WY Unit 38

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pablodiablo

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Hi everyone! I have not been on the forum much for a couple years, focusing on running a small business and raising two young future hunters. I have a cow tag for WY unit 38 and I am woefully behind on research and e scouting. No excuses but I am just at a point in life where my enthusiasm runs a lot higher than my free time.

Does anyone know this unit or have you hunted it before? I would be most thankful to talk and ask a few questions before I head into the unknown. Always happy to return the favor if I can, and would be extremely grateful to anyone gracious enough to help me out.
 
I hunted it last year. The elk are sensitive to weather/snow. Lots of 4 wheelers, but it's easy enough to separate yourself from them. There are a few different areas to look at. I don't think I can PM because I don't have enough posts. If you have any general questions I can answer publicly, but I'm not one to broadcast info to the entire internet! If you want to post contact info, I can help you out with specifics. There are elk in the unit. With some effort, you'll do fine!
 
Good luck on your hunt. I drew a type 1 tag this year in 38. I have heard about the weather issue but i just tell myself not every elk can go to private right away.
 
Jst_Enuf said:
I hunted it last year. The elk are sensitive to weather/snow. Lots of 4 wheelers, but it's easy enough to separate yourself from them. There are a few different areas to look at. I don't think I can PM because I don't have enough posts. If you have any general questions I can answer publicly, but I'm not one to broadcast info to the entire internet! If you want to post contact info, I can help you out with specifics. There are elk in the unit. With some effort, you'll do fine!
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What tag did you have? How did the hunt go? i drew the type 1 this year and am looking foward to my first hunt in the Big Horns.
 
Keep an eye on the Crater Ridge fire area. Maybe not that area exactly, but where groups of elk would go to find lower pressure once the shooting starts. With the Oct 10 opener for the Type 1 tag, the bulls will be close to where the cows took them to get away from it. Just a thought.
 
go4thebighorn said:
Keep an eye on the Crater Ridge fire area. Maybe not that area exactly, but where groups of elk would go to find lower pressure once the shooting starts. With the Oct 10 opener for the Type 1 tag, the bulls will be close to where the cows took them to get away from it. Just a thought.
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Thanks for the advice. Do you think some rut activity will still be happening? Ive heard the big horns tend to have a later rut.
 
Rut activity will be tapering off every day, but some rut activity for sure. Everything will be tight to cover for sure. Don't let the pressure get to you. Keep focusing on the less pressured holes that have feed close to thick cover, and water if it hasn't snowed yet.
 
go4thebighorn said:
Rut activity will be tapering off every day, but some rut activity for sure. Everything will be tight to cover for sure. Don't let the pressure get to you. Keep focusing on the less pressured holes that have feed close to thick cover, and water if it hasn't snowed yet.
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Just my experience but after 1 day of shooting any rut activity that would aid in hunting is long gone. My experience is in nearby units but I have never personally seen any rut activity from bulls in the bighorns with a rifle in my hands.

Only once have I seen a mature bull with a group of cows after the first day of the season and even though he was a good bull, as good or better bulls could be had without 70 other sets of eyes watching. Not sure if that counts as rut activity though.

However I am open to the idea that others may have had a much different experience than me given I am trying for big bulls and not interested in finding cows. That alone starts you looking in different places.
 
I’ve hunted cows in 38 the last 2 years during opening week. Bulls bugling every day and found with cows. To my surprise no matter the pressure we put on them they always stayed in the same general area. We took 3 cows on 3 separate days last year, all within a 200 yard radius.
 
recon6036 said:
I’ve hunted cows in 38 the last 2 years during opening week. Bulls bugling every day and found with cows. To my surprise no matter the pressure we put on them they always stayed in the same general area. We took 3 cows on 3 separate days last year, all within a 200 yard radius.
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Opening week of cow season or bull season? Two totally different things.
 
375H&H said:
Just my experience but after 1 day of shooting any rut activity that would aid in hunting is long gone. My experience is in nearby units but I have never personally seen any rut activity from bulls in the bighorns with a rifle in my hands.

Only once have I seen a mature bull with a group of cows after the first day of the season and even though he was a good bull, as good or better bulls could be had without 70 other sets of eyes watching. Not sure if that counts as rut activity though.

However I am open to the idea that others may have had a much different experience than me given I am trying for big bulls and not interested in finding cows. That alone starts you looking in different places.
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I was just curious about rut activity since the season is starting earlier this year. No deer hunters for the first 5 days will be nice as well.
 
go4thebighorn said:
Rut activity will be tapering off every day, but some rut activity for sure. Everything will be tight to cover for sure. Don't let the pressure get to you. Keep focusing on the less pressured holes that have feed close to thick cover, and water if it hasn't snowed yet.
Click to expand...
ive got a guy going with me that has a deer tag for that area. He is mostly there to help with the elk hunt but he was able to pick up a general deer tag. Whats the chances of stumbling across a decent buck?
 
matt24073 said:
ive got a guy going with me that has a deer tag for that area. He is mostly there to help with the elk hunt but he was able to pick up a general deer tag. Whats the chances of stumbling across a decent buck?
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It depends how you quantify "decent", but there are muley bucks in there.
 
matt24073 said:
ive got a guy going with me that has a deer tag for that area. He is mostly there to help with the elk hunt but he was able to pick up a general deer tag. Whats the chances of stumbling across a decent buck?
Click to expand...
Any decent buck will be holed up in dark timber. There is a chance, but he will probably literally have to stumble on them...

FWIW, My best mule deer came out of that neck of the woods.
 
matt24073 said:
ive got a guy going with me that has a deer tag for that area. He is mostly there to help with the elk hunt but he was able to pick up a general deer tag. Whats the chances of stumbling across a decent buck?
Click to expand...
Not good. The deer are struggling to come back. Certainly better than they were 2 years ago but nothing like 7-8 years ago.

I’ve only seen 1 mature decent deer since 2016 and I am convinced the only reason I saw him and his buddies was that it was below zero and deep snow. Without that, they would have remained ghosts.

However, there is always a chance you stumble onto one and if 130” is decent then it is possible. 150” + will take serious work until the age class gets a bit higher, hopefully over the next few years.
 
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