WY elk report

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
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3,326
Location
Tullahoma, TN
Been out since Sunday west of pinedale. Slow going! Getting a bit sour. Most sign is above 10k ft. My last day is Friday/Saturday. Hope I don't have to report on the taste of this tag!

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Dang......I'm headed that way next weekend (92 cow hunt) and was hoping the snow reports I'd been reading might've started pushing them down a bit by now. :cautious:
 

Fitzwho

WKR
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
954
Location
Midland, TX
I just left the Medicine Bow-Routt area. Didn’t have a lot of time (4 days). Was planning on shooting the first elk I saw. Whether it was a cow, spike, or bull. Needless to say I left without firing a shot.

Not one elk seen even while glassing long range where I could. Hunted high and low. Probably moved around too much and didn’t give spots I was trying enough time. But I also found no fresh sign. Mule deer and antelope seemed to be around every corner. Even found some Pronghorn at over 8000’ on National Forest.

I apparently am a crappy elk hunter. 0 for 2 on draw tags this year with only one left to hunt.
 

Lefty26

FNG
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
32
Location
Maryland
Just got back from hunting Bridger Teton for the general rifle season. There was a ton of people everywhere but we were able to find an isolated drainage full of elk. Hunted for 5 days and had over 100 elk sightings including 7-8 different bulls, with a couple real good ones mixed in. Bulls were bugling every morning and evening and still pushing cows around. I took this guy on Wednesday evening and a buddy shot another nice 6 point the next evening.

128603
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
889
Location
Wyoming
Just got back from hunting Bridger Teton for the general rifle season. There was a ton of people everywhere but we were able to find an isolated drainage full of elk. Hunted for 5 days and had over 100 elk sightings including 7-8 different bulls, with a couple real good ones mixed in. Bulls were bugling every morning and evening and still pushing cows around. I took this guy on Wednesday evening and a buddy shot another nice 6 point the next evening.

View attachment 128603


Very nice! Still bugling? I'm on the other side of Bridger-Teton and I haven't heard an elk in a few weeks. Maybe I need to move over that way next year :)
 

Pghhunter

FNG
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
45
On my way home from Western Wyoming in the Bridger Teton area.

Fired a shot but no elk was harmed in the making.

Hunted hard from opening day (oct 15) through yesterday. Saw 10 elk, a few nice bulls (I had a cow tag) and missed a cow at 200 yards. Being it was my first opportunity to shoot at an elk in 2 years of hunting them I was shaking way to much and missed clean.

I learned a lot more and will be back next year. I feel the knowledge of the area will give me a huge advantage next year. We were just figuring them out when the snow hit and we where shut down for a day and a half. Towing out a travel trailer in 15+ inches of snow wasn't fun for an East coaster.

Also saw a ton of mule deer and a few nice bucks. This was one of them but not the biggest. AA7AC58F-C06B-445D-9D3C-1091855C053F.jpeg
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2017
Messages
29
Guys,
I hunted the Sierra Madres second week of September and had so much fun and came really close to getting an elk. I had no intention of going back with rifle but got vacation and planned on giving it a chance with general rifle. Planned on leaving Illinois tomorrow for same general area in Sierra Madres but just called the cabin we had reserved and was told main highway is closed for the Winter and higher elevations have 10 to 15 inches and would need a snowmobile to get there. The forecast is calling for super cold temps and more snow and ice possible this coming week.
Hoping guys in Wyoming and guys that hunt this last week of rifle can tell me if I am crazy for coming that way looking for an elk. I only have a half ton truck with highway tires.
Any area of the state that isn't getting hit so hard? About ready to pull the plug but it kills me to realize my elk season might be over.

Thanks in advance for any insight you might be able to supply.
Ken
 

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
3,326
Location
Tullahoma, TN
Anyone headed out to south/mid west Wyoming this week, be aware there are road closures galore right now. We got 8" of snow down to 8000' last night (Wyoming range/Daniel/units 90, 92 & 94, that I know of personally) & currently the temperature is -4° forecast to get colder until Wednesday.
Today was my first day driving the roads, learning the mountains & scouting. Saw tons of deer & deer sign, 1 moose in north Cottonwood creek & 7 or 8 camps. No elk sign, but honestly, I never left the roads.
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
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ID
Anyone headed out to south/mid west Wyoming this week, be aware there are road closures galore right now. We got 8" of snow down to 8000' last night (Wyoming range/Daniel/units 90, 92 & 94, that I know of personally) & currently the temperature is -4° forecast to get colder until Wednesday.
Today was my first day driving the roads, learning the mountains & scouting. Saw tons of deer & deer sign, 1 moose in north Cottonwood creek & 7 or 8 camps. No elk sign, but honestly, I never left the roads.
You've got a cow tag, right?

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slick

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
1,798
Rob- I shot a cow in that country about 10 days or so ago. Everything besides this little group was at 10k+ Hopefully the weather pushes them down lower. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
Sneaky- How did archery end for you? Are you still over that way chasing bulls? I don't remember if I responded to your last message or not. Clarktar and I make 2/3 out of our party app.129604
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,063
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ID
Rob- I shot a cow in that country about 10 days or so ago. Everything besides this little group was at 10k+ Hopefully the weather pushes them down lower. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
Sneaky- How did archery end for you? Are you still over that way chasing bulls? I don't remember if I responded to your last message or not. Clarktar and I make 2/3 out of our party app.View attachment 129604
I'm heading back over tomorrow if I can tear away from stuff here around the hacienda and spend the last few days trying to settle the score on one. Congrats to you guys going 2/3.

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waitforit

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 23, 2019
Messages
180
Just got back from the east side of the bighorns, hunting a leftover cow tag. Didnt see an elk in 4.5 days, not a lot of fresh sign either. Had just a dusting of snow.
Spots i picked to glass from were beautiful but simply no elk. I had my 8 yr old with me so that may have limited the range i was willing to hike or venture into the unit but pretty disappointing hunting. The camping and hiking and kid time were superb however.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,261
Just got back from the east side of the bighorns, hunting a leftover cow tag. Didnt see an elk in 4.5 days, not a lot of fresh sign either. Had just a dusting of snow.
Spots i picked to glass from were beautiful but simply no elk. I had my 8 yr old with me so that may have limited the range i was willing to hike or venture into the unit but pretty disappointing hunting. The camping and hiking and kid time were superb however.
It can be tough over there. The elk really stack up on certain tracts of private land. It’s all or nothing. Id rather hunt mountains with no private around.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
889
Location
Wyoming
It can be tough over there. The elk really stack up on certain tracts of private land. It’s all or nothing. Id rather hunt mountains with no private around.

100% agree. In the NW part of the state the elk are really starting to move. I've noticed them at lower elevations, and cows starting to hang out a bit more. The big bulls seem to be the slowest to move to lower elevation, but the last couple days I think they've started a bit too.
 

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
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3,326
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Tullahoma, TN
Luckily, right now, I'm lying in bed at my friend's guest lodge. It's too cold for my English born, Tennessee living brain to actually comprehend (-16° when I turned in...) I'm pretty sure all the elk are dead. If they're not, they're really good at hiding. I'm seeing muley's traveling through like they're on a mission. The antelope are 99% gone, although a few are still coming through towards the south. There are moose in the willows thicker than fleas on a hog's ass, but I'm yet to see a real live, honest to god elk.
 

rodney482

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
3,820
Been a tough week!!!
 

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