Unit 11 Wy elk

[Elk Dreamer]

Well I am finally going to head back to unit 11. Plan is to leave WI Saturday evening and
hopefully arrive late Sunday afternoon. Planning on hunting throughout upcoming week.
Unfortunately my son cannot make it so I will be alone. There is no doubt I will be in over
my head but I am going to give it a try.
Was wondering if anyone reading this has been in this area recently or have any idea if
the elk have migrated down to the Wick? Or do you think elk will still be through out the unit?
Are there certain areas that I should be looking for this time of year? I have starting spots
but always looking for more options. Any help would be appreciated. Pm me if you wish. Pat

 

[wyosteve]

You probably know we had a couple storms come through in the past week or so. But snow bands were spotty so now sure how they might have affected your unit. Upcoming week looks pretty good weather wise, but be prepared for potential sloppy roads.

 

[Laramie]

Quite a few elk have migrated down but some are still in transition. Don't expect giant herd in the sage on public. Think fringe areas with cover at lower elevations. Nice thing about this time of year is you have time to get an elk out without worrying about it spoiling. It can be intimidating by yourself but it really isn't too hard if you are methodical and think your way through it.

Pulling for you to get it done. Good luck

 

[Elk Dreamer]

Thanks guys I have been waiting for the big storm to push them down to increase my
odds for 3 weeks. My 4 wheeler is loaded and truck packed but according to reports
Sand Lake only had about 5 inches of snow and 45 degree weather. I see now it has
14 inches but warm weather for next 3 days. Driving me nuts waiting and afraid when
the storm does hit I may not be able to get around. Not worried about getting one
out as I will work the whole week if that is what it takes. Finding them is my concern as
I have never rifle hunted elk and for sure not this time of year. I will be roughing it as
I plan to live out of my truck. Hope to hear from more of you and I for sure will let
you guys know how my hunt went. Any local reading this if you would want to hunt
even for a afternoon I would be thrilled to have you. Pat

 

[Cahunter805]

Good luck! Staying mobile is a great plan. Keep checking areas and you will find them.

 

[Elk Dreamer]

Back from my hunt. It is very hard for me to get away once a year for a hunt
much less twice. My wife, brother, friend and boss were not all that impressed
they would have to cover for me again . I waited for better weather for 3 weeks
but it never came and I was under pressure from my helpers as they were basically
on call.
So I just decided to go and it was a major mistake. Warm and windy, did I say windy,
40 mile and hour with 60 mile an hour gusts warning were along I80 as well as on
radio. And it never let up in 4 days. Very few elk in unit at the present time. Talked to
many hunters and there were a lot of them they could not find elk or fresh sign. Never
heard a shot, and there was a mass exodus of campers while I was there. Talked to local
outfitter and he said you want a elk shoot the first one you see if you see one. Said big
herds down by river on private next to Elk Mountain.
I started out hunting just above the Wick but every road was run down and people
tracks everywhere. So I went up higher to about 9200. Never seen another vehicle go
past and main road was barely open. I did not want to bust into a area with my 4 wheeler
so I walked in 3 and a half miles to a glassing spot. I found a few fresh tracks along the way
and went back to truck to get what felt I needed to stay until night and I walked back again.
Glassed there that night and then all next day and never seen a elk. Started using my 4 wheeler
to go in as I was wearing myself down with all the walking.
I then started looking farther and found a few tracks and a new glassing spot with again no
elk spotted. It then became clear I was hunting a huge area with very few elk there.I kept crossing
the tracks of a small heard which I new had a calf with them. Finally spotted them one night about
a mile away on a bare nob, 3 cows and 1 calf.
It was becoming a total mess up there, the deep snow in the heavy timber was melting and roads
and trails were either slick mud or water holes. Every time I went through these water holes it
was getting tougher. My last night glassing there I started looking across the canyon and found
my elk, Found 3 herds but had to get out as it was getting late and I had a long way to go to
get the heck out of there on those roads.
Seeing I could not hunt those elk anyways and they had no reason to come over to me with
the past pressure and warm weather I never went back. My last morning after going over my
maps and onx all night I decided to do a 40 minute climb in the dark to get on a ridge in
middle of the Wick and work my way during daylight south to the big woods. My thoughts
were I would be able to glass huge areas both east and west of the 111 road and hopefully
find elk to hunt. Also if hunters were to come across the huge open areas coming from the I 80
access I would be in a good position to get between the elk and big woods. 3 hours of glassing
covering many miles fighting terrible winds never seen a elk.
Went to truck sat there and looked over maps trying to come up with a reason to stay. Weather
forcast comes over radio and says light rain, warmer with heavy winds for next 3 days, with temps
reaching 60 by weekend. As I am trying to think how in the heck I was going to make it sitting
in my truck for 5 hrs until the night hunt my head started to pound. Felt just like when your ears
won't pop from high elevation. With much regret thinking about the people I had covering for
me at home I decided to cut my hunt short 2 days.
As I was driving towards Laramie I met a truck with 2 hunters with orange hats on and I almost
turned around, I literally had tears in my eyes. Meanwhile my head feels like it is going to explode.
Wind is just pounding my truck on I 80 and big rigs are all over the road literally using both lanes.
On the way home I filled up with gas and went in and the lady at the counter had to repeat herself
3 times as I could not hear her. When I got into the truck I noticed I had the volume on the radio
almost at full volume. After 14 hr trip I find out I have ear infection in both ears. Ha wussy flatlander.
So that's my Wy unit 11 recap. Again want to thank everyone who posted or pm'd or I called. One
of these years I am somehow going to kill a elk, it's bound to happen.

 

[Steve from GA]

Props to you for staying in the ring and fighting like a champ. You earned some karma points from the Hunt Gods. Your day is coming!

 

[Scoot]

Sounds like a tough hunt, but you hung in there the best you could. Sometimes it's damn tough, and sometimes things just go easy... this one was the former. Keep on putting in your time and you'll get the latter too.