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Wyoming general unit Archery hunting pressure

nontyp

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Aug 6, 2016
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What is the pressure like in the general units during archery season? I assume most of the pressure comes during rifle season? I don’t forsee myself waiting 10 years just to draw a good LE tag. Id rather be hunting than sitting on the sideline. Some of the general units look really good from my digital scouting, but I’m just curious about the hunting pressure.
 
I'm not sure about WY, but in MT, the general units definitely do experience a decent amount of pressure during archery season...heck, even the draw units seem like they get a lot of pressure. BUT it is nothing compared to the general rifle season. Same as any area though, if you are willing to put in the effort and get past where all of the other guys care to go, your odds will go up exponentially. Best of luck!
 
This is a trick question without know zone your thinking about. Actual bow hunters not enough to worry about but other open seasons will put people on mountain with you. I bow hunt a couple busy zones for deer hunters with rifles but use it to my advantage and usually only see a elk hunter or 2 all bow season and i am always in elk. Its wyoming with only a few exceptions your gonna not find many bow hunters, mostly rifles. In some zones archers dont even hunt because bears are so bad. If have a region or zone in mind look at alternate game seasons that are in also if your worried about traffic: sheep & deer hunters are main ones. My opinion is type 9 tag zones can actually be worst for bow hunters if you dont like other people around. Hope that helps...

Chris
 
It totally depends on the unit. Some general units get pounded like crazy, others there are only a few people on weekends or packed in with horses.
 
I have hunted a popular Wyoming general unit for archery and it has a decent amount of pressure. Never hunted it for rifle so can't compare. In my opinion part of this is due to the use of crossbows. I think last year around half of the hunters I ran into had crossbows including my dad. Almost all of the residents had crossbows in my area. With that said once we got a mile from the truck you don't really see anybody. I am not blaming crossbows just that they are crossbow friendly so you get guys that can't hunt with them in Colorado OTC come to Wyoming.

Hope that answers your question but I would't let the so called pressure prevent me from going.
 
Almost every general unit I've hunted during archery has pressure, but nowhere near the pressure of rifle season. I archery hunt every year in general areas and rarely run into another out hunting over a mile from the truck. Rifle season is a different story, you'll see guys riding horses up and down the old logging roads but only get down when they hear a bugle or catch a whiff of the musty goodness. We've had good success in general areas during archery season, just gotta get your butt off of the beaten path. You'll see lots of campers and empty camps in general areas, don't be discouraged as a majority are weekend warriors. Expect pressure and a good time, use the roads to your advantage and cash in on others keeping the roads busy. Good luck!
 
For reference, I could not get away from hunters last year in multiple MT archery general units and I don't hunt near roads. In 2 general archery seasons in WY I've only seen 1 other hunter. Maybe it was just where I hunted in WY, but MT seemed much more crowded to me.
 

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