Hunting a general unit in Southern wyoming. I climbed roughly 1000 feet to over look a nice pinch point , a gravel road is below me and I cant believe the number of road hunters I see drive around , drive up 1/2 mile up a two track glass and then turn around . Im not judging anyone doing that, hell antelope hunting almost seems like thats the preferred and ideal tactic. I just have to wonder though is it a successful tactic ? Ive heard when it snows at here the elk use the low ground so maybe then its more successful ? Again - Im just curious if Im missing something with all this climbing around im doing . Im on some pretty steep stuff compared to other mountains in the area . I see plenty of elk on the low private prarie that look like you were a rancher you could step out the back door and pick one of 100 lol .
Wyoming general road hunters
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Nick87
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Region w general?
WYelker
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We killed a decent bull this year from
The truck mainly because we couldn’t find anyplace to walk that did not have 5 trucks already in the woods…
WYelker
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Yeah that was a zoo this year. Both on the roads and there n the woods. Guys everywhere in mass. The nice weather meant there were tons of people all over…
D
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At times and in certain areas it can be very successful. My in-laws hunt that way for the most part these days. The area they hunt is almost entirely weather dependent and if the timing is right they will tag out.
Also a lot of what you are seeing is hunters that aren't all that concerned if they get an elk or not. They are just having what is an enjoyable day for them. If they get one, great, if not that's fine too. They really like camp life and are just taking it easy for a few days.
I personally, love to see road hunters. The more they stay on the road the better for those that like to hunt a different way. To each there own.
Also a lot of what you are seeing is hunters that aren't all that concerned if they get an elk or not. They are just having what is an enjoyable day for them. If they get one, great, if not that's fine too. They really like camp life and are just taking it easy for a few days.
I personally, love to see road hunters. The more they stay on the road the better for those that like to hunt a different way. To each there own.
Nick87
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My Bad for some reason I thought we were talking deer.
huntin24/7
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Be thankful for road hunters that stay on the roads. Imagine if all the road hunters were also out hiking 2+ miles into the hills. It would be pretty crowded.
I like the road bow hunters in NM....LOL
And every trail and remote camp site is full. Miles in.
I have found elk within half a mile of every road they are on it seems. And never run into hunters there.
Guys everywhere by Wyoming standards or guys everywhere Colorado standards? huge difference
WYelker
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Having lived in both and hunted both. It was as bad as a crowded Colorado unit…Guys everywhere by Wyoming standards or guys everywhere Colorado standards? huge difference
BuzzH
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The place we killed 2 of the 3 elk is a walk in only area and we never saw another hunter hike in the 3 morning's we hunted it.Guys everywhere by Wyoming standards or guys everywhere Colorado standards? huge difference
My other buddy killed his elk on Wed. night at a pretty popular trailhead, nobody hunted it that night but him.
Road hunters don't hike much and a vast majority drive around justifying their $20k-$30K side by sides.
WYelker
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The walk in where we went had 9 trucks parked in it almost 2 hours before legal light and a horse trailer. From the parking area we could see a bunch headlamps heading into the walk in as we contemplated heading in as well. As we got our packs on another 2 trucks and 4 guys went in… Opening day. We had 3 back up spots all had a small pile of trucks with guys ahead of us. Of course we killed my sons bull opening day. I am certain that 2-3 days later the pressure would have dropped.
I know we could get away from the crowds, but we just chose the wrong starting point…
I am
Heading down to help another hunter this weekend and expect there to be a massive difference in pressure…
While deer hunting I saw more people glassing, and driving around in trucks looking for deer. One guy got a 4x4 300 yards from the road. We drove past the spot in line with 4 other trucks 30 minutes earlier.
Got out hiked in half a mile and we saw more deer and bucks then the people camping near us did the whole week!
BuzzH
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Sucks for you and your spot. The last 2 years we've hunted this particular walk in only area alone, including opening day both years.
Some years we hunt the wilderness opening day, usually alone there too.
You realize who the serious folks are when the group packs out an animal
some crap hole, and you see the same truck and people there the next year. Only run into two groups who have returned again after packing an animal out.
Sabineshooter
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I think most people treat hunts like social events . Ride around , BS and drink beer .
R
rwc101
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Got a crack out of the guys I saw last year leaning against their Jeep while blaring calls through its speakers.
WYelker
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It was a weird year for that spot. Almost like someone put it mount on blast. In the past the most I ever saw were 2 others walking in it. This year on the archery we constantly found 5-6 guys. Not a huge deal but 3xs more than normal. And on the rifle deer we never made it there, but on rifle elk the numbers were way up compared to normal.
I had been in there a couple times during the rifle and once I got 300 yards from the parking area was alone but not this year. I think the super nice weather really changed things…
My son and I have plans to learn the wilderness this next summer so it can be another back up…
What I have seen in WY general hunts is that if the season opens on a weekend, specifically Saturday, it rivals what I experienced in 2020, which had to rival what Colorado's popular OTC units get. This year's opener in the unit I hunted, opened on a Saturday and it was even packed more than opener on 2020. Friday openers have considerably less than Saturdays. not sure on Sundays but hope to find out next year. Mondays thru Thursdays were sparsely populated.
The Saturday opener allows WY residents to take full advantage of the weekend, hunt hard Saturday and maybe go out again Sunday or finish packing off an elk, or sleep in after a hard night of celebrating life. Monday, WY residents are hard to find in the mountains besides on roads.
It's like deer hunting in NE. The vast majority of residents go out opening day/weekend, then go home for the week. Then some of them go back out the next/last weekend and that's all she wrote until next year. I think a large majority of state resident hunters are weekend hunters and enjoy the social aspect of going deer/elk hunting but aren't hard core to take a week or a few days off to chase deer/elk.
Hoping to draw a tag next year and that next year's Sunday opener is a lightly human populated one on the mountain.
Good luck everyone.
The Saturday opener allows WY residents to take full advantage of the weekend, hunt hard Saturday and maybe go out again Sunday or finish packing off an elk, or sleep in after a hard night of celebrating life. Monday, WY residents are hard to find in the mountains besides on roads.
It's like deer hunting in NE. The vast majority of residents go out opening day/weekend, then go home for the week. Then some of them go back out the next/last weekend and that's all she wrote until next year. I think a large majority of state resident hunters are weekend hunters and enjoy the social aspect of going deer/elk hunting but aren't hard core to take a week or a few days off to chase deer/elk.
Hoping to draw a tag next year and that next year's Sunday opener is a lightly human populated one on the mountain.
Good luck everyone.
