Wyoming west general 2024 LATE planning

[gburk]

We drew these tags, and for awhile it looked like we might not be able to make the trip, based on a confluence of forces not worth getting into here.
I would have preferred to archery hunt last month but here we are. I've only been to Wyoming once, driving through to drop off another son in Big Sky (where he met Randy this past summer!). We did a bit of hiking in Wind River Range around Lander IIRC but mostly kept a move on.

As it turns out, we have one week, next week, that my son and I can hunt two West general tags.

The freezer is fairly full, so we aren't going to be shooting spikes or cows (at least from where i sit right now, that is my expectation... I suppose we might get bored... also i have some friends in Colorado I could drop off meat with in exchange for Prop 127 No votes)

If two able bodied guys, without horses or an outfitter, had one week to hunt, and a goal of 300" ish bulls, what area(s) would you focus on? I realize some of these options are largely wilderness, but i've included them for completeness. Also it seems like there are non-wilderness pockets in some of those areas we should not rule out. I may also be omitting areas I don't know about.

Thankful for any thoughts. Feel free to ridicule lack of planning etc etc. Also feel free to downvote your real recommendation as long as you combine that with a PM .

 

[Forkyfinder]

Id pick based on the landscape you want to see and area you are most interested in exploring.

Unit/area specific info really isnt good for that long, consistent, or really predictable. Just my opinion.

 

[gburk]

Id pick based on the landscape you want to see and area you are most interested in exploring.

Unit/area specific info really isnt good for that long, consistent, or really predictable. Just my opinion.

That's a perfectly reasonable basis on which to make such a decision... i'm assuming there are elk in each area. Or I could pick an area best suited to our hunting style: lots of glassing out to 3-5 miles, truck camps with elaborate dinners, stay out all day with midday naps in the field, propensity for death marches to unreachable glassing points, shots 400 yards and in, appreciation for good deadfall but not at excessive levels.
Not sure if any of that lends itself best to one range over another?

 

[Caseknife]

Scratch the north half of the Bighorns due to fire.

 

[Forkyfinder]

That's a perfectly reasonable basis on which to make such a decision... i'm assuming there are elk in each area. Or I could pick an area best suited to our hunting style: lots of glassing out to 3-5 miles, truck camps with elaborate dinners, stay out all day with midday naps in the field, propensity for death marches to unreachable glassing points, shots 400 yards and in, appreciation for good deadfall but not at excessive levels.
Not sure if any of that lends itself best to one range over another?

There are spots in every one of those areas, im betting, that meet your requirements.

Frankly - id be open to trying multiple spots depending on what sign/game you are seeing.

 

[gburk]

Scratch the north half of the Bighorns due to fire.

Aha- one might think that since onx has some 2024 fires it would have them all. But I was not aware of that (wonder how close I would have needed to get to realize plan B was in order??). Looks to be impacting at least one of the two gen units… good point thank you.

 

[gburk]

There are spots in every one of those areas, im betting, that meet your requirements.

Frankly - id be open to trying multiple spots depending on what sign/game you are seeing.

Add to that list of requirements “HATES moving camp” haha but yeah I know we’ll need to be flexible.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Add to that list of requirements “HATES moving camp” haha but yeah I know we’ll need to be flexible.

My vote has changed to tetons... in honor of my 3rd grade wyoming teacher who taught our class how the tetons got their name.



Honestly - id plan to hunt more than one. Might not be far from a world where you only get to pick a unit and not a region.

 

[Caseknife]

Aha- one might think that since onx has some 2024 fires it would have them all. But I was not aware of that (wonder how close I would have needed to get to realize plan B was in order??). Looks to be impacting at least one of the two gen units… good point thank you.

The WatchDuty app is your friend when it comes to wildfires. Kept us on top of what was happening with the
Elk fire when we could get reception. Knew when to pull camp and get the hell out.

 

[perma]

Hunted two of the bunch you listed this year, seen elk in both. Just pick one and go.

 

[gburk]

My vote has changed to tetons... in honor of my 3rd grade wyoming teacher who taught our class how the tetons got their name.



Honestly - id plan to hunt more than one. Might not be far from a world where you only get to pick a unit and not a region.

Come on, that story is too good to be true

 

[Forkyfinder]

Come on, that story is too good to be true

Eh not really interesting. Some french trappers hadnt seen a woman - so they named the mountain range "big boobs" in french. I think she said breasts and someone asked what that was and she had to explain further.

Still pretty funny.

 

[cgasner1]

I’d look for a spot with sage brush. Wyoming has a 300” bull behind every piece of it.

 

[gburk]

I’d look for a spot with sage brush. Wyoming has a 300” bull behind every piece of it.

That’s what I’m taking about, keep them honey holes coming

 

[gburk]

Honestly - id plan to hunt more than one. Might not be far from a world where you only get to pick a unit and not a region

The Paradox of Choice - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[2rocky]

I find your quandry to be stimulating to my own Mental Self Abuse. Where would I go on short notice without any secret weapons. My mind takes me back to places I've been before but I'd want to go somewhere new if I was likely going to have low odds of success. Might as well see country that's new....

The Grizz line keeps moving South East every year. I think I'd rule out any country East of the Fire perimeters. I'd likely focus on the Western Borders of those fires. Thing is any resident hunters whose spots are torched will be pivoting to their nearest options as well. I think I'd find a spot the locals are flocking to and setup on a ridge near a saddle and glass for the elk ping ponging between orange specks in the distance. Look for high bare spots 2 miles from the nearest road and cover close to trails off of the main road. Let the orange army be your bird dogs.

 

[gburk]

I like where your head’s at

Sounds like you voted for option 1

And thanks for the reminder to bring orange

 

[gburk]

The truck is pointed north, will see where the wind takes us

 

[gburk]

Quick update for those following along. Lots of hunters but so much space to hunt we have seen only a few distant orange hats in the field.
Lots of cows but not many bulls in evidence. Some bugles this morning helped us, but we couldn’t reach them in time before they melted into the trees. Back at it tomorrow.

 

[gburk]

I should probably come to terms with the fact I’m more “youth hunt outfitter” than hunter these days!