Wyoming area 7

P

packerhorse

Guest
Howdy

I've heard that area 7 is pretty good hunting for Elk in Wyo. Also someone turned me on to a ranch in the area that provide's Elk hunts called Wagon Hound Ranch. Do any of you guys know anything about this ranch hunt. I'm usually a fair chase DIY hunter. How much BLM land is availible there? I have max. points.
Your coments will be helpful thanks.... Packer
 
Wagon Hound is great elk hunting but big $$$, I looked into a few years back when we drew the same tag.
jd
 
If you're looking for a public land hunt, I'd look elsewhere.

I've never personally had a tag in that area, but I've hunted with 2 buddies who have.

Neither of the guys I hunted with had permission on private, so we just hunted public. There were elk to be had for sure, and both of my buddies passed up bulls up to the 320 range looking for better.

Neither one ended up taking an elk.

Some things that I found while hunting with them:

1. Private land may or may not help you much. If you do get access it will most likely cost you some money, in some cases, quite a bit. The elk in that unit tend to move around as there is quite a bit of pressure...even on some of the private.

2. The landowners in that area are some of the grouchiest, grumpiest, just flat pain-in-the-a$$ type people I've ever dealt with. They'll do everything in their power to keep you off public land if they can. They cant BS me, as I've had years and years worth of experience with a GPS, surveying, map reading, GIS, land ownership issues, public access experience, etc. etc. But, they still insisted on being a$$holes about access until I showed them a GPS and maps. Tune changed 180 degrees when they found out they werent dealing with someone they could bully.

3. The number of permits given out has increased substantially over the years. As a result, I feel that quality has decreased as the WG&F has tried to control the expanding herd.

4. The bull permit holders have to start at the same time the huge crowds of antlerless hunters hit the field. Elk dont like to be shot at, and with the number of permits given, they definately will be getting shot at.

If I were to hunt unit 7, I would make it a point to do a couple things.

1. I'd archery hunt it every day I could...less pressure.

2. If you dont archery hunt it I would scout and have the biggest bull I could find dead on opening morning as close to legal shooting hours as possible. The elk are going to get pushed off the public really fast.

3. Make sure you can read a map and dont be surprised if you have landowner issues.

If I were a NR with maximum points I would look elsewhere to cash them in. There are units that likely have better or at least equal quality and a lot less hassles than dealing with all the unit 7 issues. Honestly, I'd rather hunt a lesser unit with lots of public land where I could just go out there and hunt.

If you were to have access to the right ranches at the right times, you could do very well.
 
I hunted 7 to years ago and had a great hunt I hunted on public land the hole time. I spent 29 days hunting and did not kill a bull but i was also looking for a monster and passed up nice bulls every day. if you dont have alot of time to scout and hunt I would try a difrent area. unit 7 can be a hard place to figure out when hunting public land but if you can get on a private ranch go for it.
 
Well thank you guys for the come backs, looks like I'm gonna have to get some BLM maps and do some homework. That ranch(wagon hound) sounds good, how do I find out the cost to hunt on it? Clifhunter your nerves must be made of steel....
 
Just "google" Wagonhound Ranch, and go to the outfitter section. The prices are listed on the website.
 
That is some good info you guys. Tell me some more, I have the tag this year and plan on going archery then rifle with son who also has a tag. We're looking for public land too I cant pay a trespass fee for two of us. Gary
 
Clifhunter
you get all that info please pass it on, I haven't drawn that area yet but am considering for next year or the year after as I have max points.
packer
 
packerhorse,

I live in area 7, and just to let you know the BLM maps are the least accurate as far as land ownership goes. There is a lot of BLM and State land that has been sold and/or traded as far back as the 1960's that still shows as public land on their maps. Maybe that is why some of the MM members have had run ins with landowner's, and just maybe the landowner was right and the hunter was trespassing. In Wyoming it is the hunters responsibility to know were they are and not to rely solely on maps, because they can be wrong. You can go to the County Courthouse and check on ownership just to make sure. The most accurate maps that I know of are the National Forest maps, but there are still some discrepancies. I would suggest getting at least two different maps of the area you plan to hunt so you can cross reference ownership.

Hope this helps.

wyoelkchaser
 
Thank Wyoelkchaser, I'll do that. Sounds to me like I'm going to need to do a couple of scouting trips, just to learn the lay of the land. With the price of fuel it might be to my benifit to contact some large land owner and pay for permission to hunt on there property. Any suggestion?
Packer
 
Wagonhound ranch is a good place, the owner has bought up several smaller ranches in the area over the last few years, but they are pretty expensive. Most of the larger ranches have been picked up by outfitters, so it will be difficult to find one to just get a trespass fee on. There is some large blocks of Forest Service to hunt, but like other parts of the country if you don't get off the beaten path, you will be dealing with a lot of other hunters. If you are willing to put in the work and time a good bull can be had on public land, if you don't have the time to spend on scouting, I would suggest checking into an outfitter. Check out triplecreekhunts.com. He has never sent a hunter home without a 6x6, knock on wood.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-08 AT 11:35AM (MST)[p]wyoelkchaser,

Since I was the only "other MM member" who mentioned anything about the landowner issues in 7, I guess your post was directed at me.

