Wyoming Elk Unit 97 Question

[Ruttybull]

Looking for some information from anyone that has hunted the unit. It seems about 1/2 the unit is wilderness, an I am looking at hunting without a guide or resident hunter. Is it worth hunting as a non resident or do most of the elk tend to be taken from the wilderness.

thanks in advance!

 

[Thomas11]

Isnt 97 right by pine dale? If I'm not mistaken this unit has leftover tags each year. I spoke with an outfitter that guides the unit and A local biologist and they both indicated the elk were pretty much in the wilderness during early season and did not move down outta the wilderness until way later

 

[robtattoo]

That's been my experience the last couple of times. Early season has been a complete bust. They're all up in the northern end of the unit in the wilderness.
My best friend lives in Pinedale, so I get to hunt a lot around the area. I also get weekly updates from him (he's in his late sixties, but lives behind a spotting scope!) & last year, the first elk he saw in the lower portion was weeks after the first heavy snows. I want to say that he didn't report anything to me until early November.

The other issue with 97 is there isn't a huge amount if easy access to the northern end, even with a local. Most of the access is within 10 miles of the town & although you won't see many people midweek, bearing in mind that deer season is also open, you'll be covered in people on the weekend.

We bumped into a guy last year that arrived on opening day & had been camped for 3 weeks when we meet him. Hadn't seen a single elk in all that time. Talking to the possum cops at the check station at Daniel Junction, they told us that in the first 4 weeks of season only 2 elk had been checked out of the unit.

Were I you, I'd look at a leftover for 96 or 98, or go way late in the season & risk I80 closures. Unless there's a very early snowfall, the lower portion of 97 isn't a great option. I burnt a few points last year figuring that out...

 

[Ruttybull]

That's been my experience the last couple of times. Early season has been a complete bust. They're all up in the northern end of the unit in the wilderness.
My best friend lives in Pinedale, so I get to hunt a lot around the area. I also get weekly updates from him (he's in his late sixties, but lives behind a spotting scope!) & last year, the first elk he saw in the lower portion was weeks after the first heavy snows. I want to say that he didn't report anything to me until early November.

The other issue with 97 is there isn't a huge amount if easy access to the northern end, even with a local. Most of the access is within 10 miles of the town & although you won't see many people midweek, bearing in mind that deer season is also open, you'll be covered in people on the weekend.

We bumped into a guy last year that arrived on opening day & had been camped for 3 weeks when we meet him. Hadn't seen a single elk in all that time. Talking to the possum cops at the check station at Daniel Junction, they told us that in the first 4 weeks of season only 2 elk had been checked out of the unit.

Were I you, I'd look at a leftover for 96 or 98, or go way late in the season & risk I80 closures. Unless there's a very early snowfall, the lower portion of 97 isn't a great option. I burnt a few points last year figuring that out...

Thank you for the info! I usually archery hunt Oregon each year, but I drew unit 58 Antelope and was looking at combining my trips due to Wyoming having much better success numbers.

This will be my first trip to Wyoming and my first antelope hunt. I drew my Antelope tag with zero points and got the one random tag out of about 150 non resident applicants. It usually takes 10 plus years to draw according to gohunt stats. I think I am going to put my wife in for a reduced price cow tag in unit 98 also.

Thanks again!


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[Ruttybull]

Isnt 97 right by pine dale? If I'm not mistaken this unit has leftover tags each year. I spoke with an outfitter that guides the unit and A local biologist and they both indicated the elk were pretty much in the wilderness during early season and did not move down outta the wilderness until way later

Thank you for the info!


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