# Wyoming elk draw-----What to do?



## goofy elk

:loco:

With non-res elk apps opening in January, I find myself in December
studying draw odds and units......

I have max points (10 ), and have been applying for unit 32.
I Would mainly concentrate 3rd week of September with my bow..
Only about a 10% chance of drawing last year for special permit..
(It was about the same for the regular permit last year as-well)

Anyway,
A couple weeks ago, my 18 year old, who has 7 points, told me he
would like to hunt elk in Wyoming as-well...
This sent my wheels spinning!!!!!!!

I've been looking at a dual aplication us for units we may very well draw.
With 17 combine points there are some solid options.
The problem is, some of the units I'm looking at I've never set foot in.
If drawn though, I could do a scouting trip or two early and be OK.

I'm looking hard at 16-2, It's a November rifle but if drawn we could 
hunt September archery....The Shirley Mountain look to be the 'go-to' spot.
Just curious if anyone has any experience in 16 during September archery?
Sure looks like plenty of BLM ground to hunt.


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## Springville Shooter

Here's my honest take Goofy. Do your research and pick out a hunt that you can share with your son. I've spent some time around parts of Wyoming over the past few years and my take on the elk herds is that you would be doing good to kill a nice mature bull. 

That being said, I think that it is entirely possible to have great success in many units. Considering this, if it were me, I would take my kiddo on a cool hunt and be happy shooting a couple nice bulls. 

I haven't seen any units where I think it is likely to shoot a monster bull. I haven't seen any units with quality that matches what I see on the Wasatch.....nothing worth saving points forever for. Go have some fun!------SS


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## MuscleWhitefish

I don't know much about 16-2, but what about unit 24 Green Mountain. 

17/2 = 8 points

8 points regular last year would give you 44.83% probability

7 points was 27.91% probability 

7/8 points special was 100% draw odds

Sept 1-30 Archery

Oct 1-14 Rifle

Nov Cow only


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## wyogoob

Springville Shooter said:


> Here's my honest take Goofy. Do your research and pick out a hunt that you can share with your son. I've spent some time around parts of Wyoming over the past few years and my take on the elk herds is that you would be doing good to kill a nice mature bull.
> 
> That being said, I think that it is entirely possible to have great success in many units. Considering this, if it were me, I would take my kiddo on a cool hunt and be happy shooting a couple nice bulls.
> 
> I haven't seen any units where I think it is likely to shoot a monster bull. I haven't seen any units with quality that matches what I see on the Wasatch.....nothing worth saving points forever for. Go have some fun!------SS


Yep, Wyoming manages its elk more for quantity than quality. We still have some Limited Entry areas that put out some good ones, ans so do many of the General areas, but nothing like what Utah has.

I can think of two 370-class bulls that were taken off the Hams Fork (General) in the last two years; one close to the road. And the number of outfitters working the Wyoming General Elk hunts says something too. Each year the Eastman magazines are full of big Wyoming bulls taken off General areas and public land. The Alpine WY big game biologist shared the pics of big bulls that came off the Greys River the last two years...pretty impressive I'll tell ya. Then again, still not as big as those Utah bulls.

I would do 4 General Elk hunts in 10 years instead of accumulating 10 or 11 points for 1 hunt Limited Quota hunt in 10 years. Just my 2 cents.

But more importantly, any elk hunt accompanied by one of my kids or grandkids is a trophy elk hunt.

Good luck Goofy wherever ya end up.


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## goofy elk

Whitefish,
Unit 24 has been on my short list for a long time.
And I have been on this Unit, But that was 20 years ago. ( Absolutely BEAUTIFUL unit!)

Not sure were you are getting those draw odds though.

Last year, unit 24 , type 1 regular hunt was only 50% chance of drawing with 
max points...9
I was seriously considering going after this tag if I did a single app with max.

It will take 10 to draw this year on a single app-----20 points to guarantee a dual.

Wyoming does use the half point. we have 17 between us....
I'm using 8.5 point as the number to work with.
Even on the special draw for 24, look like 50+ guy's going in this year with 9 points.


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## wyogoob

goofy elk said:


> :loco:
> 
> With non-res elk apps opening in January, I find myself in December
> studying draw odds and units......
> 
> I have max points (10 ), and have been applying for unit 32.
> I Would mainly concentrate 3rd week of September with my bow..
> Only about a 10% chance of drawing last year for special permit..
> (It was about the same for the regular permit last year as-well)
> 
> Anyway,
> A couple weeks ago, my 18 year old, who has 7 points, told me he
> would like to hunt elk in Wyoming as-well...
> This sent my wheels spinning!!!!!!!
> 
> I've been looking at a dual aplication us for units we may very well draw.
> With 17 combine points there are some solid options.
> The problem is, some of the units I'm looking at I've never set foot in.
> If drawn though, I could do a scouting trip or two early and be OK.
> 
> I'm looking hard at 16-2, It's a November rifle but if drawn we could
> hunt September archery....The Shirley Mountain look to be the 'go-to' spot.
> Just curious if anyone has any experience in 16 during September archery?
> Sure looks like plenty of BLM ground to hunt.


