Wyoming unit 40 type 1

[Michigangunner]

Did anyone hunt unit 40 this year that would help me out ?
My group has an average of 8.2 and is considering applying for unit 40. My group consists of a couple different ages and I am wondering about access, camping , town etc.
Not looking for anyones hotspot. This will be a one time deal for us out of staters.

Thanks

 

[375H&H]

What species?

 

[Michigangunner]

Elk

 

[npaden]

That whole area had a bad year for public land hunting this year. Early snow in late September pushed everything down low and it was tough going on public land in 40 and 41 for sure.

That could be a good thing for next year. It sucked this year with a 41 tag in my pocket.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I looked really hard at this unit last year. Here's the thread. After talking with the bio I passed as well. His comments were it was a very migratory unit.

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?271910-Wyoming-35-1-Elk

 

[WapitiBob]

keep looking

 

[375H&H]

Late season access to 40 is very difficult with snow. Unless you have tracked atv's you won't be coming in from the top.

Just curious what led you to focus in on 40?

 

[ndhunterman]

I wouldn't spend 8 pts on 40.

 

[375H&H]

That whole area had a bad year for public land hunting this year. Early snow in late September pushed everything down low and it was tough going on public land in 40 and 41 for sure.

That could be a good thing for next year. It sucked this year with a 41 tag in my pocket.

Wait, I thought the west slope of the bighorns was good exactly for this reason? Even if the elk were low didn't someone mention there was blm down there so a guy could get to the elk in the linked thread?

 

[Michigangunner]

Well I did a lot of research on big horns. The group is at 8.2 average. It looks as if the success rates are pretty good in 40. I looked into 38 & 39 as well. Everything I read about 38 is its loaded with every kinda of hunter out there And get buried in snow.

I have no experience elk hunting in Wyoming. If someone has a better suggestion for me I am all ears. I have 3 guys going that's in their 60s and I have to keep them in mind.

 

[npaden]

Wait, I thought the west slope of the bighorns was good exactly for this reason? Even if the elk were low didn't someone mention there was blm down there so a guy could get to the elk in the linked thread?

In unit 41 there are some big blocks of private land. Not checkerboard stuff that you can work your way in and out of. The elk know the boundaries and head for it when it snows. The problem was this year it snowed early.

I've heard people make excuses about all the elk being on private land before and just thought they weren't hunting hard enough. After this year I guess I am more likely to believe other people when they use that excuse.

There is a lot of BLM down low but we couldn't find any elk on it. We found a 600 acre piece of state land that was bordering some of the better private land and saw some good sign on it one evening and made plans to be back the next morning.
There next morning there were over a dozen folks on it. And probably 2/3rds of it was open sagebrush.

There was some fresh snow and the wilderness area was completely devoid of elk and we did put in some miles on the boots and just weren't turning anything up. Spent hours behind the glass too. It was a pretty discouraging hunt. I didn't see a single live elk in 5 days hunting it. I was attracted by the high % success numbers as well, I would be curious if you could get a breakdown on harvest numbers on public vs. private land. It sounded like a slam dunk hunt if you were with an outfitter on private land.

I had heard 40 was better than 41, I'm just sharing my experience on 41. The folks I talked to made it sound like if it hadn't snowed so early there would have still been elk up high that we could have gone after but when the snow hits they head for private.

I could just be a very bad elk hunter though.

My 2 cents.

 

[Michigangunner]

That's exactly my fears. I doubt I ever save this many point again. Just go general then you can move around.

 

[npaden]

Yeah, I drew unit 41 in the random draw with 2 points and was disappointed. I can't imagine how much it would have sucked if I had burned 8 points on that tag. I've never been able to build up 8 points before using them.

 

[375H&H]

Well I did a lot of research on big horns. The group is at 8.2 average. It looks as if the success rates are pretty good in 40. I looked into 38 & 39 as well. Everything I read about 38 is its loaded with every kinda of hunter out there And get buried in snow.

I have no experience elk hunting in Wyoming. If someone has a better suggestion for me I am all ears. I have 3 guys going that's in their 60s and I have to keep them in mind.

Have you looked into the snowy range at all?

