Opening Day Zoo?

efnm · Apr 2, 2019

I'm driving up from NM and will be hunting my first general bull tag. I've been researching quite a few units and have been getting some advice from various contacts, which I appreciate.

One thing that was sort of hinted by one guy was that they prefer to hunt a little after the opening day. Is it that much of a zoo for the opening rifle day? I could imagine it but have never had a chance to see.

What do you all do for general elk tags - hunt hard on day one or wait for the craziness to settle down?

c3 · Apr 3, 2019

The only time I've ever been out on opening day of rifle in Wyoming, I was 15 miles from the closest paved road and a half mile from the closest wheeler 4x4 road and heard 41 gun shots !!!

With that said I was sitting a water hole on an opening in some tight timber and had elk go by me just out of sight as they winded me. If I'd been set up a bit better I'd have killed a bull that morning too.

There's a reason I bowhunt almost exclusively

Cheers, Pete

wytex · Apr 3, 2019

It can be a cluster but you can also use the pressure to your advantage.
pm sent

nfh · Apr 3, 2019

Several factors take place. for my personal experience is I have learned where the elk move from ridge to ridge. How they slip from one area to the next from hunters when I do see them. But I usually don't see many hunters. Im far enough into the wilderness usually 15-17 miles back in with horses/mules. Having that area with little pressure makes me appreciate the wilderness law for non-residents. Keeps it from being a zoo.

efnm · Apr 3, 2019

>Several factors take place. for my
>personal experience is I have
>learned where the elk move
>from ridge to ridge. How
>they slip from one area
>to the next from hunters
>when I do see them.
>But I usually don't see
>many hunters. Im far enough
>into the wilderness usually 15-17
>miles back in with horses/mules.
>Having that area with little
>pressure makes me appreciate the
>wilderness law for non-residents. Keeps
>it from being a zoo.
>

No horses and mules for us but I see how that would solve this issue. Coming from NM, I find that if I hike in a whopping 1 mile, let alone 2, I separate myself from 95% of the hunters here.

With the drive being 10-14+ hours depending on the unit, I'm trying to work through my options now to avoid two trips to fill tags.

nontypical · Apr 3, 2019

Opening day can be a bit of a zoo. Not as bad as Utah, though! Find a good escape route and sit and watch. Sometimes opening day could be your only chance at killing a wise older age critter before they disappear into thick cover for the next few weeks. Most of the time a mile or 2 from the road will get you away from the masses. Don't be the guy pushing the critters around. Be the guy watching. JMO.

junior · Apr 3, 2019

Just go north toward Yellowstone until you stop seeing orange and start seeing bears...you'll be fine

efnm · Apr 4, 2019

>Just go north toward Yellowstone until
>you stop seeing orange and
>start seeing bears...you'll be fine
>

That's actually my current plan...

nfh · Apr 4, 2019

just remember the units around Yellowstone are wilderness.

And for the comment of the bears, well we have them wandering through the towns and in the oil field by the town of Byron

Wapitiwilly · Apr 4, 2019

Take it for what it's worth. The biggest bull I've ever seen in Wyoming was opening day in a general unit. That said you have to be damn lucky and in the right place/time.

efnm · Apr 6, 2019

>just remember the units around Yellowstone
>are wilderness.
>
>And for the comment of the
>bears, well we have them
>wandering through the towns and
>in the oil field by
>the town of Byron

Yes, I appreciate the advice. I'm not trying to sound unconcerned, but I'm not letting it change my options too much.

treedagain · Apr 7, 2019

3 of the 4 bulls I have killed in WYO was on opening day, all mature 6points, the other was late in the season, I did have 6 mature bulls opening day in front of me, had a good 5point I could have killed, waited 2 long for the good 6point to move the last 20yards off private and the wind switched and they all spooked. went back late in the hunt and killed a good 6point the 1st day back.

hunt the opener, get there a few days earlier, find a herd and fill it.

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