I worked the gas patch on the south and west portions of Shirley Mountain in the 80s and 90s. The elk would come off the Mountain and winter around our facilities and pipelines. Not much for size back then. There were some desert elk (antlers were white in the winter) in that area too sometimes. It's a big area, even after being split in two, years ago. 16 and 111 are not what many seasoned elk hunters would call "good elk country" just to drive thru it, but my guess is they're Limited Quota areas to maintain, assure the continuance of, the desert elk herd out there.

Speaking of white-antlered elk. The Red Desert elk herd is known for it's big bulls with light colored antlers (there's no trees to rub on) Bulls in the mid 300s come off the Desert, area 100, every year and those white horns are special.

There's always the hunt areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park but many require a non-res to have a guide and you have to gear-up for grizzlies.

Whatever...I'm happy where I'm at, just putzin around.


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## mack1950

a friend and I hunted in the Shirley basin area this last year and it was a total ball of course we were hunting with a guide so it was pretty nice to let someone else have the headache of finding the elk, the hunt was a total success and if my partner hadn't been so picky he could have killed a bull in the 340 range instead of settling for a 320 bull the last afternoon, there were 6 other hunters in camp and all filled.


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## goofy elk

goob,

100 is a good tag , Ive been on that unit as well.
Again though, It takes max points to really have any chance to draw.

Last year unit 100 had 99 applications in the max pool going after 6 permits.

Unit 45 is one of the other units I've been looking into for a few years now.
Add would have a good chance to draw with 8.5 points each..


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## MuscleWhitefish

goofy elk said:


> Whitefish,
> Unit 24 has been on my short list for a long time.
> And I have been on this Unit, But that was 20 years ago. ( Absolutely BEAUTIFUL unit!)
> 
> Not sure were you are getting those draw odds though.
> 
> Last year, unit 24 , type 1 regular hunt was only 50% chance of drawing with
> max points...9
> I was seriously considering going after this tag if I did a single app with max.
> 
> It will take 10 to draw this year on a single app-----20 points to guarantee a dual.
> 
> Wyoming does use the half point. we have 17 between us....
> I'm using 8.5 point as the number to work with.
> Even on the special draw for 24, look like 50+ guy's going in this year with 9 points.


My bad,

I misread the huntin' fool stats on the unit.


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## wyogoob

goofy elk said:


> goob,
> 
> 100 is a good tag , Ive been on that unit as well.
> Again though, It takes max points to really have any chance to draw.
> 
> Last year unit 100 had 99 applications in the max pool going after 6 permits.
> 
> Unit 45 is one of the other units I've been looking into for a few years now.
> Add would have a good chance to draw with 8.5 points each..


Geeze, I didn't know the #100 odds were that bad for non-res.

#45 has golden trout if ya know where to go.

.


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## wyogoob

Hey Goofy, I just got to thinking: We've killed some monster bulls just north of Evanston, General Elk area #105.

Before global warming it always snowed the last week of our elk hunt (Oct 15 - Oct 31) If the snow as a goodun the DLL bulls would "jump fence" in the middle of the night and come over to Wyoming. If you're lucky enough to still have a tag and get out of bed before 6 a.m. you could do pretty good. A friend of mine got one in the high 370s, a monster for Wyoming, just a matter of a few feet on the Wyoming side of the state line.....uh come to think of it there's been some Wyoming guys that got some big ones a few feet on the wrong side of the state line. 

Uh anyway, now we don't get a heavy snow until December after the General Elk Hunt in 105 is closed. So the only big bulls taken then are by poachers or guys driving too fast for conditions on the highway between Woodruff and Evanston.

A heavy snowstorm will bring some Utah bulls to Southwest Wyoming...thanks fellas:


Some bulls hang around for awhile then get confused "Now which way do we go"?


Nice bulls headed back to Utah, crossing the highway at the Utah/Wyoming state line. They're lucky the season was closed: :sad:


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## goofy elk

Those are some really COOL pictures goob...:!:....


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## Elkaholic2

Goofy,

Don't discount the type 9 hunts. 