 

[375H&H]

Yeah, I drew unit 41 in the random draw with 2 points and was disappointed. I can't imagine how much it would have sucked if I had burned 8 points on that tag. I've never been able to build up 8 points before using them.

I am not implying that I think you are a bad hunter mate, I am sure you are likely much better than I. I am just trying to figure out what happened with your 41 tag this year given what others have said in other threads on here. I tend to believe your experience over others as you were actually there in person instead of looking at land ownership on a computer and formulating a game plan.

Either way, sorry you had such a bum experience in Wyoming this year.

 

[375H&H]

That is not a bad option at all. If you could find a decent unit that you could draw every 1-3 years and consistently hunt it you would get it figured out and eventually have a ton of confidence in your ability to draw that tag and kill a nice bull. With tags you only draw every 5-10 years there is a heap of pressure and that to me never adds anything positive to a hunt.

Another option is to deer hunt in a general unit that is also limited entry for elk and do serious elk scouting in addition to deer hunting so when you draw the elk tag you will have a bit of good experience already behind you.

 

[huronmtns]

In unit 41 there are some big blocks of private land. Not checkerboard stuff that you can work your way in and out of. The elk know the boundaries and head for it when it snows. The problem was this year it snowed early.

I've heard people make excuses about all the elk being on private land before and just thought they weren't hunting hard enough. After this year I guess I am more likely to believe other people when they use that excuse.

There is a lot of BLM down low but we couldn't find any elk on it. We found a 600 acre piece of state land that was bordering some of the better private land and saw some good sign on it one evening and made plans to be back the next morning.
There next morning there were over a dozen folks on it. And probably 2/3rds of it was open sagebrush.

There was some fresh snow and the wilderness area was completely devoid of elk and we did put in some miles on the boots and just weren't turning anything up. Spent hours behind the glass too. It was a pretty discouraging hunt. I didn't see a single live elk in 5 days hunting it. I was attracted by the high % success numbers as well, I would be curious if you could get a breakdown on harvest numbers on public vs. private land. It sounded like a slam dunk hunt if you were with an outfitter on private land.

This played out the same way back in 2008 when I hunted 41. The elk had moved on the private and the outfitter that had access to the private had filled up all their clients prior to rifle season. There was no pressure to move the elk off the private. We could glass them and see about a hundred elk. We just could not get to them with out trespass. I did see one elk calf on public above the private property. If you could get the outfitter that has access to the ranch it would be a slam dunk. If I were to draw that tag again I would do things differently. Especially from what I have learned off this site.

 

[Millsworks]

Elk moving down low early was the unfortunate situation in the area I hunted elk this past fall. I wasted to much time looking up high and deep back in the timber.
Though I shouldn't say I wasted any time while I was there.
The countryside is more than words can describe in northwestern Wyoming.
Awfully expensive scouting trip though.
Did see elk down low in the adjoining elk units that made my heart skip a couple beats.
If you don't mind sharing the woods with a few bears then I suggest looking into the units in the Shoshone National Forest.
Might take a couple more points for the easier terrain units.

 

[robsev]

I had the same problem in 45 this year. After applying for 7 years I finally drew a type 1 tag. I also drew a type 6 (cow/calf) off the national forest. With the early snow it seemed most of the elk had moved down. After I hunted several days (the only elk I saw were on private) I went home and a couple of weeks later I went to try and fill my cow tag. Well, after the first big snow it got really nice, and it seems they all moved back into the NF. In three long days I saw two cows and two calves.

 

[375H&H]

I had the same problem in 45 this year. After applying for 7 years I finally drew a type 1 tag. I also drew a type 6 (cow/calf) off the national forest. With the early snow it seemed most of the elk had moved down. After I hunted several days (the only elk I saw were on private) I went home and a couple of weeks later I went to try and fill my cow tag. Well, after the first big snow it got really nice, and it seems they all moved back into the NF. In three long days I saw two cows and two calves.

Wow, you guys are sounding like pros compared to me. The last 2 years I elk hunted, while I did kill bulls, it took me a long time. 9 days the first year, and 14 the second year with only seeing 1 elk. Talk about frustrating.