Wyoming Commissioners Tag. Looking for input.

[fmyth]

Last week I received a call from Jaden Bales from the WY Wildlife Federation to let me know I was the lucky winner of the WY Commissioners Tag raffle. I am super excited but also a little nervous for this hunt. I know it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don't want to screw it up. This will be my 5th season hunting elk so I am far from an expert. I've received some direction from a couple of Rokslide members already but am looking for others opinions before choosing a hunt/unit.

Here's what I'm working with:

I am 52 and in reasonable good shape. Far from an athlete but I did spend 42 days hunting in WY unit 21 last year and walked over 150 miles carrying my pack/bow/rifle.

I've killed a raghorn in AZ with my crossbow (shoulder surgery prior to hunt. I am competent with a bow as well)

I killed a spike with my rifle in WY last year.

I have the entire month of Sept and October to hunt.

I will likely be on my own. I have a friend that may be able to hunt a week with me.

I haven't been on a horse in 20 years and don't have 10k to spend for an outfitter or guide (effin Corona Virus has had a major impact on my business and personal finance)

I've never hunted in grizzly country. Black bears don't bother me but I'd be afraid of hunting alone in grizzly country.

I have a 4x4 truck, UTV, everything necessary to base camp and spike out.

I have somehow managed to draw a cow elk tag for the San Carlos Res in AZ for Nov 7-15 and a resident AZ bull elk tag for unit 6a for Nov 27-Dec 3. These were both easy to draw tags so if it came down to it I could burn them.

Based on the above I'm curious to hear your opinions/suggestions.

 

[bsnedeker]

Dude, I got nothing for you but congratulations! That is so cool! You'd better give us some pics after your hunt!

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[realunlucky]

Congratulations that's pretty awesome. Think a few years back another member drew a similar raffle tag.
Are you wanting an opportunity at a once in lifetime bull or a fun hunt where your seeing a bunch of bulls?


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[BRTreedogs]

If it was me I would contact @Randy Newberg and beg, plead and sell my sole to see if he would at least clue me into where his son and uncle hunted the last couple yrs. Maybe even try to con a camera man out of him.
But I'm a softie for late season hunts and humungous bulls.

 

[alindsey1237]

Awesome luck. I have a buddy who guides in unit 7. It’s producing 330-350 bulls but other then that i have no knowledge if Wyoming.

 

[fmyth]

Congratulations that's pretty awesome. Think a few years back another member drew a similar raffle tag.
Are you wanting an opportunity at a once in lifetime bull or a fun hunt where your seeing a bunch of bulls?


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Of course I'd like both. I want to get the most from the experience and bring home a nice bull. So far the biggest bull I've killed has been a raghorn so a 6x6 mature bull would be a dream come true.

I don't want to feel like I "squandered" this opportunity. I believe the WY Wildlife Federations other Commissioners tag went for $30,500. I think that's what is freaking me out. I know I could never pay that much for a hunt. That's for someone on a whole different level. I always put in for tags that have the highest odds to draw and therefore the odds of getting anything are low and the quality/size of the bulls are low. I was sure that I'd be sitting this season out as I had no points for WY, AZ and only 1 for CO. When I found out I drew a bus tag for AZ and a cow tag for the San Carlos Res I was oh shit two tags. Then 3 weeks later I found out I won a WY commissioners tag. I suppose its a lot like dating. Either you have no woman or you have three. And we all know how that ends.

 

[fmyth]

If it was me I would contact @Randy Newberg and beg, plead and sell my sole to see if he would at least clue me into where his son and uncle hunted the last couple yrs. Maybe even try to con a camera man out of him.
But I'm a softie for late season hunts and humungous bulls.

I emailed Randy and he gave me some really good advice. I'm just really nervous about this decision and wanted to get some other opinions just in case someone else had a different perspective. It was awesome of Randy to take the time to reply to my emails. I know he is busy and he hunts for a living so I don't want to take advantage of his kindness.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I'd probably edit ur post and pull unit number out, of course I'm sure anyone in the running is also probably in the know.

But as far as the hunt, I'd just define what you deem a success. Write those goals down.
I highly suggest 1 of those goal NOT be an antler size measurement.
Sorry I cant help more with unit choice, lol not really on my radar,
I'd ether want a unit and time there known to just scream there heads off, or a late season cold as witches teet hunt.

 

[Pwells10]

Look at 110. Buddy is from green river and drew that tag last season. Him and his buddy both killed stellar bulls.

 

[Werty]

I'm not a subscriber to Go Hunt, but if I had that tag. I'd buy myself a subscription.