And look to the bighorns! You average 8.5 points which will actually get you into some good elk units. I went on a type 9 hunt with a friend last year. Seen a ton of elk. Biggest bull was 380. The average was 330. He ended up taking a 320 bull the last day we could hunt. But with out getting into an hour long story. It was the best elk hunting I've ever seen. I'm a fan of wyoming elk!

Good luck.


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## goofy elk

Elkaholic2 said:


> Goofy,
> 
> Don't discount the type 9 hunts.
> 
> And look to the bighorns! You average 8.5 points which will actually get you into some good elk units.
> 
> Good luck.


O'MY,
This brings me full circle!

10 years ago when the point system began,
My full intent was to hunt unit 38 type 9............................


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## archerben

Here's one of those white antlered red desert bulls that goob was talking about. I found him out in the middle of the desert while hunting antelope this September.


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## wyogoob

archerben said:


> Here's one of those white antlered red desert bulls that goob was talking about. I found him out in the middle of the desert while hunting antelope this September.


How about a report on the antelope hunt?

.


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## Springville Shooter

Here is a general bull that ended up on my trail cam. Might be worth hanging a tag on? ------SS


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## 3arabians

Nice bull. I see you dont care to set the date and time on your camera either. Mines been reading 2012 since I bought the thing


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## Springville Shooter

3arabians said:


> Nice bull. I see you dont care to set the date and time on your camera either. Mines been reading 2012 since I bought the thing


Nope, and now it's the problem of the Basque sheep wrangler who stole the camera. He didn't see my buddies camera just up the ridge from mine. I hope he enjoys the camera or trades it for a box of wine or whatever.------SS


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## goofy elk

I'd shoot that 'white antlered' bull given the chance with my bow...
It's bottom end though.

After discussing our options at length the last couple days with my son,
We have decided to split it into 2 hunts............
Getting 2 years out of the elk points.

I've received a TON of valuable info from Wyoming guys on MM....
A few LQ units pulling BIG bulls at this time...
I'm down to a couple 'sleeper' units I will throw my max points at. Should draw..;-)..


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## wyogoob

goofy elk said:


> I'd shoot that 'white antlered' bull given the chance with my bow...
> It's bottom end though.
> 
> After discussing our options at length the last couple days with my son,
> We have decided to split it into 2 hunts............
> Getting 2 years out of the elk points.
> 
> I've received a TON of valuable info from Wyoming guys on MM....
> A few LQ units pulling BIG bulls at this time...
> I'm down to a couple 'sleeper' units I will throw my max points at. Should draw..;-)..


2 hunts sounds better.

Those Wyoming guys on MM know their stuff.

.


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## goofy elk

wyogoob said:


> 2 hunts sounds better.
> 
> Those Wyoming guys on MM know their stuff.
> 
> .


YES, they do......

They know were the 350+ bulls are at!


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## goofy elk

Well,
After long, hard personal debate,
going for 32-1....

Could have probably had a 24-1 or 16-1 tag guaranteed but I'm going for 
a 1 in 8 chance at unit 32.

Just to many other hunts lining up for 2016 to travel so deep into Wyoming
this year.....Time frame too, My September/October in Utah is looking booked all ready.


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## Fez

Good luck. Will be a fun hunt if you draw.


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## Springville Shooter

Good luck Goofster......I hope it happens for you.-------SS


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## bugchuker

Springville Shooter said:


> Nope, and now it's the problem of the Basque sheep wrangler who stole the camera. He didn't see my buddies camera just up the ridge from mine. I hope he enjoys the camera or trades it for a box of wine or whatever.------SS


Im thinking they use it on those romantic evenings on the Wyoming Range.


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## wyogoob

I have the greatest Wyoming sheep joke ever told.

.


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## goofy elk

wyogoob said:


> I have the greatest Wyoming sheep joke ever told.
> 
> .


Well,
lets hear it..


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## lunkerhunter2

I think i heard this one...


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## Springville Shooter

wyogoob said:


> I have the greatest Wyoming sheep joke ever told.
> 
> .


I once saw Bugchucker run through a herd of 1000 sheep parting them like Moses and the Red Sea so we could get down the road. That was the second damndest thing I've ever seen and was fairly funny too. ------SS


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## bugchuker

I just told my wife about this tonight, we were watching a Wyoming deer hunt on youtube and they were herding the sheep down the road. She thought it was mean.


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## goofy elk

Results available tomarrow morning, 10am....!


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## Critter

Click me, Click me, Click me. ........


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## goofy elk

No dice on the permit, just got point number 11 ..

Now I can put in for the Utah draws,
Then Wyoming deer,
Then Nevada deer.................


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