You sound like you do, in fact, live in unit 7...yours is the exact attitude I dealt with on several occassions with others that "live in unit 7".

Just to clear the record and to help you understand the issues I dealt with, I'll provide details. I wont mention landowner names or specific locations unless you want to continue to question the incididents and/or my specific job related skills regarding access, public lands, map reading, etc. I also wont post the specific information on the net, but will give details via PM or email.

One incident involved a decent sized block of State land/BLM accessible via County Road. The thing about this particular fairly large piece is that its easier to glass the area from a distance from another county road. While sitting on the PUBLICALLY OWNED County road and glassing early one morning for elk ON MY PUBLIC LAND, we were approached by one of the PITA landowners I described above.

He immediately wanted to know what we were doing, which amoung other reasons, was really non on his damn business. In all likely hood, I should have pretended like he wasnt even there. But, I actually enjoy telling these type of people what they need to be told. So, I explained that we were glassing state owned wildlife on public land. He then proceeded to tell me that the area we were glassing was "not public land".

I immediately produced a map, along with specific GPS coordinates. He was very agitated and told me, "you guys better know exactly where you're at!". I told him, "Thats what this is for", and showed him my GPS.

He then conceeded that the area we were looking was public land, but that to get there you had to "cross me to get there". I said, "nope, not true" and proceeded to show him the legal access via a different county road and public land to the sections we were glassing. Again, "well, you better know exactly where that access point is" (for the record the road crosses an ENTIRE State section so, pretty tough to miss a mile long section of "access". Not a problem with a GPS, a map, and more than two firing brain cells in your head.

The guy, obvsiously agitated that he'd been "told" how it was warned us again that if we set foot "on me"...we'd be getting a visit from the Game and Fish and the Sheriff. Clearly, he was angry that he handnt been able to run us off the county road, and keep us from hunting state owned wildlife on accessible public land.

Another similar story in unit 7. I found a MARKED piece of BLM, about a half section, that was a perfect location to park a camp trailer on. Again, the 1/2 section was bisected by one mile of county road. So, we set up camp. Before we had the trailer unhitched here comes a vehicle from the nearest house. Sure as the day is long, they pull right and ask what we're doing. I said, "camping on public land". The reply I got was, "well you're pretty close to private". Which, I dont care if I was only ONE foot into public land. You're either on public or you're on private, theres no such thing as "pretty close". I again produced the map, showing the PITA landowner that I was at a minimum, a full quarter mile away from "being pretty close" to private.

He then asked, "well, how long you going to be camped there". Which again, I should have just ignored, but replied, "up to 14 days, the legal limit on my public land".

Discussion over.

Bottom line, there are more than a few landowners in unit 7 that are nothing more than nosey hecklers who will, and do, try to keep hunters off legally accessible public lands. They have no right to do it, and I suggest to everyone that they excercise their rights to legally access every stitch of public land that they want. I further suggest that if a landowner like those that I dealt with harrass you, question you, etc. report THEM to the Sheriff and/or G&F. They need to know that public land is for everyones enjoyment and that people absolutely do not need to be harrassed or intimidated from using the very land they own.

Also, I contend that if there is that much public land, (which I know for a FACT, there is not that much of) that has changed hands in unit 7, the landowners have a responsibility to post it. Legally, they may not, but I can assure you that in a court room, the most current map available with ownership information, will hold substantial weight. Equally, proper posting of private land will hold substantial weight as well. If a landowner chooses to not post private land, that in particular has recently changed hands from public to private ownership, they will find themselves having one hell of a time actively pursuing any type of trespass charges.

I dont tolerate trespassers, and I also dont tolerate landowners thinking they own public lands.

That being said, next time you accuse me of "trespassing" I think that you, along with your landowner friends that live in unit 7, should both get your facts straight.
 
Very well said buzz. I too have had to deal with landowners trying to claim ownership to public lands. It's also very bad in the black hills area of northeast WY. It's amazing the kind of awesome hunting spots you can find if you know how to read a map and use a GPS.
 
BuzzH,

I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was just trying to help someone out that had a question about a unit that I am familiar with. I wasn't directing anything at you, but it sounds like you have had a bad experience here, and I was trying to help the guy out so he doesn't have one also. If you want to be bitter and blame your bad experiences here in Wyoming on me, go ahead, I have broad shoulders, I can take it.

Have a good one and happy hunting!

wyoelkchaser
 
must be a personal thing i have many friends who hunt public lands in 7 with no problems. maybe its the attitude given to the ranchers is just given back. it is a complicated area to hunt but if you know where you are at and the rancher harasses you you should call the sheriff its called hunter harassment.
 
I've been fortunate enough to hunt area 7 with a type 1 tag for the last 7 years... The amount of pressure during archery season has at least doubled on the public land I have hunted in that time. I've killed my bull with archery equipment each of those years so that's my only experience. Opening of rifle season is the same time as opening of deer season and is a FREAKING ZOO!!!!!!!! Thank God I've only been with my buddies on these rifle hunts and not had to do it myself.
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom