Wyoming Elk Unit 81

[henson270]

Hello Everyone,
Does anybody out there have any experience with Wyoming Elk unit 81, which borders Grand Teton National Park? I have scoured online and can find no information on it. It's a general season unit with a season that runs Sept. 25 - October 26th, consists solely of National Forest Land, and has no wilderness areas within it so a non-resident (like me) can hunt it without a guide. Hunter success is a shade under 25%. Has anyone out there hunted it (for Mule Deer as well) that can lend any information on topography, hunting pressure, etc.?

 

[Thomas11]

I had done some limited research on it. I think it could be a good hunt. From what I found, roads can be terrible and not a lot of them at that. Primarily horse country and tons of grizzs. But now I've never been there either for what it's worth

 

[henson270]

I've seen similar reports, too. Lots of horse trails, and limited roads. That's one of the many things that make me think it may be on the elky side. Thanks for the input, Thomas11!

 

[jrabq]

A buddy and I tried to hunt it in 2013, got about a foot of snow just before the rifle opener which really hurt our plans. There was quite a bit of completion from guys on horseback, we were basically trying to day-hunt on foot. We almost had a shot while bowhunting the day before the snow dump. The area is know for having bears with a bad attitude, a lot of "problem" bears are relocated to this unit, or so I hear. We saw 2 grizzly bears, but both from the road, not while we were hunting.

 

[nrpate05]

I don't much about 81 other than it is some wild country. I killed an elk in 80 and was with a friend when he killed one in 82. I've heard reports of people taking good bulls in the Buffalo Fork on the north side of the unit. If you're going to be hiking I would get in good shape. Bring your bear spray and listen for the wolves, they should be around too.

 

[Thomas11]

I've seen similar reports, too. Lots of horse trails, and limited roads. That's one of the many things that make me think it may be on the elky side. Thanks for the input, Thomas11!

U bet! The only problem with these type areas is figuring out how to access where the elk are if they are no roads to speak of and u dont have horses.

 

[Epfd217]

81 is a zone that i looked into pretty hard this year. Decent elk numbers, good to above average bulls, and rough country with very few roads. It sounds like a dream except for the rough country and grizzly bears. The grizz are thick in there and there were two or three grizz maulings in the area just this fall. We ran into one on our hunt as well.

There is plenty of area to find your own space, but know that there are outfitters that operate in that zone and the horseback guys will push past you too.

Due to our timeline this year, we ended up hunting 83 to avoid the gun hunters that get the early start in 81. We hunted until gun season started. If 81 is anything like 83, you will need to get far from the road. We had trucks and wheelers running past our bow camp constantly the day before the season. I can only imagine what the opener was like.