moving my dates for the hunt later, Oct 23-29th. Trip got cut way short, unfortunately my hunting partner & I both caught COVID and ended up isolating at a local motel until 11/4. Ugh. We both came out fine and experienced really mild symptoms but to be cautious, not wanting to chance selfishly worsening our health and bringing it home, ended hunting. We did take a few scouting drives to learn more access areas and see countryside. This was also the timeframe of the big snow & cold snap. We learned a lot about cross-country driving, glassing, and camping in snow+freeze including setting up camp in the dark @23F with the 20mph-ish wind.

Of the 1.5 days we hunted and while car scouting I was surprised how visible the mule deer are - the snow & cold forced them on their feet to feed. We hunted (and after, scouted) the Broom Creek HMA. I really like the country but we only found old elk sign there, nothing fresh. Found lion tracks, too.

I was also inspired to return for small game. From the number of rabbits I saw, couple flocks of Merriam turkeys and all the waterfowl in the river under the Glendo dam I think a trip just for these would be hella fun. I haven't checked any seasons vs the dates we were there but everything small seemed abundant.

I'm looking at a possible return trip to use my cow elk tag for the late season, south-of-US26 hunt but weather and access to private land would have to be more certain. Downside of having COVID and not wanting to expose any locals to it, we didn't knock on any doors for access. :-( And we had whitetail doe tags which would've probably been welcome in more than a couple places.

My home State of Michigan has opened & expanded December-January options for deer to combat populations because of CWD, so I won't be driving 2,600 miles round trip for a chance at those does anymore (I'm +1 for does here). If anyone has a ranch connection they can offer I would appreciate it, but chances of connecting on cow elk are improbable now. I can travel now because I have the anti-bodies.

I hope everyone else has had a productive year, staying safe from COVID and looking forward to next year!

COTW