WY Elk hunt...Questions????

[Cory Loeffler]

We hunted the Medicine Bow Forrest region a couple years ago in WY. It was a fun hunt and I would go back, but I was wondering if anyone would know of a possibly better or equal spot a little closer to the NE corner of WY.

I'm not real familiar with WY and would like a little assistance in finding a new place to hunt. Non guided/ public land.

Thanks for any help!!

[M.T. Pockets]

Cory, welcome to Huntchat from another Minnesota flatlander.

I wish I could help, I think drawing an elk tag in the NE portion of Wyoming is a bit harder, I've never tried or even looked into it. I think much more of the land is private, and even if you can draw a tag you may want to make sure you have the land access first. I consider it a privilege to hunt Wyoming as a non-resident and I'm glad there are some tags available to us.

Hopefully someone will shed some information here, otherwise if I were you I'd put in for tags in the area you've hunted before. A couple more hours of windshield time to hunt a familiar area may be a good trade off for the hours of time to find a new spot you're unfamiliar with. Either way, just make sure you follow up and go.

Good luck to you.

[Cory Loeffler]

thanks MT pockets

I have heard of some guys taking nice Elk in the Black hills region of SD, so I had a bright idea that maybe we could shave about 6 hrs from our trip and hunt a little closer to home. I wasn't real impressed with the Medicine bow area the last time we hunted it. However, I was a rookie and shouldn't really be talking, but I just thought there was an awful lot of ORANGE running around the woods.

Also, i'm not sure if the "locals" that we hunted with last time are heading back to the medicine bow area. So we might not have their help.

Does anyone know if the elk numbers near the eastern border of the state are good? Info would be greatly appreciated!!

[gspsonny03]

I think that you would have a very hard time getting any tags for the Blackhills areas. I think that they are a limited quota draw and there are very few left overs. I could be wrong on that. If I was coming in from out of state and you didn't want to drive the length of the state, I would try areas 37 or 38. 37 is above Sheridan and 38 is just North of there. You have to go through the town of Dayton. Both are right off the Interstate. The towns I mean. I've hunted area 38 for ten years bow hunting and have shot a couple, but we would usually see elk every day. Now keep in mind that this was in Sept. and after the first big snow they have a tendency to come down off the mountain to the feed grounds and that is on private. I have never personally rifle hunted in 38, but have in 37 and although we seen elk we never got any. Very tough hunting for a newcomer with no idea on the country. I work with people that rifle hunt both these areas and they always come back with elk.
Anyway thats my two cents worth, hope it helps some. If you need anymore help give me a PM and I'll do what I can.

[hnter]

Areas # 1-116-117, WY black Hills.
Area 123 or 113 WY Thunder Basin National Grasslands (if open this year)

Area 7 near Douglas with access from the east from Glenrock, Douglas, Glendo and Wheatland.