 

[WIBowhunter23]

WOW, congrats and good luck!

 

[NUGGET]

30, 31, 124 and last 100. They have plenty of elk, great for first time elk hunters, older hunters etc. all hold bulls over 300, a few in the 320-340 class and very very few over 350. If you had a lot of elk hunting experience I would recommend a few different units.

 

[NUGGET]

Do not waste that tag on unit 110. If you even consider it I will hunt you down and smack you with the beer bottles all the general elk hunters in that unit throw out their windows.

 

[Jardo]

I would pony up and go hunt the Wagonhound in unit 7. Best $10k I spent in my entire life and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.


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[cnelk]

Probably the worst kept secret on the internet about where Newberg, son and his uncle hunted in WY. Haha!

 

[elkguide]

Tough to spend money when you don't have it but when push comes to shove...… With truly a tag of a lifetime, I would seriously consider going with an outfitter. First thing I would do would be to contact WY Fish and Game and start having conversations with their biologists. Then keep on picking everyone's brains for suggested areas.

I haven't guided since 2005 but I worked in the Thoroughfare and that was a spectacular area. Don't know what it is like today but I hear that most outfitters in there are booked up several years in advance.

The one point that I will add is that the saddest thing that I faced while guiding was when I had a hunter that was a hard working, blue collar guy as my hunter. They had worked hard all of their lives dreaming of their first big game hunt and now they were finally there in the back country for their elk hunt. Then they sadly discovered that they weren't physically or mentally able to go where the elk go.

Congratulations on the tag now go for it and make it truly the hunt of a lifetime!

 

[fez]

Probably the worst kept secret on the internet about where Newberg, son and his uncle hunted in WY. Haha!

 

[NoWiser]

110?? A general unit with a Commissioner's Tag? I will also personally drive however far it takes to smack you over the head if you even consider it for 1/2 second.

I didn't know there was a person alive who DIDN'T know what unit Randy hunted. I'd love that tag but I wouldn't choose it with a commissioner's tag. You should go somewhere where you don't need to worry about public/private boundaries.

You have 2 months to hunt. Don't go with an outfitter and limit yourself to a week. That would be a waste. You want to enjoy every minute of this opportunity, not spend a week having someone else hunt for you while you follow along.

I would look hard at 124 or 100 and plan on spending the full two months down there looking for the bull of your dreams. Both are big units with tons of country to explore. Those are the two units I dream of when I apply for Commissioner's Tags in Wyoming.

 

[NUGGET]

I would not consider the thorofare. That can be hunted with a general elk tag which is still easy to draw in WY.

You don’t have the means to hunt around Cody. Newbergs unit has new season dates IIRC. I’d stay away from unit 7 too unless you just want to pay an outfitter a bunch of money to shoot the same size bull you can get on your own in another unit.

There’s so much public land in the areas I mentioned above and so many elk you’re going to think you’re in heaven.

I’ll be in unit 100 this year but not till after opening day. We will have a few bull tags to fill. If you end up going that route let me know and we can help you out.

 

[wytx]

Last week I received a call from Jaden Bales from the WY Wildlife Federation to let me know I was the lucky winner of the WY Commissioners Tag raffle. I am super excited but also a little nervous for this hunt. I know it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don't want to screw it up. This will be my 5th season hunting elk so I am far from an expert. I've received some direction from a couple of Rokslide members already but am looking for others opinions before choosing a hunt/unit.

Here's what I'm working with:

I am 52 and in reasonable good shape. Far from an athlete but I did spend 42 days hunting in WY unit 21 last year and walked over 150 miles carrying my pack/bow/rifle.

I've killed a raghorn in AZ with my crossbow (shoulder surgery prior to hunt. I am competent with a bow as well)

I killed a spike with my rifle in WY last year.

I have the entire month of Sept and October to hunt.

I will likely be on my own. I have a friend that may be able to hunt a week with me.

I haven't been on a horse in 20 years and don't have 10k to spend for an outfitter or guide (effin Corona Virus has had a major impact on my business and personal finance)

I've never hunted in grizzly country. Black bears don't bother me but I'd be afraid of hunting alone in grizzly country.

I have a 4x4 truck, UTV, everything necessary to base camp and spike out.

I have somehow managed to draw a cow elk tag for the San Carlos Res in AZ for Nov 7-15 and a resident AZ bull elk tag for unit 6a for Nov 27-Dec 3. These were both easy to draw tags so if it came down to it I could burn them.

Based on the above I'm curious to hear your opinions/suggestions.

PM sent
No need for an outfitter,pick a great area and go hunt with the satisfaction you diy.